Andy Collier

Always an enthustic amateur photographer, after 12 years in submarines I transferred to the Royal Navy's photographic branch and did it full time for 10 years, the best move I ever made!

Had a wonderfully enjoyable time photographing all sorts of things from studio portraits of senior officers to air to air photography and reportage.

Spent 3 years working for the United Nations as the resident photographer in Iraq before leaving to become first a photographer and then a CSI for Hampshire police.

I have been fortunate enough to have had the use of a number of different, now older, cameras over the years from my first little OM1, the beautifully crafted Linhof Technika 45, Hasselblads & Nikons as used by the Navy, including the cumbersome gyro-stabilised F3's fitted with the Nikkor 300mm 2.8 and 250 film back which we used for aerial intel work and which used to seriously fight you when the helicopters were manoevering. I currently use a Nikon D5300 at work, which is quite a good little camera, all things considered. All of my pictures are as they left the camera as I do not know one end of Photoshop from the other! Maybe one day when I have the time.

I have a small collection of old cameras I like to use now and again including a battered but indestructable Mamiya RB67, a widelux F5, a Nikonos 5, (which sadly sees very little use these days), an OM4 and my trusty old OM1. I would love to get my hands on an XPAN but I just can't justify the cost at the moment.

Although I find time is tight these days, I still have a great passion for photography and find it a wonderful way to unwind, but I have to say that I have been totally blown away by some of the stunning images on this site. Technical ability is great to have, but there really is no substitute for having a good eye for a photograph and there are some incredibly talented people showing here and I love when you see fantastic images that have not been 'Photoshopped'!

You really are never too old to learn in this game!