Most of the photographs that I took as a teenager, during the 1960s,
were b&w.
I took a few colour prints which have not stood the test of time very
well, as they have all faded badly, unlike my
b&w
prints which have lasted well.
Sometime during the period 1965-1968, I bought a Robot (35mm camera)
from a work colleague and switched from b&w
to using reversal colour slide film. At that time I used mostly Kodak
colour slide film, but I also used Agfa film. My colour slides have
lasted remarkably well. Nowadays, I use mostly Fujichome Provia 400F
colour reversal film for colour slides.
The photograph below, of some hippopotamuses at London Zoo, was
actually taken using Boots colour slide film, probably sometime during
the 1970s. It was taken with a
Praktica LLC (35mm SLR)
and Tamron telephoto lens.
(Photograph © R D Hughes 1997-2005)
My first SLR was a used Zenit B (35mm) and later, I
upgraded to a brand new Praktica LLC (35mm SLR). During
the 1980s, I upgraded to a second-hand Canon EOS 630 (35mm SLR). I still
use this classic EOS for colour slides. I enjoy taking photos of flora
and fauna. The photograph below is of poppies which can sometimes be
seen growing in fields amongst the crops or by the roadside. They
flourish in disturbed soil, hence their prevalence on battlefields in
spring during WW1.
This photograph was taken with my Canon EOS 630 (35mm SLR) and a
Sigma EX HSM 17-35mm zoom lens.
(Photograph © R D Hughes 1997-2005)
I caught this frog was peeking out from beneath a lily
leaf, amongst the duckweed in our garden pond.
This photograph was taken with my Canon EOS 630 (35mm SLR) and Sigma
APO Macro 70-300mm zoom lens.
(Photograph © R D Hughes 1997-2005)
I photographed this deer after watching it swim across a lake in
Norfolk with my Canon EOS 630 (35mm SLR) and Sigma
APO Macro 70-300mm zoom lens.
(Photograph © R D Hughes 1997-2005)
For a few years, I belonged to a photography club
called Findon
Colour Circle. Other examples of my colour photography can be
found scattered about this Web site.
During the period 1997-1999, I also used a Canon Ixus Z90 (APS format) to
take colour prints. It was ideal for 'point & shoot'
situations, when I didn't want to lug a heavy bag full of camera
equipment around.
During the 1990s, I paid to have some of my colour slides transferred
to Kodak Photo CD, so that I could
use them on this Web site. That worked quite well, but it was rather
expensive.
I bought a Fujifilm MX-170 Zoom (digital
camera) in the January 2000 sales, which I used for digital photography
up until December 2004. It produces excellent results and is now used
by our son. It was ideal for taking pictures for this Web site, as the
resolution was more than adequate for most computer displays at that
time. The photograph below of Cissbury
Ring was taken using the Fujifilm MX-170 Zoom.
(Photograph © R D Hughes 1997-2005)
Nowadays, I use a Nikon Coolpix 8800 VR
for digital photography. I also use a Nikon COOLSCAN IV ED to scan 35mm
slides and an Epson Perfection 1640SU flatbed
scanner with a film adapter, to scan larger format film and negatives.
The film adapater uses an overhead light source, so that film is
scanned using light transmission rather than reflection.
The ease with which digital photographs can be manipulated and
transmitted electronically has clearly revolutionised modern-day
photography. The photograph below of a Goldfinch was produced by
scanning just the cropped area that is outlined in white. This
photograph was taken with my Canon EOS 630 (35mm SLR) and Sigma
APO Macro 70-300mm zoom lens.
(Photograph © R D Hughes 1997-2005)
Note that the area scanned is approximately 1/9th
of the 35mm slide (ie approximately 1/9th
of 24x36mm, or 8x12mm).
(Photograph © R D Hughes 1997-2005)
The photograph below was taken with my Nikon COOLPIX 8800,
while handheld with the zoom lens at full stretch and vibration
reduction switched on. I didn't have time to set up a tripod.
(Photograph © R D Hughes 1997-2005)
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