My Father began photographing his family to be used as Christmas Cards
in 1949. As we grew up, he continued this tradition. This is a collection
of some of those cards we sent out in 1969.

My dad would set up a darkroom in the kitchen when he would do processing
and printing. He let me watch when I was old enough to be curious, and let
me help with the printing when I was 5 or 6.

I still remember the beautiful orange glow of the safelight and the odd
smell of the chemicals. He used Pakasol to help put a gloss finish on
the fiberbase paper when dried on the metal drum drier. The smell of
Pakasol always reminded me of the smell of Coca Cola.

Photographers who have never printed the old way have missed out on part of
the history of photography in my opinion. I am very, very thankful for the
speed and convenience and the enviornmental advantage to digital, but
every once in awhile, I miss the orange glow.