midlife drive

Facebook | Kevin Seney Author of “midlife drive”

Photographs and memories
Christmas cards you sent to me
All that I have are these
To remember you

~ Jim Croce

The Seney Family Christmas Card – 1968
East Ten Sleep Lake, Wyoming

I remember our family taking this Christmas card photo (41 years ago) like it was only yesterday. We all piled into our old 1950′s Willy’s Jeep and drove up the mountain to Ten Sleep Lake. It was windy and freezing. My dad set up the tripod, set the self timer (which was pretty high tech back then) “buzzzz, click” and another perfect photo! One more minute and frostbite would have done us all in!

My dad was a pretty amazing photographer. He had a very nice German made “Exacta” 35 mm camera. He had always taken lots of photos. My parents have thousands of amazing slides, and what is really cool, is that they are still just as perfect as the day they were taken.

My dad always explained everything in great detail, and I listed to every word. He explained photography to me on a very technical level, and I grew up with a great understanding of things like exposure, depth of field, and other technical, lighting and focus issues. I fell in love with photography and I loved his camera!

Back in the day, we had only one Black & White TV. One Chevy. One old Jeep. And, ONE 35mm camera. So to even be able to touch that camera, was quite a privilege. I grew up with a passion for cameras!

My daughter Alicia, working in the Drug Store, just like I did!

Our family owned the local drug store in our town, and we sold cameras and film. During the 1070′s 35 mm camera technology exploded, with the advent of electronic exposure and the costs plummeted. I dreamed of owning a Nikon or Canon.

The drug store also had the very well stocked magazine rack, and over time, I read every Photography magazine published. But, the idea of a $400.00 camera for a teenager in the 1970′s was just not going to happen. You could buy a nice car for $400.00 back then!

So, I continued to save my money, and finally talked my dad into “leasing” me space in the drug store, and allowing me to start a “real” camera department.

I remember very clearly, that I had $2,000 to start the business. Back in 1974 that was enough to buy a new car! I purchased a Nikon F-1, Canon AE-1, Olympus OM-2 and OM-1, and a lower cost Minolta and a Pentax. I was suddenly the only camera dealer in town.

My first customer was the Golf Pro from our local golf club. He wanted a camera, and he walked in with $500 cash and walked out with a new Nikon! It was one of the most amazing days in my life. I was now a “business owner” at only 15!

I still almost remember every sale. It was a dream come true, because over time, I also wound up with a pretty amazing 35 mm camera set up for myself! I ran the business until I finished high school and headed off to college. Then my dad just liquidated the inventory, and I used the funds to pay for school. I still remember him sending me checks at college, as the last few camera’s sold.

I also managed to take two semesters of photography at a college level. This was “back in the day” where we learned everything from winding our own film rolls from bulk, to developing our own prints in a dark room. Very cool…

I just spent the last two weeks in Jackson Wyoming with my parents. My dad was out taking pictures of everything, using a nice new digital camera, that I gave him as a gift a few years ago. Things have sure changed in photography, but watching my dad use that camera, reminded me what an amazing gift my dad had given to me.

Thanks Dad!

Love, Kevin

Facebook | Kevin Seney Author of “midlife drive”