[Swift1]

Hey all,
I have been a member of Pentax Forums for 5 years and have been a (mostly) loyal Pentaxian for 6 years. As some of you know, I have ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, I have been living with ALS for over 6 years now. I was 28 years old when I was diagnosed.
I was just getting interested in photography when I found out that I had ALS, and I decided to get serious about photography as a way to keep myself occupied and to keep me from dwelling on my condition. I have spent the last 6 years learning everything I can about photography. I started out with a Pentax DSLR, and now I have nearly 50 cameras (most of them film) that range from a 1947 Kodak Medalist II, to a Fujifilm X100 that I got new in 2013. All throughout the past 6 years, I have dealt with losing my strength, motor skills and mobility. I consistently had to adapt and figure out new methods to take a photo, all the while, getting more and more into older film cameras. At the beginning of 2013, I had 2 medium format film cameras, now I have 10, and to date in 2014 I’ve shot 64 rolls of film.
To take any photos, I need assistance with nearly every step of the process. I need help loading and unloading film, focusing and setting exposure, putting cameras around my neck and on tripods, and with all that, I feel 2014 has been my best year (photographically) to date.
The reason I’m writing all this, is because I am currently trying to raise awareness for ALS, and raise funds to help find a cure. ALS is a terminal illness, and virtually 100% of people diagnosed with the disease will die from it, usually within 5-10 years. I (and many others) do not believe that ALS is incurable, only that it’s underfunded. With more awareness and more funding, a cure will be found.
Some of may have noticed the, slightly obnoxious, big red link in my signature that says “ You Can Help End ALS”.
Please click on this link, and donate what you can, or look up your local ALS Association chapter and join the Walk To Defeat ALS.
Here is a recent photo of me with my Rolleiflex 3.5F at Crater Lake. Photo was taken with a Pentax 645N and Kodak Ektar 100.
Thank you,
Colton

[monochrome]

Colton - I have in my possession one or two cameras that you've tried and passed along to the next user. All Pentax'es are special cameras, but yours are personally special and I'll keep them working and used in your honor.

Over the years I've suffered from an aggressive form of glaucoma that has severely restricted my peripheral vision. Information on the right side of a viewfinder is invisible to me unless I physically move my eye to the left and look at the right side of the VF frame. Certainly not at the level of your circumstances, but I am familiar with making the most of what physical capacity I have left. Your example keeps me optimistic and trying in the face of disappointing results and technical challenges.

I am a lifelong Brother of the Phi Delta Theta International Fraternity. For my entire adult life I've given a small portion of my time, talent and treasure to the charitable efforts of college Phi Delts, whose chosen national charity is ALS. I encourage everyone to learn about, understand and support the efforts to find a cure for ALS - and commend you, Colton, on your courage, determination and optimism.

monochrome.

[clackers]

Great stuff, guys - I'm donating.

[LFLee]

wow! been following your flickr and enjoying your photos for quite some time - salute!

[Swift1]

Colton - I have in my possession one or two cameras that you've tried and passed along to the next user. All Pentax'es are special cameras, but yours are personally special and I'll keep them working and used in your honor.

Over the years I've suffered from an aggressive form of glaucoma that has severely restricted my peripheral vision. Information on the right side of a viewfinder is invisible to me unless I physically move my eye to the left and look at the right side of the VF frame. Certainly not at the level of your circumstances, but I am familiar with making the most of what physical capacity I have left. Your example keeps me optimistic and trying in the face of disappointing results and technical challenges.

I am a lifelong Brother of the Phi Delta Theta International Fraternity. For my entire adult life I've given a small portion of my time, talent and treasure to the charitable efforts of college Phi Delts, whose chosen national charity is ALS. I encourage everyone to learn about, understand and support the efforts to find a cure for ALS - and commend you, Colton, on your courage, determination and optimism.

monochrome.

That's really cool about Phi Delta Theta and the ALS Association, I didn't know that.

Hope your enjoying those cameras

---------- Post added 08-14-2014 at 12:38 PM ----------

wow! been following your flickr and enjoying your photos for quite some time - salute!

Thank you.

---------- Post added 08-14-2014 at 12:40 PM ----------

Great stuff, guys - I'm donating.

Awesome

[mikeSF]

Colton, thanks for sharing your story and your wonderful photography here on PF.
I too have something that belonged to you, the 67 M*300; I will now always think of you whenever I use it.
Well wishes.
Mike

[Venom3300]

Thank you for sharing your story and what photography means to you.

I marched in the Clemson's Tiger Band. Every year Tiger band does a big ALS fund raiser. A local guy with ALS came to speak to the band each year, so I have seen how horrible this disease is as it progresses. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

[wendl]

I have the greatest regard for you continuing your passion whilst living with this disease.
My Mother in law is also living with ALS. One day at a time as she always says.

[stevebrot]

Colton,
It was a distinct pleasure meeting you a few months back. With any luck we can shoot a little next time. I will bring the Zenitar

You do good work with your cameras and it doubles my pleasure when I see them knowing that each image is a deliberate act planned and executed carefully step by step. I will share this thread on FB along with your story.

