I just noticed that I passed 600 earlier this evening, so I thought I'd better introduce myself before I wear out my welcome. I doubt I will reveal anything here that hasn't been disclosed in a prior post.
I have been shooting photos for as long as I can remember, and started doing darkroom work at age 14, over three decades ago. The photo bug seems to run in the family. I learned using first my dad's old Argoflex, then later his Nikkormat. When I took up darkroom work, it was with the Federal enlarger my dad had used in his teens and trays my cousins had used in theirs. We actually have negatives in the family that my granddad shot in World War I, and 16mm movies from the 30's. Almost everyone on that side of the family is an avid photographer, and one of my cousins worked as a fine art photographer for a while. I had one news photo of a fire in a local apartment complex published in my teens, but didn't pursue that further, much to my mother's relief (she was a reporter).
I took a bit of a break from serious photography during the 90s, but came back to it before the new century. After 9/11, I dissipated some sleepless nights by taking up camera collecting and designing extensive renovations to my house, which included putting in a darkroom. Last year, a local artist I was dating convinced me that my work was work trying to sell, and a few weeks ago I sold my first, and then second photo. I live in Alexandria Virginia, within sight of Washington DC.
I had never joined any online group in the past, but decided to join this one after I found that most of my internet searches for obscure tips were leading here. After a short while, I took the additional step of subscribing, in part to see the galleries and in part to support the site. Unlike most internet forums I have seen, this one has a high signal to noise ratio and a high percentage of helpful and fun people. I hope I have not, and will not, wear out my welcome.
I have been shooting photos for as long as I can remember, and started doing darkroom work at age 14, over three decades ago. The photo bug seems to run in the family. I learned using first my dad's old Argoflex, then later his Nikkormat. When I took up darkroom work, it was with the Federal enlarger my dad had used in his teens and trays my cousins had used in theirs. We actually have negatives in the family that my granddad shot in World War I, and 16mm movies from the 30's. Almost everyone on that side of the family is an avid photographer, and one of my cousins worked as a fine art photographer for a while. I had one news photo of a fire in a local apartment complex published in my teens, but didn't pursue that further, much to my mother's relief (she was a reporter).
I took a bit of a break from serious photography during the 90s, but came back to it before the new century. After 9/11, I dissipated some sleepless nights by taking up camera collecting and designing extensive renovations to my house, which included putting in a darkroom. Last year, a local artist I was dating convinced me that my work was work trying to sell, and a few weeks ago I sold my first, and then second photo. I live in Alexandria Virginia, within sight of Washington DC.
I had never joined any online group in the past, but decided to join this one after I found that most of my internet searches for obscure tips were leading here. After a short while, I took the additional step of subscribing, in part to see the galleries and in part to support the site. Unlike most internet forums I have seen, this one has a high signal to noise ratio and a high percentage of helpful and fun people. I hope I have not, and will not, wear out my welcome.
