I was given my first camera, a Kodak Brownie 135, when I was about 12.  It came with a roll of Black and White film. I didn’t use the camera very often.  A photo or two at Christmas, Easter and our summer holidays at the New Jersey shore.  There were also occasional photographs of a brother’s, or sister’s graduation, or wearing a Halloween costume.  A roll of 24 exposures would last a year or more. I did not preserve many "Kodak Moments". 

             When I started earning money I began using colour film, along with B&W. I still did not make many photographs - until I met Peggy.  Then photography of our life adventures and our family became much more frequent. Around 1998, for a variety of reasons, I discontinued using B&W film. 

            In early 2021, I decided to reinstate this historic film with my digital colour photography. Something inherent in the character of B&W called me back. I am not sure why this happened; maybe it is the wonder, aesthetic and enjoyment of translating a colourful composition into a monochrome image - guided by an inner sense of its shape and contrast and shading of grey tones.

            Also, I experience other benefits with B&W film. I am more engaged in composing an image, developing the film in my darkroom, and selecting a promising negative to print. Patience is present. Time plays a role.

             I believe B&W photographs are a unique way to preserve our history, particularly images with people who are important to us. Whether the photographs are kept in boxes, or albums, their wonderful stories are waiting, the memories becoming even richer when shared with others, and confirmed by details written on the backs. (Obviously, colour prints will be similarly treasured, albeit their colour may fade over time.) If you feel the same, I suggest making memory prints of your digital photos of people - then captioning them.  Future generations will be grateful.

            The 80 photographs in Points of View have been made over the past three years with a good point-and-shoot camera and Kodak TriX film. While there is no apparent continuity of subject matter, you may observe an overall approach to composition and content which reveals a point of view.

            Perhaps - I hope - an individual image, or maybe several, will attract your interest.  I will be pleased if that happens. It will connect us.