" *mile! " - Part 2

For a lapse of many years, I did not pursue my photography. When I was in England, I had a simple camera with me and took pictures sporadically. During my military career, I was restricted by the confidentiality and secrecy of my work, hampering serious photography. I only have the odd snapshots to show for it.

It was not until the 70's and the 80's when I revived my photography. I had bought a Minolta SR303, 35 mm single reflex camera. After upgrading to another newer Minolta camera, I bought a second camera body so that I could shoot one on slides and the other on colour prints. Eventually, I traded all these in and switched to the Nikon F90, which was my last film camera. Sony then introduced the computer camera. I bought one and was introduced to a new technology of photography without film. The result was appalling and I continued with my trusty Nikon SLR.

During this time, I was also pursuing my interest in video. With the advance made in this field, the cumbersome 8 mm film strips were done away. Instead, video tapes were introduced. I remember my first video camera was a huge Panasonic camera with a heavy VHS tape recorder, the size of a typewriter, that I sling over the shoulder. It performed very poorly under low light conditions. Compact video cameras were introduced and I managed to sell my Panasonic camera for a more compact one. After going through several models, I settled for a Sony VX1 semi-pro Hi8 videocam. With this, I went to Liverpool with the family for my son's graduation. Staying in the terrible Feathers Hotel, someone broke into my room and stole my videocam. I was livid! A tape inside containing my family video was also gone.

Returning to Singapore, I bought a replacement camera, which I sold eventually and bought a Sony VX2000E. Since then, I have upgraded to a HD (High Definition) videocam, which has brought me some excellent results. (See my China Girl posting).

With the rapid advancement of digital cameras, I have sold my old Nikon F90 for a Nikon D70. Recently, I was able to sell this D70 for the high end D200, a professional DSLR camera. I must admit I made the right choice and am very pleased with the D200. I also have a Sony DSC-F707 digital camera, which my daughter uses a lot, especially when she travel overseas.

I find digital photography fascinating; much more than using film, because of the versatility of the technology. After every shoot, I download my pictures into my PC and work on them with my Photoshop CS2. An expensive professional software, I can enhance my pictures. My grandchildren are perhaps the most photographed children, and I have a portfolio of several hundred pictures of them from birth to present day. Unlike using film, my memory card offers me hundreds of shots, which would have cost me a lot of film rolls. The church also benefited a lot from my various shoot for them, and many of my pictures have appeared in the Sharing magazine.

I have often wandered around, with my camera in a bag, day or night, shooting anything that catches my eye. Sometimes with a theme, e.g. Christmas lighting, CNY decorations, festivities or chasing my grandchildren. I have even done a macro shoot for my son-in-law, who wanted catalog prints of his various screws and fasteners. Never knew there are so many different sizes and shapes of screws. Photography has brought me a lot of joy and kindled my creative juices.

Till then....