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Play and Learn

travelling light by Alphonse

TO TRAVEL LIGHT OR HEAVY ? THAT IS THE QUESTION !

I discovered traditional photography when I was 15. I had my first camera, a Multiflex Black & White 6 x 9. There were only two settings : “sunny” and “cloudy”. The figures were very little and seemed distant.

It was my apprenticeship.

Some years later, I had a slightly more sophisticated camera (again Black & White 6 x 9) : I had to set distance, aperture and speed.

When I was a soldier, I purchased my first 24 x 36 camera, a Focasport, which allowed colored slides and pictures.

Then, a friend sold me my first Reflex Camera (a 24 x 36, of course), a Canon AE1 with interchangeable objectives.

The nightmare began when my children were young and then I bought a movie-camera. I had to carry the whole lot including accessories on my trips.

I quickly came back to reason and deserted the movie-camera to devote my time to my first love : the still photo.

It is at that time the Digital Camera appeared. My first digital camera was a Mavica in which photos where stored on a 3” computer floppy disk. Pictures were of average quality, but, like in computing, we saw a constant improvement.

Always concerned with the carrying of equipment, I afterward discovered the Digital Compact Camera which goes in the pocket. I had found the answer to my travel problems !

Alas ! when I retired I joined in a Photoclub and there I realized that, for some pictures, the Digital Reflex Camera was needed. This again involves different lenses, filters, sun hoods, tripod, bag and other accessories, with the accompanying weight and bulk.

And so, I started again with excess weight of luggage !!!

Article by Alphonse Mortreuil © April 2010

• you can find out (en français) about the A.A.F. section photo by clicking on this link

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