Purelight Photography

The World in Pure Black & White

While I have a great love of photography in all its forms. I have a passion for taking black and white pictures. To me, monochrome prints have a magic that becomes true art when the light and shade of the subject - be it landscape or portrait - are captured to perfection.

My lifelong enthusiasm had its beginnings when my farther encouraged me to take an interest as he took family portraits, I would watch in wonder as he developed and printed them in his makeshift dark room in the loft.

I was presented with my very own camera on my 11th Birthday. It was a Zeith and built like a Russian tank! But I was thrilled, and having absorbed the cameras handbook, I went on an orgy of photography it was my joy to create family albums with a neat caption under each print.

When I was 13 my farther suggested we join a camera club and my knowledge and expertise grew as we attended regular Tuesday meetings. I had a thirst to learn and I poured over books on the art at the local library.

By the time I left school at 16 I reckoned I was ready to go into the photographic business but fate – and the lack of funds - saw me dealing with lenses of the different kind as an optical technician at Boots.

But my dedication to black and white photography grew even stronger and on frequent hill walks I shot some stunning landscapes.

Marriage at 22 could have presented problems, but a very understanding wife agreed that an old outbuilding was the ideal place for a dark room, not a kitchen extension, and as our friends also married, it gave me a chance to practise my photography with, I might add, excellent results but very little renumeration.

I realised that to really succeed I needed to obtain professional qualifications, but finding the time was a hurdle. Then, I found the answer – I became a driving instructor! A bit of bizarre, perhaps, but the job gave me the necessary free time to pay the mortgage and take a three year diploma course in photography. Now, I run a highly successful photography business.

The passion for black and white images is still there, though, of course, I don't neglect colour or the new world of digital systems. I offer a full service to my customers. Whatever they want i'am able to provide – though more and more are coming to appreciate the largely lost art of B&W. One of my ambitions is to stage a series of one-man exhibitions.

Henry Ford of motor fame once said “You can have any colour as long as its black” Well, I can appreciate that, though I add white at the other end of the spectrum with all shades of grey in between!
Steve Austin.