Neil Hatton's photostream

Hi. I'm a UK-based amateur photographer. My first experience with a camera dates back to the early 1980's!

Back then, I worked with a real nice old semi-retired guy who went by the name of Phil Redmond. Phil was an oasis of calm, maturity and gentleness amongst the rest of us in the place we worked. He attempted to take me under his wing by involving me in daily discussions about his greatest hobby - photography. Despite his great and continued efforts, he failed dismally to turn me away from the ways of the rest of the workers! Although he did manage to sell me my first 35mm camera, a Zenith E.

In those early days I pretty much just picked up the basics and spent most of my time taking "snap shots" of my greatest interest - sports and racing cars. And the usual holiday snaps of course! Unlike Phil, I was never really interested in the whole process, especially developing and printing - preferring the local Jessops wasting their time in developing my many disappointments.

It was only really with the emergence of the early and relatively affordable DSLRs that my interest in photography picked up once again - the "digital darkroom" being a big bonus the second time round due to a career in IT and huge enthusiasm for anything "PC"!

However, it's only in these most recent years, where I browse through my increasing portfolio of images, that I'm beginning to "get" photography! I've always had an interest in the natural world and wildlife - that pre-dates my first camera - and as life seems to get ever more noisy and busy I cherish more those moments I'm out enjoying it. I'm fortunate to have visited many beautiful places around the UK in search of new experiences, from the Scilly Isles, through Skomer and up to the Isle of Skye. I've seen many beautiful and peaceful landscapes and dramatic skies that I've simply not wanted to leave. And I've experienced some our country's greatest, rarest and most beautiful wildlife in moments that I wished I could repeat everyday.

I know now that my photography is mainly for "me". It's to keep a record and to remind me of those wonderful places I've been to and to continually strive to capture those moments forever.

Hopefully Phil would be proud; wherever he is.