Photo Stores from the Dark ages

The debate of digi vs. film is probably one that will last a very long time. I shoot only digi - since that is the only camera I have. I decided I needed something from a camera store. I looked it up online last night to see the best things. I wanted to have some idea of what I needed to look for at the store. I looked up camera stores on the internet. El Paso has 800k people. I thought for sure there would be a camera store. Even Longview and Tyler have good ones. So what if Bob's Camera shop is in the back of the Hallmark store.

I was trying to not have to go all over town, so I checked the map and found 2 in the downtown area. One even advertises camera repair. Excellent!

I hopped in the car and headed that way. Parallel parked- thankfully the slot was HUGE - right in front of the store and walked in - to the dark ages. Don't get me wrong I LOVED it. There were no color prints on the walls, only very large BW - wonderful. There were gobs of old fashioned enlargers, all the gadgets for developing film. It was like walking into the home of an old friend. I just wanted to stand there and soak it all in.

There was an older lady behind one of the counters who was helping a man with a camera. A teen girl brought out an SLR to a man standing there. She explained what he was doing wrong with rewinding the film, and then she turned to ask what I needed. This is where things went rather downhill.

I asked her for something to clean the sensor in my camera. A blank look- that is probably the best description of her response. She asked the woman who said they had nothing. I said, well, what about a puff brush. That she had. $2.99. I also needed a sync cord to go with my studio lights. I asked for that and got another blank look from the teen. Then I was informed by the woman that I can't use studio lights with my digi. Well, ok, then. I have been for quite a while as so most other photographers. I explained it was an SLR, then was told I had to use manual settings. Darn if I didn't know that, too. I deicided maybe I would head home and order from the internet.

JoyAnna is in NC. She is having a grand time with my dad. Theyare looking at photos today. I mean some old ones, too - me when I was little. lol