My sister has a lot to answer for. Not only did she influence my musical taste in a big way, but she also inspired me to pick up a pencil (or pen, or crayon!) and draw. And then, she took up photography. I remember helping her on a portrait shoot she was doing by holding a candle just out of shot to light the models face. An arduous task for one so young, but I pulled it off and the seed was sown.
That was in the early 80s, but it wasn't until 1997 that I bought my first SLR camera. I learned how to develop and print my own film, spending many happy hours in my make-shift darkroom with no ventilation, a bucket of water to wash my prints and a blanket wedged between the door sash and frame to keep the light out.
I've photographed weddings - I've even photographed the same bride twice! Two different grooms, though. I've photographed baptisms, corporate head shots, models, musicians and bands (both promotional images and gig photos), and I spent two seasons photographing the British Superbikes at circuits all around England including Brands Hatch and Silverstone in 2000 and 2001.
During the day I work full time making people's dreams come true, as long as those dreams are along the lines of having their old windows and doors replaced with new uPVC ones! I make them, I don't sell them. Please don't hold that against me. I spend my spare time creating images with my camera, writing songs and poetry, raising my two kids and hopefully making my wife glad that she met me. I sorely want to learn the guitar so I can accompany my wife as she sings (she's a full time musician) but I don't have the patience for it. I still draw on occasion. Oh, and I feed the cat.