I’ve been carrying a camera around since I was first given a small 110 camera when I was aged about 11. I started taking the camera on any scout camps, holidays etc. When I got a basic SLR camera and could start taking better quality images I took more photos of each holiday and then started photographing shows at school.
At University in Wales I continued photographing events and trips, and I also started to photograph bands. With bands in particular I started to learn to use available light and slow shutter techniques, and learned to listen to the music and try and predict how the band members would act. Thanks to the local priest and his collection of photography magazines I started to think about photographing models, but didn’t really have the confidence to approach people – did a few shoots though and got a few nice pictures that are still in the folio – some of the shots in Wales came out well.
Finished University and went home to Portsmouth. When some of my friends stopped doing joint activities I wanted to fill my time and went to photography evening classes; one of the courses was C&G portrait photography module. Enjoyed working with models from a local college and when I did A level photography a year later it gave me the confidence to ask a few friends to model. Was also photographing several local bands at this time and enjoyed both these subjects.
Since then the bands have drifted apart, but the experience was good training for when I was asked to start photographing dance shows, which I have been doing now for about ten years. Hard work, but very rewarding. I don’t think people realise how knackering it can be holding up a 10 lb camera for three hours, with little prospect of eating or drinking, especially if you are setting up a booth as well – plus the time spent setting it all up.
I still like taking portraits and full length shots of models, but I have also diversified. When I was doing the A-Level I asked a couple of friends to model for me and told them I didn’t mind what they wore. Bit shocked when they came dressed as vampires, but the results stunned me and set me off on a tangent doing shoots around a horror theme, and other film themes that come to mind.
Have gone digital over the last three or four years. Cost savings have been amazing, and the quality up to mini-poster size is hard to tell from print film. It’s great to be able to take so many more photos without worrying about printing costs (which were about £1.5K a year for me at one point), but it comes at a price! Flash is less reliable and you still have to trawl through all the photos to pick out the best.
My work was part of a Police artwork exhibition in Farnham a few years back, and I would like to put on more exhibitions in the future.
My Other interests
Archery I am a qualified coach, teach archery at Fort Purbrook Company Of Bowmen near Portsmouth
Historical archery displays – I have my own armour and replica medieval crossbow. See the Purbrook Bowmen website for photos
Model making. I’m also trying to find out more about some aspects of WWII such as events in the Far East, in areas such as China and the Dutch East Indies
As part of a plan for a photoshoot, I bought a Boba Fett costume, and am now trying to upgrade it. I hope this does not mean I am getting into ‘cosplay’.
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