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RE: [OM] An Update re Dad & His OM-2

Subject: RE: [OM] An Update re Dad & His OM-2
From: Scott Gomez <scott@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 27 Apr 2001 22:01:53 -0700
What a great story! My best wishes to your dad, and hopes for his continued
success with the camera.

---
Scott Gomez

-----Original Message-----
From: Kelton Rhoads [mailto:krho@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Friday, April 27, 2001 21:53
To: Olympus List
Subject: [OM] An Update re Dad & His OM-2


Hi -- this is a quick update that several of you have kindly asked me 
for. Some weeks ago I sent the list a story and a photo about my Dad (a 
brain cancer survivor) and his customized OM-2 (with Hermanson CLA and 
Sparks leather). I recently took Dad to Riverside University (I believe 
that is Acer's turf) to photograph the stunning flower gardens, 
particularly the alstroemeria ("Inca Lily") gardens, from his wheelchair. 
Although Dad had a fair amount of difficulty operating the camera 
(forgetting to wind, difficulty focusing, and on one occasion, forgetting 
to look through the viewfinder) he managed to get some really decent 
shots. He was using a "focus free" 28mm which I set on hyperfocal, and he 
managed to do a good job of composition with this setup--better than I do 
with a wide angle (but then, anybody does). When I put the 50mm f/2 on 
his camera, he did better yet, getting one really stunning closeup image 
of a poppy. (This tells me that the shallow depth of field really helped 
him focus). The OM-2 gave him some beautifully exposed backlit exposures 
of his wife and daughter-in-law under a bower. I can't show you the 
photos because I glued them to a foam-core board and hung them in Dad's 
room, where he studies them intently and with great wonder. If you 
haven't turned your lens on a flower lately, they really are stunning 
subjects--common, even trite, but the possibilities for composition are 
endless and the colors and patterns in macros are breathtaking. So it's 
back to the basics for Dad and me.

The amazing thing, folks, is that this is the first activity, since the 
radiation 2 years ago, that I can tell Dad actually enjoys doing! He 
actually enjoyed himself!! For a few hours, his life wasn't drudgery and 
emptiness and discomfort and humiliation and trouble. It had a focus, a 
goal, and his efforts had a good result. Well, you can probably tell 
where I'm headed with this! Dad and I are going to do a LOT more 
photography in the future, and, provided the postman does his job, Dad 
will be enjoying a new, lightweight, autofocus/autowind/autoexposure 
wunderbricklet (brand name omitted), using the one AF lens I own, an 85 
f/1.8. (Those of you who are overburdened with intimate knowledge of 
camera systems have probably already figured out what Dad's new camera 
will be.) I was thrilled when I discovered that the unnamed manufacturer 
made a camera body that weighs only 14 oz. With any luck on e*bay, Dad my 
soon be enjoying a 105mm AF macro lens as well. I think I'll add a 35 f/2 
after that and call it quits for gear. Zooms won't work because they're 
too confusing to operate--just remembering where the release button is, 
is sufficient. But this coincides nicely with my love of primes, so no 
complaints there. Rest assured that I will be accompanying Dad on his 
photo forays with my trusty black OM-2n with slightly smudged focusing 
screen (because I tried to clean it about a WEEK before the postings on 
the subject occurred - and I managed to rub it with a microfibre cloth - 
how's that for luck.) Anyway, I wanted you to know the good news. Thanks 
for the suggestions, encouragement, and interest. 

Kelton

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