When I was a kid, my dad was never without a camera. The lens folded out on a bellows and the viewfinder was a small glass square that he peered into to compose his shots. When ready, he would push in on the shutter at the end of a cable. I was never allowed to use my dad’s camera but, when I was nine years old, my birthday present was a brand new Brownie Hawkeye. How I treasured that gift! The little black and white prints that came out of that box were, to me, true magic. I recently found a box of some of those old prints, including a school field trip to the UN building in New York City. Once hooked, always hooked; that sense of magic has never left me. The equipment has certainly gone through some dramatic evolution, but taking pictures of what your eye sees is still the essence of that magic.
Now my interests lie mainly in nature photography, highlighting the wildlife that we share our world with. Plain old brown birds, another boring white bird, an occasional butt shot slipped in to the mix, alligators, anoles, dragonflies, and gross looking bugs that make my poor wife Sandy cringe. Lately, with some new gear, I have also gotten into astrophotography. It’s all fun, it can be challenging, it can be frustrating, but photography is what I have always loved.
Our amazing Photo Club has helped me nurture that passion, and is such a wonderful resource for learning and sharing. Thank you all for helping me along this journey. And thank you for tolerating my somewhat esoteric sense of humor.