I am a "baby boomer", born in 1944 in San Antonio, Texas, while my father was stationed at Kelly Field. My earliest memories though are from living in Roanoke, VA, where I was raised. I started taking pictures in about 1953 or so using my grandfather's Brownie Model 2. Later I was given a more "modern" Brownie Hawkeye, complete with flash attachment and Press 25 flashbulbs. Prior to attending college, I got my first 35mm, a Sears rangefinder of some sort or another. I was the "official" school photographer during those 2 years, using both the rangefinder and the school's Speed Graphic. Back then, school annuals were all still in B&W and I processed and printed in the school darkroom. The only films we used were Plus-X and Tri-X, develped in D-76 and printed in Dektol, which probably explains why I still use those chemicals extensively. After joining the USAF in 1964, I picked up a Yashica Lynx 14 and started shooting slides on Agfachrome 64, I film that I still lament the passing of. Then, in the early 1970's, my first SLR, again a Yashica, and later moved up to an Olympus OM-10, which I sold in 1985 when other things were more dear than photography. I struggled with a few P&S cameras until our daughter got married in 1998 when we decided I P&S wouldn't cut it for wedding candids. That's when I started my Pentax era with a ZX-50. It didn't last too long before I realized I wanted something better, and I've been trading and buying various models until now. The "collection" now includes an MZ-S, ME Super, Spotmatic, 645, Zenit 312M, Kiev 60 and Yashica Samurai half frame. I've recently returned to printing, mostly B&W, with a Phillips PCS 130 enlarger with the PCS 150 color control.
Bill
