At a very young age, I would stand at my father's elbow under the red light, waiting for the images to emerge from the trays. I thought he was a magician. He gave me my first camera, a Yashica A.

Now, I change lenses and load film for some 30 cameras, carry camera bags and tripods, load negative scanners, and whatever else is needed, for Colton Allen, my son and mentor. Including his young daughter, we are now four generations of film photographers.

I like to photograph the small stuff, the weed in the garden, the unnoticed, the crack in the sidewalk, the crumpled leaf, an odd shadow or reflections in a glass.

Still in love with TLRs, my kit includes a Yashica A and a Yashica 44, along with a Pentax SF1 and a Pentax 645n.

See more of my photography at Shona Allen on Flickr.