Like most people, over the years I had taken many pictures of holidays, parties and so forth. About six years ago I purchased a new computer and my first digital camera. No more sending rolls of film off for expensive developing but instead showing my pictures on computer, on the television, on a website or e-mailing them to friends! I then started to get interested in the program mode on my camera. Actually I was on holiday in the Arctic Circle at the time and I was just not getting satisfying results using the automatic function of the camera. The great thing about digital cameras of course that you can immediately see the picture you have taken. This is a great way of learning how to use the various controls on the camera and it costs nothing! And then on top of that there is the wonder of Photoshop.

A friend admired some of my photographs and suggested that I visited his camera club. I joined Dorking Camera Club and soon started to enter competitions. To my surprise I did quite well. There are also interesting lectures by professional photographers who visit the club to show their prints and slides.
I continue to learn more about photography from other club members and from competition judges. I generally have one of my cameras on me now since you never know when that winning picture will show up!