Sandy's Camera




 I got a job keeping books (columnar journal method, personal computers not yet on the market,) for Sandy’s Camera, a chain of tourist shops operating in Kaanapali, Kona, and Waikiki Hilton Hotels. Owned by Sandy Colvin, an interesting guy, in his early 60s at the time, compact and wiry. I figure red hair and freckles in his youth but now he had that Grecian Formula indeterminate hair color. 

The office was on Kealakekua very near Ward Warehouse, above retail shops in a 2-storey block building.  It was a gloomy suite with almost no natural light, interior paint reflectiveness dulled by a patina of cigarette smoke. We had reserved parking, a closely guarded perk. Sandy had ‘Private Parking’ stickers printed up and when someone parked in his spot, he’d plaster a sticker right over the drivers’ field of view.  That hot sun could bake could sure bake them on.  

Sandy had been in the islands awhile.  On December 7, 1941 he was working on Red Hill, which overlooks Pearl Harbor, and witnessed the Japanese attack.  Later he worked for Eastman Kodak before opening his shops.  He was shooting postcard photos all the while during the beautiful black and white film era photos of 1940s, 50s, and 60s, (color film became available during the 1970s.) He had a photo archive in the storage room with stacks of photos of photos of prominent people like Duke Kahanamoku, a famous athlete who popularized surfing, and Hilo Hattie known for her comedy hula routines, and lots of hula dancers.  On the walls were several framed black and white aerial Honolulu photos hand colorized in exquisite detail.  Sandy had a considerable and ever-growing collection of cameras that he planned to bequeath  to the Smithsonian. 

He encouraged me to modernize from the 1950s Kodak Pony 35mm camera I snagged from Mom when she upgraded to a fancy new point and shoot.  I bought a Vivitar 35mm SLR camera with changeable lenses through his shop, at cost.  Then had my film developed there, also at cost.  That was really the beginning of my photography.  I self-taught through trial and error in those days before instant results were available, and Sandy would critique my work. Random snapshots show me with a camera hanging from my neck.   

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