[rollei_list] Re: Decline of Rollieflex/Film

  • From: Newhouse230@xxxxxxx
  • To: rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Thu, 25 Mar 2010 18:43:43 EDT

I do still live in Brookline, though, at a time of life when  most of my 
friends are moving back into the city (after life in the suburbs)  Davia and I 
are considering  having a house built in Walpole or Canton. 
  By the way, when I was a teenager, I didn't even know  about the big New 
York stores like B&H. It never came up when  i Googled it in the '50's  LOL. 
  Seriously, like  most people, our shopping was all 'local'.
 The 'first' Jon Allen location on Harvard St was a  'superstore' size for 
its time. It was probably about six or seven thousand  feet, considerably 
larger than most 'hole in the wall' camera shops of the  nearby cities. It was 
loaded from floor to ceiling with new and used product.  One could spend 
forever there browsing...and nobody minded if you did.  In  the mid fifties I 
had a Yashica D TLR and I found a used Heiland 64B STROBONAR  flash at that 
store. Cost me all of $15 dollars! There were THREE  generaltions of the 
Greene (sp?) family working in there. A wonderful  place.

Charlie
 
 
In a message dated 3/25/2010 6:25:46 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
austin.franklin@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:

Hi  Charlie,
 
I used to frequent both of  those in the 70's.  I was more a B&H person 
though moving  forward.  Do you still live in the area?
 
Regards,
 
Austin
 

-----Original Message-----
From:  rollei_list-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx  
[mailto:rollei_list-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of  Newhouse230@xxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 5:19  PM
To: rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [rollei_list]  Re: Decline of Rollieflex/Film


Austin,
 
 Yes..I did work occasionally at 'Jon Allen' camera  store on Beacon St. 
when I was a kid, and then at 'Camera Corner'  also on Beacon. I worked 
Saturdays for the most part, since I was in high  school at the time. I bought 
my 
own Vb there when I was about 14 or 15 I  guess. I made some money shooting 
Bar Mitzvah parties and shooting sports  assignments for the News Tribune 
based in Waltham. I also made a good  'teenager's living' winning prizes in 
the Boston Globe weekly photo contest  . At that time, Gil Friedberg was the 
photo editor. Somewhere, I still have  a handwritten letter from him, giving 
me advice on how to go forward with my  photography if I chose to make it a 
career.
 
Charlie
 
 
In a message dated 3/25/2010 5:49:11 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
austin.franklin@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:

Hi  Charlie,
 
What camera store did you  work at in Brookline?  Not the one on Beacon 
Street?  Yeah, I'd  believe Brookline would be more Rollei clientele than 
Hasselblad  ;-)
 
Regards,
 
Austin

-----Original Message-----
From:  rollei_list-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx  
[mailto:rollei_list-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of  Newhouse230@xxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 4:41  PM
To: rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject:  [rollei_list] Re: Decline of Rollieflex/Film


Hi Austin...ok...I agree we have to clear up our  definitions. I counted as 
a pro anyone who said his occupation was a  photographer or whose 
conversation told me that he/she earned his living  taking pictures. I did not 
distinguish between 'wedding photographers'  and news photographers, portrait 
photographers or advertising  photographers. I counted them all equally as 
'pros'.    Amateurs were quickly identified by either their lesser knowledge OR 
 
their description of the subject matter. If a guy said he wanted a  Rollei 
so he could get some 'great shots of new baby' I probably assumed  he was an 
amateur.  
   In any case, perhaps others  on the  list had different experiences than 
me during that time, but I have  little doubt about the 'mix' in Brookline, 
MA.   It's true I  do take a lot for granted by generalizing that 
experience, but I  think there are a lot more 'Brooklines' than NYC type  
cities.
    
 
   Regards,
Charlie
 
 
In a message dated 3/25/2010 5:09:26 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
austin.franklin@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:

Charlie,
 
I take your word for  it, and respect your opinion on it.  I will say that 
I know a LOT  of "professionals" who are more so advanced amateurs than  
professionals.  Most wedding photographers are more so advanced  amateurs, 
though they are technically professionals, as they make  money from it.  So, 
I'm 
not personally sure how to distinguish  the difference.
 
Did you sell both  Hasselblads and Rollei TLRs?  If so, did most people 
interested  in one, also show interest in the other?  What can you say about  
the relationship between the two, with respect to the  customer?
 
Regards,
 
Austin







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