My Early Journey in Photography: The First Camera and First Job

Photography was always a mysterious and magical experience for me, and it was only the beginning of my journey as a professional photographer. Let me take you back to the start of my adventure with my very first camera and how it led to my first job in the field.

My First Camera: The Kodak Brownie Hawkeye

My very first camera, the Kodak Brownie Hawkeye, was a small black box that shot 120 roll film. It had a fixed focus lens, and it was not just the camera that was magical; it was the entire process of taking photos, developing them, and printing the results. This was about as close to real magic as I could get, giving me a taste of the creative and artistic aspect of photography that would stay with me throughout my career.

First Job: Kidnapper of Babies

Although it sounds bizarre, my first real job was to take photos of babies, which I came to know as a 'kidnapper' in the photography world. I was paid to capture the innocence and joy of these little ones. This was my introduction to earning money through photography and it planted the seed for what was to come. I remember thinking, had someone told me back then that one day I would make a living, raise a family, and even meet celebrities, royalty, Prime Ministers, and presidents, I certainly would not have believed it.

Further Steps in My Photography Career

My first still camera that wasn't just a Kodak 127 roll film camera was a Polaroid Land Camera. My first job that required a more professional setup was to take advertising photographs of a Ben Franklin actor for a bank using a 120 Hasselblad with hot lights. This marked a significant step in my career, as I transitioned from a hobbyist to a commercial photographer.

One of my earliest professional jobs was as a second shooter to another photographer at a society wedding in May 1984, while still in college. It was a learning experience and a great opportunity to support myself through my studies and to start carving out my niche in the industry.

My first camera that I bought for my own commissioned work was a Bronica ETRS. However, my journey had started much earlier with a Kodak 127 roll film camera at the age of 7 or 8. By the time I reached 12, I was earning money by photographing the kids I knew, and by the time I was 14, I had saved up enough to buy my first 35mm rangefinder, a Petri f/2.8, and later, a Pentax with a 50mm semi-automatic lens when I was 17. This allowed me to progress to a reflex camera at 17 and eventually, at 19, to a Nikon, along with my 4x5 view camera and a Majestic tripod.

Some of my earliest commercial work was for a waterbed store where I shot on a 4x5 view camera. The owner wanted a topless model lounging on the bed, and while I cannot recall the exact amount, the job paid around $50. To this day, I still have the 4x5 view camera and my original Nikon F from 1972, still in working condition.

My whole photography career has been over fifty years in the making, but the foundation of it all can be traced back to the simple magical experience of that Kodak Brownie Hawkeye and the first job of 'kidnapper of babies.' This journey has taken me from a small black box to capturing moments of celebrities, royalty, and historical events, all thanks to that mysterious and magical experience of photography.