Hobbies and Crafts

Yes I do have a number of his prints and one of his original cameras. A lot of his prints are portraits and I find it fascinating wondering who the subjects were.

I don't know that it was more of a skill - I think it was a different skill.

My photography tends to be either abstract or extreme close up (including insects) but I am one of those that will take dozens upon dozens if not hundreds of shots until I find the one that I am happy with (I dare not think how many contact sheets I have pored over through the years lol).

My last exhibition was entitled Perceptions because it was a portfolio of images people would never normally consider beautiful and yet took on a beauty all of their own because they were taken from unusual angles or very close up.

I meant to ask, do you have your Grandfather's photos? Wasn't it much more of a skill then though?

when we lived in Bedfordshire I belonged to a camera society but I am not really a society person, prefer to do my own thing. I did win one monor competition but other than that have not really entered anything. I love looking at exhibitions though. I think there is one on at the moment in Gloucester of black and white photos, might try and have a look at that tomorrow. They hold it in the old priory which is a wonderful setting.

My Dad was my inspiration, I have photos of his (nothing really special, snapshots of their lives really, dating back to the 20s/30s and he taught me with his old Kodak concertina fold out camera. I had my first camera when I was about 12 and have never been without one since. Still have a cupboard full of cameras (mostly film) that I won't part with but don't use. Digital has made me lazy.

do you have a favourite subject?

A few years back, if you'd asked me that I would have said children's portraits because I took loads of our Grandsons, they were good subjects but they are too old now and not so keen on having photos taken. Now I enjoy taking flowers and scenery

I don't do my own developing now but I have done in the past.

I was taught by my grandfather who was a member of the Royal Photographic Society and gave me my first camera and helped me develop the first film I shot - black and white of course.

I still have some of his exhibition prints form the 1940s.

It was his influence that persuaded me to exhibit.

Do you do your own developing Errol? I envy you if you have a dark room. 21 years ago before we moved here we had an under the eves room which we made into a dark room, mainly for me although OH used to do a bit. I only ever developed and printed black and white but it was great fun. I can remember the excitement now that I felt when the first photo started to develop.

I do enjoy the immediacy of digital photography, even though I swore I would never have a digital camera. In a way it has spoiled the way I look at photos, in magazines for instance, because I always think they have been digitally enhanced. But I suppose it is just a different sort of skill.

And I have never fathomed out Photoshop and neither has my technically minded OH> :-D

I would be interested

Another craft to detach from the main craft thread. I know Jude is doing a photography course. It has been a hobby of mine since I was eleven years old so if it is your hobby, this thread is for you.