100 not out, but close!

A quick blip to celebrate 100. Rather hurried due to other pressures today, which is a real shame for this milestone. The lighting outside is miserable, so no outdoor shot I'm afraid. There were times when I didn't think I'd reach this first milestone!

When I look back over 50+ years in photography, the changes have been amazing. I started with a Coronet Cub hand me down from my father. It took 828 film which was a real b*gg*r to get hold of even then. I graduated to a 35mm Halina 35x Super, a 35mm rangefinder camera without a built-in rangefinder! A separate rangefinder was necessary, and focus settings had to be transferred manually. As did exposure, from pictograms supplied with the film. Then an Aires Viscount with a built-in rangefinder and a superb f/1.9 lens, through various slrs (Praktica to Konicas, Minoltas, Konica Minoltas, Mamiyas) and finally KM & Sony digital cameras, with many other pocket cameras along the way. I still enjoy using film but my Sony A900 is a delight to use, and my recent NEX7 purchase is just as capable and even more convenient. The last 15 years have seen the greatest changes as we see digital replace film; I worked in cutting edge technology and thought that film would see me out, but the progress of digital technology has been mind blowing.
I still hang on to one strong belief from my film days - images are best saved as prints. My Mac computers given an excellent screen quality, and I have very extensive backup and archiving enabled on my computer, but I really enjoy the tactile quality and texture of a well produced print. However, the convenience of digital and the sheer capability of modern digital cameras is amazing. And it lends itself to sharing images across the globe, instantly, and cheaply. Which leads me to my best discovery this year, thanks to John Gravett at Lakeland Photographic Holidays. Blipping! So a big thank you to John and to everyone who participates and tolerates my blips