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Portrait Stories6 min read

Pete's Camera

The ONE Project

For my latest entry, I decided to go with friend and photographer extraordinaire, Pete Rezac.  If you know Pete, you know his ONE decision probably took about 1/60 of a second.

This image was actually created in a hotel lobby in Atlanta while we were both in town for a PPA Board Meeting.  Since we didn't have light stands, I had to recruit some nearby photographers to help.  Thanks to PG

for holding the main light, Makayla Jade Harris for holding the kicker and Trish Gilmore and Allison Watkins for running interference with hotel security.  It was definitely a team effort!

Now, here is Pete's story:

My Hasselblad 500cm is my one item.  Hasselblad was a photographic brand I was familiar with before I was even a photographer.  I remember those being cameras that went to the moon, and also what “professional” photographers used for wedding, magazine, and my high school pictures.    When I became a photographer a Hasselblad  kit was something I really desired to have, but was financially out of reach for me as a new photographer, being that every piece to the kit was essentially purchased individually.  

Fast forward to 2010 and how the digital revolution essentially rendered these amazing cameras essentially obsolete - some may still consider that the case.  Anyway I was able to secure my Hasselblad kit for $500 for entire kit, multiple lens, film back, view finders, extension tubes, all the stuff!   The best $500 I’ve ever spent as a photographer EVER!  Originally I was going to put a digital back onto the camera, until I realized I could buy a small home for price of a back in 2010.  However, I could still shoot film for reasonable cost, although not digital - and still not digital - it offered me the amazing experience working with the Camera and the quality of the image was still pretty awesome!  

It’s now 2022 and the camera is still in my daily rotation and an integral part of a current artist project on guitar players.  If I had to choose one camera to use rest of my career it would be this legendary camera and it’s equally legendary lenses!  It has been with me at every important moment in my career as a professional photographer.

Written by

Larry Lourcey

Plano-based portrait artist and photographic educator. Larry's work ranges from quiet black-and-white studies to vibrant gallery pieces — and the occasional essay from the studio.

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