[Leica] Celebration month & good night!

[tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant)]

Well lads and lasses this is a celebrating month, the 56th year since I had 
a camera placed in my hands as a first birthday gift by my beautiful wife 
for my first birthday after we married in the previous October, 1949. :-) It 
was a good year! :-)

And 16 months later after receiving the camera which I still have, my first 
newspaper credited photograph appeared 17 September 1951 in The Ottawa 
Citizen newspaper. And I've never looked back since.

Has my passion for photography waned?  Never! I'm still as full of the 
photography passion as I've ever been, if not more so. If there is any 
disappointment in my life, as incredible as it has been?

"At this moment I know I don't have the same number of years to go that I've 
just enjoyed with such passion, friendship, excitement and a never ending 
photographic assignments many others would kill for. Photographically I've 
probably lived the lives of any ten other photographers. Damn I love it so!

In reality , "is there anything else?"  Not in my life time has there ever 
been nor will there be at the young age of 77! ;-)

I have had the wonderful good fortune to learn about the workings and 
professions of so many others, enjoyed their company as we worked together 
to capture their moments, so many others could learn of what they did and 
do.

The world travelling, the seemingly never ending international sports events 
plus all the other peoples of the world assignments.Trust me a classic photo 
life if ever there was.

Today, my number 2 son, whom many of you know I've praised on more than one 
occasion for his incredible sports action pictures, is here in Victoria on 
assignment shooting the Canadian Diving Championships.

However, today he assisted in dismantling my darkroom! :-( A sad day in many 
years.:-(  A sort of "closing shop" and moving on! :-(

In any event I intend on keeping an eye on you folks as an observer and if 
necessary, tan yer hide if you get stupid about a photography subject! ;-)

To the "Saloon Keeper?" Thank you a whole bunch for your patients,  more 
than I can offer at the moment.

Kindest regards to all.
good night,
ted