Hi Everyone!
People often ask me about how got started and how I learned photography. The First question I get is; “did you go to school for it?”. No, I never went to school for it. I am, for the most part, completely self taught from about 1972 until today! It started for me as a kid about 8 years old. I can remember getting a plastic camera that took 120 roll film from Shakey’s Pizza. I took pictures of everything, the pets, the snow, my school friends. The photos were terrible in every possible way; blurry, poor composition, poor exposure. It was basically a fixed shutter speed, fixed aperture camera, so you got what you got and at that age, I had no idea. I’ll try to find some of those old prints. I know there are a couple around (’73-’74). I no longer have this camera. I’m sure it got tossed with old toys decades ago.
The next camera I had was a 110 GAF camera that took flash bulbs (Pictured Below, left). Again, more pictures of the pets, friends in Jr. High, the Air Force Thunderbirds, snow drifts and heaven knows what else. Here’s one. Again, mere snapshots. I believe the were spring of 1979, probably the last few days of 9th Grade. Jane and Sabrina, I believe… I hope they don’t mind!
I wish I had some older ones to share, but I have no idea where they might be.
At this stage, I was snapping pictures all the time, but I had no concept of proper light, aperture, shutter speed or ISO (ASA back in those days). All I knew was, to point the camera, look though the hole and click!
Next up …. Part II “My First 35mm SLR – Real Photography – err.. Sorta!!” Coming shortly!
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