How did I get here and why?......

I last worked as a professional approaching 40 years back, had a long break doing nothing photographic at all, but then got back into photography following the birth of my first daughter when I bought a 'point and shoot' digital camera to record her early progress.

I quickly moved on to a DSLR and then the need to create images overwhelmed me and I started to take pictures of other subjects for the simple pleasure of doing so. After a couple of years, I moved up to a full frame DSLR that resulted in a rapid growth in the number of pictures I was taking.

Inevitably an individual progresses as an artist and one autumn nearly 10 years back, I felt the need to 'go back to roots' and so I bought second hand Hasselblad MF FILM camera, similar to those I had used as a Pro many years before. A few months later, at a visit to a locally staged Hasselblad 'Studio Day', I had the chance to use a digital back with my 'V' series camera and lenses. I was staggered to see the quality of the images that could be taken with this set-up. Despite the fact that I was using a 15/20 year old camera with lenses of a similar age or older (my Zeiss 40mm C was made in 1973!!), the outstanding ability of those Zeiss lenses to record wonderful images shone through. I decided that, while I intended to continue to use film, a purchase of a suitable digital back would be the best way forward, combining classic design and build quality with contemporary image creation and workflow. Through the assistance of ProCentre in London, I bought an ex-demo CFV-39.

I am delighted and amazed to say that I haven't looked back and although I still occasionally use film, this set up has been in constant use since for my personal work and the DSLR I did have is history. In fact, even the 'V' has recently become consigned to the cupboard, as I have now gone 'mirrorless' with an X1D, using both XCD and 'V' lenses.

My next goal is to get my LRPS and also continue to meet many wonderful photographers as I already have via the Flickr site.

Incidently, my daughter is now 16 and has her own Hasselblad and along with her 13 year old sister, who also has her own 'Blad' and PhaseOne P20, both are working towards their LRPS (with dad's help and guidance!)). The eldest is now following in 'dads footsteps' and undertaking photographic jobs of her own.