Palolo Valley
Newbie
My young son (3.5) has recently taken an interest in my R2a. Whenever I use it, he now begs to take a few pictures himself, too, so I ask him to patiently wait til the end of the roll, and have to set it up (usually just get the focus "close enough", and be sure it is at f5.6) then switch positions with him, or stand aside and let him click the shutter.
The first few times, he would look at the camera back, looking for a digital's preview screen, but he soon got the hang of it not being there and started using the film advance lever so he'd be able to take another shot. He's been watching me change the film (he is my pseudo-assistant, being entrusted to hold the fresh roll and put the exposed roll back in the canister).
I think I'll send him to school with a roll of Tri-X for show and tell and ask his classmates if they know what it is. I bet they're stumped; "C'mon guys, don't you know what this is? It is film. For pictures. It's the only film my dad and I use to take pictures..." Yup, he's three and a half and likely the only kid in his preschool who has handled film (let alone a rangefinder). He's also catching on to shooting with both eyes open...or, more likely, just hasn't figured out how to close the other one. Hopefully he'll learn some good habits early and keep them.
A few weekends back, I had the camera along and my wife caught him and I goofing around by an antique japanese tea house so she took some pics of him with my camera, which I'll share here if I can figure it out.
Looks like there's another rangefinder user coming along... and I have a sneaky feeling that he'll adopt my R2a soon enough. Gotta teach him to load the film properly, first. Then I can look at a new second body for me.
The first few times, he would look at the camera back, looking for a digital's preview screen, but he soon got the hang of it not being there and started using the film advance lever so he'd be able to take another shot. He's been watching me change the film (he is my pseudo-assistant, being entrusted to hold the fresh roll and put the exposed roll back in the canister).
I think I'll send him to school with a roll of Tri-X for show and tell and ask his classmates if they know what it is. I bet they're stumped; "C'mon guys, don't you know what this is? It is film. For pictures. It's the only film my dad and I use to take pictures..." Yup, he's three and a half and likely the only kid in his preschool who has handled film (let alone a rangefinder). He's also catching on to shooting with both eyes open...or, more likely, just hasn't figured out how to close the other one. Hopefully he'll learn some good habits early and keep them.
A few weekends back, I had the camera along and my wife caught him and I goofing around by an antique japanese tea house so she took some pics of him with my camera, which I'll share here if I can figure it out.
Looks like there's another rangefinder user coming along... and I have a sneaky feeling that he'll adopt my R2a soon enough. Gotta teach him to load the film properly, first. Then I can look at a new second body for me.
