Happy Father's Day, And My First Fancy Camera

He gave me my first camera.  Well, several cameras really.  The usual kinds parents buy for their kids for birthdays and Christmases.  My first was a 110 film, and when I graduated to the 35mm point and shoot I felt I had hit the big time.  But I didn't know big time until I went to college, and my dad gifted me all of his equipment after I signed up for my first photography class.  I had often envied his Nikormat EL with its assortment of lenses, teleconverters and filters.  It all seemed so fancy.

My first day of my first photo class I couldn't wait to start taking pictures - never mind the fact I didn't understand ISO or aperture or shutter speed.  It was painful to let the camera sit silent as we read through our Intro to Photography book for the first few classes.  By the end of my 4th year I had burned through endless rolls of Kodak T-MAX 400 and spent countless hours in the dark room, watching the photo paper magically develop in front of my eyes.  Nothing was as satisfying as returning to the drying rack and heat pressing the dried prints.  Even though digital cameras have made developing less tactile, there's still nothing that compares to hearing the click of the shutter, capturing a moment in time, and seeing the final image on screen and, finally, in print.

Thank you, Dad, for introducing me to the world of photography and giving me my first fancy camera.  I would not be where I am today without you!  Happy Father's Day - I love you!

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