Friday 5

(Link in meme-roll)
Into the Lens

1. What was your first camera like?

My first camera--received at about age 12 or 13--was an Instamatic similar to this one. It used 110 cartridges, which I



believe had either 12 or 24 pictures each. Ridiculously awful pictures by today's standards, but cheap and simple. It had a spot for a flash cube, which could go right on top, or on a little pedestal that attached, like the one at the right*. I got it prior to my first trip to visit my sister Jean in England when I was 14, and I kept a little notebook to write down what each picture I took was. I think I used, maybe 4 rolls of film in three weeks? I still have the scrapbook I made with those photos.....

2. What kinds of accessories have you purchased for a camera?

Unless a carrying case or that flash attachment and flashbulbs (hundreds of those!) counts, none.

3. When did you last shoot photos on film, and how many rolls of unshot film do you have in your house?

I haven't used film in close to a decade if not more. We still have a film camera, but we took the last roll in for development ages ago.

4. Digital photography has all kinds of advantages over film photography, but what’s better about shooting on film and having to get it developed and printed?

My brother-in-law Jan, who is annoying as hell and a photography fanatic, is STILL sure that "this digital thing" is just a fad, much like he thinks color photography isn't quite legit. He used to have a darkroom, so I think he enjoyed putzing with the chemicals and doing his own matting and framing. Whatever. It's increasingly hard for him to find his favorite film, which he moans about regularly. He thinks film produces a 'more realistic' image--I think he's stupid. But I'm not a "photographer" so what do I know? In fact, his insanity about his hobbies (don't even mention Amtrak to him!!) makes me all but hurl everytime someone (anyone) brings them up, whether he's part of the conversation or not. My dad was a bit of a camera nerd, and I always wanted to be like him, but Jan has ruined the whole thing for me with 50 years of smug condescension and fussiness. /rant (sorry)

5. How do you manage your digital photos?

Very very poorly. One day, I am going to wade through Dropbox and name and date everything and create folders and so forth. Really, I am.

*The more I look at the photo with the flash pedestal, the more sure I am that this was the model I had, with the little flag sticker over the lens. Jeez. I wonder what happened to that camera....?