Shutterbug

     It's almost a distant memory when it all began - the exalted feeling of having a decent camera in your hands. Perhaps a serious interest developed when an SLR Minolta was purchased prior to the first overseas trip, planned for most of 1968, when my husband at the time would take absence of leave from his company. We were to visit England, where several of his relatives lived, and later we would venture further afield to Paris for a month, staying in the apartment of a work colleague and his wife.
     After returning to England, we caught another ferry to Europe beginning with Belgium, then on to Germany, France, Switzerland, as far east as Vienna, Austria - south over some atrocious roads through parts of Yugoslavia to the Adriatic coast and Split - then north to Venice, over the French Alps and back to England - covering about three thousand miles. All in a lovely car smelling of leather seats, complete with wood paneling.
     The Minolta camera and three interchangeable lens, accompanied us the entire journey and learning to use a light meter was included. We had bought many rolls of film and keeping them cool under a damp towel in the hot car, wasn't easy.
     All the camera equipment was kept in a P & O duffle bag, when years later, no longer married, and living in the West Dorset countryside of England, the bag was stolen with everything in it. I was burgled while visiting Australia and had treasured everything it possessed. I had been fortunate to be left with it, as my ex-husband had moved on, wanting a Nikon camera to replace the Minolta. This was to my great advantage.  
     At the time, the Minolta served us well, together with the lenses. In those days, slides were fashionable and after three thousand miles later, many were processed and viewed.
     It took a long time to get over the loss of the camera and lenses and I never replaced it. I had lost the motivation for taking any good photos. Instead, I bought a very small Canon film camera, purely to take skiing in the European Alps for many years, but it never really advanced my deep love of photography. I still have it! And I still had a love for photography, but life had changed and so had priorities.
     Looking back, after our return to Australia from England and Europe, in November 1968 by the same P & O ship, the Oriana, we became interested in several aspects of black and white photography. Many a night in the weekends we would share studio lights with close friends, set up in our small flat and later in our first home.  Here we inherited an outdoor vet's clinic, complete with bench tops and hot and cold running water. Perfect for a darkroom! A Durst enlarger was purchased and many an hour was spent blowing up black and white photographs, some as big as 20 x 24inches. My husband had his own small joint exhibition and also one of his black and white photographs was exhibited in the National Gallery of Victoria. An honour indeed!
     We had joined a local Camera Club and immediately after the birth of our first child, a girl, I was presented with first prize in the Print of the Year Competition! I was visited in hospital to be presented with my trophy and another young mum who occupied the bed next to me several hours later, was presented with Slide of the Year. She produced a son.
     Many years later, after I had alone returned to Australia for good, I finally entered the digital age and bought a Kodak Easyshare camera, which at the time, was a good start. It was always set on 'Auto', hence I never learned much. I took it back overseas in the opposite direction this time and it served me well enough.
     Then one day it was suggested by a family member, I join a local Camera Club. The feeling and enjoyment of photography had never left me and this was the start of re-learning. Approximately six months later I stepped up a little more to a Canon 600D with only one lens - an 18-200mm, mainly with further overseas trips in mind. Since then, a 50mm lens was purchased with more scope for a better aperture setting in low light. 
     The Camera Club has taught me much - while listening, discussing, attending practical nights, talks and joining various outings, enjoying the usual camaraderie and mentoring - the learning is never ending - all the while being stimulated with what is sometimes referred to as an art form. Apart from the technicalities, it is possible to adapt your own interpretation  and apply it accordingly. I have a long way to go, but the journey is exciting, often stimulating and always fun. 
     From the first day owning this new camera, I decided never to use 'auto' again. It was no way to teach myself, or advance, and no doubt many mistakes would be made along the way, but it had to be a learning curve. Hence the camera settings are always on 'manual' and I use what I feel is right at the time for each photograph taken, rightly or wrongly.
     The Canon 600D was purchased about 6 weeks prior to flying to England in 2011. Each weekend I took it to the city of Melbourne and many areas surrounding the CBD - getting the feel of it, learning how to use the settings, was paramount. I also needed to feel its weight and lenses on my back, constantly withdrawing it to use, while seeking out many areas that were of interest to photograph.
     Since then it was necessary to upgrade to a better camera and two lenses, (with various filters), proving to be a good choice. There is always more on the market to choose from. Making do with what you have is sometimes a challenge, but a necessary one. Having the latest and most expensive equipment is not always conducive to taking good photos.
     What often caught my eye, were the various light conditions. Light is a crucial aspect of good photography, as perhaps many a painter has found. Well captured and use of specific and beautiful light, can have a breathtaking effect on art - seeing the fall of it on a silk or velvet gown, pearls gently depicted worn by elegant ladies, a street scene, rolling countryside, or ships at war as in a Turner painting, will enhance and evoke all that the photographer or artist has set out to express.
     Subject matter is vital and capturing and isolating the subject in question is another aspect of this creative pastime. If you go looking for something interesting, there's every chance you'll find it - whether reflections in the river early morning, the sun casting shadows across mountains, a foggy dew in the park as a lady walks her dog, watching people in the arcades, moody light flickering into a lonely laneway, sailboats on a sparkling sea, or an evening sky marbled with mystery before a thunderstorm. There are many things to photograph - exciting things - and each opportunity that presents itself, whether a lake at the height of autumn, when golden Ginkgo Biloba leaves are sprinkled upon its surface, silvery light reflected through a window at dawn, bees hovering temptingly around flowers, or touring through Medieval France - there is much on offer for he who seeks.
     I'm often learning new lessons, that whatever the visiting monthly judges prefer and reward at the Camera Club, this exciting and creative pastime is engrossing, absorbing the senses. Many excellent and even spectacular images could fall by the wayside, taken by people with a good 'eye' for photography, or those who have had several images entered in National and International prestige competitions - who have many letters after their name, achieving high honours. But the judging is always a personal choice it seems, and never two have the same hard and fast rules.
     It's within the eye of the beholder, as each person has their own individual preferences, likes and dislikes - but maintaining a high standard and expressing what you feel and see around you, to me, is what is important. Constructive self-criticism, striving to do something better, improve, continue learning, feeling the excitement using the camera, hopefully will always be with me. I'm often amazed at what the lens sees, that sometimes the eye does not.
     In the end, perhaps the technique, post manipulation in software, the type of camera and fancy lenses used, will not necessarily produce a strong and captivating image. 
     There have been many times, when its difficult to concentrate on a book, writing, or mundane chores, if being afflicted with the overwhelming desire to grab the camera and lenses and seek that which may catch the eye, stimulate the soul, push the boundaries, seeking something different, a new challenge. It's a fresh and invigorating excitement of not knowing what you will capture until you do. 
     There is also every chance this feeling will never die, if I don't let it.