Beginnings:
When I sat down to write this I had to try remember when I had my first memory of a camera. As my father had always taken photos, there was always a camera in the house, a lovely Yashica Twin Lens Reflex camera which I am proud to have in my collection now. But my first recollection is my sister’s Communion, and as we went to visit all the relatives I was allowed mind the camera in the back of the car. The camera was a joy to hold, heavy with twin lenses at the front, a big winding mechanism on the side and a real leather case with red velvet inside.
Of course as I was only 10 there was no way I was going to be allowed to use the camera, but it started a passion within me that I still have today, 36 years later. The first camera I actually owned was a little Kodak 110 Film cartridge camera. This little camera came everywhere with me, trips away with the family and Scouts. Everywhere I went I was recording the event and occasion with my little camera.
As I got older and started to earn a few pounds I saved up to buy what I thought was a super proper 35mm camera, a little Olympus Trip 35, again a camera I still possess today. I was as proud as punch when I went into the shop and picked out the camera I wanted, even now I can recall the salesman trying to sell me something else. But my mind was made up; I wasn’t ready for a SLR, so the Olympus Trip became my first 35mm camera. It had its own little case and proper flash on top and again it came with me everywhere and one of my best times with it was on a family holiday to Jersey, the first time where I actually started to look at what I was taking, using composition, lighting and even the rule of thirds, I was 17 and felt like a real photographer!
In the next article I will move onto my first SLR and how I actually got a job as a photographer so please stay tuned for the next instalment.
A Man With His Camera Photography 