My digital photography story started back in 2007 when I completed a short Open University course called ‘Welcome to Digital Photography’. Over ten weeks the course covered the photography basics but also introduced me to Flickr.
Once the course finished I threw myself wholeheartedly into being a Flickr contributor. Back then Flickr had a thriving community and it gave me an outlet my images. It was also a great place for learning and inspiration.
Since those heady days Flickr seems to have lost some of it’s popularity. I know I drifted away from using it and nearly all the photographers I used to follow no longer post there. However, it’s still around, and still free, but with a limit on maximum uploads and ads for non paying members.
Starting this blog, a year ago, came about as part of a desire, to get back to where I used to be with my photography, before I became fixated on Wedding and then Stock Photography. I wanted my hobby back, without being driven by viewing everything as a potential stock sale, or otherwise ignoring it.
To that end the blog has been really good for me. I’ve really enjoyed being involved with the WordPress Community. The Photo Challenges, I partake in, have taken me back to those earlier days of learning and inspiration. It’s made me go out with the camera, taking pictures just for me and potential blogs, with no other agendas.
Some of the inspiration I’ve found on WordPress has made me pick up my vintage lenses again and get out there using them and I’ve really enjoyed that.
I took two vintage lenses away with me on a trip to Rhodes last week and it was quite refreshing (and a bit scary) to wander out from the hotel for a walkabout with a camera and one or two prime lenses. However, it was also nice to slow down, using the lenses in manual mode and with a fixed focal length. I couldn’t quite bring myself to leave the hotel without the backup of a modern zoom or my Sony RX100 for some of our walks but, mostly, I tried to leave those behind when I could.
That brings me back to Flickr which I’ve recently found again as somewhere to upload my vintage lens images and interact with other like minded photographers. That’s been refreshing and good for my photography. A few images on this page were taken as trial shots or experiments and found an outlet on Flickr – and this blog.
I plan on continuing with Flickr and the vintage lenses. Whilst we were on holiday I bought an Auto Takumar 50mm F1.4 from Ebay. It arrived a day after we returned and there’s a few pictures above taken with that lens. It’s a popular, well regarded vintage lens with a quirky bokeh. It still blows me away with the results I get from a lens like this which is over sixty years old. I’ll probably write a few more blogs on these lenses as I get to know them better.
All images: ©Stephen Hyde 2007-2025 – All rights reserved.
Steve Hyde 
Hi Steve,
That’s awesome that WordPress has brought you back to your passion & inspiration, I have to say I love the squirrel shot! They’re always too quick for me to get a decent photo on my old banger of a phone. Maybe I need a fancy camera with different lenses etc 🤭
Thank you Tyler. I wondered if it all sounded a bit wanky but it has made me go out and shoot a few different things, like that squirrel. You could have taken that with your phone. the squirrels in that park are so tame. They get fed all day long and approach you when you walk through the park gates 🙂
Didn’t sound wanky at all 😊, I have actually loved the WordPress community, it’s a lovely tribe of people!Sounds like a great place to have a wander.
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