This septuagenarian has come to the photography malarky late in life. If you exclude a smart phone, then it's only the last seven or so years I have had a digital camera in my clumsy mits. I dabbled with film as a younger bloke but it was an infrequent dabble. However there has been one constant in the intervening years - I have been a wildlife enthusiast since I was ten. What's more I can recall the exact moment when this particular pursuit commenced but that, as they say, is another story.
It comes as no surprise then that nature is a prominent theme in my photography.
My old website became an array of bird images, neatly ordered alphabetically, of over 250 different species. A personal field guide; images which offer memories and reflections. They did their job but they are little more than birds on a stick or a ledge or flying somewhere. I began to prefer some shots over others. My natural preference took me to images where, dare I say, a little ‘art’ might have crept in.
Now, unlike my wonderful Uncle Bill,* a marvellous water-colourist, I can’t paint. My drawing is, shall we say, limited. So photography beckons as one way to express those ephemeral, aesthetic values. I do love a good Rembrandt.
My wife suggested I go to an exhibition, held in Poynton’s Civic Centre, put on by a local camera club. This was spring 2019. The visit turned out to be a minor epiphany of the secular sort. Here were top images, not just of nature but landscape, portraits, still life and other ‘genres’. Each photo told a story, each image had ‘wow’ factor. Elements so missing in many of my own photos. I came away wanting to know more about this local camera club. Within a month, I had joined the North Cheshire Photographic Society. I was made very welcome indeed. I had landed on my feet.
I soon realised that being self taught I had acquired many bad habits - bad photographic habits of course! The members have turned out to be a generous bunch, willing to help me in my journey to improve my images. So as you read this blurb, be aware that I’m at the start of a belated journey. I wish I had started earlier. I have a few personal goals but I’ll keep them to myself in case I fluff my quest.
I have to say it’s great fun. Watch this space. I will try and keep this website up-to-date with recent images and thoughts.
There will be ups. There will be downs.
Thanks for taking the time to read these few words and look at my image galleries.
There are three galleries, Nature, Macro and Landscape. I aim to update these galleries with new images as they come along. I hope you enjoy.
*William A Kendrick (1920 - 2003) - Watercolours. He was born and lived on The Wirral and emigrated in later life to New Zealand, where he continued to paint his Wirral landscape scenes from memory.
Family of Swallows
Sunset at Great Berneray, Isle of Lewis
