This was my grandmother's 1940s twin-lens Argoflex camera.
Not skirting my duties to go to obsessive lengths to capture a daily photo, I went through old photo albums, remembering I had these two pictures I took with this camera. I surprised even myself that, back in June,1966, when I took these, I'd made note in the album of my f-stop and speed! The one photo is of a fountain in our back yard, and I remember being so pleased with the great DOF I got! The other is a favorite photo I took of my father (noting on the photo that it was a hazy day). It was my dad with whom I shared a love of photography and he was my first photography instructor. It was his mother to whom this camera originally belonged. She loved to travel, and I can only imagine what she saw through these lenses.
My photo here is a homage to this small slice of my family history.
The camera worked fine as recently as the 70's but I don't believe I used it since then. It still seems clean, but where would you ever find the film now...
That's an interesting photograph. Film still available....but would we have the patience now that digital has taken over....I feel a tad guilty about all the camera stuff that sits in the roof space.....but the thought of waiting for a reel to be developed and not having the freedom to take forty shots of a plant to get one picture!!!! Afraid they'll just be handed on as relics of history.....
Thanks for sharing your story. I do think people who started out learning with film and manual cameras take better photos...it takes patience to set things up to get a great shot. Love the photo of your dad.
great composition, louise. your photos always tell a story and i'm glad you share it with us. youi're allowing us to get a glimpse of what your life is and that's lovely. now we know why you take such good photos - it sure runs in the family.
My response is emotional due to the family history and connections; it's really beautiful, mom. I'd like a print to put with mine and Tina's antique camera collection. *hug*
Yes, this story is so wonderful and I LOVE the shot! I found some old negs once in a great-aunts trunk and had them processed. I ended up with shots of my mother and great-grandparents from around 1922 - and the prints looked as sharp and clear as if they had been taken yesterday. You just gotta love the old days of film for preserving memories.
I, too, love the story of your photography history. One of my "digital" fears is that pictures end up in computers instead of in albums and will be lost when the computer crashes, gets updated, etc. I have been saving my 365 shots and commentary in a .doc and printing as each page fills up. My daughter has been making fun of me about my addiction (imagine that!), but sat down and looked through my notebook lst night. I'd catch a small smile and ask which picture. She got a great deal of pleasure just flipping through those small versions and reliving the (recent) events and memories.
Thank you, all of you, for accompanying me on my trip down Memory Lane!
Sue, your story about the negatives is excellent...and something anyone with old negs should consider! I was given a box of my grandmother's negatives (from my mother's side) because she said I would be the only likely person to do something with them. At the time, I had contact prints made, and then chose some to enlarge. It was fun guessing who was who!
Nowadays, (and I've tried this with success), scan your negatives, and then do an invert! Immediately you see if it's an image worth saving...and it's a great little time-waster of an afternoon!
Louise, there might be film available at Freestyle Photo. It's in Hollywood but they have a web site. I got black and white 127 film for my dad's old twin reflex. If you are interested it is better to call them because they don't list some of the odd size films on the web site. : ]
wonderful story to go with the old camera and pictures.
it is nice that we can upload photos to the pc nowadays but once in a while i like to browse through old albums which i did just recently saw a lot of pictures of my grandchildren which enticed me to write a poem to my granddaughter on her 21st birthday reminicing about the "olden days "when the grandchildren were spending weekends at oma and opa's home. it was my first try to rhyme and it was very well received.
Thank you, Kathleen! This morning my daughter Heather (in the comments above) saw this and wants a copy to add to their camera collection, so, yes, it's moving down through the generations...
Louise, I have just read your reply to Mrs. Smith ... we at 365 (who are lucky enough to count you among our friends/followers) are lucky indeed! You always have a kind word and offer us insight to ourselves in a humorous way. I can't tell you how much I appreciate you ...
I just love this photo. It reminds me of my father's camera & imagining all the photos he took and developed with his. See my calendar 26th Feb. Great memories. You have a gift of being able to tell a story with your photo - thank you. Lovely memories for us both :)
how exactly did i miss this?!?!?!?!?!?!??!! Gorgeous, gorgeous shot..(yes so gorgeous it needs to be said twice)
I'll have to fav this seeing as i have a total obsession with TLR's....
This is just such a wonderful image. I love the warmth of it, not just the image but the subjects as well. A well worn camera bag, the personal photos... It's truly a great piece. *faves*
Sue, your story about the negatives is excellent...and something anyone with old negs should consider! I was given a box of my grandmother's negatives (from my mother's side) because she said I would be the only likely person to do something with them. At the time, I had contact prints made, and then chose some to enlarge. It was fun guessing who was who!
Nowadays, (and I've tried this with success), scan your negatives, and then do an invert! Immediately you see if it's an image worth saving...and it's a great little time-waster of an afternoon!
it is nice that we can upload photos to the pc nowadays but once in a while i like to browse through old albums which i did just recently saw a lot of pictures of my grandchildren which enticed me to write a poem to my granddaughter on her 21st birthday reminicing about the "olden days "when the grandchildren were spending weekends at oma and opa's home. it was my first try to rhyme and it was very well received.
Love the fact you post mini stories to your stuff. That's what it's all about. Sometimes things need 'splainin', whether one thinks so or otherwise.
Keep on keepin' on .....
I'll have to fav this seeing as i have a total obsession with TLR's....