I just can't seem to write today.There's a piece in my head about my first attempt at college that I can't get off the ground. Researching some specifics, I dug out an old annual. I was surprised to find that I had a fairly nice two-page photo essay. It won't scan well, but I may pull out a few images. It's hard to remember being as inept as I was then. Things haven't changed much, I'm still a non-winner. Just another geek with a camera.
There was a distinct division between the art department and the photojournalism department. I took classes in both, and worked as an assitant to the "professional" photographer who was a paid member of the administrative staff. There were three darkrooms on campus, and while I was welcome in all three, there was no reason to step outside my work area. Working for the staff publicity photographer, I photographed instructional materials (including pornographic magazines for the psychology department) and did darkroom work in a pretty much state of the art, all stainless steel, lab. The other photo labs had fifty year old equipment that was trash. They had no cameras to loan at all, while I had access to a variety of Hasselblads, Pentax system, and view cameras up to 8x10. Lucky me. Too bad I wasn't better at things back then, I was in equipment heaven.
The ads in the annual are the most interesting thing about this trip down memory lane, though
