a few months ago when i was in japan, k-chan's dad came over to me and asked:
「趣味はないのか？男はなぁー、趣味がないとダメだぞ！」
for my english speakers: "so what are your hobbies? a guys gotta have a hobby!"
what the heck are my hobbies??
i enjoy catching up with friends for a drink... not really a hobby
i enjoy sitting down with a good coffee while reading a magazine... not really a hobby
i enjoy shopping... again not really a hobby
i enjoy stretching my limbs at yoga... mmm, is yoga considered a hobby?!
hang on!! you know what, i do love taking photos!!
now that can be considered a hobby. right??
so that was my answer.
「趣味はないのか？男はなぁー、趣味がないとダメだぞ！」
for my english speakers: "so what are your hobbies? a guys gotta have a hobby!"
what the heck are my hobbies??
i enjoy catching up with friends for a drink... not really a hobby
i enjoy sitting down with a good coffee while reading a magazine... not really a hobby
i enjoy shopping... again not really a hobby
i enjoy stretching my limbs at yoga... mmm, is yoga considered a hobby?!
hang on!! you know what, i do love taking photos!!
now that can be considered a hobby. right??
so that was my answer.
「写真を撮るのが好きかなぁ」
"i guess i like taking photos"
a few hours later he came back over to me holding an old leather case.
he put it into my hands and in typical japanese style he said:
「これ大した物じゃないけど。使えなかったら捨てていいからな」
"it's not much and you can throw it away if it doesn't work"
trying not to look too much like a kid opening a present at christmas, i slowly undid the clasp on the worn-out case.
inside was this; a 1953 ricohflex VI twin lens camera.
wow, now i was grinning like a little kid at christmas!!
i'd always wanted an antique camera but didn't really know where to start. now i finally have my hands on my very first antique camera!
looks like i have an expensive hobby on my hands too...
returning to hong kong i found a shop which stocks 120 film (this baby only takes 12 photos per film) so i have been busy snapping some shots over the past few weeks.
the lens is not in the best condition so i was finding it a bit difficult to work out if i was focusing correctly or even if i was pointing the lens in the right direction!
but hey, all this fluffing about may add "character" to my photos.
skip forward a few weeks.
with a finished "test" film in hand i took it in to get developed.
after a few days of worrying that my film would come back blank i was surprised to see that i actually managed to capture something using this new toy of mine.
i doubt these photos will get any oohs or aahs from critics out there, but i'm over the moon just to know that this baby works.
view from my room
taken in my garden which i share with 16,218 other people
a random street in wan chai
"i guess i like taking photos"
a few hours later he came back over to me holding an old leather case.
he put it into my hands and in typical japanese style he said:
「これ大した物じゃないけど。使えなかったら捨てていいからな」
"it's not much and you can throw it away if it doesn't work"
trying not to look too much like a kid opening a present at christmas, i slowly undid the clasp on the worn-out case.
inside was this; a 1953 ricohflex VI twin lens camera.
wow, now i was grinning like a little kid at christmas!!
i'd always wanted an antique camera but didn't really know where to start. now i finally have my hands on my very first antique camera!
looks like i have an expensive hobby on my hands too...
returning to hong kong i found a shop which stocks 120 film (this baby only takes 12 photos per film) so i have been busy snapping some shots over the past few weeks.
the lens is not in the best condition so i was finding it a bit difficult to work out if i was focusing correctly or even if i was pointing the lens in the right direction!
but hey, all this fluffing about may add "character" to my photos.
skip forward a few weeks.
with a finished "test" film in hand i took it in to get developed.
after a few days of worrying that my film would come back blank i was surprised to see that i actually managed to capture something using this new toy of mine.
i doubt these photos will get any oohs or aahs from critics out there, but i'm over the moon just to know that this baby works.
view from my room
taken in my garden which i share with 16,218 other people
a random street in wan chai
