I have always loved photography, ever since I was at school. There was a cupboard under the stairs, where Mr Bygrave taught us the basics of pinhole cameras, and how to develop photos. I can still smell the developer and remember how magical it felt to clip a piece of photography paper up and watch the images fade into view.
For a young, enquiring mind, it was fascinating, and my parents purchased me a 3mm Ilford camera that I still have. Cue several out-of-focus reels of film taken at home, but there were some stars; an opening rosebud that my parents enlarged for me as a surprise and striking mono shots of old churches and flints.
Along came digital – and a Lumix – something that turned everyone in the world into a photographer. I spent many hours capturing images around the world, enjoying the fact you could instantly see whether you had got ‘the shot’ or not. Sadly, all my images from my travels around the world were lost a few years ago when the hard drive on my PC went fizz. I cried. Lots.
“It is a unique gift for a person to be able to capture the essence of what is before them and then translate that experience through the art of words and imagery for all to enjoy. As an author and photographer, Samantha has this unique gift. Thank you for sharing it with us and transporting us with you on your many journeys around the world.”
Carol Cooper-Hall, USA
Then mobile phones vastly improved, and I would find I was leaving my camera at home less and less, and instead using my phone to take images. My trip to Australia in 2019 saw me barely take my camera from my bag, instead using what was in my hand and so easy to reach. The results were barely discernible.
While we are all photographers now, the art of photography still comes down to having an eye for a shot, being able to capture what is in plain sight but that no one else can see. So, photographers still have their voice, their calling card. And it is that what sets them apart.
Photography credits
Magazine covers – nourish 04 & nourish 05
Book covers – Eat Well, Feel Well, Be Well due out June 2024
Photography featured in The Arabian Magazine, The Arabian Magazine Calendar, nourish, Flint Vineyard, Jadem Arabians I and II, Australian Studs & Stallions, Oasis Magazine, Eat Well, Feel Well, Be Well, Feast Norfolk Magazine, Norfolk Online.