Patrick Faleur

Brief Biography

I am proud to have been born in Liverpool. My early years were spent in the Wirral peninsular, from New Brighton to Heswall. Then I moved to North Wales where I lived (with an interlude in the East Midlands) until finally moving to Chester in 1987.

I have always had an interest in photography, thanks to a father who like many of his generation, could only afford to use photography to record family life by doing his own processing and printing. I joined Heswall Photographic Society, only shortly after its founding, and started doing my own developing and printing. I was accepted at the London Polytechnic School of Photography, but instead turned my back on a course in photography for a safer career in Industry, something I now regret.

In 1970's I spent a couple of weeks with relatives in Paris where I roamed the streets with my camera, building a unique collection of "street" photographs, a genre I am still enthusiastic about. After organizing Heswall's first annual exhibition I became their President in 1971/2. In 1973 I left, giving up serious photography altogether. However after my first marraige broke up in the early 1980's I joined Rhyl Photographic Society. In 1987 I remarried and moved to Chester, my darkroom equipment going into the attic where it has stayed ever since. After a few years of living in Chester I was pursuaded to join it's own photographic society. At first I just enjoyed the social events but when we acquired a personal computer and a decent colour printer I was again able to pursue my hobby.

Like many amateur photographers I really feel that my work has flourished since I acquired a digital camera back in 2001, thanks to the freedom to experiment and the immediacy of the results (not forgetting the saving of film costs). I love roaming the streets of Chester (or any other urban environment) and taking "street" photographs. I am also a car nut, so another favourite subject is classic cars, but I will take any subject that inspires me. A recent "project" was photographing a well-known artist in his studio (see Galleries/Slide Shows). I am proud to be a member of the Royal Photographic Society, receiving my licentiateship in April 2003.

Photographic Equipment

For those interested in equipment my first camera was a blue Ensign box camera. This was replaced by an Agfa folding camera, which I never seemed able to focus. My first "proper" camera was a Praktica IV SLR with a beer- bottle bottom of a lens (called Domiplan) which after 3 years was replaced by a Miranda F which had superior optics. The Miranda is still in my collection (I sadly collect cameras, and was a member of the PCCGB) but I would love to acquire an original Practika IV as this was sold to pay for the Miranda.

In the early 80's I bought a Pentax MX which I used for nearly 20 years (a lovely small camera). I later acquired a Nikon SLR. My first digital camera, the Fuji 6900 was used for my LRPS panel. More recently I sold both my SLRs and a Reid III, using the money to buy a Canon 350D. Last year I sold the Canon as my father gave me his Nikon D100 with a 24-120 lens. I also have the classic Nikon 70-210 lens. I have recently acquired a MInolta SRT303 system which I may use to try out some films (if anybody can remember these).

For printing I use an Epson 2400 (marvellous for B&W) and an Epson 1270 for proofs. I also still have two old Epson 2000s but no longer use them as they are slow and impossible to profile, although in their day they produced excellent colour prints.

The most valuable equipment I possess, however, is my "eye" and that marvellous program known as Photoshop!