Desert Island Photos
This week at Desert Island Photos we are joined by club member Ken McArthur .
How long have you been a member of the club?
This is my third or fourth season with the club although this has not been continuous , I had a year off from club photography and two seasons with Paisley Colour although I only competed for one.
When did you first get into photography?
I can't really remember not being interested in photography however my first camera of true quality was a gift for my eighteenth birthday an Olympus OM10 which I still have along with some lenses, in short its been a fair old time!
How would you describe your Photography?
Aspirationally chaotic – I look a the work of others who produce images which genuinely create an emotion, this makes for an unfocused learning path as I move between genres never really creating my own style with any determination.
What was your first camera?
I have been fortunate to have had access to a camera since my seventh or eighth birthday, when I was gifted a second hand Kodak 100 Instamatic. It had a revolving flash cube on the top, I can still remember the smell when the single-use bulb was used. I was also given a Polaroid but it I never truly used this as the film was so expensive . The pleasure of Saturday morning visit to Boots to pick up 36 images and a new film once a month is still fresh in my mind.
Whats been your biggest waste of money on camera gear?
Well that depends if you take my or my wife's opinion, only kidding…. Probably accessories rather than actual cameras and lenses , I have a cupboard of odd clips fittings and clamps which I convinced myself during frequent eBay browsing that I must have. I had a truly duff Nikon D800 which was my most expensive financial loss.
Be Honest - What kind of photography are you bad at?
I would love to master wedding work but not for financial gain. When you watch a good wedding photographer at work its done with ease, my forays into this field leave me panicking although I have forced my self to take bookings for 2019.
Landscape work leaves me baffled.
To Crop or Not to Crop? Depends on what your shooting, in general “Not” to maximising image quality however its useful to save some room for correcting wonky shots and getting subjects on the thirds .
Whats the thing you enjoy most about photography?
Easy, the pleasure on the first viewing of an image on the computer screen when it's hit the mark, especially those from a pre-planned shoot.
What are you shooting with just now?
Nikon D810, D850 and Canon 6D.
What advice would you give someone thinking of taking up photography?
Hire a camera before you buy it and don’t waste money on magazines. YouTube is your friend.
Whats is your desert island camera and lens set up?
D850 and 24/70 . 2.8
Where can we see more of your work?
www.kenmcarthurphotography.com
