You Know You Are Old When

[Sigarms]

We just got them back from my recently departed sibling along with the parents' artwork. We've been going through a lot of them as time permits. The sibling that just passed asked that another sibling of ours get a specific one that she had in her basement. Problem is, dad gave it to me back in the 90s and it's hanging in my house.

Now upon further investigation, there was an identical one hanging in the deceased sibling's house.

And then I found 3-4 more in the storage!

Turns out, he made 4-5 laser copies of it, and gave me a copy. The original was hanging in the sibling's house and extra copies I'm assuming were made for each of his 5 children (my siblings and me).

So, I'll send the original and a copy to the sibling that the deceased one wanted to have it, and I'll keep my copy because, heck, I didn't know it was a knock off since 1995!

Family things, got to love them.

I'm lucky enough I was an only child (not spoiled mind you as dad was career military).

I was looking for a pic of my dad and my son with my dad showing him how to use a camera. Couldn't find the pic, but the camera is in the same spot where we keep it.

The old family camera

 

[deserteagle71]

I mean, I can remember when I actually had to used a darkroom to process to film. Get some photo software, and it's amazing what you can do with a cell phone pictures.

Who can remember knowing what speed film you were using and actually use a F stop and aperture setting, and actually taking notes on the camera settings when you took a picture before you developed it?

Still have all my darkroom gear, down in the basement. Two enlargers, to enlarge up to 4x5 sheet film. Been over 30 years since I've used any of it.

Navy-trained photographer - at the time, the Navy had the best photo school in the world. Yes, you got to know film speed versus f stops and shutter speeds. With the gear I used (and still have), there were no built in light meters. Although I did have a hand-held light meter, most of the time you learned to estimate shutter speed/f stop to make a decent photo. Here's a shot of my Rapid-Omega press camera (6x7 negatives) and the old Speed Graphic (6x9 and 4x5 negatives):

But most of my photos were taken with Nikon F 35mm cameras, using either Kodak Tri-X (ASA 400) black and white film, or Kodachrome II (ASA 25) film. I have a tiny Olympus XA pocket camera that was always loaded with Kodachrome 200. Nowadays, can't find a camera that will even accept ASA 25. 50+ years later, the shots I took on Kodachrome still look pristine. Photos taken on other types of film have faded badly, with a lot of color shifts. Only problem with Kodachrome is that only Kodak could develop the stuff - no home processing. I still have a few rolls of Kodachrome in my freezer down in the basement - but no one develops that stuff anymore. I'd give it away if I could find someone who could use it.

 

[Sigarms]

Nikon F 35mm cameras, using either Kodak Tri-X (ASA 400) black and white film, or Kodachrome II (ASA 25) film

You know you're old when you used to salivate at the cameras in the Sears catalog (as a kid, perhaps not the only thing you use to salivate at ).

At the time in the late 70's, the only thing I could afford was a Nikon EM camera because my parents weren't buying it for me and I had to work and save my own money for something I "wanted".

I've grown softer as I've gotten older. My 20 year old son wants a battery powered electric ratchet for his birthday to work on his car. I told my wife that's what we'll get him. Keep in mind, the ONLY thing we'll buy him, but I'm breaking down spending more money on my son than my dad and mom did for me LOL

Still remember the name Hassleblad as a kid. I fell over dead when I looked them up just now.

To me, the thing about photography growing up was that it was no different than art. I tried to teach my boys no matter what camera you're using, composition of the image is what it's all about.

 

[bigtiller]

kodachrome...

 

[MossRoad]

Our newspaper camera in the platemaking department could use film that was two pages wide.... about 28", although we mostly kept it loaded with single width 14" wide film.

It was always a treat to load or switch film in complete darkness with rolls of film that weighed 20 pounds. Fortunately, we had two darkrooms. So they could unload one camera and show you what everything looked and felt like in daylight before they'd send you into the darkroom to do it. And then you'd be in there on your own. Sometimes a guy would hide in the corner and yell BOO! at you after 10-15 minutes. Scared the bajeebers out of you.

 

[Alan46]

You know you're old when you used to salivate at the cameras in the Sears catalog (as a kid, perhaps not the only thing you use to salivate at ).

Is that why you wear glasses now!

 

[garry1p]

YKYO when you remember waiting for the new Sears Catalog to show up in the mailbox.

 

[Oaktree]

Wife will marry you if she likes you enough as you are (tats or no tats). After you're married, you need to get permission LOL

With a good woman, that's not a hard tradeoff by any means is she says no.

When I first started seeing my wife she told me that if I was either bald or had any tattoos that would be a hard no. I'm not, and don't. Other than that she's very accepting of my quirks.
The irony here is that about 5 years ago she and her sister went on a "girls weekend", and both of them came back with tattoos!

 

[WinterDeere]

YKYO when you remember waiting for the new Sears Catalog to show up in the mailbox.

... and the ladies underwear section was the closest thing you could access to pornography.

 

[masseyrider]

YKYO when you remember waiting for the new Sears Catalog to show up in the mailbox.

In Kanuckistan we had 2 Christmas catalogues to wait for.
Sears and we had Eaton's.
As a younger fella it was the Christmas toy section that came first.
The naughty portion wasn't that important.
I was more interested in playing with the toys than with the scantily clad women.
Believe me that changed.
Part of getting old must be reverting to my youth.
Big boy toys are the thing now, although I wouldn't say no to an attractive underwear model.