Let's get started!

This blog will serve as my electronic journal for my photography. It's been a few years since I've been involved in photography in any serious manner. I've been limited to snapshots at family gatherings and get together with friends. I was limited to a small Sony digital camera.

Back in high school and college (going back to the late 70s), I did photography on a semi-pro basis. It help me pay some of my college expenses and allowed me to explore various avenues of photography, including photo journalism, fine arts, and of course, bread and butter work like weddings and portraits.

My gear back then was 35mm Canon and 6 x 7 cm. Mamiya equipment. In 1995, while on vacation in Northern California, my car was broken into and most of my gear was stolen. I wasn't able to replace my cameras and lenses. Even though it was insured, it was older equipment and after depreciation, I only received a fraction of the value and not nearly enough to buy new cameras and lenses. Other financial priorities took precedence. This is what I lost:

35mm CAMERAS

• Canon F-1N w/AE Motor Drive FN [2 bodies]
• Canon T90 [2 bodies]
  

35mm SLR LENSES

• Canon FD 17mm f4.0
  
• Canon FD 24mm f1.4L
• Canon FD 28mm f2.0
  
• Canon FD 35mm f2.0
• Canon FD 35mm f2.8 Tilt Shift
  
• Canon FD 50mm f1.2L
• Canon FD 85mm f1.2L
• Canon FD 135mm f2.0
• Canon FD 200mm f2.8
  
• Canon FD 200mm f4.0 Macro
  
• Canon FD 300mm f2.8L
• Canon FD 500mm f4.5L

• Canon FD 20-35mm f3.5L
• Canon FD 35-105mm f3.5-4.5 Macro
  
• Canon FD 50-300mm f4.5L
  
• Canon FD 80-200mm f4.0L
  

• Extender FD 1.4x-A
• Extender FD 2.0x-A
  

• Vivitar Series 1 90mm Macro w/Macro Adapter
• Vivitar Series 1 800mm f11 CAT
  

• Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm f3.5
• Vivitar Series 1 90-180mm f4.5 Macro

MEDIUM FORMAT CAMERA [6 x 7 cm.]

• Mamiya RZ67 Pro [2 bodies]
  

MEDIUM FORMAT LENSES

• Mamiya-Sekor 50mm f4.5
  
• Mamiya-Sekor 65mm f4.5
• Mamiya-Sekor 110mm f2.8
  
• Mamiya-Sekor 140mm f4.5 Macro
• Mamiya-Sekor 150mm f3.5
  
• Mamiya-Sekor 180mm f4.0 Variable Soft Focus

FLASHES AND ACCESSORIES

• Canon Speedlite 577G [2 flashes]
  
• Canon Speedlite 299T [2 flashes]
  
• Canon Speedlite 300TL [2 flashes]
• Canon Macrolite ML-1
• Canon Macrolite ML-2

• Vivitar 365 [2 flashes]
  
• Vivitar 285 HV [2 flashes]

• Minolta Auto Meter IIIF
  

Recently, I've had the opportunity to return to photograph in serious way. I've had the ability to invest in some new Nikon DSLR cameras and lenses. The switch from film to CD cards has been easier than I thought. (Although I will still miss my Kodachrome and Tri-X!) Trading in my Beseler enlarger for Photoshop has been easy, as well. Instead of the darkroom, I'm at my desk on my Mac. The toughest decision was deciding to buy Nikon instead of returning to Canon. The factors that lead up to that decision can wait for another blog entry. Here is a list of my new equipment:

DIGITAL SLR CAMERAS

• Nikon D3x
• Nikon D3 [2 bodies]

• Nikon Coolpix P6000
  

LENSES

• Nikon AF Fisheye-NIKKOR 16mm f2.8D
  
• Nikon AF NIKKOR 28mm f1.4D
• Nikon AF NIKKOR 85mm f1.4D IF
• Nikon AF-S VR Micro-NIKKOR 105mm f2.8G IF-ED
• Nikon AF DC-NIKKOR 135mm f2.0D
  
• Nikon AF-S VR NIKKOR 200mm f2.0G IF-ED
• Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 400mm f2.8G ED VR
• Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f4.0G ED VR
  

• Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f2.8G ED
• Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f2.8G ED
• Nikon AF Micro-NIKKOR 70-180mm f4.5-5.6D ED
• Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f2.8G IF-ED VR II
  
• Nikon AF-S VR NIKKOR 200-400mm f4.0G IF-ED

• Nikon PC-E NIKKOR 24mm f3.5D
• Nikon PC-E Micro-NIKKOR 45mm f2.8D

• Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E II
• Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-17E II
• Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-20E II

FLASHES, STROBES AND ACCESSORIES

• Nikon SB-900 Speedlight [3 flashes]
• Nikon SB-R200 Wireless Speedlight [2 flashes]
  
• Nikon SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander

• Metz 76 MZ-5

• Speedotron Force 10 [3 strobes]
  

• Konica Minolta Color Meter IIIF
• Konica Minolta Flash Meter VI
  

I know this is a pretty serious investment, but I find myself using my cameras more and more in my regular work. More importantly, it gives me an avenue to express my own creativity and perspective on the world. I've already started to make some contacts in the local professional photographic community and hopefully, I will be able to work on a semi-professional bases once again. Over the next few months, I will start posting some of my new photos and images.

This blog is not really meant to be a public forum, but one set up for my family, friends and colleagues to critique and view my work. That being said, If you find anything of interest as as I begin to post more entries, I welcome your comments.