My dad gave me my first camera when I was in the first grade.

That 35mm Argus Autronic served me through high school. Keeping blue flashbulbs on hand for its dedicated flash taught me to plan ahead as well as getting comfortable with guide number calculations.

But my passion for photography has always been as a means to an end. I like these tools for their ability to freeze beauty as I see it — and, hopefully, adding my take to it — to share with others.

In college, the 35mm Yashica Penta J that my Grandfather Reeves had used in the early 1960s gave me speed and comfort in working with people. Coupled with a then-new Vivitar 285 flash unit with variable coverage and power illumination, and automatic thyrister exposure control.

Who needed any more advanced technology than that?

Indeed, some of the images I've come to treasure most, such as my two blimps shot, were more guts and smarts than camera. Got that one quite literally on the run, with a Speed Graphic press camera packing Tri-X 120 film. Composition and exposure were pure estimates.

Had to move quickly, snapping the shutter just before I was tackled to the ground by law enforcement officers.

Financially, it was nice to bring people and art skills together to help finance my degree from The University of Michigan at Ann Arbor as a wedding photographer. Nikon F2 and F3 cameras backed up a 2¼-format outfit with the Hasselblad 500C at its center.

Metz 45 and 60 flash units became my favorites for mobile lighting.

Janet is now my lead model and time piece work has stretched my learning in macro photography. Added my first Olympus digital, the SP-350 with FL-20 dedicated flash, more in response to grab-and-shoot needs for Cub Scout outings with my son.