Thursday, June 11, 2009

Goodbye Provident Camera


On the Road to Tuba City, AZ

So now Provident Camera here in Cincinnati is no more. Provident Camera where as a young would be professional, I would look at the cameras in their window display and dream of the next piece of equipment I might be able to afford. Provident Camera where I finally got my first Nikon and got serious about photojournalism. When I was hired at the Post I thought I would get all new cameras and bricks of Tri-X. No. I got a used Nikon and instructions to go to Provident and pick up a bulk film loader. Big let down. Provident Camera sold batteries, Provident Bank did not. A Post clerk learned that the hard way. Going to Provident to purchase enlarging paper and chemistry for a printing session in my darkroom. Watching the black and white image emerge, I never get the same thrill from my inkjet printer. From Dektol to Digital, things changed. Here's to you Provident Camera.© Melvin Grier 2009

2 comments:

John Tenhundfeld said...

Melvin,

I remember Provident Camera very well. My wife is a photographer (amateur) and used to go there for film repairs of her Nikon, etc. Also my grade school buddy, Gerry Wolter, was an Enquirer photog for many years and I would occasionally accompany him there. It was a unique hole-in-the-wall place.

djs42s said...

I have to agree with you,Mel.Times have changed for the visual arts!
The visceral thrill of developing and printing pictures,of designing logos from hand drawn sketches to finishing them in ink by hand
is part of the analog days!
Provident is just one of many graphic and photo art suppliers
now residing in our memories.