My 50 Year (and more) Journey with Photography

AN INTRODUCTION TO MY 50 YEARS (AND MORE!) OF PHOTOGRAPHY

Photography has been a part of my life since the 1970’s when I was in High School and what started out as a Hobby, quickly became a life long passion, one that has never faded, not even after 50 years behind the camera.

My first camera was a Yashica camera and I loved it as it gave me the opportunity to learn the required skills and techniques needed for awesome photography. This camera didn’t have any memory cards, no autofocus and certainly, no instant previews like modern day digital cameras, which provide the opportunity to instantly assess the photographs that we take.

Instead, the film cameras that we had back then, meant that you needed to get it right first time, and there was no margin for errors. Mistakes meant that you either lost the opportunity (potentially feeling embarrassed if people asked to see your results) or you would have to go back and do it all over again, if that was even possible.

There were also no computers or software. If you wanted to process your own photographs, then you needed a darkroom with specialised items, like an Enlarger, a film drum, certain chemicals, trays and photographic paper. The process of photography was enormously time consuming andI can recall often working late into the night in my Darkroom, which did not impress my parents - but at least they smiled when they saw my photographs.

In those early days, my favourite subjects to photograph, included the family pets, sports events at School and also aircraft at our local Airport. Varied subjects indeed, from following furry friends, to panning athletes and clicking away as aircraft began their lift off.

These early experiences made me realise that Photography is more than just taking pictures - it’s about capturing special moments and making unforgettable memories. And it also taught me some valuable lessons, such as the importance of patience, combined with a willingness to learn, a raw determination to excel and produce the best results that I could, constant practice, honing my technical skills and making mistakes, yet constantly improving. And another lesson it taught me was become more observant and wait for just the right moment - Click!

Now in the digital era, I believe that there are new challenges and even more exciting opportunities, with increasingly sophisticated equipment, intriguing software and the ability to share ones work instantly with anyone anywhere in the world.

Today, I am still passionate about photographing pets and aircraft as I did more than 50 years ago, but my interests have expanded to also include various other subjects such as flowers, birds, architecture and believe it or not, even certain insects (with a special interest in Bees).

Each subject brings its own set of challenges and photography still helps me to see life differently, to identify the beauty of so many things in our world and to portray them all in a very special and unique way.

Now in my sixties, I am still as excited about Photography as I was when I was a teenager - maybe that's why my wife says I still behave like a child sometimes - who knows?

And I intend to continue with Photography for as longs as I live, always seeking the next exciting photo shoot. And I have so many exciting ideas and projects - to last me until I’m 100 years old!

I would love you to join me with my on-going journey with photography, so why not subscribe to my Newsletter and let’s keep in touch. Visit my Contact page on my website to subscribe.