As I was organizing photos today, I stumbled upon a few old ones, and a wave of nostalgia washed over me. I found myself missing the days of film, of tight deadlines, and of working for newspapers. Unfortunately, the newspaper business is dying, and photographers have become a dime a dozen. Nowadays, anyone with a smartphone can take a photo that can be used for a story. Social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook break news before an editor can even get someone on the scene.
But what I miss most is the process of taking photos. I miss the rush of capturing an image and racing back to the darkroom to develop and print the photos to my satisfaction. Whether I had ample time or was up against the clock, every moment felt meaningful. Photographers were respected and held a certain level of prestige, and the power of the free press often opened doors for us, even if we weren't exactly welcome. Those days are gone.
I recall a sports assignment—one of my early ones—that stands out in my memory. It involved a two-hour round-trip drive, and I barely made it back to the office with ten minutes to spare before the deadline. As I hurriedly developed the film, I searched for the perfect shot on my still-wet film strip. Once we’d finished developing the film, we had to dry the photo—at least when time was of the essence. That evening, the sports editor approached me and snatched the wet photo from my hand before dashing away. I learned early that you never want to anger a sports editor.

I also miss the grainy look that came from pushing the limits of film speed. In the black-and-white days, the grain was not a big concern because it blended with the newspaper's own grain. We often pushed our films to their limits to avoid using a flash.

Manual cameras were my favorite tool, giving me complete control over every aspect of the process. I would carefully consider every detail before clicking the shutter. In contrast, today's cameras seem lacking. While I had several digital Nikons and a dozen lenses that served me well during my last four years before retirement, I never felt quite as satisfied as when I could create a photo from start to finish. The new cameras disappoint me.

Finally, I believe that black-and-white photos possess a certain soul that color photos lack. There's something magical about them that draws you in, revealing the true essence of a scene. In comparison, color photos seem like mere eye candy.

Allow me to share a few grainy photos from old assignments, as I bid farewell to this trip down memory lane.

This is sold but I like it so thought I would share.

Beautiful rendition of The Crab Claw, folk art style. This is for sale.

Happy 4th. Stay safe on the water.