Looking professional in 1985

[Jim Domke]

David Burnett has been covering events around the world for Contact Press Images since the early 80's, chronicling everything around the world from wars to famous people. It was in 1983 on assignment in Argentina and seeing how all 6 of the photogs travelling with the Pope carried their gear in brown canvas Domke F2 Bags that he thought he'd take a groupe shot. But he was part of the group! So he simply handed a camera to a stranger walking down the street and asked in pigeon Spanish asked them to take a photo of the Pope's press pool!

I liked the photo and ended up using it in the attached advertisement saying how the "next time you go on assignment, take another pro along with you. The original Domke Bag."

Burnett called to see if I still had the photo he had mailed me 25 years ago, he wanted to publish it in his blog about Sygma agency photographer Gianni Giansanfi, who recently lost his fight with cancer.

Oops! I couldn't find the print, but found the advertisement. Check out Burnett's thoughts on photography-life-friends-etc at www.werejustsayin.blogspot.com. (Click) (http://www.werejustsayin.blogspot.com/)

It was also used in an old newsletter, where in ran along with quotes from letters snail mailed to me from users. I reprinted a half dozen quotes under "Domke - Looks Pro, Feels Pro and Works Pro!" Ended with "Domke users have said it all."

From Grand Island, Nebraska, S.C. wrote "I'm not a professional photog, but your equipment makes me look and feel like a pro." Those were the days . . .
:rolleyes:

[Arnaud]

The good old days of photo reporters ...
Very nice picture.

[thomasphoto60]

I remember this ad from an old Adorama catalogue from the mid-80s when I was living in NYC.

Good memories.

Thomas

[thomasphoto60]

I don't know what possesses me to keep your catalouges, Jim but I do. I just shot this a few minutes back.

Thomas

[lohanette]

I have a booklet from around 1992.

[omigoat]

True story. One morning, many years ago I was woken up by the sound of sirens and the flickering light of what turned out to be a fire at a local dry cleaner. I crawled out of bed, threw on some clothes, grabbed my Domke F-2, jogged down to the scene and began shooting with my old Canon F-1. I had no press credentials and to my surprise was never stopped by the firefighters or police even though I found myself inside the taped-off area so I just continued about my business. There was someone else at the scene that was also shooting, but was asked to move outside the perimeter. The only thing I could figure out was that I was carrying a Domke bag, while the other photographer had some sort of generic bag on his shoulder.

[JackKurtz]

I used a F2 back then. Since then I've downsized to a satchel. In the interim I've tried Tenba, Billingham (mid life crisis and it was only slightly cheaper than a sports car :) ) and others. I keep coming back to Domke. In fact my wife, who is sometimes amused, sometimes annoyed by my collection of bags, will not let me buy anything but Domke anymore. Her refrain is something like this "Why? You know you're just going to get another Domke bag in three weeks."