An Agenda of sorts

As it is customary in the blogging world for participants to pause, abandon or relocate the address of their writings; this new blog should not require any explanation. I do, however, feel that I owe the reader (as well as myself) a little background story of this new chapter.
Past internet journals of mine contained accounts of projects, links upon links, photography, music, show announcements, tutorials and whimsical reflections. Nothing really different here.
However, simultaneous instances have prompted me to learn a new (old) medium. How perfect to learn yet another skill, that aligns itself with my love of vintage aesthetics, my fascination with old New York, Brooklyn, Mid-Century Americana, turn of the Century New York and Chicago, Coney Island, Brighton Beach...

I pause to wonder, why this nostalgia for a time I have never known? Escapism, melancholy or the appreciation for the truly elegant, beautiful, joyful...

After years of day-dreaming about it, I have finally given myself the necessary push to learn how to use my grandfather's old cameras and possibly even learn to develop the photographs myself.
A pursuit that could seem superfluous in the age of 8.0MP cell phone cameras and Hipstamatic simulators. But am I ever one to prefer convenience over significance? Simplicity over handmade?

Thinking back to all the moments spent with Grandfather as he was shooting, developing, printing... I would sit on the floor in his "camera" room and watch Giligan's Island, Bewitched and I dream of Jeannie while he quietly worked. These idyllic moments may be so memorable because they were part of trips to the US -a child's paradise of colorful cereal, cartoons, gigantic toy stores and shuffleboard; or maybe they were just blissful enough on their own to mark boldly vivid recollections... When I walked into the now defunct Olden Cameras the layered scents of developer, fixer, photo-paper and leather cases brought me back to exactly those moments and the love my Grandfather had for his art.

A few years ago, I received a few of the cameras but never went beyond a vague inquiry into my photographer-friend-circle to see if anyone knew and would teach me how to operate them. They were put  in storage soon after, when I left NY to travel, keeping the idea of using them for art projects in the back of my mind.
Fast forward to a few weeks ago and some inspiration later, I pulled two TLR's a Mamiya C330 and a Rolleiflex 3.5f out of the closet.

So there you have it, I will share my apprenticeship of my grandfather's vintage cameras. Highlight the culture that surrounded their era. Share some of his photography with you and maybe even journey to see what is left of the New York he photographed and what happens if I photograph it in turn, with his cameras.