Planting the Seed

There was something about photography that captured the attention of my father in a big way. To scratch that itch, he bought a Canon AE-1 camera kit in 1977. It consisted of an SLR camera, a 50mm lens, and a flash.

He never imagined that his technical hobby would lead to a photography career. Not for himself, but for me.

I was just 11 years old when he brought that camera home.

It didn’t take long before I was using the camera more than he was. Luckily for me, he recognized that I was serious about photography and that I would treat the gear with respect.

In hindsight, I recognize this as a life lesson to instill maturity. It is a test that I passed.

By age 15, I was using his hobby camera for paying gigs. I’m still at it 42 years later, now with digital Canon cameras in my inventory.

Thanks, Dad. You planted a seed that grew into a life of joy and wonder.

About the author: I am Stephen Kennedy, an experienced photographer with more than 2500 completed sessions in all 50 US states.