Treasure Tuesday

Cameras - photography - pictures. Those are my treasures.

What a treasure to be able to capture milestones and special events and every day life events. To freeze that moment forever. To be able to look at a picture and have memories wash over you about what you were thinking and feeling at that time - who you were with, what you were doing, who your friends were. Imagine our history without photographs. Not being able to see ancestors and wondering where we got our nose from, or our hair color. Being able to put faces with names of long-ago relatives.

When I was around 5 yrs old I had a plastic, pink (of course - it was Barbie!) camera. It took real pictures and I had such fun using it. I don't remember if the film was 110 or 35mm. When I was around 10 yrs old or so I was going through my closet and came across this long lost camera. I didn't even realize I still had it. There was still film in it. I wondered what images were captured when I was 5-6 yrs old; I wondered if I got the film developed would the pictures even still be there and would they turn out. Well the only way to find out was to get it done. I was so anxious to get that film back and find out what was on it! Not all the pictures came out, but several did.

When I was 13 I received a Kodak Disc camera for Christmas...remember those? I was so excited that I had my very own camera and started taking pictures right away. I know I used up the first disc very quickly - which wasn't hard to do since there were only 15 frames! I know this camera didn't recieve rave reviews, but I loved mine! I loved the unique circle disc that was the film, I loved how easy it was to load the film, I loved how small, thin and light the camera was. I took it everywhere and captured many moments from my 8th grade year...which was very important to me since we were leaving for Germany that summer.

I used to take my film to the Base Exchange, fill out the envelope and hesitantly drop it in the box. I was always had a little apprehension that my film would get lost and thus all those pictures that I took and could never get back (thank goodness it never happened!) I would wait all week with anticipation until my film was expected back at the BX. I remember the feeling I had rifling through the drawer of envelopes hoping upon hope that I would see my name and that YES! my pictures were back! Oh the excitment of opening the envelope and looking through the pictures to see how they turned out. I loved getting my pictures back - it was the highlight of my day.

The camera travelled with me to Germany where I continued to capture so many high school memories...and I still have all the disc negatives...a lot of them! I rememer being so disappointed when I realized they didn't make this film anymore, this little camera helped me to freeze so many moments in time.

I eventually got a 35 mm point-and-shoot camera, but then my stepfather gave me a 35mm SLR for my birthday one year. I felt like I had a "grown up" camera now!

I started sending my film in the mail to York Photos and had the same apprehension as when I dropped it off at the BX...the fear of it being lost in the mail...but the excitement was still there when I get my pictures back in the mail.

Then along came digital cameras...no more waiting! I could take the picture, preview it and if I didn't like it delete and try again. I don't have to wait to get my film developed anymore; just plug it in to the cord connected to the computer and poof! there are my pictures!

Last Christmas Joe bought me a digital SLR and I love it! You don't want to know how many pictures I've taken this year!

Stop by Faith for more treasures!