Camera Like Dad's

[RObert Budding]

I gave my son, Timothy, age 6, the digicam that he wanted for Christmas. He took 189 shots on Christmas day! Then he asked when his prints would be ready!!! Well, I explained that we would only print his very best shots, which he accepted.

It's now 6 months later, and something wonderful has happened. Tim wants a camera "just like Dad's camera." Sorry Tim, a Contax IIIa isn't a camera that you'll own anytime soon. But I did give him an Olympus Trip 35, and he loves it. I showed him how I load the film, set the film ASA, and how the zone focus works. I then explained that shooting film is different from digital. And that I won't pay to have 5 rolls of film processed each day.

Tim loves his film camera. He now thinks more about how to compose his shots (I compared it to drawing - he needs to think about where to place things on his photos. I've also encouraged him to try different angles and to move around to find the shot.

Not everything has worked perfectly, though. I took a photo of Tim with his own camera towards the end of his first roll. I thought it odd that the counter registered that only 7 photos had been taken. So I asked him what had happened. He explained that he had taken the camera into the garage, where there was less light, and had opened the camera to look at the film! He was a little upset when I told him that his hard work was now ruined. But I did salvage the situation. I told him that the first roll was just to practice using the camera. We then unloaded hte cartridge and I showed him how I open up the film in the darkroom and load it on a film spool for processing.

What next? Tim wants to learn how to print in the darkroom!

Robert

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Be sure to post some shots that Tim takes.

Nothing makes a parent more proud than when their child wants to be like them.

 

[RObert Budding]

I'll post some of Tim's shots soon. I doubt that he'll ever again open the camera to look at the film!

Robert

 

[oftheherd]

You may be surprised at what the antihalation backings will preserve. I was once in a hurry and distracted and opened the back of a camera which contained Fuji slide film before rewinding. That was in bright direct sunlight. I accepted that much if not all the film would be destroyed, but wanted to see if any of the early shots were capable of being salvaged. Even some of those at the end of the roll were, including those directly exposed to the direct sunlight. It was amazing.

 

[RObert Budding]

Too late - I already opened up the film canister and let Tim examine the contents. But not to worry - the shots were taken in our yard so he can always reshoot.

Robert

 

[marlinspike]

And that I won't pay to have 5 rolls of film processed each day.


What next? Tim wants to learn how to print in the darkroom!

Robert

Awww....why not? If you have a darkroom it only costs you like $1 to make the negatives, then $250 for a film scanner, scan them into a pc, and while not printed they will be viewable.

 

[cp_ste.croix]

that is awesome...i wish i'd started that early!

 

[rkm]

Is Tim still shooting film at age 13?

 

[Vics]

I'm 67 and shooting with my Dad's IIIa Contax every day. Best of luck and light to your son, and I hope he'll be shooting with your IIIa someday. Just not too soon!

 

[Spicy]

Not sure if the original poster is still around, but since few years back, I've been using my father's chrome Nikon FTn that he bought new with 1/3 of his annual salary when he was a college student in 1974. I've also an M4-P that I've gotten since falling ore in love with film/classic manual cameras, and as much of a delight as it is to use, I take more pleasure in shooting with the F whenever possible (usually it's a question of weight/subtlety -- I use the F when neither is a problem, and sometimes regardless).

While I was home over Thanksgiving this year, we had a family friend over who was around while I was much younger (probably about Tim's age). We chatted about how when she had gotten a new camera, and was showing me how to use it, and when she went to get all the film developed, they gave her the 3 rolls I had gone and taken around the backyard, much to her chagrin.

 

[panerai]

Not sure if the original poster is still around

Check of his posts shows he posted 3 days ago, so still around

DON

 

[*chris]

Lucky kid I can't imagine being able to do what I love now at his age 🙂 ... I hope to develop and scan my own film by may this year

 

[RObert Budding]

Tim hasn't been shooting much lately - he's now 13 years old and he's interested in playing basketball and in understanding girls. He hasn't used his DSLR in a while, so I sold his Nikon D40 on eBay and gave him the proceeds. But he told me that he wants to hang onto his film cameras. So don't count him out! I'm now in the process of setting up a home darkroom (I enrolled in darkroom workshops at the New England School of Photography for quite a few years). So I expect that he's shoot a bit now and then.

 

[isoterica]

What a fantastic update. I hope he gets into it again, maybe he will be inspired by you!

 

[RObert Budding]

Early Self Portrait

Early Self Portrait

Here's an early self-portrait of Tim (shot in 2005). He saved his allowance to buy a tripod.

 

[RObert Budding]

Recent Photo

Recent Photo

And here's a recent shot that I took of Tim playing basketball. He's now 5' 10" tall. It will be difficult when the time comes to send him off to college.

 

[rkm]

Thanks for the update on the story, Robert. My boy is 5, and I'm guessing in the blink of an eye he will be as grown up as your son.

I dug up this thread, because I (at age 40) have been shooting with my Dad's camera (that he bought in 1978 when I was 5 or 6 years old, a Nikon FE). I was never allowed to use it when I was a kid.

My son sometimes tells me I like photography too much and should spend more time playing Lego. But just yesterday, we headed out for Australia day celebrations, and I gave him an old digital point and shoot. He got quite into it, shooting 100+ shots of anything and everything.

My son is quite obsessed with drawing, and will construct elaborate scenes on sheets of A4. I will borrow your drawing analogy in an effort to get him to think about composing images.

 

[bsdunek]

I received a Kodak Target 620 for my 8th birthday (1947) from my Grandfather. My Dad took me into the darkroom to develop my first roll of film a few days later. It has just stayed with me since then. Thanks, Dad & Grandfather. You're building the same kind of roper with your son. Hopefully it will last for his life.

 

[David Strachan]

a charming post

a charming post

Nice stories, being good Dads!
I call it "passing on the shed gene".

It's important children of both sexes are taught usefull skills and the arts. Sometimes the art button does not get pressed long enough, and then children shy away from being artistic. Keep encouraging.

cheers Dave S 🙂

 

[jsrockit]

Wow, a very cool post. One of the few that is exhumed and gets something added to it.