The Beginnings of YOUR photography

[slackercruster]

!970 friend sold me a Minox for $12. Learned how to develop. Worked in various labs. Read books.

 

[JoshuaSimPhotography]

Wow, 12 bucks! No.camera can be sold at that price now!

 

[imagemaker46]

In 1969 my Dad took me to a professional football game, handed me a camera and a roll of film, said, don't waste it, and away I went. I've learned everything about photography from him.

 

[Rick58]

I started when I was 13 (now 54). My dad gave me his Ansco Viking, an old 120 folder, and a Weston meter. He had a permanent darkroom that was made from a converted second floor bathroom. I learned everything from him. As I got better, he gave me his Exacta VIIa and a 3 1/4 X 4 1/4 Crown Graphic all before I turned 16. I still have the Graphic which is still in beautiful condition. My old Weston is still in my dresser drawer also. I started old school and never found a reason to change.

 

[JoshuaSimPhotography]

In 1969 my Dad took me to a professional football game, handed me a camera and a roll of film, said, don't waste it, and away I went. I've learned everything about photography from him.

So was your dad a pro or enthusiast !?

 

[smithsam]

Hi Joshua!

Congrats on completion of 1000th post

Well to begin with photography, you need to grasp complete knowledge about how to use the camera. You can get immense knowledge through available reviews, books and videos.

You can also visit my page for more info regarding photography

Regards

Sam

 

[JoshuaSimPhotography]

Lol dude, I know my photography I was just asking questions regarding others, but thx for ur wishes

 

[Rick58]

I thought it might be fun to drag this old thread out of the closet. As I mentioned earlier, I received my first "real" camera in 1971 for my 13th birthday along with a Weston light meter. I've thought about this camera a lot as I've gotten older and have a lot of fond memories of that birthday and the scores of film that went through that old Ansco . After many near-buys, I finally picked up this old girl, an Ansco Viking 6.3, which is an identical twin to my 13th birthday present. I knew I wouldn't rest until I did.

I still have the old Weston III. Maybe now I'll have a reason to shoot a roll of that BN400CN. I thought of putting a roll through my Bronica's and the RB and even the Baby Graphic, but this feels different. I may just do it this time

 

[table1349]

There is a special pinkness to the sky as the sun rises on a crisp October morning, kissing the clouds, warming the fields, and waking the livestock, who move quietly to their feet and begin to mill about their pens, like patrons in a crowded theater lobby who, instead of waiting to see a show, are waiting to be made into steaks or bacon. Suddenly my mother hollered to father, who was at that very moment put the ROLLS Razor Safety Razor that he had removed from its Strop Guard Case to his well lathered neck. "It's time" my mother exclaimed as she turned off the burner of the white GE gas stove under the pan that held my fathers half cooked eggs. Father gathered up her already prepared suitcase, helped my mother to the car and took off for the hospital. 9 hours and 37 minutes later my photographic journey began.

It wasn't until 7 years later at the county fair and carnival that I actually realized I was interested in photography. It cost me 75 cents and three tries to grab that little camera out from the other items in that carnival claw machine. There it was, gleaming brighter than the barrel of an official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle with a compass in the stock. My very own miniature no name camera. The instructions strategically rubber banded to the camera said that it actually took pictures. All you had to do was send in your money to get a roll of miniature film. Film it turned out that also worked in the Minox B that was so popular in the great black and white television spy shows such as The Man from U.N.C.L.E. I sent away my money, got my film and shot away. The developed results left much to be desired, but I was the best spy on the block, because I had a real camera.

At 10, while staying on the farm with my grandparents, I ran across a 620 Flash Brownie in a closet. Quickly I snatched it up and took it to my grandparents. It was their old camera, still in working condition and was given to me to use that summer. The following Thursday night, that was the night that the stores stayed open until 8 p.m. so folks could do their shopping, I went to the drugstore and bought a roll of 620 film. I proceeded over the summer to take some of the greatest portraits of cows, chickens and horses ever known to have been taken by a 10 year old boy.

