WHILE ON THE TOPIC OF ADORAMA AND MY FIRST PRO CAMERA... …

About this Entry
Posted by: garyfong1 Original: 9/13/2006 11:38 PM Views: 289 Comments: 7 eProps: 5 Read Comments Post a Comment Back to Your Xanga Site

Who gave the eProps?
2 eProps from: Borelfoto RussLowe 1 eProp from: qnetx

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

WHILE ON THE TOPIC OF ADORAMA AND MY FIRST PRO CAMERA...

Pictured to the right is a Hasselblad 500c camera. Back when I started, if you owned a Hasselblad, you were bigtime... a true pro. These cameras were the finest, most meticulously made precision cameras and they were so expensive. I sold a Gibson Dove acoustic guitar and a Tascam 244 portastudio to buy my first Hasselblad. This is going to sound corny but I would always sleep with it on my nightstand for like the first year I owned it. It was the last thing I saw when I went to bed and the first thing I saw when I woke up. I told you it was going to sound corny.

Years later I would be doing ads and workshops for Hasselblad, and that is something that you don't get used to. When I started appearing in their ad campaigns it was just such a trip.

I never had ambitions of being a famous photographer. You can ask any of my friends. The reason I got my name out was because I came out with Montage software, and I went around the world promoting it, but photographers didn't want to hear a message from a computer nerd, so I had to become a photography authority. That taught me a lesson in merchandising - if people recognize your name, they automatically assume you are great.

I remember one time at a convention, a guy saw me and said, "wow - Gary Fong! OK I have a question for you in how to set up my camera room..." Well if he really knew me he'd know that I was not into studio photography, and that I wouldn't know how to best setup a camera room. So in other words, he knew nothing about me but he had heard my name. But because he'd heard of me he automatically assumed I'd be an expert in whatever.

Posted 9/13/2006 11:38 PM - 289 views - 7 comments

recommend
recs0
give stars
votes0
share
email
sent0

Give eProps or Post a Comment

7 Comments

From sleeping next to a Hassy to sleeping next to Melissa? I think you made a lot of progress! LOL!

Posted 9/14/2006 8:27 AM by Borelfoto

- reply

Gary:

I still have a Hasselblad 500CM system. I've been debating whether to keep it or eBay it since everyone now is ok with me shooting just digital. But the Hasselblad is such a nice "classic" camear that I may just keep one for a museum piece!

During the time you were doing the Hasselblad shooting, I was using a Bronica. But the Hassy has always been the standard that clients asked for when they wanted a "high-end" photographer. It's what differentiated a "pro" from the amateur at a wedding. Today, with everyone owning a Canon or Nikon digital SLR, it's harder to tell who's the hired pro and who is the guest!

Russ

Posted 9/14/2006 8:30 AM by RussLowe - reply

You know, that old Gibson Dove acoustic may be worth more today than when you sold it. But the Hasselblad's have tumbled in price on the used market. As for the Tascam, no big deal... we're all recording in digital now!

Did you ever replace the Gibson acoustic with another steel string guitar? I know you have the Ramirez nylon string classical. Try the Taylor guitars... nice and "twangy" just the way I like it! I play a 614ce... it's a great guitar! Check my blog for a recent photo of it.

Posted 9/14/2006 9:33 AM by RussLowe - reply

I am for some reason not into steel string acoustics, but I do like the sound, so I got a Parker Fly with the awesome pickup. It just sounds awesome. I did have an ovation shallow bowl for a while, but I didn't love the neck. I don't know why but steel string acoustics "feel" cold and clammy, harsh and brittle, whereas a nylon string guitar just has a beautiful feel, it's gentle, comforting and versatile.

I have some cool guitars. I have an original blonde 20th Anniversary Les Paul Custom that I bought on my 16th birthday for $500. That thing is probably worth over $10k now, it's all original with the original fretless wonder wires.

I have a cool Mahogany Parker Fly, the one with the carbon graphite neck. It's very cool. It's my new steel string acoustic but I never figured out how to work it and I haven't played it in at least five years.

The one I really like is my Gibson blond chet atkins guitar. I have no idea where that guitar is, but it's beautiful.

Posted 9/14/2006 10:08 AM by

garyfong1

- reply

Gary:

Seems we have some things yet again in common. I don't own a 20th Anniversary Les Paul, but I do own a 25th Anniversary Les Paul! My dad bought it for me new and it's still in perfect condition! I posted a pic of it on my blog on the April 13th post.

The Ovation necks are rather narrow and the steel string version of the Ovation Legend has a "V" shape that I'm not thrilled about either. The Taylors have a slightly wider neck than your typical steel string acoustic and perhaps you would appreciate the feel much better. I know I like it better as it not only feels better but plays better too if you do any fingerstyle playing (I do all the time.)

The 2" width necks on the classical guitars like your Ramirez takes some time to get used to for most acoustic steel string players, but I'm used to it since I play an Ovation Legend nylon string as well. But if you are even in a music store, try out the Taylors... I think you'll be surprised at how nice they sound and play. The action is quick and the sound is very clear.

Both of my Ovation Legends (steel and nylon) are shallow bowls. I never could play the large bowl versions... too much "slippage", if you know what I mean... lol

The Parker Fly is pretty cool too! A friend of mine had one and it was the lightest electric I had tried ever! You can wear that thing all day. Contrast that to your heavy Les Paul... The bridge transducer is what gives it the acoustic sound if I'm not mistaken.

Do yourself a favor and check out a Taylor steel string the next time you are in a musical instrument store. You may change your mind about steel string guitars after trying one!

Russ

Posted 9/14/2006 2:48 PM by RussLowe - reply

Back in the day when I was shooting weddings, the Hassy was the camera to have. A medium format negative in a small package with superior optics and ease of operation. It was my favorite camera for events and portraiture. For location work, I also used a Norman strobe on a camera bracket with a battery pack dangling from my shoulder.

When I finally stopped shooting weddings I opted for a Bronica SQai because it was less costly to buy lenses and accessories for. I still have the Bronica and like to use it on occassion for fine art and landscape shots. Other than that I'm all digital and enjoy the immediate satisfaction of not having to wait for negatives/slides to be processed.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane,
George Quiroga

P.S. - I fell in love with the styling and hi-tech look of the Parker Fly electric when it first came out.

Posted 9/14/2006 4:18 PM by qnetx - reply

The trip down memory lane inspired me to dig through my old photos and find one of my favorite images of this wonderful camera. Check out my blog to see the image: Click Here!.

Posted 9/14/2006 8:03 PM by qnetx - reply

Give eProps (?)