How I got into Photography …
It started back in 1972, we were living in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Dad (may he rest in peace) was taking us to Lebanon, flying out via Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
We were also to pass by Makkah, the holly city on the West of Saudi Arabia, to pay a visit to the Holly Mosque there, and to visit the wider family.
Dad, like all my uncles, was into photography and had this old camera from his days when he was a student in the US, back in the early 1950s!
Upon entering the Holly Mosque, Dad handed me his camera while he was sorting some matters.
With a keen eye, he clearly saw how proud it made me to be holding his prized camera, the expression on my face changed continuously from a grin of disbelief and pleasure to a nervousness as I was too scared in case someone stole it, or if I was to drop it; all that overshadowed by my intrigue as to how this contraption worked.
Once Dad was done, he sat me down and took me through each dial and explained to me how the camera worked.
I was barely past 6 years old, overwhelmed by so much information; but Dad made it so much fun.
The cherry on the cake came when Dad told me he’d take me to a vantage point to shoot some photos; and him being a military officer, he got us access to a unique location on the top floor.
There, he showed me how to load a film (of course there was no way I’d remember that) and handed the camera back to me telling me to compose, focus, and to shoot. Guiding me every step, I took a series of shots, after which he told me of a trick that only the very experienced of great photographers could muster, a panorama of multiple images!
I had absolutely no idea what he was talking about, what is a panorama, how does the camera achieve this, and what’s the point of it? Again, being very preceptive, Dad knew I was now at the depth of confusion.
“Let’s do it together”, he said; “and we will take it one step at a time” … that reassurance was all I needed to hear.
I told him what setting I’d be using, scared I’d get it wrong, which I did; and he advised me to double check and rethink them until I got them right, and he affirmed that to me.
Snap, I took the first photo then panned a bit to my right
Snap, I took the second photo, and again, panned a bit to my right, and the last of the three
Snap, I took the third photo
I was so nervous, shaking and perspiring as if sitting my toughest exam, not knowing what the results would be like.
“Let’s finish our rituals and we will take the film to be processed”, Dad said with a firm voice.
I have to admit, I wasn’t very focused on our ritual, as my mind was drifting to what the images would turn out like.
“Done, now let’s go to the studio to give them the film” Dad instructed … and off we went.
We arrived at this shop, Dad handed the person in the store the film from the camera, and we were told it would be ready within a few hours.
“We will go back for lunch, and then come and collect it”, Dad told me.
“Yes Sir”, I replied with a shaking voice … I was anxious, nervous and scared all at once. I needed to see the results and to know that I did well! It would be at least 3 hours before I knew the results, and them 3 hours would be more like 3 days!
Of course, I had no appetite for lunch, for anything, other than to see the film I had shot.
“Let’s go, time to get the film” Dad told me; of course, I was ready and waiting by the door the whole time … I was practically running to the store.
We got to the store, Dad was handed an envelope that contained the negatives and prints, opening it seemed to take forever, then with a huge smile on his face he told me “You’re a natural, like father like son” as he handed me the prints to view them.
I wanted to rush to the three panorama shots I took, as I flipped one through to the other, quickly enjoying them as my hands shuffled the prints one after the other; and then there they were, the last three images in the stack! Dad took them from me, placed them on the counter each adjacent to the other.
With all three side by side, “this is a panorama, Son” he said. “This, we will get printed as one image, but not now”, he continued.
And with that, I was now hooked on photography, on using this camera, and on creating pieces of art.
As we continued our vacation, Dad allowed me more use of the camera, taking me through the steps each time, patiently repeating every step I need to study before pressing the shutter release.
Then, when in Lebanon he told me “One day, this camera will be yours, learn to use it well. A Leica isn’t for everyone, only for the best of the best”. Sure enough the day came when he handed me his cherished M2, telling me “Now, this is yours son, use it well; take care of it, and pass it on when the time comes.”
My Leica M2 goes with me wherever I go, regardless of whether I use it or not. It’s how I started, it’s a part of Dad that transferred to me not through DNA, but through his love for me, and my love of him.
Rest in peace Dad … I love you, and always will.
•••