The start of it all!
This is where my interest in photography all began. I was given this 126 camera by my mother when I was 11 years old. It has no flash and no way of setting aperture or even shutter speed. It didn’t even have a battery – it was little more than a toy really in build.
My first photos were of course completely rubbish, but this sparked a dogged determination to learn how to make it better so I began to read up on the subject. The first book I found in the library – I liked it so much I went and brought my own copy and I still have it till this day! Then I got a 110 film camera – I still have that and the 126. Sadly the film for both these types of cameras are no longer manufactured. I also have a Polaroid camera which takes 600 film. Impossible are making these again in black and white but the jury is out on the quality on these, so I wait patiently…..
I think I must have got my first SLR when I was 15. It was a Praktica and only cost £50. Unfortunately it got broken and my next SLR was a Minolta Dynax 500si. Minolta eventually were brought out by Sony, but in the interim of waiting for Sony to develop a professional grade digital SLR I jumped ship and went over to Canon. It is funny to think that now I am shooting on digital!
the photographers gallery (behind oxford st) is stocking new 110 film and snappy snaps on wardour st will dev it for 4.99 a roll – they can’t print but you could scan the (tiny!) negs.
i’m going to get my scanner working again for just this plan! 🙂
ps. love the blog.
Ooh thanks I will check it out!