Took up photography in 2009 as I was getting too old and knackered after a lifetime of various sports! Really enjoying it and I'm always looking at new ways of developing my hobby. I do try and get my photos right 'in camera' (with filters of course!) as I dislike Photoshop really! The more I learn about it, the more I dislike it. Read an article recently where a famous photographer said in 5 years' time, there will be no photographers - we'll all be "Image Makers". How true! I do really enjoy long exposure landscape photography and just love the surreal results it can produce. I can honestly say I've learned more about photography from fellow Flickr users than any other source. There are some great people on here who are always willing to help out with technical stuff, locations and general advice.

Joined a local camera club to learn as much as possible and found the whole club competition scene strange, yet very interesting - met some great people and some pretty crazy judges! Boy, do they come out with some weird comments during their judging. Have decided to give the competitions a rest after three years - it does tend to strangle your creativity as the judges do tend to look for a very definite type of shot - usually involving multiple layers and tons of Photoshop - which just isn't me - that's Graphic Art really..? Like meeting up with like-minded photographers at local events like the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August. Best places in the world for togging - the Lake District, Northumberland and East Lothian!

All time heroes - has to be Ansel Adams and Joe Cornish. I think it was Joe who said, "I take photographs for my own interest and if anyone else likes them, then that's a bonus." Which is exactly how I approach it and it works fine for me - although many camera club judges would differ...!

dougiewilliamsphotography.com

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