chuckography: July 2018

Sunday, July 29, 2018

If it ain't broke, don't fix it...

But, of course, if something really IS broken, then do something about it.

I tried to push the protruding piece back into place but it would not cooperate.

I know exactly when the damage happened.

I was coming off a plane in May after my family-visits vacation in California and Missouri.

As usual, my ever-present small Canon P/S camera was in an older pouch on my hip.

I heard the "thud" when it fell to the carpeted floor of the plane. I scooped it up and realized the pouch was really worn out and I planned to replace it.

I continued to use the camera even though the shutter button was tight at first but gradually began to work smoother.

I continued capturing scenes around me in full color - or black & white - for more than a month.

At the July monthly meeting of my Photo Group, I was showing my clever little $200 pocket-size camera to a member

I was talking about the amazing 25 mm - 500 mm zoom lens and she pointed to a bulge and gap across the top of the camera and suggested I have somebody take a look at fixing it.

Yikes, I had not even noticed.

Of course, I tried to pop it back in place with my hands but quickly saw that was not the answer.

Then I did the next best thing..I went online and bought a similar-sized Canon SX620HS with a 25 mm - 625 mm zoom lens. Actually I bought a refurbished model for about $180.

Another member of my photo group suggested I call Michael Harler at Focal Point, 4 Apollo Road in West Ashley.

The specialty there is quality cameras repaired.

I called 571-205-2116 -even though I had only a $200 Point & Shoot pocket-size digital camera.

Nothing fancy at all. and probably too expensive to even have him try.

Mike was gracious in his little shop downstairs at his home.

He usually does not work on digitals at all, he explained, but he said show me what you have and let's see if I can help.

I looked around at a lot of familiar 35mm film cameras and felt right at home.

I mentioned I had carried a hefty 4 x 5 Speed Graphic for 10 years and, not surprisingly, he had one sitting on a shelf.

At home, I had several of the same 35mm Canon film cameras he had hanging by his workbench area.

While I was looking around, Mike was using a small screwdriver to remove a handful of really tiny screws from the camera I had banged up.

He looked up and held the camera out to me. "Oh," I said, "you can't fix it?"

He smiled and said, "It's all done."

He said it was a simple fix so he had finished the repair in about 5 minutes.

Removing a few screws meant he could pop the parted pieces in place, put the screws back in and tighten it all together.

I laughed and said it reminded me of a sign I had seen in the Administrators office in a small Georgia hospital a few years ago that said:

SURGERY $500..
$50 FOR THE CUTTING AND
$450 TO KNOW WHERE TO CUT.

So, my camera was ship-shape again and I had met a technician who really enjoyed his work.

(Thanks for stopping by. Click on the photos and links for more details.)

Sometimes, dropping a camera might not be a total disaster. Thanks, Mike!

Labels: best camera is the one you have when you need it, Canon P/S, pocket-size great for travel, SX280hs

Wednesday, July 11, 2018

Now we start the SECOND thousand entries..

Because we are starting a new series of postings, I decided to "go back" and add some from the past.

Not the actual past in wartime history, just scenes I caught at a Battle Of Charleston re-enactment at Legare Farm a few years ago.

It's an annual event in April and features a whole timeline of wars from Indian and pirates through the Civil War, WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, etc.

Variety for sure and lent itself to some strange pairings of re-enactors from different eras.

General Robert E. Lee was in attendance and charmed the ladies.

It was a warm April and some of the outfits had to be a bit uncomfortable.

But, these are people paying attention to details and what's a little sweat way back before air conditioning became the norm.

Surely humidity then was not as fierce as it is now?! (Hmm, global warming?)

This young fellow I spotted in the parking lot but tried to avoid showing him with modern cars around.

I had just arrived myself and had not yet seen how many juxtapositions would play that afternoon.

To me, it became the norm to seek them out.

The organizers have done this for awhile and knew to use the ample space at Legare Farm to separate the eras as much as possible.

The battle scenes were announced in advance so avid photographers could cover mounted charges, and cannons booming.

Include musket fire as well as machine guns and the ever popular Garand M-1

When I was handed an M-1 I realized the last time I held one was in the 1950s!

So "soon" you forget that it weighs nearly 10 pounds. Yikes.

But, of course, I was younger then and the Marines had beat me into a lean, mean, fighting machine at Parris Island.

I buy USMC t-shirts online and one I saw stated: "Not so lean, not so mean, but I'm still a U.S. Marine."

The catalog said they came in XL, 2XL and even 3XL.

For some reason, one of my favorite photos that day involved a lady wearing the fashion of the 1860s, but facing a modern-day dilemma.

She agreed to pose when I assured her I did NOT want a photo of her actually trying to enter the facility.

Closing on that high note, I realize some time has passed since my last entry and I had many opportunities to post live music shows I've attended and other interesting events and activities.

I will conclude this one and promise to get more written and posted in the future.

Here are some additional shots from that Re-enactment.