Lhtnup's photostream  

At home with my favorite book.

Me? Of all my nicknames -- and there are a lot -- I treasure most when my daughter calls me Dad. She’s a burgeoning linguist and I’m a retired botanist, although not one of those little bald guys with a pith helmet and a magnifying glass.

My first camera was a Kodak Brownie back in the early 50s. In junior high, I saved my paper route money and bought my first 35mm camera, an Argus Rangefinder. What a beast to focus, but when I succeeded, it rewarded me with great photos.

From that time forward, for color, I shot slides almost exclusively until 2004. That is the year I bought my first digital camera, a Minolta DiMage 400. That marked my transition from film to digital.

I used to shoot a lot of B&W back when I had access to a darkroom. During those years, I carried Ektachrome in my F2 and Pan X in my Nikomat.

My first SLR was a Nikomat with a Nikkor-S 50mm f/1.4K lens that I bought in 1964. And then in 1976 I bought a Nikon F2, four prime lenses, a bellows and a Nikkor Bellows-P 105mm f/4F, a ton of filters, and lots of accessories.

All five of those lenses are still in use. I had the four primes modified to use with the Nikon D700 I bought in January of 2009. (Since the Bellows 105 mounts to the bellows lensboard, it does not need AI modification.) Those lenses still deliver quality images in the digital world.

In 2009 I gave my Nikomat, Nikkor 28mm f/2K, and Nikkor-S 50mm f/1.4K to my daughter for use on her D90.

So, for cameras, my toy box delights me with a Nikon F2, a Nikon D700, and a Canon PowerShot SD850 IS for my pocket.

For lenses, there is a Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/3.5K, a Nikkor 105mm f/2.5K, a Bellows Nikkor-P 105mm f/4F, and a Nikkor 300mm f/4.5K, all of pre-AI vintage. Of new, there is a Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8G, Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8G, Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G VR II, Nikkor 35mm f/1.4G, Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G, Nikkor 85mm f/1.4G, and a Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G VR II.

At the start of my career I taught a year-long graduate course in light and electron microscopy. A significant portion of the course focused on photomicrography and on photography for scientific publication. And for my own research, microscopes and technical photography were essential tools. So though not a photographer per se, photography was a major part of my professional life.

On the personal side, I'm a life-long adventurer (absolutely loved life aboard submarines), photographer, gardener, family games player, sports spectator, reader, camper, and music lover. To me, getting out and trying new stuff is way-cool beans.

Lived in Japan, AZ, CA, OR, UT, TX, IA, MN, OH, WI, CT, ME, NH, VA & SC via childhood fam, schools, career, and Navy. Although jocular, I’m in no way a jock; try as I may, I’ve never been proficient at grunting.

The open road is my siren; for fun, I’ve driven through all 48 states, many extensively. Yet there is so much more to explore. I’ve also traveled on four continents plus some islands, and I've sailed under the most of the Mediterranean, the North Atlantic, the Atlantic, and the eastern Caribbean.

August '08 = BD #65 and a new motorcycle for me from me. Best thing I did for myself in a long time. Best thing I did for myself in a long time #2 = D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 for a late Christmas gift for me from me in January '09. Fabulous camera and lens. Best thing I've done for myself in a long time #3 = Nikkor 14-24 in October '09. Absolutely amazing lens. And #4 = Nikkor 70-200 VR II in December '09. Holy Trinity, Batman!

If you like viewing photos against a black background and without captions, I invite you to see mine at:

flickriver.com/photos/lhtnup/popular-interesting/

Albany, Oregon USA