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About Me

I've been interested in photography from a very early age. When I was about 10 years old, I had an uncle that worked in a Polaroid repair shop. He gave me a couple Polaroid cameras, and for several years, he provided me with expired Polaroid film. When I was about 12 years old, my father presented me with an all manual 35mm Kodak Retina Ia, that once belonged to my grandfather. Shortly after that, I had a cousin in High School that was taking a photography class, and I worked with her to build a makeshift homemade darkroom enlarger out of cigar boxes and a coffee can, using a pattern I found in a scouting magazine. It was functional, but the lamp we used nearly melted the negatives!

In middle school, I had a study period in the library. Rather than study for my classes, I would spend my time pouring through the photography books in the library.

Starting at that early age, I had a pretty good knowledge of the technical aspects of photography. It wasn't until I got involved with some camera clubs in the late 1980s that I started to really understand and appreciate photographic composition and the artistic side of photography. It was also during this time that I first established my own photographic darkroom.

Besides photography, I've always been interested in history, particularly the history of the state of Michigan. This all started during my early childhood in an area of Northern Michigan that was rich in lumber history. We lived near a vanished ghost town from the lumber era. My parents and grandparents took me around and exposed me to many historic sites in Northern Michigan. Over the years, I have moved around the state and have lived in six different counties. All the while, exploring the history of the state.

I also have an interest in architecture, automobiles, and design. Over the past several years, many of my interests have become combined as I've traveled across all 83 counties of Michigan exploring and photographing historical places, architecture, car shows, etc. During my travels I visited and photographed over 300 railroad stations, nearly as many schoolhouses and churches, and nearly every old remaining movie theatre, as well as every lighthouse in the state that can easily be visited by car, or on foot.

I collect old cameras and there are many that I've used once or twice. Listed below are the film cameras that I've used with some regularity since I was a child. I still have a functional darkroom and I do still develop my own B&W film from time to time.

Polaroid J66 / Polaroid Automatic 100 / Kodak Retina Ia /Canon Canonet GIII QL 17 / Canon AV1 / Canon AE1 Program / Canon A1 / Canon T70 / Leica R4 / Stereo Realist / Yashica MAT 124G / Graflex 4x5 Super Graphic / Graflex 2x3 Century Graphic / Meopta Flexarets (S, VI, and VII) / Rolleicord III / Rolleiflex T

I purchased my first digital camera in 2000. I've used point and shoot digital cameras for many years before I got my first DSLR camera a few years ago. I still use the digital point and shoot cameras from time to time. Here are the digital cameras I've used (all Olympus).

C-3000 / C-4000 / C-4100 (converted for infrared) / C-750 / C8080 / SP-500 / SP-550 / E-410 (converted for infrared) / E-510

Special thanks to my father for encouraging me over the years, and for supplying me with several of the cameras mentioned above over the years.

Rick M. (RPM-Photo)




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