The following Christmas I was blessed with a Kodak Hawkeye Instamatic F Camera from my grandparents. I was advised however to try and pick out better subjects than livestock. Seems I had saturated the market with portraits of our farm animals. 126 film being easy to find, that camera and I became inseparable. I took photos of every living person I knew, my dog, and whatever crossed my path. Some were good, some were bad, but all were fun to take.

When I was 14 my uncle, who had suffered through some of my photographic sessions with the Hawkeye showed up at our door one day with a present for me. A used but well cared for Leica IIIc that he had picked up in the Navy after WW II. Included was a brown leather case that came with the camera when he got it. By now I had learned to frame a shot but the Leica was confusing. A downtown camera store was able to solve my adolescent dilemma when they found an old user manual printed in English in their file cabinets. $2.00 later and I was on my way to learning how to do more than load film point and press a shutter button.

In my Sophomore year in high school my journey really took off. I was interested in a girl, she was interested in journalism, so I became interested in being a school paper and year book photographer. While the romance was over in a few months, some exciting months involving the back seat of a 1969 Mercury Monterey station wagon, my interest in photography for both the paper and the year book skyrocketed. I had an after school job, a little folding money and a desire for a good camera of my own. At a local camera store was a used but well taken care of Nikon F2 with a 50mm f1.4 Nikkor lens. The proprietor of the shop knew I was with the paper and year book staff, and while I was a bit short of funds for a used 135mm Nikkor f2, he let me have it anyway. I was set for then next several years.

I was also hooked on photography for good. I quit my job at the pizza joint when I managed, with a friends, dads help, to secure a position with a well know commercial photographer. I lugged lights, back drops, props, swept floors and did every other menial job there was. But I paid attention when the shoots were happening. The boss took notice of this and we began to discuss photography. He took me under his wing and taught me everything I could absorb about the business and about photography. I learned to use MF and LF cameras as well as his favorite tool, the Pentax 67. I learned lighting, such that it was at the time. It was the era of flat lighting for fashion and to me was and still is a boring mode of lighting. I learned product photography and all aspects of commercial photography of the day. I also got to learn a lot about portrait photography. The studio was so busy with commercial work that the boss only did portrait work for commercial clients, friends and family. 2 1/2 years later I was off to college with a well rounded education in and a vast love for photography that survives to this day.

 

[snowbear]

I was given an old brownie when I was 9 or 10 ('67 or '68). A year or so later, I bought a Kodak 126 Instamatic with soda bottle money - IIRC, it was about $12. When I was 15, my father got tired of me absconding his Minolta SRT-101 and got my first "real" camera, a Minolta HiMatic 7S rangefinder, for my birthday (I still have it). I learned to develop B&W in high school, shot a little for the yearbook, and bought a SRT-201 a couple of years later.

I got away from it for a few years, but in 2007 I bought the D40. The reintroduction to photography bought a seriousness (artistically) that I lacked earlier. I took three photography classes (two film, one digital) when I decided to get my BS (Univ of MD 2010).

 

[minicoop1985]

My mom gave me her old 110 Kodak when I was probably 8-9 ish. Took some horrible photos that are lost to the annals of time. Here and there I've picked it up throughout the years, but when depressive phases hit, I gave it up. What got me back into it was my dad's old Olympus OM-1n. Then I got a DSLR. Then it snowballed over the past few months and I'm still horrible but not as horrible.

 

[limr]

The first camera I remember was my father's Polaroid Land Camera 100. Mostly I remember being blinded by the flash bulb as it burnt itself out, and begging to be the one to peel the print off of the backing. It was So.Cool. to see that print emerge after it was peeled off and kept developing. He rarely let anyone else shoot it, but it was always around.

