1988 Black and White Beginnings
In 1988, my father recommended a photography class in high school, so I enrolled. My father was an avid photographer while serving as a helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War, and his photos always interested me.
Unbeknownst to me, this class would shape a large part of my later career. Eager to get started, I photographed my dog. At first, I took photographs. Over time, I made photographs.
Discovering the B Setting
A few weeks later, I discovered the B setting on my camera. The B setting locks open the shutter for a long exposure and closes it when either the shutter button is released, or an attached cable release closes the shutter. I attempted to capture multiple lightning strikes on film during a rainstorm. Cloudy weather prevented shots of lighting, but I was able to walk around my car with a flashlight.
A few nights after the rain cleared, I captured a long exposure at night from my backyard. Cars drove by and painted the scene with light. Each pass illuminated a clock and a flashlight resting on a fence.
Hands and Feet
Over time, I recorded photos of interesting people and places. Sometimes, the most challenging subjects were those chosen for me. My teacher chose hands and feet.
Inanimate Objects
Photographers may encounter a time when they have to photograph inanimate objects. Bringing a dull item to life may require creativity in placement, cropping, and background.
1989 Black and White Refinement
1988 gave way to 1989. Fall clouds parted way for cold sunny January days.
Light and Shadows
A great way to understand an image’s highlights (light areas) and shadows (dark areas) is to assign light and shadows as a photography assignment. Six years later, in 1995, I learned that changes in highlights are much more apparent than changes in shadow areas of an image.
James Bond Themed Elaborate Date Attempt
People love to have their photographs taken, especially if they interpret the photo as a glamour session. Somehow, I convinced the teacher in the class next to us to let her students participate in a Valentine’s Day photography session. My photography class teacher saw through my elaborate scheme to set up a Valentine’s Day photography session. He knew I was more interested in the socialization aspect of the session.
Storm Clouds
Sometimes, it pays to be prepared. Preparedness is a common theme of this website. Late in the afternoon, a storm approached, and I captured some of it.
Reflections and Distortion
I completed the end of the year with an unusual assignment. Capture reflections and distortion. My father inspired me to pursue photography for a high school class. In the end, I reflected upon the year-long class and learned to make photographs. This graphic media high school class choice leads to a career in secure mass communications.
Digitization
These photos were taken with a Minolta XD-7 single-lens reflex camera using Kodak film. I scanned these negatives in 2022 with a Plustek OpticFilm 8200i AI (affiliate link) scanner. With this scanner, black-and-white negatives scan much faster than colour negatives.
