Dad was a game warden and took some amazing pictures (developed as "slides") of wildlife and landscapes in East Africa/Central Africa (Tsavo, with Kilimanjaro as a backdrop, Meru and Nairobi National parks were my early home; the western Cape of South Africa; the lowveld and Zambezi Valley in Zimbabwe. My pre-teen years I spent many hours sitting quietly (or not so) with Dad trying to get the best
shot of a leopard or elephant. I guess he along with my great grandfather and my great great, grandfather (who owned a photography studio in London in the 1800's) have been the catalyst that have inspired me to pick up a camera. Landscape and low light photography are what floats my boat. Modern digital cameras and software programs provide such great technology to inspire - immediately. Take your best shot, review, make an adjustment and take another - it's that quick. My grandfather(s) would not believe how far the tools of their trade have advanced over the ensuing 120/150 years. So many of us today carry this technology around as part of our identity, not giving it a 2nd thought as to how our ancestors have "struggled" through "f" stops, shutter speeds, lenses (glass), lighting, developing (chemicals), ISO, paper. I think knowing that I share a passion with previous generations who used similar tools, inspires my interest in low light photography, particularly light painting. To be able to walk in front of the lens with the shutter open and not be "captured" on the media, is fascinating. To be able to carry the technology with me that allows me to capture then “develop” the image (in a way that provokes thought and emotion and still grasp the essence of what I saw through the lens), and be able to share that almost immediately, is motivating.