I cannot remember the date, (I was at infant school) but I can remember the occasion when I discovered the joy of photography.
I watched, as if by magic an image appear, on a piece of paper. I was in my fathers darkroom watching him develop black and white prints, truly magical.
Dad was a member of a camera club and as I progressed to junior school I was allowed to accompany him to the club nights and outings. I remember one outing to the Manchester Ship canal and I set off a klaxon on board one of the ships we were photographing. On the same ship we photographed a snake wrapped around a pretty girls neck!
My first camera was one that an uncle had made. It used 35mm film and only had one setting as I remember, I just had to squeeze the shutter release.
When I was 18, I joined the British Army and was posted to what was then West Germany. I went through a succession of cameras till I bought a Rolliecord VB, and an Olympus OM1. I had them both for many years, only parting with them when I 'went digital’, much to my regret.
During my time in the Army, I served as a Unit Photographer and was employed to take photographs of all manner of things. I remember doing some aerial photography from a helicopter and only realised that I was not strapped in when we landed. I had been photographing through the big door, asking the pilot to bank so I could get my shot, I was very lucky not to have fallen out!
When I was posted back to the UK I had a 'nice little earner' doing weddings and social photography, mess function and summer balls, which enabled me to upgrade my equipment to a Bronica ETR, a roll film SLR. I still have that camera and standard lens and am tempted to get some film and put a roll through it from time to time.
But now I am fully digitalised. I still use Olympus gear and use a mirror-less interchangeable lens camera, Olympus OM-D E-M1 for my main work, it is much lighter to carry than a DSLR.
After I retired from my day job in Kent, I was able to join a camera club and had some success in club competitions and the Kent Photographic Alliance Exhibition.
My passion is for landscape photography, wildlife and grandchildren but I will take photographs of anything that takes my fancy, so long as it is legal and decent.
I watched, as if by magic an image appear, on a piece of paper. I was in my fathers darkroom watching him develop black and white prints, truly magical.
Dad was a member of a camera club and as I progressed to junior school I was allowed to accompany him to the club nights and outings. I remember one outing to the Manchester Ship canal and I set off a klaxon on board one of the ships we were photographing. On the same ship we photographed a snake wrapped around a pretty girls neck!
My first camera was one that an uncle had made. It used 35mm film and only had one setting as I remember, I just had to squeeze the shutter release.
When I was 18, I joined the British Army and was posted to what was then West Germany. I went through a succession of cameras till I bought a Rolliecord VB, and an Olympus OM1. I had them both for many years, only parting with them when I 'went digital’, much to my regret.
During my time in the Army, I served as a Unit Photographer and was employed to take photographs of all manner of things. I remember doing some aerial photography from a helicopter and only realised that I was not strapped in when we landed. I had been photographing through the big door, asking the pilot to bank so I could get my shot, I was very lucky not to have fallen out!
When I was posted back to the UK I had a 'nice little earner' doing weddings and social photography, mess function and summer balls, which enabled me to upgrade my equipment to a Bronica ETR, a roll film SLR. I still have that camera and standard lens and am tempted to get some film and put a roll through it from time to time.
But now I am fully digitalised. I still use Olympus gear and use a mirror-less interchangeable lens camera, Olympus OM-D E-M1 for my main work, it is much lighter to carry than a DSLR.
After I retired from my day job in Kent, I was able to join a camera club and had some success in club competitions and the Kent Photographic Alliance Exhibition.
My passion is for landscape photography, wildlife and grandchildren but I will take photographs of anything that takes my fancy, so long as it is legal and decent.