I originally started uploading family shots, particularly of our daughter to allow our family and friends who are spread all over the world to see her.

In Nov '07 whilst floating around the Fickr site I discovered the strobist.com group and website. It immediately appealed to me as I've always had an interest in avoiding direct flash in my photography. I was using my flash "on camera" and with a clear Lightsphere to bounce off the ceiling - this certainly helped some of the direct flash related problems but I knew there had to be something better.

I started by reading "Lighting 101" and then moved on to the other assignments on the site. Needless to say strobist.com has increased my knowledge of lighting tenfold and got my flash "off camera" - I just love it. The whole Strobist and Flickr community is great, all good supportive learning and sharing – well most of them anyway.

In a great bonus for my photography, I found the more I learnt about creating and controlling my own light the better I was at seeing natural light doing interesting things too.

I am mainly using one Nikon SB28, three Nikon SB25 Speedlight's (strobes) and Pocket Wizards with my Canon 5Dmk2, 40D or G10. The triggering method for the strobes is the most frustrating part for new "Strobists". I started with ebay Cactus V2's but it wasn't long before I lashed out on Pocket Wizards, they are expensive but they work every time and I've never looked back.

I set everything to manual now for greater control. The more I do it, the easier I've found it to predict the settings. I do have a Canon 580 & 430EX if I want to use ETTL with my "off shoe cord" for unpredictable environments. I can often be seen chasing our daughter around with camera in right hand and flash in out stretch left hand. I can't wait until she will sit still long enough for me to get the light stands out.

So now my Flickr photostream is a combination of images of my family, Strobist off camera lighting and my foray into self developed film.

Here's where it started for me:

Strobist 101

Strobist Flickr Discussion Group

I have recently got back into making pictures with film and developing at home. Something I'd not done for a long time. I have a Canon AE-1 Program, Canon AV-1, Canon EOS 620 and a Bronica ETRS which has become my favourite camera lately :)