Photography has been an important part of my life since childhood, I learned on my fathers Leica M2 and later on my grandmother’s Rolleiflex the pure mechanics of freezing time. My first camera was the Nikon FG20 my dad gave me for my 18th birthday with some terrible “Exacta” lenses. I learned how to develop Black & White film and maybe that’s where my preference for monochrome photography comes from.
From the FG20 (that was stolen) I graduated to an FE – I bought a completely shot camera cheap in London. The time of compact cameras meant that I carried a Rollei 35 with me most times and the 6×6 Rollei for “special projects”.
My last real film camera was the Nikon F90x, a present from my father again, this time for my 30th birthday that fell nearly onto my university graduation. And as much as I wanted to love it for his sake, I never could. The only camera that I really never had a personal relationship with.
I went “digital” timidly with some cheap Panasonic compact nonsense and then finally – for my 40th – bought myself a NikonD300 which remained my close to me for a decade.
But photography faded from me – for at least 4 years, I have not taken photos other than the usual iPhone snapshots of a sunset or a viewpoint while hiking. Those photos aren’t bad (and some are on this blog) its just that they were not taken with the mindset of photography. Carrying 4lb of steel and glass brings a different frame of mind that snapping a quick one. And for my new years resolution, I had contemplated to pick up photography a little more seriously again – dusting off my old friend, the D300 and taking her for a spin. I fizzled, I had too many other projects and job-related issues cooking, I got into HAM radio, programming, 3D printing and other crafts, there just wasn’t space for photography. Basically, my non-work life is very scattered and distracted and I could not justify another “hobby”.
But I started talking to a good friend recently about photography, more as a method to “see” than to “present” and I felt the need to at least try a test run. Maybe I just need someone to talk about it to get myself motivated?
So, how does a dog walk look like through 35mm (APS)? So I grabbed the Nikon and the dog and went out and looked what I would see. Enjoy.
