NICOLE BILLIAU and CARLO DIANA (Published Sept 2009)
Carlo's interest in photography first started when he was 12 years old, as a present for his birthday he received a Brownie Six Box Camera Model "F".
During many years this "box" camera was a marvellous "object" to record family events, in black and white of course. Later on he could take "Proud as a Peacock" pictures with a Pentax K2. With this camera he enjoyed "immortalising" all the family events.
In 1980 a neighbour, who got to know of Carlo's interest in photography, asked him to accompany him to the photographic club. This contact stimulated Carlo to participate in the club competitions. Carlo decided he needed another two cameras for different objectives: a Pentax SFx for slides (Agfa CT18) and a Pentax P30N for black and white.
After acquiring a dark room in the garret Carlo produced his desired work: printing black and white, infra-red, compositions in black and white and even manipulating slides with "Colorvir" - which became a special experience. Indeed, long before the computer and Photoshop, this process permitted Carlo to transform the slide in such a way that it became very "special", very "picturesque", very "strange". No wonder that those colourful slides were conspicuous and so intriguing that Carlo was invited to explain this "mysterious" method in many clubs, not only in Belgium but also in different European countries (France, Italy, UK, The Netherlands).
After taking pictures of flowers in his garden, Carlo had fun with "tabletop" and portraits of models in the studio. Also further enjoyment taking outside pictures of models with "old timers" near castles and woods. Carlo needed some help to dress and make up those models! Easy if you can count on your wife, Nicole, who liked to fix that! She did a great job and contributed to Carlo's success in many competitions.
In the nineties both of them liked to travel and one of the most beautiful countries they visited was Namibia.
Because on the earlier trips Nicole was bored stiff while Carlo absorbed himself in his photography, she decided to also buy a camera: a Pentax SFx, while Carlo had a Pentax SFxN at his disposal. Namibia, the only African country where you can drink tap water and eat raw vegetables very safely, was amazing, coloured high dunes, proud Himba's and the Etosha National Park with plenty of animals. A heaven for photographers, But unfortunately once they arrived back at home and developed the Fuji slide films, Heaven became a .. HELL!
What a disaster: twenty-three of the eighty-three films were totally BLACK! Not one picture! What had happened?
After some research they discovered that the shutter curtain had not opened. Is it any wonder that they decided to change their cameras. Nicole chose a Nikon F60 and Carlo a Nikon F90 and F90x. Also they held in mind to visit Namibia again, which they did indeed achieve and with more success!
Nicole and Carlo like to travel not only to take pictures but also to meet local people, to get acquainted with their morals and customs.
One of Carlo's joys in photography is being able to share his hobby with Nicole and seeing her get distinctions in FIAP and PSA like he has acquired. Nicole has EFIAP and PSA CS4*, NS3*, PT4*, while Carlo has been awarded EFIAP/Platina, PSA CS Gal 4, NS4*, PT Trav. 2.
Carlo has become involved in judging competitions. In the beginning he was appointed as a judge by his own club and afterwards he became a judge in regional and national competitions. After being Chairman of Two International Salons (Europa Cup), he judged many times in several countries, even in China where he had the opportunity to sit near Mr. LU HOUMIN, the personal photographer of Mao. Another extraordinary experience was judging ON LINE a Japanese exhibition. Nicole has also won her spurs in judging and now she is involved as Vice-President of the new association UPI (United Photographers International) to promote photography all over the world. Through those international contacts both of them had the opportunity to meet very nice people and to make good friends.
Nicole and Carlo don't dislike any form of photography, so long as it is well done. Of course they find some styles are not to their personal liking, but they can still appreciate good work in any field. Carlo finds photography that intrudes into people's weakness or frailties somewhat repulsive, but this has to do with the attitude of the photographer; simply Carlo does not like exploitation, but in certain circumstances there can be a place for that kind of work such as photojournalism.
In 1998 Carlo bought his first computer with Photoshop 4, but until 2008 he was still a "dinosaur", taking slides with the Nikon F90. Because slide films were difficult to buy, he (and Nicole) decided to switch over to digital cameras: the Nikon D200 and D300. Two months ago, after many problems with the computer, Nicole offered Carlo a new computer with Photoshop CS4, so both of them can enjoy the benefits of this new "toy".
For creativity the computer is a more "handy" tool than their dark room, which is now disused and is a bygone memory.
Nicole and Carlo found entering international salons rewarding, even if it was only an acceptance it kept them happy, especially if their photograph was reproduced in the catalogue.
Nicole and Carlo hope to continue together enjoying their photography and to meet interesting and very nice people involved in the same hobby.
Prepared by the Editor in conjunction with Nicole and Carlo