A Senior Newbie

Joined: 14 Feb 2007 Posts: 4

I thought that I had already posted and introduction, but apparently not.

I am a Nikon user and have been for almost 45 years. I have a full film based darkroom and finishing facilities where I can print up to 20x30 prints. I do some 6x6cm with Rollie equipment and 4x5 with a Toyo rail camera. Although I was trained as a photojournalist at the University of Missouri in Columbia, I was a military and commercial pilot before I retired.

I am in the middle of transitioning from film to digital, but I will hold on to my 35mm bodies and lenses for work that would be better shot on film. Although I have a fairly extensive film set up, I only have one Nikon digital SLR body, a couple wireless remote strobes and a single new technology, autofocus, zoom lens.

I really enjoy working in black and white and am partial to well composed images of people in their normal surroundings in picture story or documentry style as well as striking phstographs of landscapes in either color or black and white. My favorite photographers include W. Eugene Smith, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Alfred Eisenstadt, Ansel Adams, A Aubrey Bodine, David Douglas Duncan, Steve McCurry, Jodi Cobb, Margaret Bourke-White, George Silk, Larry Burrows, Gordon Parks, Robert Capa, Yousf Karsh, Gordon Miji, Ralph Crane, Werner Bishof, Irving Penn, Elliot Erwitt, Sam Abell, Eugene Atget, Louis Hine, Cecil Beaton, and Jacob Riis.

Regards,
Bob Wilson

Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 10:59 am

Bob,

Welcome to the forum. I'm looking forward to your contributions - I'm sure we'll all learn a lot from you, and hopefully you'll get a lot in return.

Sigma147

Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 12:07 pm

I'll echo sigma's welcome and add that I wish you well in your transition to digital.

Joined: 24 Dec 2006 Posts: 58 Location: Clearwater, FL

Bob,
Welcome to the community, I too am looking forward to your contributions and seeing some of your work. I'm learning right now. Good Luck in your venture into digital.

Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 10:10 pm

Hello Bob.

Joined: 13 Jan 2007 Posts: 245 Location: Maryland

Welcome,

Bet you've got some great stories to share too!

Jacque

Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 7:12 am

Welcome aboard! I look forward to learning from you and see your results. Around here, we all tend to work to make each other stronger.

Jump right in.

Joined: 14 Feb 2007 Posts: 4

Thanks guys, I appreciate the warm welcome. I'm not sure that I will be able to impart much wisdom, however. The last time I really worked and studied photography was 48 years ago. I flew single seat jets from a carrier off and on for 14 years including two trips to Vietnam and then flew for Continental Airlines until I retired in 2002.

In more ways than I would like to admit, I am a neophyte in many of the technical aspects of photography. I focus almost exclusively on what I would call picture stories. I guess it also could be classified as candid pictures of people in their surroundings with as many environmental, scene setting additional pix as necessary to build a story with pictures.

I've always wanted to attack B&W landscapes in the Ansel Adams mode, but never have. I guess the cost of film and supplies has made me reluctant to spend the money necessary to build the required technical proficiency.

One of the things about digital that excits me is that after the initial equipment purchases, I don't have to spend one thin dime for any supplies. I can shoot a story, crop and correct the photos, and put them into a layout, and all I have to invest is my time! Of course if I want to really produce the story for display, I've got to make mount the prints which costs money, but certainly less than I wold have to spend bound to the chemical process.

Again, thanks for the warm welcome.

Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2007 7:26 pm

Hi Bob!! welcome!! I know what you mean about Digital.. Just recently passed along my Medium Format/ for my Nikon Digital.. It was like loosing a member of the family... but anyway, its a great group here, and jump right in, you are going to enjoy!!