I have established atlantaMAXphoto.com website for your viewing.
To maintain my photography professionalism and updates on the latest photographic and digital techniques, I have become involved with several photo groups in the metro-Atlanta area. One of my photos has received several accolades.

"Weathered Truck" has been featured on several photo web sites. The common expressions have been "WOW" and "AWESOME!" I have received requests for this digital photo to be sold as a desktop image. I've included a watermark so that the image will not be copied/stolen.

Photography Years Past
By Ken Parks, January 9, 2007

The Kodak Instamatic 104 was produced from 1965 through 1968. It was my first camera and it used the 126 cartridge film (no longer in production). The camera did not support f-stop settings nor shutter speed settings. It was a simple point-n-shoot rangefinder type camera. Cube flashes were used when there was not enough available light. I saved about $20.00 to purchase the camera along with film and cube flashes. The original purchased camera is part of my vintage collection, which includes a Rollieflex, a Hasselblad 500 C/M, a Voigtlander Bessamatic ("Bessy"), and a Kodak Retina Reflex IV. The Kodak Instamatic 104 may not be worth much, but it has a great amount of personal value. A few years later, I realized that I would need a 35mm camera with interchangeable lenses in order to advance my photographic knowledge and improve image making.

My younger brother, Kevin, and I used my Instamatic 104 camera to shoot several photos on the first day. This image of me is when I was eleven years old (c 1965), and the camera equipment was laid out on the upper bunk bed. We both had a blast in taking photos of each other. My parents were at work on that hot summer day, and my Dad had no idea that I was going to use most of my savings to purchase a camera. My mother seemed rather distant about the entire ordeal. But, I can sense that my Dad was proud that I took the initiative and interest in photography. Later on, Kevin would purchase an Exacta, an East German camera, and he seemed to dawdle in photography but not take it to the same level as I had aspired to achieve. Somehow, I was able to keep my Instamatic from being thrown out, lost, or broken through the photography years of past. I rediscovered it in a safe box along with some other artifacts, photos, and memorbilia.

David Genders, my 9th grade home teacher, was the photographic editor/counselor for the Cutler Jr. High yearbook. I recall that year to be one of the best. Where my Dad was lacking, Mr. Genders taught me other things as a student of photography.

In High School, I photographed for the yearbook and the Tanager newspaper. My Dad had taught me the operation of cameras, how to develop film and print, and various other topics such as lighting, composition, and techniques to enhance my artistic talents.

At Thames Valley, I honed my photographic skills with an OM-2 and a Vivitar Series One lens (f:2.8 28-105mm). I was able to purchase the camera system from the social security money as a result of my Dad's death. I believe my Dad would have wanted it that way. As photographic editior, my duties included organizing and setting assignments for the other photographers. I taught some techniques to enhance our abilities to produce one heck of a yearbook, this included increasing contrast and subject material. During the previous summer I designed several yearbook covers to choose from. Both the yearbook editor and counselor were impressed and realized that I had spent a considrable effort in creating three cover designs. I commanded excellence from the other photographers and the inexperienced ones improved their skills. They saw the level of skill and production and tried to emulate the work of the more experienced photographers. That is a sign of a good photographer; when someone else tries to duplicate their creativity.

Prior to the beginning of my Senior year, my Dad passed away. I no longer had a mentor. No one in my family had the same level of interest in photography. The search was on for a mentor. My High School Senior year was a void – I still photographed for the yearbook and newspaper. Without my Dad and without our daily chats, photographic assignments seemed lonely and without a goal.

I attended a small technical college and majored in Electrical Engineering. It was here that I rekindled the joy of photography. I was eventually made photographic editor of the yearbook staff, having more than five photographers under my guidance. I provided assignments, issued film, darkroom time, and taught some of the less experienced how to shoot assignments.

I purchased an OM-1 and later an OM-2 in 1975. And I have used this 35mm camera system for more than 25 years. The last major shoot was in Italy of 2001. I have several lenses and one of my favorites is a Zuiko f:1.2 50mm, affording me the ability to shoot at very low available light levels. The same f:1.2 is used with a 4/3 adapter on my Olympus E-500 digital single lens reflex (DSLR). It may not be fully automatic, but the manual approach gives me a better feel of exposure and control. The pictured OM-2 has an Autowinder II, allowing me to take three frames per second. Basically I can shoot through a role of 24-exposure film in about 8 seconds. A few years ago, I gave one of my OM-2s and a few lenses as a Christmas gift to a photographer friend in Romania. He has used the camera to do assignments in Iraq, Turkey, and Greece. The same camera was used for a news assignment when President Bush was visiting Bucharest.

