Freedom

I've been making pictures for a long time. I got my first camera, a Kodak Brownie Holiday Camera, when I was about seven years old. I got the camera from my dad who has been an avid photographer for as long as I can remember. As I was reflecting about my start in photography, I remembered that I still have a photo album with shots in it from that first camera buried in a box in the basement. The above shot is from one of my first rolls of film, taken with that camera. I don't remember exactly when or where it was taken, but it must have been on one of our many family road trip vacations in the mid 1970's. (In talking on the phone with mom and dad, it must have been taken around Cardston, AB on our way to the Black Hills in South Dakota in 1971). My dad was a teacher and my mom worked at the local public library. In the summer our holidays consisted of driving, camping, and seeing the sights. This photograph is special to me because it is so similar to many recent photos that I have made since resuming my photography with a digital SLR camera. There's something about an open road and a beautiful landscape that is the essence of freedom. When it is cold outside in January, I often think about packing up our tent trailer and heading off on a road trip with my family. I'm so grateful to my mom and dad for the lifestyle they led and to my dad for sharing his love of photography with me.

This photograph was taken on Highway 40, just north of Highwood House in Kananaskis Country, Alberta. It was taken with my Nikon D80, Nikkor 18-200 mm VR lens at 18 mm, 1/100, f /9.0 and ISO 200. I'm eagerly watching the mailbox as I just purchased a vintage Brownie from eBay. I can't wait to get it.