Pam's Corner... comments, questions and other stuff by Port's Famous Photographer

Pam's Corner...it has been quite a while since I wrote my first Pam's Corner.    I'm not sure just how long.  At the time, there was no one else at the paper to do a column.  Two columnists had gone elsewhere, so I was elected.  I did not want to write...for a good reason!  I don't know how to write.  English was not my strong suit.  I took the Academic/Commercial course in high school and graduated from business college.  I could, at the time, type very well and even take and transcribe shorthand. If someone wanted to dictate a column to me that would have been a different story.

My former English teacher turned newspaper reporter and columnist told me not to worry about it...write about my family...write about my activities and write about what is happening in town.  I tried.  At times, I could not think of a thing to say.  Other times, the column was too long.  It almost always was rambling and would go from one subject to another without any kind of flow or rhyme and reason. 

The other columnists returned.  I thought I would no longer need to write a column.  I think we stopped it for a couple of weeks and I was told there were quite a few complaints.  Was that true?  I'm not sure. They told me I needed to continue with Pam's Corner.

This is my last Pam's Corner.  As I told the powers that be at the Reporter Argus when I sent my two-week notice, I can no longer devote the amount of time needed to do my job properly.  it's been about a quarter of a century of hard work.  For the first year or maybe more, I sort-of volunteered my services.  I would show up at an Elementary Booster meeting, or a Chamber of Commerce event, would have a camera in hand to take pictures of family or friends and the people in charge would ask if I would mind giving a picture to the Reporter Argus because no one showed up to take the photo.  I would pull my colored film from my camera, send it in through DeMott's Pharmacy to be developed and get the pictures back in time to meet the R-A deadline.  That went on for a while until then-owner Peggy Majot and her husband asked me if I wanted to be a back-up for the current photographer.  They would supply the film and they developed the film at the Coudy office so I no longer had to pay for film or developing and I might even get paid.

The pay at the time was $3.50 per photo that was printed.  When I first started to attend sporting events, it cost me $2 and each of the girls $1 to get in...so every picture I got paid for, I only lost 50 cents!  It was the beginning of a theme of things to come!  There were many times I paid to get into a game and the pictures were not printed...that was a bigger loss!   After a few months of that, PAHS Athletic Director Dan Stavisky told me I didn't need to pay to get in since I was promoting school activities.  That helped! 

As time wore on, I went from typing and faxing to using a computer.   Sometimes the pictures would come down in "the bag" which was a manilla envelope or they would fax the photos for ID and information.  Then came the digital camera.  I still don't know much about digital images...resolutions, dpi, what noise is or how to edit photos properly.  I do know that even with limited knowledge, it is far easier to take and send photos to the office than when I started.

While my job was never financially lucrative, I have become rich in so many ways through my association with the Reporter Argus.  I appreciate the opportunity I have been given to be your local photographer for the past 20 plus years.  I have met so many wonderful people at he schools, various churches, businesses and community events.  I have really cherished getting to know the youth in our community.  I was thinking about that today as I went to take pictures of the little ones learning to swim and later when I went to the Alumni Football Team and Cheerleader practices.    The Alumni Game with Smethport will be my last event to cover for the Argus.

 My life will be different, but not that much.  I plan to continue my photography with Memory Mate work, covering community events and doing pictures for local Booster groups for banquets and senior day events.  My work, however, will be done on a part-time basis and through other avenues.

Thank you for your friendship and support throughout my journey with the Reporter Argus.   Be kind to one another!

 (Pam's Corner can now be found exclusively online at Port Allegany Online.  We thank Pam for sharing her column with PAO)