Camera Stories

I love cameras.  So much so that I almost collect them.  My family always jokes that I literally wouldn't be caught dead without one of my cameras, in fact they have threatened to put one in my casket when I die.  What can I say?  I love everything about cameras, especially the cool photos I can take with minimal skills now that they have cameras that pretty much do everything for a person.  I digress.

For as long as I can remember, my Dad had this camera that came on all family vacations and I think it even went to work with him most days.  I coveted that camera, with it's sleek leather, snap off cover and the cool burgundy, leather bag that held it.  It had it's own smell.  To this day, if I smell that musty, leather, dusty smell, I think of my dad and his camera. 

My dad happened upon this camera by chance.  He and my mom were driving along the highway one day and he spotted it on the side of the road.  He pulled over and checked it out and it turns out that it was pretty much brand new.  Being the stand-up guy that my dad always was, he brought it into the local RCMP station and turned it in, thinking that the person who owned the camera would be missing it dearly.  He was told that he had to leave it with them for six months and that if no one claimed it, the camera was his.  Dad checked on it every month, each time surprised that it was still there and ever more hopeful that it might one day be his.  Finally, after six months, no one had claimed the camera and my dad became it's new owner.  That day he went out and bought a camera bag and thus his passion for photography began.  That was before I was born.

When I was about twenty two, I got a new camera and gave my dad my old advantix camera.  It was much smaller and more convenient for him to take with him to work, in case he saw wildlife or rigs or whatever he found interesting (I have to say that besides family photos, the bulk of my dad's pictures were of service rigs and drilling rigs - he loved them).  After that, my dad used a couple of digital cameras and when I was about twenty eight, he gave me the old camera.  Since then, I have looked at it a couple of times, mostly just to remember my dad but I have never used it.  Fast forward to the other day.  I decided it was time to start taking some pictures to see how they would turn out.  I opened the leather case and lo and behold, there was still film in it!  The last time my dad would have used this camera was maybe in the late nineties probably at least 15 years ago.  I am super excited to see what might be on the film.  I have been taking pictures like crazy so that I can take the film in to get it developed.  I promise to post them once I get them.  So, so, so excited!!!!
That camera began my love affair with cameras and photography in general.  Lately I've been thinking of getting a new bag for dad's old camera and re-purposing his vintage camera bag.  It would make a cute purse.  I've seen some cool bags online and am inspired to dress mine up a bit.  What do you think?

I'm sure dad wouldn't mind.