What’s the Biggest Tech Change in Your Lifetime?
It was an easy question…the answer is the Internet.
But that quick answer negates the recognition of all of the other technological changes – so this example actually spans a timeframe more like my parents’ lifetime rather than just mine – as I was reminded while watching a PBS documentary on the Dust Bowl.
The narrator was talking about a person using their Brownie Camera – a brand of camera that sits immediately above my big screen LCD TV – it’s second from the left. This photo was taken with an iPhone.
My first career interest was as a photographer. I was given my first camera by my Great Uncle Clarence. He showed me how to use it – all the settings, types of film, etc. I always thought he was amazing because he took interest in a young man and invested some time to show me something he was passionate about.
Initially, I did the school newspaper which was then followed by local and regional newspapers – no, my middle name isn’t Peter. I also had a chance to work for United Press International (UPI) as a Stringer out of the Portland office. By 18, I had already had a chance to photograph the:
- 1980 Olympic Trials – when we didn’t go to the Olympics
- Portland Trailblazers
- USGA Women’s Golf Championship
- Mt. St. Helens’ eruption
- Henry Kissinger at a Press Conference
Those were the days you had to go back and process the film just to see if you had one great photo. Sure, the internet is part of the power behind Instagram or a Twitter photo… but even the changes in photography are amazing and worth recognizing.