My interest in Photography was kindled at the age of ten by a cousin of my mother’s, who had spent some time as a National park warden in the Peak district and then in the Lakes and used Photography as a way of adding to the family income. At the time I had no idea what camera he was using I just remember think “wow”, this is amazing looking through the view finder and it being like a pair of binoculars. At the time SLR meant nothing to me, so it was disappointing to get home and realise the family camera was just the old box Kodak……

Convinced by my parents & mum’s Cousin that it was the eye and not the camera that was important I spent many a happy day using up film that we properly could not afford at the time. My first personal Camera came for my 18th Birthday, it was a Praktica LTL. Again I had many a happy day using my first SLR. After literally wearing the thing out, the big save started for a Canon A1 in a beautiful black body. That has done me proud till 4 years ago I succumbed to the age of digital photography first with the works little Fujifilm camera. Once more the spark was kindled and the big save started, ending with my beloved D70.

I have to be honest my love of photography has risen & fallen over the years for many reason, but the passion was rekindled with the advance in the digital field & the Photographic software to manipulate & create a new end image if required. The pleasure of not having to work through the night in a make shift dark room, burning & dodging with bits of card or shaking hands and rushing to clear up before the dawn is a thing of the past.

So roll on the digital age, but not forget our roots in film for those of us old enough to have enjoyed it.

All Rights Reserved on All Photographs.

Copying and/or reproduction of the images on my Flickr pages is not permitted without exclusive written permission by Bill Bradford