This past weekend I made the drive over the rainy Coquihalla to attend the spring Vancouver Used Camera Sale.
I always look forward to the twice-a-year event that is in a big hall filled with tables loaded with all kinds of cameras and camera equipment and I sure do enjoy talking with other sellers like myself and all the excited people looking to purchase that perfect camera.
Prices at these kinds of events are always much better than anything online and include the opportunity to try out cameras and lenses before handing over hard- earned cash.
I reserved two tables for all the photo equipment I brought from my shop and I had tightly packed in my Honda Accord. Jo parked the car as I hurried back and forth through the rain to get everything into the hall and ready before excited people started coming in.
Then the rush began and we were talking to people and showing our photo equipment non-stop for the rest of the day and I didn’t get a chance to sit down once.
The crowd was mostly young and as last year most were looking for film camera equipment. I had a “free bin” as well as lots of table items for customers to peruse. The free bin had all sorts of bits and pieces that are hard to sell and even several malfunctioning cameras.
Whew, after that busy, fun and interesting day, we finally repacked every thing back in my car and got back to our room for a needed rest. Jo ordered food from a local Greek Restaurant to be sent and we relaxed for the rainy evening.
The next morning was sparkling clear. I could tell it rained all night because everything was damp and jacket-weather cool. We had decided to stay an extra day and I wanted to walk around on Denman, English Bay beach and drive around Stanley Park.
I wanted to give a little Olympus mirrorless camera a good try. I had included it at the camera sale, but although two of its fixed mount lenses sold the camera and a short zoom didn’t.
That Olympus E-M1 and its 40-150mm lens was a perfect little camera to walk the people-filled street and beach with. Its articulating screen meant I could hold it at waist level and take photos whenever without attracting attention. I set it at Aperture priority Mode so I could select a depth-of-field that allowed for some in focus distance in front of and behind my subject. And it was great – I was surprised at how much I liked using it. I’ll have it in my shop waiting for some lucky person to have as much fun as I did with it.
Vancouver and especially the Stanley Park beach area is such a different environment than I am used to. I suppose I am the typical tourist that wants to look at everything.
Sometimes I want to wander a city’s side streets and back alleys to find shadows and objects that say something to me. Other times like on this day I am mostly interested in the people. I doubt there is much art in my pictures of people in the street. However, when I later bring them up on my computer for a final edit I remember everything that I was doing at that moment and I get to relive the moment.
“If you can smell the street by looking at the photo, it’s a street photograph.”
– Bruce Gilden, Photographer New York City.
Stay safe and be creative. These are my thoughts for this week. Contact me at www.enmanscamera.com or emcam@telus.net.
