Introduction

I’ve always been in love with photography, the way it captures a split second of beauty.  Photography brings wonderful emotions when you see the picture and appreciate/relive that beautiful moment.  

I started off with film cameras and it took me a while to appreciate the process.  

• Choosing the subject carefully because film, developing and prints aren’t cheap.
• Estimating distance to get the focus right.
• Focusing on the subject properly.
• Using the whole roll of film before you get to see any results. 
• The anticipation of seeing your photos back from the film lab.
• The joy of seeing your own art and the disappointment of the failures.

Now my favourite camera is my smartphone camera, I always have it with me (and it’s waterproof to 5 feet!). My favourite accessories are a silicone cell phone case and a mobile tripod price.  The case is important for me because I drop the phone every now and then.  The tripod stand for mobile phone is especially important for my time lapse and low light shots.

Now in the age of digital I appreciate analog photography, warts and all with artistic pride and nostalgia.  I enjoy the tactile feeling of loading the medium format film.  I love the option of loading 35mm film to get the sprocket holes in my pictures.

I can replicate all of these effects in photoshop but somehow it doesn’t give me the same sense of satisfaction as the light leaks and lens imperfections I get in my diana camera.

The Diana Camera was initially produced in the 1960’s by the Great Wall Plastic Factory in Hong Kong.  It was an inexpensive toy camera often given away as a prize or promotional item in the UK and the US. It declined in popularity as inexpensive quality cameras started to appear.  The Diana and other toy cameras mosty ceased production in the 1970s.

More recently it was reborn by the Lomography company as the Diana F+ with flash and adjustable apertures.

Stay tuned for my camera adventures…