The Camera Store
- Claudia Van Gee
- May 3, 2019
- 2 min read
May 3, 2019
This morning I went to the Calagaz Photo store in Pensacola, Florida to pick up my Canon Rebel EO5 T2i that was there for cleaning. Before leaving home I searched through my Dad’s old photography equipment to see what I could sell or trade. He had several 35 mm cameras: Pentax, Mamiya/Sekor (Japanese), Samoca and a Konica. There were telephoto lens and exposure meters and two movie cameras: a Revere Model 44 and a Minolta 110 Zoom SLR. The best find was a Busch Pressman Vera Focus camera, an old, old set up with a big bag full of stuff. The staff at Calagaz is not uninformed and searched both online and in catalogs to see the value of my items and figured in any necessary repairs. Plus they played with the Busch as it was the most interesting find in the box of stuff that I brought into the store.
I’m not good at bartering. He asked what I wanted for the lot and I told him what I want for my Canon set up. I simply wanted to get rid of the stuff and was glad to be offered anything. He offered me a 50mm Canon Portrait lens. Plus I bought some UV lens filters and he threw in a telephoto lens hood. Everything I buy there is used but in excellent condition. The deal is done and I’m sure I’ll hear that I gave away a million dollar set up. But it’s done and I’m happy and the employee, Josh, was happy and then a camera collector came in and he was happy. So no regrets.
I’ve been shy about asking people if I can photograph them but now with this Portrait lens I think I should expand past taking pictures of my dogs and cats. How do you approach strangers when out and about? Do you take candid photos or ask for permission to photograph them? I may run out of willing friends.
My next purchase, maybe for Christmas, is a Canon100mm F2.8 Macro USM AF lens. I could take dog show pictures from outside the ring but the dogs would be in the entire frame depending on the distance, or so Josh explained to me. So, I mused, this is how the show photographers are taking such nice pictures.
Here are my favorite pictures that I took in the back yard with the Portrait lens. Critiques and criticism is welcome.
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