a small collection.

I've been fascinated with photography since high school. I was on the yearbook staff...selling ad space and creating layouts. It was pretty fun, really. But I always wished I could be one of the photographers, walking around school with a camera hanging around my neck, capturing moments and memories.

I've shared here before that I was gifted a 35mm camera when I was in my mid-30's. And what a gift it was...it opened up a whole new world of creativity for me. Photography is a good hobby to have if you don't have a lot of space to store craft supplies. And I don't. So taking pictures has been a great way for me to capture and share with others what I find beautiful and interesting.

Over the years I have gathered up a handful of old cameras. It started about 10 years ago when Chris and I went away for a weekend to Burney Falls. We landed upon an old junk shop where I found two cameras...a Brownie Target and an old Polaroid SX-70 in a leather case. I bought them both and a collection was born.

Since then I've added three more cameras to the slow-growing collection...an old Kodak 2-A folding camera, a Herco Imperial that I picked up recently at the flea market and my favorite and most valuable, a Brownie Hawkeye.

The Brownie Hawkeye appears to come a dime a dozen and worth about the same. But the one I have is priceless because it was given to me by Noni. And it's even more priceless as it belonged to her sister, Aunt Betty, whom I never had the privilege of meeting.

It's a small collection...and it will grow as good finds come along. I don't really seek cameras out...but rather happen upon them, which makes it all the more fun to collect them.

How about you? Do you have a collection?