Thursday, 14th September 2023, saw the return of Pudsey Camera Club for the 2023/2024 season. The evening was an informal “show and tell” with members bringing images they thought might be of interest. I was hoping to bring you a summary of the evening, however work got in the way meaning I was unable to attend and catch up with the other members.
However, in the spirit of the evening, I thought it was appropriate as the webmaster of the club to write a blog about the images I had intended to show at Pudsey Camera Club on Thursday.
Firstly let me introduce myself. I am Pete Walker; I have been a member of Pudsey Camera Club for around 4 years, although most of that time the club was on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m the author and designer of the website you’re reading – I hope you like it.
Photography has been a passion of mine since I was a kid and has been part of my life ever since although it did take a little bit of back seat for a few years in the mid 2000’s. In 2008 work moved me to Asia to live for the next 11 years and that move rekindled my love of photography – I think it was the new subjects.
The images I chose for the show and tell are 6 images that are on my living room wall that were originally put together as a 50th Wedding Present for my Mum and Dad back in 2014. They were originally picked as I felt that they represented the time I had spent in Asia and were also a reflection of the styles of photography I enjoy.
While I like these and so did my parents. The photographs are not necessarily competition or salon standards; just six photographs that have personal touch points for me and my parents. These personal touch points feel a little more important now as my Dad (an active member of Pudsey Camera Club) passed away in March this year; my mum passed away in 2017.
Train to Tibet
In 2010 I took the train to Tibet from Hong Kong. The train took 56 hours to work itself up through the centre of China and slowly climb into the Himalayas.
It was a long journey made of undecipherable menus, progressively scarier toilets, no showers and pretty much zero English spoken.
One morning I walked out of my cabin to be greeted by this site – I decided I made the correct decision to catch the train
Sunrise at Angkor Watt
Cambodia 2009, I had just returned to photography so armed with far too heavy tripod I got up a 3 am to be taken by Tuk Tuk to the temple at Angkor Watt.
After stumbling around in the dark I pitched my tripod and waited a couple of hours for the sun to come up – this image can never do justice to what I saw that morning.
Dusk at Lake Pokara, Nepal
Nepal is a country I have visited twice and was captivated by it.
Pokara lives in the shadow of Annapurna one of the few mountains in the world over 8000m, it is also the spiritual home of the Ghurkas.
Lake Pokara is peaceful, especially as night and dusk as the trekker and backpackers head back to the hostels. I like to say this was painstakingly with a tripod however, I just had a camera, and rock to lean on and hope and prayer in Lightroom.
Hindu Sadhu
Kathmandu is full of “Hindu Holy men” who will happily pose for for cash especially around the markets of the Thamal District in the afternoon. However, these guys are just chances and scammers trying to make a living from the 1000’s of tourists that swam in the area.
However, if you make the effort to get up before breakfast and take a walk around the streets you’ll come across one of the genuine article. This chap was walking down the road I approached with a friendly smile, nod and wave of the camera. I gladly stopped and had his portrait taken and then headed off on his way. I often regret I didn’t ask him to step a foot to his left but that the nature of street portraits
Montane Mansion, Hong Kong
Hong Kong older public housing estates are a goldmine of photography opportunities. Nestled in the Quarry Bay Area of Hong Kong Island Montane Mansion is part of an E-shaped complex of building which really give an impression of how dense the housing is in Hong Kong.
Locally nicknamed the monster building these buildings have been featured in many global blockbusters – Michael Bay was attacked by Triads with an air-conditioning united while filming a Transformers film here.
Nodded Off, Hong Kong
This was taken in Mong Kok a hugely busy area of Hong Kong. In fact, its name roughly translates from Cantonese as “Busy Corner”. Mong Kok is the home to shopping, food, karaoke bars, and night markets… its a fantastic vibrant area that is not really on the tourist trail – spent 1000 of hours walking around there – probably because there is a camera shop street there.
The fact that this gentleman had fallen asleep while manning a newsstand seemed to be the perfect juxtaposition to the bustle of the street and also illustrates the intrinsic honesty and safety of Hong Kong that no one was robbing him blind.
I hope you have enjoyed this brief show and tell you can see more of my images over on my website or my Instagram.
