The Early Photographs

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Written by Scott K Marshall

This is a personal review of 11 images which were taken at the early stage of my development – they were taken by mixture of compact cameras (Pentax Optio RS330 and Panasonic DMC FS15), Film (Yashica FX-D Quartz), and early Nikon D50 & D60 APS-C Digital. The quality is not there like modern photos, but some evidence of composition exists. The bridge at Besalu in Spain was my first attempt at an architectural shoot although it was just a nice scene as far as I was concerned. I would love to reshoot this scene with my D850 on a tripod in a variety of conditions including at night. Moody Udrigle one of the earliest digital shots circa 2003 lots of noise but a shot worth taking. Snowdon from Lyn Llydaw is a simply stunning winter light shot taken whilst heading out for a walk on the welsh hills taken on my Nikon D50 my first proper digital camera. Stackem High on the Amalfi Coast was a brand-new Nikon D60 which I had bought from a friend whilst in Naples and flogged my Nikon D50 to an American colleague. This has been processed recently extracting the best from the file and considering it is 12 years old stands up well against modern digital photos. The Arc of the Diver named after a Steve Winwood song was taken on a Yashica FX-D on 35mm and scanned this was probably the first picture that blue my brains in its quality. I had the idea from a travel blog, so it was a copy and learn shot. Minnesota is also a film image and was taken handheld in exceptionally low light – this is style of photograph which I went on to develop with each year. Omaha was taken circa 2008 and certainly led me to end up shooting property professionally it builds on the bridge at Besalu with digital quality of the Nikon D50. Covesea towards the sun is a Panasonic compact camera has a red cast but is well controlled considering it is a mid-priced compact camera circa 2010. Lossiemouth West circa 2010 Nikon D60 was one of the images that solidified my dreams of becoming a professional – wild winter light on a snow covered Lossiemouth West beach with Jim Robertson (a Scottish landscape photographer) in the foreground. Above the clouds circa 1996 was taken on film in Sarajevo, Bosnia on top of a mountain the Sikorsky UH60 Blackhawk which took me there is off shot to my right. Photographer Captured my first street photography shot – alongside the River Clyde. It is a gritty shot which was taken by another compact camera Panasonic DMC FS15 using its gritty mono settings. Although I did not know it at the time it has leading lines a focal point and dark to light composition. It is good to look back some wonderful locations and great memories. Especially relevant when getting out to shoot is constrained by Covid_19 lockdown. 

14 Comments

  3. Marvelous…
    “It is good to look back some wonderful locations and great memories. ” I could not agree more! I’ve been doing a bit of that myself.

    Loved all these shots and your critique had me remembering the frustrating chase for ‘perfection’ back in the day. I’m having far more fun these days just going for the atmosphere without a mind or eye (needing cataract surgery badly) to said perfection! Also remembered your marvelous Lossiemouth.

    1. Yes I think the phrase is reflection – but I have noticed that with each update of Adobe Camera Raw it can squeeze more detail from images – quiet amazing but a therapeutic session all the same.

      1. I quit updating Lightroom when they tried to herd me into the cloud…. also getting to an age where the annoying changes (those damned so-called ‘updates’) are not something I want to cope with. 😉

  5. Beautiful photos and great memories. These images are the perfect example that it’s not the camera but rather the talents of the photographer. I too am stepping back in time, but my images from my inexpensive point and shoot cameras were limiting. See how I’m blaming the camera for the poor images because it couldn’t have been me🤣 A do over would sure be nice!

    1. Trust me, the times I have taken photos thinking I had a beauty only to be disappointed – especially from the film era when you had to wait a week to be disappointed. Or you get half a bird or cropped out a foot or a head. We definitely have it much easier with todays modern kit. Of course with your comment regarding the talents of the photographer you can return anytime 🙂

  6. Lockdown ….. I guess its made us all pause and think. Normal, of a kind, is still a longway off, but there is nothing wrong in dreaming (some say thatbcalled planning). Nice gallery 😀

    1. David – certainly has made us all pause and think – but I also think photography has helped me get through the period too, especially the first period when I was furloughed. The joy I experienced when finally completing my back catalogue edit and organisation even managed to get some 850 images listed as stock. But mainly you can see the difference in the quality of the images although there is a massive return to film currently and I do love the look and feel of a film camera. I am working full on just now selling houses and loving it – completely privileged to be able to work when so many cant.

      2. Well after it reopened after the first lockdown so May to November last year it was “mental” so busy we all working 13/14 hour days and still couldn’t keep up. Mid November 2020 it returned to normal levels. January was very busy but we are steady just now. The chancellors tax break is due to end 31st of March plus lockdown, plus bad weather so I am expecting it will pick up over the next month and off we go till November again. I am targeting retiring in 5 years at around 62 and I will teach a little to supplement my income – if photography still exists and we are not extracting perfect stills from 8K video streams on our mobile phones.

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