[Leica] Personal introduction and invitation to view my photos in the gallery

[bigdlakeside at yahoo.com (Rod Smith)]

Hello Friends:
I invite you to take a look at a few photos of mine. I?ve
posted to the gallery under my name (Rod Smith).
Feel free to comment.
I started making pictures about 1967 (while in the 7th grade). My junior 
high school ?science
teacher (George Dorsey, at Darlington School in Rome, Georgia) taught his 
?little
buds? photography as a part of the science curriculum. I was also motivated 
when
I realized my father wasn?t so good at using his Argus C3. Over time I became
the family photographer, and the high school magazine and annual staff 
photographer.
I first bought a Miranda Sensorex, and ?then changed to Nikon F, using a 
Gossen Luna
Pro. I then added a Rollei TLR made the year I was born (1954). I did all the
darkroom work for the high school annual, we used an Omega D3 autofocus and
printed zillions of 5x7?s.
Along the way, I was in the 4-H photography program. That
led to a connection to working for Clyde Collier, the local newspaper
photographer turned entrepreneur. I worked at Clyde?s studio and camera shop
for years.
Eventually (2001) I too became a photographer entrepreneur hanging
out a shingle and doing weddings in the Atlanta area. There were a number of
other careers in between.
Now (at 57) I just shot for personal use. My partner of 30
years, Michael, and I have been able to travel a good bit and see many
wonderful things. Hopefully my photos will be a long reminder of those
pleasures.
Please enjoy some of my work. I hope to add more over time
to the Gallery. I also hope to be more active in the forum as I continue to
enjoy photography. Your insights will be of value as we persevere through the
changes to our hobby, craft, and / or profession.
Rod Smith