patrick wilken's photostream  

I am an ex-scientist, ex-journal editor currently living in London (by way of Melbourne, Los Angeles, Magdeburg, Boston, and Berlin). I love photography as an medium and about seven years ago I bought myself a small fixed lens Canon IXUS 500 to start learning how to take photographs. While digital point-and-shoots are great to learn the basics of composition etc, there is a point where you want to move on to proper lenses. Early on I was lucky that I was able to borrow on extended loan a Canon EOS 1-D Mark II. After having to give it back I invested in it's baby brother a Canon EOS 400D. My first attempts at using my own camera can be seen on my photographs of my honeymoon to Egypt. Just recently (June 2010) my 400D suddenly died after 3.5 years (or 14500 photographs) of hard work. In what can only be regarded as callous disregard I cast aside my old friend and bought a 550D two days later.

In March 2009 I was given a 50mm 1.4f Canon lens, which I subsequently used as the only lens in my kit for the next eighteen months. In September 2010 I upgraded to a Sigma 50mm 1.4 and a Tokina 11-16mm 2.8, which I have been very happy with. More recently, I used a part of an inheritance to upgrade again to 5D2 and 35mm 1.4 L series lens.

All my post-processing up until October 2010 was done a Mac, using Aperture and various flavors of Photoshop. After a logic board fry-out I finally left Macland and bought a cheaper PC and have being learning the joys of Linux photography since (check out Photivo and a more than adequate free replacement to Aperture).

I welcome feedback (good or bad) so feel free to say something about any of the images you see. I am constantly amazed by the quality of the images I see on Flickr; I am grateful for the many much better photographers that stop by my stream to give encouraging words of advice. You know who you are: Thank you!

Finally thanks to Kristina's mother who is always on the look out for photographs of her daughter, and who always has a kind word to say about my efforts.