Early this morning our family dog of 12 years, Louie, died after a short illness. Amidst the pain of losing a treasured member of the family, I've been going through my slides and negatives looking for certain pictures of Louie.

I am stunned by the number and variety of photos that we have. The kids will pull out a picture and say, "Remember this?". We'll all look at the picture, smile and then cry.

After spending time in shoeboxes and folders these pictures have suddently become family treasures.

See: http://www.excelimaging.com/wk4.htm

These pictures won't win pulitzers or hang in trendy galleries, but they will adorn our walls as priceless works of art.

Today, I am glad that I am an amateur photographer.

-- Tim Kamke (tjkamke@excelimaging.com), July 06, 2001

Answers

Thank you, Tim. The price of equipment and film, and all the unsuccssful shots, fade into insignificance, don't they. To be able to take pictures, and love what you're doing regardless of outcome, always seems to come back around to you sooner or later.

-- Ken Shipman (kennyshipman@aol.com), July 06, 2001.

Having a cat that is 18 years old, and knowing that her time must soon be at hand, we too will treasure the photos we have taken of her. There are times when for all the 'important' photos we take with our cameras, the most important are those of our loved ones.

-- Bob Todrick (bobtodrick@yahoo.com), July 06, 2001.

With photographs such as these (the most important kind; the true human kind) it's also interesting and poignant how MTF graphs, and issues of sharpness and "which lens is better" fade into insignificance as well!

-- Tony Rowlett (rowlett@mail.com), July 06, 2001.

None-other than Charles Shultz--Peanuts creator--summed it up best when he titled one of his books "Being a dog is a full time job."

May Louie rest in canine heaven where there is a surfiet of kids, lakes, and tennis balls.

Oh yes, and Leica toting master's.

-- David S Smith (dssmith3@rmci.net), July 06, 2001.

Been there. Done that!

Just treasure the memories. They'll last a LONG time!

-- Alec (alecj@bellsouth.net), July 07, 2001.

beyond lens quality and camera brand, our slides and negatives become our greatest teasures, a link to the past and memories.

-- r watson (al1231234@hotmail.com), July 07, 2001.

Family photos account for 95% of all camera and film sales.

-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), July 07, 2001.

There is a chilean fine photographer whose name is Luis Poirot who wrote in one of his photography books: "The photographer who makes portraiture in time becames a pantheon". I was very impressed by his words the first time I read the book ("Ropa Tendida" - clothes hanged on a wire to dried out). Now I'm old enough for knowing first hand that he was right: I already have pictures of beloved people who are not with us any longer and I have learned to see my subjects so as to get the best of them in my pictures still keeping spontaneity in hope that they would feel happy to know that some day they will be remembered the way they look on these images. The macabre it could be considered (my wife says so) it gives some additional depth to my exercise of amateur photography. And I have the satisfaction that some of my pictures have actually become treasured belongings of some past subjects' relatives. Now coming to the Leica subject itself: Tony and r watson are certainly right: the brand of the camera and the quality of lenses doesn't matter on this respect. But my old chrome M3s and lenses have made this task much easier than other equipment I have tried: people is hardly concerned about them and I do my job with greater flexibility to adapt to present circumstances and keep both eyes open so that spontaneity comes much easier. Optical quality is only a welcome plus. I can understand and hearthfully share your satisfaction about being an amateur photographer, Tim. Sheers

- Ivan

-- Ivan Barrientos M (ingenieria@simltda.tie.cl), July 07, 2001.

Tim,

First, your assignment is a great idea. Second, thanks for letting us take a look. And third, sorry to hear about Louie. He looks like a great pup.

I admire your photographic effort and hope to see some more of it during the weeks to come.

Best of luck

-- Scott Grane (pfd261@hotmail.com), July 07, 2001.

«The magic of photography is that a moment of life printed on a small piece of paper can touch our soul for many years.»

This is my philosophy about Photgraphy and you can find it here

-- Dimitris Kioseoglou (kosefoto@otenet.gr), July 07, 2001.

Thank-you to everyone for the kind words and sympathy, both public and private.

-- Tim Kamke (tjkamke@excelimaging.com), July 08, 2001.