Then we went to 110 cameras - we had a Kodak (who knows the model number) and I think my brother had one. Then we all slowly started moving to 35mm point and shoots. Someone had a Konica, someone else had a Kodak, and in high school, I got a Vivitar for a birthday or Christmas. That was when I thought, "Hey, now I can get creative!" I tried and tried to get various artistic effects, but was stymied time and time again. Kept trying all the way through college. Ended up with a lot of blurry shots.

I graduated from college in Dec 1992, got a temp job, and in March 1993, I bought myself a K1000, a Takumar 28-80mm zoom lens, and a flash. The first roll came out like crap, but I saw that I was finally able to at least change things in the picture other than making everything blurry. I bought a book and started studying. I got better - enough to keep me encouraged.

Within a year, I was in grad school and had to focus on my studies. Still took pictures, though, and got a few that I still really like and have printed in 8x10. After I finished grad school, I worked for a year and the hobby was still a bit on the back burner.

In 1998, I moved to Istanbul and my K1000 went with me (the flash had broken by this point and I never replaced it. Never got a different lens, either.) Took lots of pictures - still not in a studious, deliberate sort of way but not just snapshots. Did more experimental things and used photography when I needed to express myself but couldn't do so effectively in any other visual medium.

In 2001, I moved to Braga, Portugal and again, the camera came with me. Took even more pictures. That camera went with me just about everywhere. Got to the point where I could take a picture and think, "Wow, that looks like a postcard!" and one second later, "Damnit, it looks like a postcard!"

Moved back to NY in 2003 and started teaching. In about 2005-ish (can't remember exactly), I was using a few of my shots for an activity of sorts (I was teaching ESL at the time) and two of my students from Taiwan asked who took the pictures. When I told them I had taken them, they became very interested and asked to see more. The next week, I brought in more of my pictures. They told me that I was good and needed a 'serious' camera. A week or so after that, they walked into class with a Mamiya 645 Pro TL, and 80mm lens, a 120mm macro lens, a Sekonic light meter (which unfortunately is now broken) and a camera bag. Turns out, they worked at Mamiya and built me a camera from parts that had been rejected for very minor cosmetic issues (so minor that I could never really tell what they were!)

That was when I started getting more serious about photography. I did eventually buy a digital point and shoot and hated every second of it, even if I did get some good images out of it. Bought a better digital camera, but it still never held my attention, so I've stuck with film. I just love it too much. And my 'new' gear got older and older - Russian rangefinders, TLRs, some SLRs from the 70s, and of course my trusty K1000 that will probably be cremated with me whenever I go to the big darkroom in the sky.

Last year, I dusted off that old Polaroid Land Camera 100 of my father's and started shooting with it, so I've come full circle

 

[limr]

Oh, and Rick, that Ansco is beautiful!

 

[Tiller]

I started with a Canon T3. I'm notorious for getting way too involved way too quickly when I get interested in things. I bought a 60d, and that has satisfied my digital bug up to this point.

Films a different story. I started with a Fuji 35mm donated to me by pixmedic. Liked it so much I went on a frenzy and bought 3 or 4 SLR's. A rangefinder came next. Then a Mamiya 645 Pro, and now a Calumet 4x5.

This week I'm buying a complete darkroom setup. What is wrong with me...

 

[acparsons]

I took and class in high school and used BW on an FM2. Didn't own my own camera until I bought a point and shoot in 2001. Started there and became more serious in 2006 when I bought a D40. It has been going up since graduated to a some lower end Canon DSLRs, D80 and FM2 again, D300. I have a large format Pentax that I have yet to try, maybe soon. In addition to getting out every chance I got, I studied genres equipment, and composition for a year by reading books and articles. I also learned a lot by participating in Flickr groups and participating in photo commentary. Started a photography class for the local community and then taught it at a university last semester. Learning more in forum everyday. Now, looking for places to publish/share my photos. I'm not a great photographer, but it's fun to share.