I have been interested in photography since age 16 when I learned the basics of developing and processing in a darkroom while at school - a very, very long time ago! My first camera was a Practica Nova 1 which probably has antique value now. It used stuff called film (usually Tri-X 400 & FP4 [which sounds more like an audio format these days] ). Many hours were spent locked away in my bedroom come darkroom trying to asphyxiate myself with fumes from various solutions of developer, fixer, stop baths etc! – and I wonder why I need a Ventolin Inhaler now!! All black and white back then as colour film was far too expensive. Last camera was a Minolta XD-7 (also a film user).

The onset of digital, suddenly meant needing lots of cash for a camera and computer. This combined with the feeling that somehow digital was 'cheating' made me somewhat disillusioned, and my choking hours of effort in the darkroom seemed rather pointless. So started a 20 year drought of interest in photography.

Having done nothing remotely serious with photography over this period, while digital came on in leaps and bounds, I suddenly, last year got the urge to give it another go.

NOW! - can't get enough of the digital stuff.

Dipped my toes in with Nikon's entry level D3100 but soon upgraded a bit to a D5200. Have 2 Sigma lenses - an 18-250mm and a 10-20mm - which I love!

I live on the edge of Dartmoor in Tavistock so have no excuse regarding getting out there (apart from being overweight and totally unfit – I suppose that should be looked at as a reason to get out there!).

Main interest is landscape and I’m dabbling with HDR at the moment, which I think has got me hooked.

Got a lot to learn about digital yet so probably making a lot of mistakes. Always open to advice.

Photography hero is Charlie Waite.