The development of digital technology in the past few years has rapidly led to it becoming the recording medium of choice for the majority of photographers.

      Bob first became interested in photography in his early teens, he was inspired by a master at his school.  It was fascinating for Bob to see, in a small darkened storeroom, a film being sea-sawed through developer in a 'Pyrex' dish and the negative image appearing as if by magic.

      At home Bob was given a small folding Kodak camera belonging to his Uncle and from then on he was 'hooked'.

      The technicalities of developing and contact printing "120" film was what captured his boyish interest and he also bought and read the Amateur Photographer magazine from cover to cover, being especially interested by the then plethora of articles on making gadgets to help in taking photographs.  Bob also read with some curiosity the advice given by "Ricardo" and others who analysed pictures and gave advice on how they could have been 'improved'.  This, Bob supposes, was his first introduction to judging, something that he now "endures" as part of life in a camera club!  Eventually Bob managed to buy a 12 X 8 cm Plate Camera with double extension which allowed close-ups to be taken.  This was good experience as glass plates had to be processed singly and it was necessary to study carefully before 'wasting' a shot.

      At the age of 18, like most boys at that time, Bob went off to do National Service and ended up in Central Africa in the RAF.  Photography gave him something to do to fill in his free time.  There was a darkroom available and Bob saved up and bought a Kodak Retina 1a.  He was fortunate enough too to produce some pictures that convinced the editor of the "Group Magazine" to take him on as the Sports Photographer, which was good experience, and also allowed him access to good quality darkroom equipment, including a Leitz Valoy enlarger.

      Leitz was a name that had figured large in his photographic reading and his ambition was to own a Leica camera, although at that stage a Retina was his limit financially.

      On returning home Bob began training as a teacher at Bede College and joined the local camera club, Durham Photographic Society, where the established workers were people like Charles Eagles and Harry Holder, whose work he admired.  However another of his interests was a young newly qualified teacher who was also a member and who eventually became his wife.  Photography certainly had some unexpected side effects!  After qualifying Bob moved to Loughborough before being appointed to a job in Durham City.  Another member of staff explained that a new club had started up at Esh Winning and he persuaded Bob to join.  Bob has been a member ever since, becoming Competition Secretary in 1972 until giving up the post this year and General Secretary in 1994, a post he continues to hold.  Bob also served on the Federation Executive as Wear Area Representative for a number of years, an experience that gave him an insight into the hard work and time given up by dedicated folk in the interests of members of all the local clubs.

      To broaden his experience he was persuaded, by John Ceiriog Hughes to join the Leica Postal Portfolio group in 1970 and a few years later Randal Bell invited him to join the Methodist Pen and Camera Club, also a postal group.  Bob became General Secretary of that club in 1988 and continues in that position.

      Bob did eventually in the 1950s manage to buy his long coveted Leica Camera.  It was a model IIIc and was well worn but in good working order.  In 1972 an application to attend a course at the "Leica Schule" in Wetzlar was successful and one of the "bonuses" was that they would overhaul and service any Leica camera that attendees owned.  On returning the camera to him it was pointed out that it was one of only a few ever made, distinguished by a letter "K" engraved after its serial number.  It was one of a batch that was specially made and "Winterised" for use on the Eastern Front during WWII.  The camera is still working well, Bob wishes to add, and has served him well until last Christmas he obtained a Panasonic ZX30 digital camera, with a Leica lens, of course.  This allows him to continue to submit pictures to the Leica Postal Portfolio.

      Bob's interests are catholic and any and every subject is fair game.  Both slides and monochrome prints are his main media with most of his effort being directed towards monochrome prints.  After spending 60 years or so striving for 'quality' prints using darkroom techniques the challenge of achieving similar quality by digital methods is a new and interesting test.

      Competitions are, he feels, a necessary evil of club life and he much prefers to submit work for comment and evaluation without there being a competitive element involved.  The club at Esh Winning have long dispensed with marks and they ask for judges to comment on their work without trying to decide whether one print or slide is "worth" one or two marks more or less than another:  Having said that, Bob did submit a panel of prints to the Alliance evaluation day at Gateshead a few years ago and was gratified to be awarded a CPAGB.

      Bob has no long term objectives except to continue enjoying his photography and continuing to meet the interesting and very nice people involved in our hobby.

Editor.