how old are we?

[Merg Ross]

It's so great that so many old friends are still here and working.

And always great to hear from you, Kirk.

I turned 81 in June. Was in the darkroom a couple of days ago, still all silver.

Best,
Merg

[Vaughn]

I just spent 5 days in the redwood backcountry with my 4x5. I managed to climb the 1.5 miles up the trail back to the trailhead and car. I packed fairly light, but add 20 pounds of camera gear, the pack is no longer light for a 68 year old with a heart that has no sense of rhythm.

But 10 or 11 different images made, I'm still alive, feel good, and the 8 mile bicycle ride into town today was great.

[Tin Can]

Kirk

I fondly recall our lunch meeting

Keep on keepin on

I went to my 35TH and fully a 1/3 of my class were dead already. So anyone vertical should be smilin. It wasn't my trip socially. It seemed to be dominated by posers-the same posers from back in the day. I shudder to think about the 50th.
So now at 72 I have a few maladies and one whopper of an extremely rare autoimmune disease but I'm still working and have a very good quality of life (IVIG infusions every three weeks keep me going). I took up dog agility because a breeder gave me an amazing Aussie and we even managed to qualify for the national championship finals this year. Training that Aussie and myself (dropped 50 lbs and cured me of persistent vertigo) was a stealth blessing.
I look forward to the time I have left.
It's so great that so many old friends are still here and working.

[John Layton]

Kirk, its so nice to have you chime in here again! I have good memories of meeting you at the 2002 View Camera conference in Albuquerque.

...and about that dog - such a boon for us also...definitely helps to keep us moving, and keeping moving is pretty much what its all about these days!

All the best!

[Kirk Gittings]

Kirk

I fondly recall our lunch meeting

Keep on keepin on

I was thinking of you as I was back in Chicago teaching at SAIC a few weeks ago, but my wife back in ABQ had a heart event and I had to cut it short, fly back, and finish the class on Zoom (a terrible way to teach). So a lot of my hoped for sociallizing in Chicago didn't happen.

[Kirk Gittings]

I just spent 5 days in the redwood backcountry with my 4x5. I managed to climb the 1.5 miles up the trail back to the trailhead and car. I packed fairly light, but add 20 pounds of camera gear, the back will not be light for a 68 year old with a heart that has no sense of rhythm.

But 10 or 11 different images made, I'm still alive, feel good, and the 8 mile bicycle ride into town today was great.

Merg, you are an inspiration in so many ways, even the beard

[Kirk Gittings]

The Vito, an agility champion as of June.

Kirk, its so nice to have you chime in here again! I have good memories of meeting you at the 2002 View Camera conference in Albuquerque.

...and about that dog - such a boon for us also...definitely helps to keep us moving, and keeping moving is pretty much what its all about these days!

All the best!

Thanks,

[Merg Ross]

Merg, you are an inspiration in so many ways, even the beard

Kirk, I may be an inspiration, but I think the beard belongs to Vaughn. He is an inspiration for sure!

Really glad you checked in, I often think of those days way back when we corresponded.

All the best,
Merg

[Andrew O'Neill]

Turning 59 at the end of the month... I think I was 39 or 40 when I joined here. You lot were my first ever contact to the outside world, after doing LF on my own for a decade, over in Japan. My horizons have been broadened. I'm not so narrowminded as far as photography goes anymore. Cheers everyone!

[willwilson]

I'm 41. 28 when I joined this fine group. It was inspiring back then and continues to be a bright spot for me.

Kirk, your Aussie post teared me up. The best dogs. No comparison. They love like no other being I know. Congrats on your agility win.