Well, there seemed to be no mystery in my “mystery object” post on October 1st. Here’s a fuller view. As all of you guessed, it was the back of this old Brownie Hawkeye camera. Thank you to those who took the time to post your thoughts.
For some people of a certain age this trusty little box was an introduction to the exciting world of photography. It is displayed here with a few other items fast becoming ancient history, too: film and film canisters. How many of you longtime photographers originally scowled at the prospect of digital cameras? I recall long, negative harangues from a printer who fussed and fumed about using digital photos in newsletters I prepared.
I really couldn’t get my head around digital when it first appeared. I first learned to love black and white photography in a high school art class, and the memory of those images appearing magically in the developer are still visceral for me. But seeing the possibilities when dealing with a digital ‘negative’ is amazing!