Albeit, My Dad was pro-German and had a disdain for Japanese cameras and equipment, I finally gave in to the latest technology advances of that time, circa 1975. I purchased an Olympus OM-1 camera and a few lenses including a Vivitar Series One, 28-105mm lens. I have stayed with the Olympus product line since then. I have two OM-2 cameras and several lenses of which are adaptable to the latest 4/3 mount Olympus E-500 digital single lens reflex (DSLR).

Most every time I pick up one of my vintage cameras, whether it be the Rolleiflex, the Voigtlander, the Retina Reflex, or others, I remember my Dad and the countless hours perusing through Modern Photography and other photographic periodicals, shooting weddings, working in the home darkroom, and discussing topics from the Time-Life photo books.

When doing a wedding shoot, sometimes I get a feeling… a feeling that my Dad is watching over me and reminding me, “Shoot at f::8 or f::5.6 and look at your subject, notice the background and make sure there are no distracters.”

JOHNS CREEK, GA (KP) — Most every week, my Dad and I would peruse through the latest monthly copy of Modern Photography and Popular Photography. And as always, I noticed the desire in my Dad’s eyes for a Hasselblad 500 C/M. But the cost was way out of reach.

The 500C was introduced in 1957 and was produced up to 1970. The 'C' indicated the Compur in-lens leaf shutter. The next model, the 500 C/M, was produced from 1970 until 1994. The 'M' means Modified. Ironically, I managed to purchase a used 500 C/M that was produced in 1972, the same year my Dad passed away.

During the early 70’s, the Hasselblad camera cost about $2,000.00. The 80mm Schneider or Carl Zeiss lens was more than $800.00, the prisms cost over $400.00, and the backs went for more than $200.00 each, bringing the total for a very basic Hasselblad system of more than $3,400.00. This was the price range of a new car.

My Dad passed away without ever obtaining a Hasselblad. He never stated that he wanted one, but it could not be dismissed that he always desired to have one.

With the advent and ever increasing resolution of digital camera systems, the costly medium format cameras have been substituted for less expensive digital single-lens reflexes (DSLRs).

The Olympus E-510 became the DSLR camera of choice, allowing for several professional features and with a resolution of 10 megapixels, 11x14 prints can be produced with excellent quality. With a special adapter, I'm able to use the OM lenses from the OM-2 camera system, dramatically increasing its capabilities such as low-level lighting situations with an F1.2 lens and macro-photography. There is an adapter to fit the Hasselblad lenses to the 4/3 Olympus mount, a welcome addition

Although I have gone the digital route, I found the prices of used Hasselblads to have dropped considerably. I too had my heart set on owning a Hasselblad, and the time came when it was easily in reach.

Along with my Voigtlander Bessamatic, Retina Reflex, and Rolleiflex, the Hasselblad 500C/M remains as part of my vintage camera collection. Albeit, it could still be used in performing wedding shoots or studio portraits, the old Hasselblad has been replaced with an Olympus E-500, a digital single lens reflex (DSLR) and/or the film-based medium format camera, Bronica ETRSi.

The Bronica ETRSi is much more durable, reliable and can sync at all shutter speeds in the same manner as the Hasselblad 500 C/M. It is considered the workhorse of wedding photographers. I have two ETRSi cameras, one with an 80mm and the other with a 150mm lens. Occasionally, I use the medium format camera especially when a large format print such as 16x24 is required. I also have the image converted to digital.

My Dad did not particularly care for Japanese cameras, and always expounded how the German cameras were far superior. But 35 years later, the Japanese have produced the same accuracy of the Synchro-Compur shutter such as the Seiko shutter systems of the Bronica lenses. And the Schneider or Zeiss lens quality has been matched with Zuiko and Zenza lenses.

The Hasselblad 500 EDC was fitted with its own environmental suit and was the primary camera for the Apollo missions to the moon. The 6cm x 6cm format was ideal for the resolution and image quality required for NASA scientists. Alan Shepard of Mercury and Apollo 14 fame is seen on the right with a Hasselblad mounted to the chest of his moon-walking suit. NASA employed several other types of Hasselblads from 1962 throught 1972 in the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo flights.

The Hasselblad was superior in its time and was even the chosen camera for NASA’s space flights to the moon. I am proud to have one in my collection. And, I know my Dad would have been proud in my selection.
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