Good work!


Steve

[RobA_Oz]

Hi Colton.

Here in Australia, and in the UK and Europe, I believe, ALS is better known as Motor Neuron Disease (MND). My brother-in-law also suffers from this, and he's a lot older but, like you, he's adopted a positive attitude to it, and does his best, with support, to live a full and meaningful life. He used to be a keen photographer, but finds it impossible to lift a camera up to his eye, as MND tends to adversely affect the upper limbs firstly, at least in his form of it. I recently suggested he buys a camera with an articulated LCD, so he can still hold it at waist level, and he's looking at options now.

We wish you all the best. Research into MND continues apace around the world, so donations to all bona fide research institutes are highly valued.

Rob

[Jonathan Mac]

I have always gotten the impression that you maintain a very positive outlook despite your condition, and that producing some of your excellent photos, especially with old film gear, must be a difficult challenge. It seems to be one that you confront head-on and I have the utmost respect for that.

Keep up the great work, Colton, and all the best with battling this disease and raising awareness and funds. I believe that one day, ALS/MND and all such conditions will be treatable if not curable - all we need to do is help out and understand.

[Douf]

My father had MND / ALS and passed away when I was only 7 years old. So naturally I didn't understand what was going on at the time. I have recollections of jumping in his whiz-bang electric wheelchair and zooming round the house when the condition really set in. Cheeky really thinking back, hope I got a smile out of Dad at the time.. I can't recall.
Science is moving in some really amazing directions so it is only a matter of time until there will be a breakthrough that will at least prolong the lives of those affected, if not single out the cause and eventually find that cure! Like you say Colton, it is not incurable.
Being partly a hereditary condition I could too end up with it, and apparently can be screened for it. I just wont. It just drives me to enjoy my life and my time with my family and do the things that matter to me.. Sometimes I forget and get drudged down by things. Then I think about Dad and get on moving again.

I am due to donate towards it actually. Time to set aside some dollars to this!

Good on you Colton for staying strong!

Doug

[Swift1]

Colton, thanks for sharing your story and your wonderful photography here on PF.
I too have something that belonged to you, the 67 M*300; I will now always think of you whenever I use it.
Well wishes.
Mike

Thanks Mike.

---------- Post added 08-15-2014 at 08:24 AM ----------

Thank you for sharing your story and what photography means to you.

I marched in the Clemson's Tiger Band. Every year Tiger band does a big ALS fund raiser. A local guy with ALS came to speak to the band each year, so I have seen how horrible this disease is as it progresses. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Thank you.

---------- Post added 08-15-2014 at 08:26 AM ----------

I have the greatest regard for you continuing your passion whilst living with this disease.
My Mother in law is also living with ALS. One day at a time as she always says.

One day at a time is right
Thank you for sharing.

---------- Post added 08-15-2014 at 08:32 AM ----------

Colton,
It was a distinct pleasure meeting you a few months back. With any luck we can shoot a little next time. I will bring the Zenitar

You do good work with your cameras and it doubles my pleasure when I see them knowing that each image is a deliberate act planned and executed carefully step by step. I will share this thread on FB along with your story.

Good work!


Steve

Thank you Steve. It was great to meet up, we'll have to do it again.

[geomez]

Colton, do you mind sharing the link to your flickr?

[Swift1]

Hi Colton.

Here in Australia, and in the UK and Europe, I believe, ALS is better known as Motor Neuron Disease (MND). My brother-in-law also suffers from this, and he's a lot older but, like you, he's adopted a positive attitude to it, and does his best, with support, to live a full and meaningful life. He used to be a keen photographer, but finds it impossible to lift a camera up to his eye, as MND tends to adversely affect the upper limbs firstly, at least in his form of it. I recently suggested he buys a camera with an articulated LCD, so he can still hold it at waist level, and he's looking at options now.

We wish you all the best. Research into MND continues apace around the world, so donations to all bona fide research institutes are highly valued.

Rob

Rob thanks for writing. I did a little research into MND, and from what I've read, MND is a more generic title used to refer to a group of diseases that all carry a similar basic root, which is the dying of Motor Neurons. It is often used instead of ALS because ALS is the most common form of MND. I hadn't ever heard of MND before though.
I've tried using digital cameras with tilting LCDs but they have their own issues for me
The easiest cameras for me are medium format film cameras with waist level finders

---------- Post added 08-15-2014 at 01:56 PM ----------

I have always gotten the impression that you maintain a very positive outlook despite your condition, and that producing some of your excellent photos, especially with old film gear, must be a difficult challenge. It seems to be one that you confront head-on and I have the utmost respect for that.

Keep up the great work, Colton, and all the best with battling this disease and raising awareness and funds. I believe that one day, ALS/MND and all such conditions will be treatable if not curable - all we need to do is help out and understand.

Thank you Jonathan.
This year has been a pretty epic year for ALS awareness and fundraising. I think that with increased awareness and the funding that hopefully goes with it, researchers will find a cure. Most common afflictions were at on point probably considered incurable. At the turn of the last century, Polio was incurable and it wasn't until major governments focused massive resources towards it, that a cure was found.