When I was ten or eleven, I bought a medium format Kodak folding camera and Gossen light meter, both c. 1960, for a few bucks at a yard sale. The camera had T, B and I (nominal 1/50) exposure modes with an at-it’s-fastest f/12.5(!) lens, stoppable to f/32. I quickly learned the limitations of “I” exposure mode so I borrowed my dad’s tripod and started taking what I thought of as serious pictures. I had some initial successes that had appeal to family and friends.

About the same time, I saw a hand-me-down copy of National Geographic with an article on great photographers. I was immediately awed by Ansel Adams and Alfred Stieglitz. So much so that from then to the late 90s I tried to emulate them taking something north of 30,000 images on black and white, color neg and slide film: about 50% 35mm, 45% medium format, and 5% 4x5.

BUT… I was trying to do it on the cheap. When it came to developing film, for 35 and 120 color I had a pro lab that would develop only, do not cut for two or three bucks a roll. I developed most B&W and some color / chrome (especially astro) and all 4x5 myself – often to my regret. After a few years, I was getting the hang of it… then film started to to be harder to find and deal with (no more Kodachrome - BIG sigh full of sadness).

I started digital modestly in the mid-90s with a Sony 3MP camera with Zeiss lens; currently I primarily use multiple APS-C Canon and Nikon DSLRs with legacy glass (as well as that original 3MP Sony).

Update 2022

May 2020, I had scanned a bunch of film shots, identified photos I liked best for upload and batch-edited them to be 2048 pixels in the long direction to make upload quick. I had a few hundred uploaded when I took a bad fall in the backyard, falling about eight feet onto (thankfully) rather soft dirt - instead of the rocks about 18" to my left, or the 40+ year old cistus/rock rose plants with lots of upright, aged pointy stumps about 12" to my right. Covid was first hitting and hospitals were at or above capacity, PPE was in short supply and masks were still a "Huh?" thing.... So, figuring the worst damage was a couple of broken ribs, I sought no medical help and dealt with the severe muscle spasms and the thousand other natural shocks I had experienced with lots of Excedrin Extra Strength and various massagers and back stretchers. I've just begun to be able to do things again in the past few months, seems the healing is finally kicking in.

Recent acquisition: a Nikon Z6. I rented one for a week, was given the option to buy it (with FTZ) at a very good price, so I bought it. Really nice camera with lots of useful features.