24/11/10

My name is Brenda Difford, I am 62 and live in Banbury with my husband of 44 years.

By chance I noticed a sign for a Photographic Exhibition in Adderbury a few months ago and decided to pop in. Immediately I was enticed by the information board and even before I had looked at the photographs I was a convert and knew I would be joining the club. I found the photographs awesome and inspiring and received a very warm welcome from John Branton who was ‘on duty’ that afternoon.

During the past 40 years I have been interested in photography, but purely as a ‘memory tool’ and I was always the ‘one with the camera’. However as my daughter is a keen photographer, travelling the world with her job, she upgraded her Canon camera to the EOS 7D and I inherited her EOS450D. The lens I use is a Tamron 18-250mm and I have a couple of extra filters I am yet to learn about and experiment with. In addition I have a flash gun and two slaves which my husband used with a previous camera. Of course I have the obliquity tripod which I am slowly getting to grips with. However since changing some of my settings, in particular the mirror lock, I find that I no longer get so many blurred images caused through motion. ( That's what you get when you actually read your manual!)

Recently I took the opportunity to help a friend promote his Boutique Studios. Because marketing and promotion carries a heavy price tag we came to an arrangement whereas he would cook dinner for us one evening and I would take some photographs. Then one thing led to another and I tried my hand at designing a flyer for him.

May I say I have had great fun and games learning about my new camera and experimenting with the settings but the camera club, with it’s monthly meetings, guests and the workshops have undoubtedly advanced my knowledge. On the whole I find everyone most helpful and every month I am overwhelmed by the professional images the club members submit. Hopefully one day I will take such photographs and enjoy the great sense of achievement they must feel. Being a non competitive platform - to advance one’s camera skills is less intimidating and allows each member to grow at their own pace.

I have no hesitation in recommending the club to anyone and everyone and indeed I have already introduced one friend. If only my other friends knew what they were missing? But I will say it can become quite an obsession and the desire to just get out and about with my best friend, my camera, is very strong but it costs nothing and gives one a wonderful sense of satisfaction albeit after the numerous 'deletes'. Cannot believe I am saying this but ' it beats shopping anyday'.