While clearing out storage units making room for bamboo shipments, I (Shannen) inevitably ended up sifting through 27 years of Oyster (not recommended if you have other plans or low emotional bandwidth).
🎞️
I was immersed in Oyster’s first decade tucked away in boxes filled with old images captured solely on traditional cameras.
📸
I cringe at the quality of those photos, marvel at our youth & cry when I see the children. Mostly, I am so thankful we documented our little company before it became so easy to capture and share.
🎞️
📸Dig up the camera, purchase film, gather lenses, light meter, tripod, filters…
🤞🏽Capture images—result unknown (guesswork at best)
🚘Drive to the local photography store for film development⏳
📞Call the store to confirm when the film is ready (again, guesswork!)
🚘Pick up the photos, pay, & brace for the reveal
🚗Sit in the car, shuffle through, & find the few usable shots (if we were lucky!)
🎞️Back to the store to sort through negatives & order multiples
✨There were literally 1000s of photos. Most were crap. We used a few. I kept them all.✨
The first “photo shoot” in the late 90s on my Pentax—taken in a ditch with some ferns. Fun fact: this became our business card for years! (Just a 2-3 week wait for development) and said card. LOL
Some of the first shots taken of our rods when we trying to figure out depth of field
Out-of-focus, grainy trade show photos—no flash, no knowledge (clearly)
Bill fishing with his first (and favorite) rod in 2000— Taken on the Pentax my parents gave me in 1985 - this one required BxW film (probably TRI-X 400)
Bill splitting taken with my old Pentax (circa 1999) & An attempt on my 1956 Rolleiflex
Oh, those shavings…we tried to make them a “backdrop” with my Canon DSLR
Clumsy photos showcasing our rattan grips in 2001
A series of old grainy trade show photos with Lefty - a man so generous with his knowledge and infectious sense of humor
Another FLIP VIDEO moment at a presentation - the stomp video!
Family photo sequence in first shop - almost in focus
Bill fishing on Lake Lanier for Striper filming with the FLIP VIDEO camera.
Cutter’s first fish captured on a throw away camera that fell in the lake.
Not sure about this one - it was stuck among the piles - it’s old and pretty
Bill presenting at the Atlanta Fly Fishing Club with a slide carousel predating power point. Does anyone reading this remember those?