Adventures in Photography

Beneath the Red Cloth In Camera .

One hadn’t really needed the thing in the first place, but the South Coast seller lived close , and his upset price seemed cheap . That and the possibility of collecting it in person made such a purchase desirable. Apart from the saving on postage, one avoided the possibility of damage or even alleged damage in the post, because how ever fine the plastic casing of a Camcorder, damage can so easily occur.

Years ago when one had something worthwhile to film one had a very expensive Super 8mm. Cine camera. That too was of high specification but unfortunately became too expensive for me to run, due to the rise in the cost of the film it used. The camera had been bought at Auction off the Official Receiver for a fraction of its worth. Indeed when I had it checked out, its Main Agent rather than acclaim my good fortune, was suspicious of the transaction and immediately checked out the camera on its register of stolen items. The man seemed disappointed not to find it recorded thereon, for were ‘The Official Receiver’ to make a habit of selling off its expensive brand so cheaply, it would quite ruin their marque.

The camera came with various reels of film. After I had finished off the one already in the camera, I sent it to be processed, and on its return concluded that the Camera’s previous owner was minded to start a Glamour Model’s Agency. Delightful though both girls he’d photographed were, neither as depicted sprawled on a bed in bra and panties seemed quite the thing, even after allowing for the man‘s lack of skill as a photographer. Some people photograph well and others don’t. Often a model that might not appeal to the naked eye, looks better through a lens, and Vice Versa. Not sure photography was my predecessor’s ambition though, so possibly that was why he had presumably gone Bankrupt.

There may be technophobes who are unaware how things are sold on e.bay. If you wish to sell an item, you post its detail along with a photograph, and the minimum price you will be willing to accept for it ,and you then wait over a specified period of time to see what happens next.

In the case of my Camcorder purchase, nothing happened for much of the time. Presumably I, as were ‘Just looking, thank you’. The Camcorder really did seem a bargain, so having checked the second hand value of such a camera, I entered the maximum amount of money I would be willing to pay for the item, so immediately becoming the one and only bidder at the Sellers minimum sale price. I was astonished that mine remained the only bid until precisely two seconds before the finishing time of the Auction. Then a shrewd would be purchaser upped the bidding by all of ten pounds. He or she probably feeling confident thereby of purchasing the Camcorder, however he or she did not beat the Computer to the draw, for it immediately upped my original recorded bid by another two of my pledged pounds. Thus time then expired, I became the purchaser of the lot. At such a stage both parties to the transaction are put in touch of one another. After an exchange of e.mails, I drove to his house the following morning to conclude the purchase, arriving as agreed at Twelve Noon.

There was a slight delay, before the door was opened to me by a young man whose not displeasing nakedness was shielded only by the bath towel precariously clasped about his waist. One naturally wondered what an attractive young man might be up to so dressed at that time of the day. Thus I await with interest, to see what photographs there might already be on my Camcorder’s tape when played back, for we photographer’s are seldom homophobic, ‘Ars gratia Artis’ and all that, but as yet I have not reached how to ‘Play Tapes Back’ in the Instruction Manual.

A while back I attended a Chattels auction which seemed as an Aladdin’s cave of expensive photographic equipment. The Auctioneer didn’t know a Box Brownie, from the Hasselblad outfit he’d lotted up, nor had he been surprised that the deceased Vendor’s attic Studio had a photo printing machine capable of producing commercial runs. Curiously enough neither this elderly by then deceased Vendor’s neighbours, nor his cleaning lady had the slightest idea that he planned that his attic bedroom should become a pawn in the glamour industry, but such were the undeveloped photos remaining on his camera.

But another time I purchased an aged 16mm sound projector. Now that came with reel upon reel of privately ‘shot’ black and white film. The whole a positive treasure trove of all manner of occasions dating back to the thirties. Everything from the R101, Isle of Man TT races. Festivities in Leicester, boats in the Lake District. All good irreplaceable stock these eighty years on.

Trouble with Cameras, easy enough to buy at a price, often difficult to sell. Was once tempted into buying a 400 mm. camera lens complete with suitable film carrier. It was cheapish , but subsequently little used by me. Tried to sell it after a while, but the only person who expressed an interest to buy it off me, confided that he was setting up in business as a Private Detective. Could I please advise him whether the lens would be suitable for his profession. I was tempted to tell him that it would be ideal, but didn’t have the heart, however if there are out there any other would be bird photographers , it would do well enough for you, its still available for sale.

233/09.