Why did I choose Black's?

My interest and loyalty to Black’s spans over three decades, way back to when I was in my early teens growing up in rural Nfld. My father bought his first camera, a Yashica, and being the type of person who took his hobbies seriously, he embraced them with a passion and was satisfied with only the finest of results. That absolutely drove my mother around the bend as it meant he was not going to settle for second-rate mail-order processing, to which there was little option at the time. He sought perfection in his photographs and was determined that his film be sent all the way to Ontario in the mail, not to some mail-order depot that not only skimped on quality but often lost the film. I remember as if today, the big Black’s envelope coming in the mail, and the logo “Black’s is Photography” that I would hum emulating the TV commercials that inspired my father to send his film to Blacks, so far away and more expensive, so she thought, compared to the Dollarama standard of other mail-order processing centres. Living in Nfld, in a then isolated community, we did not have the luxury of even a regular grocery delivery of fresh milk and fruit, let alone quality film, so everything came from Black’s in Ontario, even film, accessories and tripods. I learned that if you wanted the best, you went to Black’s. There is no Black’s store even today in Nfld so when I came to Ontario, it was a pleasant treat to have a Black’s Superstore across the street. I have followed my father’s footsteps and taken photography to much farther horizons than he ever did but I did remain faithful to Black’s as, like him, I am a perfectionist who seeks only the best. As an environmentalist, passionate about nature, animals, and the beauty in the colour they give us to savour, I adore the richness of blues and greens. Raised near the sea, I believe the blueness of the ocean and the richness of green spaces must be realistic to be appreciated, and I was enthralled to discover that the Black’s label film and slides were none other than Fuji in a Black’s canister. Fuji is far superior, in my opinion, in capturing my favorite colour tones with a crispness and sharpness unmatched by any other, and unparalleled in true to life quality. Furthermore, all Black’s image processing technology is state-of-the- art Fuji that only makes sense if the film is also of the same colour sensitivity. Needless to say, from then onward, without hesitation, Black’s became my only choice of place to have my images developed.

How Black's has helped me with my photography.

It is the people at Black’s that make it the place to be. They treat the customers as if they are one of them, and I have always found that on the odd occasion that I have had problems with any of the services, they were addressed expediently, efficiently with patience, and with a smile. Any time I require products, whether it is a slide scanner of a higher end pro model the store does not normally carry, or a pro lens for my SLR, not only will the manager order it, but at the most competitive price, and it arrives in no time, even if he has to search from coast to coast. I have learned some tools and techniques from the technicians, who have walked me through simpler to more difficult editing processes, especially in my frustrations of trying to enter the world of digital. My first digital camera I bought from Black’s, just as my last one came from Black’s and when the manager of the superstore moved there from his first store, I followed him as a loyal customer. Black’s is not a store to me. It’s a place to go and visit my ‘friends’ who work there, to learn new tricks when I have questions, and to get the heads-up on the latest up and coming advances. Now that I am more than just an amateur photographer, exhibiting, publishing, and selling my work, and taking on commissioned or personal projects, I trust and value only the best reproduction of my images. I still rely solely on Black’s to deliver that optimal quality and am never disappointed.

What have I learned from Black's being one of their customers?

Smile, and Black’s smiles with you! A smile is an international language of communication and in photography a picture is worth a thousand words but a smile is worth a million pictures. Black’s is far more than a place to buy your camera and accessories, have your film or digital images processed, or find the best methods to display or store your memories. It is a place in which you can feel the energy radiate like the colour in the images, and the warmth of friendly smiles like the sunlight on a bright shiny day. I was really impressed when the manager of the store offered to lend me a digital frame to try rather than go through a huge expense at the time. I was not prepared yet to buy one preferring to wait until I had taken the time to research the ones out there. But, a very close loved one had passed away and I wanted to do a slideshow at the visitation. It was such a caring, compassionate and supportive offer, especially since he knew us both and that she was a photographer who loved Black’s as well, for him to so trustingly and without hesitation be so generous. Those special persons and acts of kindness are what make Black’s stand out. Many of the staff at Black’s are also successful photographers who share the same passion and pursuit of excellence. Not only does that make them credible, not at all like the pushy salespeople you meet in other stores, but people who know photography and the best products for the customers needs at whatever level they happen to be. I love being able to come in to the store and learn from them, and I have learned a great deal, while I also get their respect as they invite my suggestions as they in turn learn from me.