I’ve been an obsessive photographer from about the age of seven, when I first picked up our snapshot camera on family holidays. Viewing the results these early photographs, after a delay of a week or two processing at the chemists, had a powerful impact on me.
It wasn’t that my photos were particularly great shots, I was just in awe of the almost magical power of capturing a single living moment, in which a photograph could simultaneously freeze time and convey a wealth of information about what was going on when the shutter was pressed. Even now this feels like magic to me.
This fascination with photography ran parallel to, and complemented, my early interest in drawing (Marvel comics and Gerry Anderson’s ‘Stingray’ and ‘Thunderbirds’ TV shows have a lot to answer for!). I was lucky in being able to maintain my interest in these visual arts throughout my education, leading me to a career in Graphic Design.
Much of my time was spent working as an Advertising Art Director, resulting in lots of experience planning and directing all sorts of high-end commercial photo and TV shoots. It was often demanding and stressful work, but I loved it, enjoyed myself hugely and learned lots about crafting images in the process.
Having been (ahem) exposed to photography for so much of my life I’ve enjoyed many types of cameras and been lucky to own a couple of classic Olympus OM 35mm film cameras (I do wish I’d never sold them). As we know the various types of cameras each have their strengths and weaknesses for any given task, but I’m just as happy with a great image whether it was captured using my iPhone or with my big, bulky SLR (intended use and output notwithstanding).
Working my way through photography ‘old-school’ style with (gasp!) only manual focussing and exposure entailed a steep and lengthy learning curve, but this was a great way to discover all the necessary fundamentals, which were truly hard-won. Thankfully I’ve found that type of knowledge tends to stick with me long term.
If I have any shooting style it tends towards landscape, or environment type images, particularly if I can create strong, graphic compositions (my design background showing here). Having said that photographs of people are always the most interesting, all the more so for me if I can use some humour or wit in the image.
I especially like to capture beautiful or unusual light at play in my photos, for me the quality of light can really make or break the image. Hopefully you agree these sample images support me in this! 😉
There were many milestones in my discovery of photography, but none greater than the ascendancy of the digital camera. Like most photographers of my generation film will always hold a special place in my heart, but I’m also a realist and, for the most part, photography is now a fully digital media. To me this is neither ‘right’ nor ‘wrong’ it just is – and I’m still as enthusiastic as ever when taking photos, regardless of the technicalities of the media.
The list of photographers that inspire me is probably similar to what many of you reading this would also cite, but I’ll add to that any photographer, whatever their level of expertise, whose images are strong enough to make me stop and take notice of their work. That’s one of the great advantages of the online sharing and socialising of photography, it introduces us all to vital talent and inspiration we may never otherwise have seen.
I still love to shoot photos and am more interested in the final image I create than how I got there, although often the journey in itself is important too.
Your top picture is sweet. Nice work.