Photography can be anything to anyone! There are no rules, there is no right or wrong! It is our personal interpretation! It can consume our total being as we see life through a lens. Everywhere we look we see our next shot, or one that we want to create. At least, this is how it is to me. This book is a collection of International photographers, all giving a brief insight into their lives, their work, their style, their likes and dislikes. Their story, on how they began and where they are going. Each story will vary and give us a brief insight into who they are, as photographers. Whether you are an amateur or professional, (and there is a discussion in that itself) we will all see something different in the same view, vista or face. Whatever camera you use, it really doesn't matter - if it's what makes you happy then that's fine. There are always discussions, sometimes a little heated, about the best make of camera, the best lens for specific subjects, and such conversations can be interesting. However, it is all about our personal preferences, and that varies so much. There is no one definitive answer. The same goes for the film verses digital argument - it is about personal preference and your ultimate goal. What motivates any of us?.....how did we start on our journey?.......I dare say I could write an entire book on this alone. Some people discover their interest at a young age, maybe having been given an old camera as a present. Others may have come to photography much later in life. Many will remember the days of film, when every shot had to count as film was not cheap. Reloading film throughout a shoot, pockets full of film, the long wait while the film was developed, unless you did this yourself. The smell of developing fluid, fiddling around in a dark room for hours on end. For many, film was the 'real' art of photography and indeed is still in use today by some. Personally I must have been one of the last people to convert to digital, a bit of a stick in the mud, believing that 'this modern digital stuff' will never catch on"! Ha ha, well I have been well and truly proved wrong! What is it that you want to achieve ? Maybe a classic shot, beautifully composed with perfect exposure or maybe something a little more off the wall. Even intentional movement to create a specific 'effect'....... some like this, it started as a mistake and then presented as if it's meant to be. It may not please some, but then we all like different types of photography. The age old argument of 'what constitutes art' amongst artists has been around as long as I can remember, and this can also be applied to photography. In this digital age, making composites or adjusting photographs quite considerably using a variety of software divides opinions.......is this still a photograph as we understand it? The choice of software we use to adjust, enhance, and in some cases, totally change a photograph so it barely resembles the initial image. . The rule of thirds......well it's familiar to all of us, but to call it a 'rule' is a bit of an exaggeration .......more of a guide, again, it depends on what you are out to achieve. Live dangerously......break the rules! The rule of thirds.....break that too! There is no right or wrong! Most of all..... ENJOY YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY !! Barbara Roberts.
