Hello From Baltimore

[sparaxis]

Hi,

Since I have been posting for a while I thought it would be good to tell you all something about myself.

I grew up in South Africa, and moved to the USA in 2001.

I started photographing in the mid 1970's with a SRT101. Over the years I expanded my collection to include 5 Manual focus Minolta bodies and around 18 lenses. I totally missed out on the "autofocus revolution" happily shooting Kodachrome 25 and FP4 and Pan F.

My favorite subjects were nature, macro work and trains.

After moving to the USA my photography exploded. (It had become "unadvisable" to walk around in South Africa with an expensive camera around your neck! So I went into a several year slump)

After buying a Dimage 7 in 2002 I bought a 7D in 2005. Just to be reactionary I bought a pair of Maxxum 7s AFTER my 7d.
I use way too many cameras these days, A700, 7D, 7, Bessa T, Bessa 3M, 2 Rolleiflexes, an Autocord, several Super-Ikontas and a Graflex.

These days I shoot a lot of more diverse subjects than before, such as street scenes and architecture as well as all the things I was doing before.

I am a mechanical engineer by training and work in an electronics company (go figure) and have a way-too-technical interest in photography.
To escape from the tyrany of 100% peeping, I often shoot with such horrors as Lubitel, Diana or Holga.

(I am old enough to remember David Ks Wideangle article in the Minolta Mirror!)

Alan

[Dr. Harout]

Grand respect Alan.

[David Kilpatrick]

Hell, I'm not old enough to remember that article! I wish the diagrams had been digital - and that I still had an XM and 21mm f2.8 MC. Conflicts!

What you say about South Africa is disturbing. I thought it was better, that, in Hamish Henderson's words from 1964 - 'That the black boy frae ayont Nyanga dings the fell gallows o' the burghers doon' (whatever he meant, Scots believe he was referring to Mandela and prophesying change - which is why his song 'A Clear Day Dawin' was sung at the opening of the Scots Parliament).

Wishful thinking? Never been to SA though someone offered me a large ranch with lakes in exchange for our house in Scotland a few years ago! That's eBay for you.

David

[peterottaway]

To David on his comment on South Africa and to anyone with an interest in Media Studies, I will say that how the world press examine and expose South Africa at the 2010 World Soccer Finals will be very interesting.

[bakubo]

Welcome! I was in South Africa in the fall of 2003. I flew into Capetown and stayed there a few days and then up the west coast and on into Namibia. I hope to visit South Africa again someday.

[sparaxis]

David,

I still have a few copies of the Minolta Mirror in the basement. Some of the finest black and white printed reproduction I have ever seen.

You did like the 21mm MC Rokkor! (Much much nicer than the 20 f2.8 a teeny tiny thing that shows HARD vignetting in the corners even without a filter!)

Alan