Ben and Bill

As a teenager growing up in St. Albans, Bob learned basics of photography from his neighbors.

Bill Mucklow, who worked for WVDNR taught him techniques, exposure and processing.  Bill had a business on the side.  Bob developed sheet films and made contacts for him.  He bought Bob his first camera-a 35 mm Argus.

It was neighbor Ben Edwards, who worked for Union Carbide PR, who taught Bob creative aspects.  Bob hung out with Ben in his basement darkroom where Ben made Bob an enlarger and taught Bob about flood lights.  Ben would put on a pot of coffee, get out pictures and tell him how he did it.  They'd talk for hours and Bob "soaked it up like a sponge."

I sewed the pocket on the left and placed inside a Christmas card with a picture of Ben Edwards' family.  On the back, Ben wrote "I shall always remember our Sunday afternoons in the back yard."  Card from the latter 1970s.