Memory lane, with the memory collectors

I went through some boxes today in my ongoing trek towards being completely unpacked and organized. In one box were these cameras. All but two - the Nikon at far left, and the Kodak Instamatic at far right - belonged to my dad, an avid shutterbug whose influence undoubtedly played a role in my love of photography and blipfoto.

The Rolleiflex, in the center, was the weapon of choice in my dad's camera arsenal. When I look into the lenses of the Rollei, I see my dad poised behind it, usually with the Rollei on a tripod and a shutter cable in hand. This "twin lens reflex" (TLR) certainly was no point and shoot, and he would often lose his subject while attempting to steady the camera.

The little black box atop my Kodak Instamatic is my dad's old Kodak Baby Brownie or Brownie 127, still in fairly pristine condition. These little Brownies were produced from 1934 - 1941 in the USA, used 127 film, sold for a whopping $1, and were wildly popular. I wish I had some of the photos taken with this camera, but in lieu of that, I'm thinking I'd like to get my hands on a roll of 127 film and try some blipping with the Brownie.

My very first camera, a Kodak 100 Instamatic, was a gift from my parents (after much pleading from me). The one in this photo was my second Instamatic (I no longer have the first one). I can still remember my excitement upon opening the camera's box. It came with everything I needed to get started right away: film, a strap, a flash bulb. I was in heaven. I was speechless. I started snapping photos that day and never looked back.

Eventually, I moved up to SLR's. My dad, by this time, had also put aside the Rolleiflex in favor of a Nikon F, another camera which I still have, but is not in this photo. I began sporting a camera bag and went everywhere with my dad's Nikon in tow. I built some work tables and setup a darkroom in our basement where, it seems, I spent the better part of my youth. Eventually, I acquired my own Nikon, the one pictured here. Though it lacked the heft and stability of the F, its lighter weight made it easier to tote around.

Of course, everything is different now. Without having to be concerned with how many more shots are left on a roll of film, I think I'm a bit less discerning about what I'm photographing. And knowing I needn't pay money to have a rotten photo developed and printed also loosens up my trigger finger. I'm not complaining. It's all good. Spontaneity and creativity have more breathing room with digital cameras, and long hours in a smelly darkroom have been replaced with long hours in front of a computer, at a desk.

So many memories are tied up in these boxes made of steel, and plastic, and glass, and they've worked hard over the years, helping to collect and document moments in my life and my family's life. Now they are enjoying a well-deserved retirement, and their day in the spotlight, here on blipfoto.

What's that in the Rollei's mirrored lens cover?