Fuzzypictures's Weblog

yesterday i had to rearrange my desktop to accommodate my new acquisition a HP 9180 as my epson 1280 finally bit the dust. i do get to take it apart just to see if there is something i can do to fix it, i do so love dye prints. it took all day because of dust needed cleaning from surfaces and rerouting all the HD cables etc. now it’s all ready to go all i need is paper.ugh there comes the rub.

i would have thought nothing of walking down to B&H and picking up a box or two.but their new system has me dreading the thought of going there.

my personal feeling about shopping is smaller is better. i am not a costco type of person. it all started at cambridge camera down in the village, i needed my exacta llb looked at as something was wrong and looked in the yellow pages for camera repair. i saw they specialized in exacta’s and it was within walking distance so i went over. there i met norman

when he took the camera in hand i knew i was in the right place. he told me all about my camera, we had a relationship for years and i bought all my film & developing supplies from him. i then explored the camera district which in those days was located around 17th street. i used a couple of labs on the street and first met B&H before they moved and cambridge camera moved in the old location. something happen between norman and cambridge so he retired but not before we made a trade of my now unfixable exacta to a canon system, i think it was an AE1 but not sure.

i was at a loss where to go and floundered awhile until someone introduced me again to B&H. i found it large but reasonable to get around and i met some wonderful salesmen. i think one of the names was milton who always had a story joke and the time to listen to me. he helped me in so many ways from developing mixtures to camera uses. he grew up on a Graflex camera.

i’ve met other salesmen who would take the time to answer my questions and suggest solutions to my problems. if i wanted something that might not work they would suggest other solutions. that’s not what i find now in some departments, i am shocked that salespeople don’t take the time to know the application one is looking to cover. sometimes as i am waiting for my order to come upstairs i have to bite my tongue before i blurt out an answer. yes i did think i might want to work there but to take a job at this point in my life, no way jose.

now the shopping experience at this super store is getting out of hand. i don’t find the knowledgeable people there anymore. yes a few people are still there and it’s good to see them and say hello. but it seems everyone is looking for something for nothing. i want the cheapest price and i don’t care how you shove me around. or maybe it’s first time buyers who don’t know the difference. i’ve had problems with my canon camera that i’ve asked the canon counter people about who looked at me as if i was crazy. i did get some direction to go across the street to chrysler camera repair for a quick answer. that didn’t come from the counter people.

yes it’s got to be hard to find knowledgeable people to work there. i get overwhelmed at all the lines i might need to be in. so i look for alternatives to the super store. just as my clients come to me for personalized service and creativity i look for the same qualities in my suppliers. i get something more from this kind of service a personal connection.

so this is my quandary: where to start exploring for my photographic needs. i do vote with my pocket book