With Christmas almost here, I figure everyone will have some downtime to learn a little bit more about our newest club president. Aris Pakalns was born in…just kidding. Here’s the Q&A.
What got you started taking photographs?
My interest in photography started about grade 7 when I was finally allowed to borrow my dad’s “Solida I”. It had an F4.5, 75 mm lens, used 120mm B & W film and had to be manually wound AND “cocked” in order to shoot. Exposure AND focus was a best guess. I still have it. In high school, I learned to develop and print film. Pennies were scarce so I bought film in 100-foot rolls and loaded my own used 35mm canisters in complete darkness. I set up a dark room and used a single red Christmas tree bulb for a safelight. I still have my enlarger. Is it OK to say “Christmas” tree? Upon graduating university, my parents gave me my pride and joy, an Olympus OM2.
What was your first camera? or better, your first digital camera?
I was a film die-hard and only switched to digital when I could no longer deny its quality and benefits… about a month ago. Just kidding! I started out cautiously with a digital point and shoot. Now I am full on, full frame Canon. One daughter went rogue with Nikon but we won’t talk about her.
Why is photography important to you?
I tried painting.
Thanks Aris!
I also want to remind everyone that the first meeting of the 2018 Club season will on Wednesday, January 10th, at 7:30 pm in the small meeting room upstairs at the Rotary Place in Orillia.