opobs' photostream  

Born in 1949 in Porthcawl, South Wales, I spent only six weeks there before moving to my parent's home in Bridgend where I lived until moving to London in the 1970s. Spent a short while there and moved back to Wales, Southerndown on the Glamorgan Heritage Coast, which was my home for 28 years until 2005. Now downsized and moved back into Bridgend town in anticipation of retirement in a few years. I'm considered to be rather eccentric, and proud of it!

I have tried to put a large cross section of photographs on my flickr pages, some new, some not so new, many nostalgic, many memories. I've been taking photographs since 1960 when I was 11 and had my first camera, a Welsh-built Purma. Had many cameras since, kept many of them and also accumulated a large number of vintage ones along the way; lost count after 75! Also, I have a large collection of old post cards and other old photographs of the Bridgend area. These are slowly being put on my web-site as and when enthusiasm allows!

In 2004 I was pleased to be awarded an Associateship of the Welsh Photographic Federation for a panel of 12 black and white prints of industrial ruins, that panel is shown here, click on it to view larger.



Although I have a large number of vintage and not so old cameras, I currently use a Canon 5D which I love! My favourite photos are those taken with a wide angled lens from a low viewpoint, "Wet Knees & Wide Angle" is one of the available talks I give to interested clubs and groups. My favourite lens for the full framed 5D has to be the excellent 14mm f2.8L, which gives outstanding and dramatic results. I also use the 17-40mm L series lens for most of my other photographs. Hope you enjoy my flickr pages!

Michael J Stokes AWPF