About Me

My photo
Flint, North Wales, United Kingdom
The business of photography has become tougher every year and this is not just down to the financial crisis. Everyone now considers themselves a photographer, even though they have no idea of the market they are dabbling in. This has destroyed business for the professionals and many can not survive and make an honest living. I have reverted to taking images for myself only and have to tend to a day job in order to continue my photography. This is the space I share my images, gripes and experiences.

Wednesday 3 August 2011

Thursday 10 March 2011

Back on The Beat with a new Dog


WPC Katie Jones (formerly Johnson) is back on the beat with a new Dog, detecting Explosive devices to protect the UK population.
Katie was featured in the news in Apr 09 after an incident that had occurred whilst on duty with her Police Dog on 01 Jan 07. Whilst attending a call-out she was shot in the leg and when attempting to release her dog to apprehend the gunman, her canine saviour attacked her instead of chasing the shooter.
I call that bad luck! Bummer!

Today Katie is standing to represent Hounds for Heroes
at DFS Crufts 2011 along with Veteran Allen Parton:

The purpose of "Hounds for Heroes" is to provide specially trained assistance dogs to injured and disabled men and women of both the UK armed forces and civilian emergency services.

Through this provision our aims are to provide help and practical support leading to an enhanced quality of life for our clients.

(Extract from their Web-Site)


Lets hope Katie will have more luck with her Explosive Detection Dog.

A feature will follow on Katie's story.

DFS Cruft 2011

Its the time of the year again to make the annual pilgrimage to Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre for the UK's biggest Dog Show. I haven't managed to visit this event for two years running due to assignments in sandier climates.
In this space I will be reporting directly from the venue's press centre.
At this point I would like to thank the staff of the Kennel Club for their immense efforts in preparing for members of the international press to make this event as productive as possible.

The day started early for me, having to leave home at 0430hrs this morning. Luckily the M6 was clear and I got there in good time. Meeting friends and acquaintances in the dog world again was a must before getting 'down and dirty'

Worst case scenario: losing my locker key to the storage box that secured my camera kit.
Guess what?
I lost it...or more to the point, I locked the door and left the key in the lock!!!
BAD, BAD MISTAKE!

Luckily a member of the security staff recovered it before my kit was nicked!!!
Grateful thanks go out to the kind and honest man who literally saved my life.

Now I have to wear a chain around my neck with a teddy bear attached to it signifying that I am a LOSER!!! (A key loser that is!)

Images to follow, covering the main events' activities.

Sunday 27 February 2011

Full Frame

Had to dig out my office today.
By pure coincidence I came across my very first full frame Polaroid!
Not a 'real' one though. Its a fujifilm instant image.
However, its the first I took that filled the image pane fully, without cropping!

Saturday 26 February 2011

Its a new Dawn

Got myself into trouble again!
I spent some serious money on a Carl Zeiss lens for my olde Nikon FE and now I am 'In the Dog House' with 'her indoors'!
My digital cameras are getting dusty. I'm just not motivated enough lately to shoot on digital. I've leart to love film. The use of a fully manual, non-electronic lens is much more exciting than fussing around with the 'big guns'. I spent thousands on the most modern D-SLRs and I am having more fun shooting on TMax 100/400.
This space will excibit the results when I get around to processing my negatives.
Just have to wait until the wife has calmed down.

Waiting.....


Still waiting......


Well, maybe not today.

Monday 3 January 2011

Been and gone...?

Somewhere in Wales in 2008 (Polaroid)

Dogs are better than women, they come but they never go...they don't run away,they don't moan, lie or treach on you and they are always there when you need them most.
Lucky me...