Old Cameras from Dad
The other day, I told my dad that I am taking a digital photography class at Santa Monica College, and that it's quite fun. Without a word, dad went into his room, opened up a drawer and pulled out several old film cameras that he owned and told me that I can have them: he doesn't use them anymore, and doesn't want to keep them. When I asked him where and when he got those cameras, he couldn't remember anymore.
My dad is 86 years old. He suffers from depression, a condition that afflicts many seniors, especially men. Most of his old friends and aquaintaces are dead, or dying. He is infinitely bored with his daily routine and doesn't know how to fill his days. When I told him that maybe he can take a photography class by himself or with me and use those cameras again, his response was no: he has lost all interest.
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Dad was an engineer who traveled and lived all over the world when he was young. As a camera buff, he documented those travels by taking photos. During his 20 years in Libya, he bought cameras whenever he could afford them. He made his own slides and showed those slides to us using his now antique Olympus slide projector. I used his half frame Olympus camera to take my first film class when I was attending Belmont High School in the late 1970s. Dad also let me use his Leica and Zeiss Ikon camera to learn photography.
Now I look at the box of camera equipment he gave me and I am overwhelmed by unspeakable sadness and nostalgia. I guess there is a time for everything and every interest. Dad is conceding that his time to pursue those interests is over.
I hardly ever use film cameras anymore, but looking at those old cameras, I feel that I should pick up that kernel of interest again. I used to laugh at how people keep mementos and fill up their homes with mementos and junk. I now realize that I will be keeping those cameras with me for a long long time: they remind me of dad as he once was.
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| 1963 Dad (L) and Uncle Yu at the Vatican. Original Asian tourist with a camera. |
My dad is 86 years old. He suffers from depression, a condition that afflicts many seniors, especially men. Most of his old friends and aquaintaces are dead, or dying. He is infinitely bored with his daily routine and doesn't know how to fill his days. When I told him that maybe he can take a photography class by himself or with me and use those cameras again, his response was no: he has lost all interest.
Dad was an engineer who traveled and lived all over the world when he was young. As a camera buff, he documented those travels by taking photos. During his 20 years in Libya, he bought cameras whenever he could afford them. He made his own slides and showed those slides to us using his now antique Olympus slide projector. I used his half frame Olympus camera to take my first film class when I was attending Belmont High School in the late 1970s. Dad also let me use his Leica and Zeiss Ikon camera to learn photography.
 |
| Zeiss Ikon "Bullseye", Olympus Pen, Rollei 35 |
Now I look at the box of camera equipment he gave me and I am overwhelmed by unspeakable sadness and nostalgia. I guess there is a time for everything and every interest. Dad is conceding that his time to pursue those interests is over.
I hardly ever use film cameras anymore, but looking at those old cameras, I feel that I should pick up that kernel of interest again. I used to laugh at how people keep mementos and fill up their homes with mementos and junk. I now realize that I will be keeping those cameras with me for a long long time: they remind me of dad as he once was.
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