Thank you and a couple more pics. One very cool and rare by accident.

[Barry Willis]

 Thanks to all my friends here at the Ontario Fishing Community for your kind compliments of the pics. My enjoyment by doing this comes from seeing others enjoy them. Makes it all worth while.

I got involved in photography in 1962 and still do as much of it as I am able. Some of you fellows that are getting a little long in the tooth such as I may remember Mom and sometimes Dad (most times Dad would stay home and drink beer especially on Sundays while the rest of us were at church LOL) going to town grocery shopping Saturday mornings. I couldn't wait till they got home to see what the prize was in the cereal boxes. Some cereal boxes, Post was one I believe if you were to send two box tops to them you could choose a much better prize. Well my Mom did exactly that and got me a B&W 110 film camera. That is one of the best things she could have done for me at the time otherwise I'm not sure I would have gotten into photography. It took crystal clear pictures every time even by todays standards with our digitals

Years ago many of my photos were featured in several magazines, mostly Big Buck Magazine for Gary Donald the publisher and Canadian Geographic and on television. Never attempted National Geographic as I didn't have the money for $20:000 cameras an zoom lenses and to travel to exotic places. One of my friends brothers found sponsors to do exactly that and in 1987 one of his photos made front cover of National Geographic and they awarded him with a cheque for $10:000. I never made that kind of money but I was looked after very well by other publishers, I mean what can be better than getting paid for one of the things you enjoy most. 

Not to bore you much more but I seldom left the house without the camera my mom got me from the cereal. I eventually wore it out as it wouldn't wind the film anymore. I have a photo here from it which to me is priceless and there will be no duplicating it that I will try and take a picture of with my canon digital as clear as I can. (if I can find someone reputable to restore it that's what I'm going to do) I didn't know it at the time but I obviously hit the shutter button as I was leaving the house to take pictures, and it was pointing at the the old wood and coal stove. My first stop was below Oxenden Falls to begin my day of photography and snapped a picture of the falls. To make this short I filled the film and Mom took in to town to the drug store for developing. A week of anticipation and sleepless nights Mom finally picked up the pictures. We didn't have a telephone at that time in order to call and see if they were ready for pick up. 

When you look at it you will see the falls which appear to be coming down upon the old (Findlay I believe was the make) stove and then running off the edge. You can see the hay field and trees out the kitchen window facing Wiarton with my Moms cactus's on the window sills and her tea pot sitting on the warming side of the stove. There is no way in Hell I could have done this on purpose. When I first saw it I was pretty ticked off and almost threw it in the garbage until I looked at it closer and realized what it was.

 it's one of the few accidents I have experienced in life that I am proud of HAHAHA

I threw in a couple Canon shots of a Swainson hawk and some geese preening themselves after they had their breakfast. I had to use a big zoom lens for the geese as they were about 250 yards away. They turned out pretty clear considering I wasn't using a tripod. Thanks for reading if you got this far. Edit - The original B&W photo is crystal clear, I'm disappointed I couldn't get it clearer and sharper to post it. There. is no comparison. 

Edited August 1 by Barry Willis

[TJQ]

Priceless

[Barry Willis]

4 minutes ago, TJQ said:

Priceless

Thanks TJQ. I just came across it this morning, I have 10's of 1000's of pics on paper and looking for a particular one takes for ever and thank god I came across this one. I thought it was gone for ever. I think it's worth restoring and enlarging, framed nicely and hung on a wall. 

[John]

Very cool Barry.

[AlmaMatter]

That’s such a cool accidental catch—those surprises always make a trip more memorable. I’ve started loading my fishing trip photos onto a Nixplay digital picture frame at home, and it’s awesome seeing those moments pop up every day. Makes me want to get back out there even more.

Edited September 1 by AlmaMatter