SURFACE PHOTOGRAPHY - EARLY DAYS
My association with cameras began in 1949 at age 8 with a Kodak Brownie box camera. This continued throughout my school years, when I dabbled in darkroom techniques and 35 mm photography and in photomicrography while at university.
It strengthened when I joined the then Royal Rhodesian Air Force as a national serviceman photo plotter. Here, I was thoroughly trained in all aspects of photography (technical, architectural, air survey, military) and all aspects of photo processing. I have used photography extensively throughout my professional career as a research geologist.
EARLY UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY
I started underwater photography in the mid 1960's. My first underwater camera was a second-hand Nikonos with a 35 mm lens, a bulb flash and a Sekonic Marine lightmeter (see left).
I bought a 28 mm lens in the 1970's. Initial efforts were in black-and-white, using Ilford HP3 film and false blues were generated on some prints with ferricyanide dyes. Colour print film was never satisfactory but better results were possible with colour reversal film (Kodak High Speed Ektachrome).
LATE LAST CENTURY
In the 1990's I acquired, a fleet of Nikonos V's with a powerful SB 104 strobe for 15 mm wide angle (see left) and a small SB 105 strobe for macro. In those early days I used film; initially Kodak Ektachrome and later Fuji Provia 400 for big stuff and Fuji Velvia 100 for macro. The fast films were sometimes rated at higher ISO than specified and film development was extended to compensate for this to allow natural light photography in deep water. For pictures, see photogallery
THE JUMP TO DIGITAL
In mid 2009 I moved cautiously into the digital age, with a Canon G10 in a Patima housing, suppimented with an Inon UWL-100 wide angle wet lens, a Subsee macro lens and twin optically coupled Inon Z-240 strobes. For pictures, see photogallery
This switch marked sudden changes in both my operating technique, productivity and photographic style - ably aided and abetted by teaching and encouragemet from Jeff Mullins and Shannon Conway.
2012 ONWARDS
Late 2012 marked the jump from my first digital camera (above) to the mirrorless Olympus EPL2. This gave the added flexibility of being able to use the right lens for the job ( I now have an 8 mm Fisheye, a 9-18 mm wide angle, a standard 14-42 lens and a 60 mm macro lens). I'm amazed how small and neat the dome port for the fish-eye lens is, compared to the 'fish-bowls' used by my DSLR colleagues. While about, it I got rid of the irritating rigid arms and went to flexible LocLine. Truly a camera for all situations!
Although I enjoy shooting macro subjects, when the opportunity arises, my favourite is still wide angle.
Recently my wife and I have branched out into general Lanscape and Wildlife Photography (see bottom of home page) with Olympus mirrorless systems.
I am an active member of the Western Australian Camera Club and the Western Australian Photogrphic Judges Association as a Judge, specialising in helping remote clubs.