852365 – 132

Walkies and a bath

Film isn’t dead ll – Four of 8ight

It was a girlfriend of mine at the time who introduced me to photography all those years ago, 1977 actually.
Before I met her the only camera that I had used was a Kodak Brownie and a cheap plastic camera that I obtained in exchange for sending away some Bazooka Joe coupons. Oh I almost forgot the trick squirting water camera from Butlins Filey. But hey this girl was a real pro! Sorry I’ll rephrase that. She was an expert with an SLR as she was taking photography as a CSE at school, she even had a picture published in Amateur Photographer.
For her 16th birthday I went to see Mr. Moffatt, the local camera dealer on Baxtergate in Loughborough and brought her a Praktica MTL5.
Love was in the air!
A few years later she dumped me. I was heartbroken as I really missed that camera!
Anyway here we are thirty years on, or at least here I am.
I have a Praktica MTL5 again complete with Pentacon lens in mint condition. Add a roll of HP5 and I am 16 all over, apart from the hips giving me some jip.

First Love

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852365 – 078

First Love

Monday October 13th, 5.13pm TODAY!!

In the English summer of 1978 I bought my then girlfriend a Praktica MTL5 for her birthday. It was a good move on my part as she introduced me to proper photography. Proper photography because this camera had a screw on lens and I came from a two up, two down , Box Brownie family.

Our relationship blossomed, we commandeered a spare bedroom at her parents house and er turned it into a darkroom. What else?

Sadly it all turned sour. She left me and took the Praktica with her.
I was heartbroken for I really missed that camera. What was I to do?
There was only one thing for it! A trip to see Mr. Moffatt at his shop in Baxtergate and buy myself a Canon AV1.

Over the years the AV1 was replaced by a A1, the A1 in turn replaced by a Pentax SFX. It had autofocus, a built in flash not to mention a motorwind. I still have it.

Digital on my part came along in 2000, Sydney’s Olympic year. Film was forgotten. Strewth nearly $2000 for a 3.3 mega pixel Olympus 3030Z.
Next came a Pentax istDS then a Nikon D200 and pro lenses. I had arrived. Now at least I know that if my pictures are crap it’s me not the camera.

They do say however that you never forget your first love.

I never have and today after a break of 27 years thanks to Ebay, my first love has returned.
The years have been kind she is in almost mint condition, better than the original.

A roll of HP5 for old times sake, a love rekindled.

Give that ebayer some extra positive feedback!
For the ex girlfriend I have some feedback for you too.

Thanks

852365 – 041

Aerial shot of Loughborough

8ight days past and so a new theme ‘Back to Black’

Back to where it all started, well for me anyway. Back to my home town of Loughborough and back to black and white photography.
8ight images that I took more years ago than I dare remember and all taken on cameras that I purchased from Paul Moffatt in Baxtergate.
Canon, AV1, A1 and the Pentax SFX that I still have somewhere.

Anybody that has been to Loughborough will instantly recognise the Carillon but sadly my perch from which this image was taken has gone. The Multistorey carpark has been demolished, so too has the Drill Hall with its old 405 line Black and White TV aerial.

Progress!! They call it progress. My old town has been ravaged by the demolition man’s ball.
Quite appropriate really as acccording to the locals, the Town planners and Council have dropped many a bollock over the years. You only have to read the letters page of the Loughborough Echo.

“Oh where have all the old buildings gone? My town has disappeared”
Signed Angry of Park Road.

MY ONLINE EXHIBITION OF LOUGHBOROUGH IMAGES CAN BE FOUND HERE