Photography, for me, has been both hobby and profession. It all started back in Junior High, bitten by the bug after taking a graphic arts class. We explored painting, printing (with a press), silk screening calligraphy and photography with both calligraphy and photography pursued as life-long ventures. I remember my mom's amazement that such beautiful lettering could rise from her son with such awful handwriting. Indeed, my handwriting so illegible that my English teacher told me if I submitted another paper as such it would not pass, telling me to drop a class and take up typing...and I did. But that is for another blog.
After completing the graphics art class, I remember an uncle showing me his sunset pictures captured with what he called an 'instatragic' camera (actually called instamatic). Our family, impressed with the quality, purchased one. Family pictures of our activities ensued. Eventually, it fell into my hands and I started taking pictures with our cartridge filled camera...and, as dad put it, it started getting expensive. But my folks were willing to let their son take pictures of sunsets and ice cubes floating on the top of a soda. They saw something in the way their son explored with film, and were willing to expense my often flawed experimentation to capture the stuff 'I saw'. We didn't have a lot of money then, so I am confident it was a sacrifice.
Just before entering high school, my parents noticed my photographic interest had not waned, and for Christmas, bought me a Minolta SLR (single lens reflex) camera. A whole new world of photographic expression exploded inside my heart and onto paper. Depth of field, crisper colors and control drew my passion even more. My dad had a friend, Rick Bobby who had a darkroom in his garage. Rick and his wife gave me the combination to their garage giving me access anytime to use, for free, his haven of photographic creation. I remember going into the darkroom in the afternoon emerging out of it, to my surprise, the next morning!
This opportunity allowed me to continue my black and white imaging, but Rick taught me about a slide to print color imaging system called CibaChrome. Rick also told me that failing to pack my camera EVERWHERE I go, was failure to have opportunity to capture a moment never returning. I became, what many refer, a Japanese tourist. And he was right. I found myself rushing to sunsets hoping to capture just the right colors, unexpected waterfalls on a trip to Colorado with friends, and candid moments of our times together.
I was asked to be the wedding photographer of a friend of mine (she was one of my pen pals). I blindly accepted the challenge completing it with success. It was my first photographic 'job'. Once done, I read that 'real' wedding photographers used large format cameras, and, since I was not made of money, rather than saving for a Hasselblad, I saved enough money to buy a used Mamiya RB 67. I wanted to attend Brooks Institute of Photography and got distracted along the way, my dad later admitting that he didn't know how they would have afforded it, but if I had chosen to, would have found a way. My cameras became my best friends, and a tool for expression, and people enjoyed seeing my work.
The gossamer thread to this blog can be found in the souls who chose to sacrifice. My parents and one of their friends, Rick, gave me a wonderful gift. Others took risk, giving me privilege to capture their events, for pay. They looked into a young heart and, seeing passion, fostered it freely. I studied and read. I also was given a natural gift for composition, developing enough artistic skill that I not require a hundred photos to get one good one, most of the time.
God has blessed me with an eye and heart willing to notice what most never take time to see let alone capture; and eye to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary, and I am grateful. The photographic web in my life, can be found in the many who gave a chunk of their own to me; and for them, I rejoice, I revel, I appreciate. How might you foster the gift in another today, tomorrow and in the weeks ahead? What sacrifices are you willing to make to foster what may become a life long passion in another? Who can you thank, today, as being one who fostered your passion and gift? It's time to rejoice, revel and appreciate those who have done so for us.
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