Focus

In the context of photography 'focus' is a very broad word. I have just spent the last 4 days at a trade fair called Focus on Imaging - known to all as Focus. It is a great place for people like me, who have been in the industry for a long time to meet up with friends. it is also a great place to go if you are a photographer of any level to learn what is new (sometimes the two get horribly in the way of one another!). What I learned over these last few days though is that the 'focus' is very much on the hardware and the software of a digital industry; with the exception of the press, the trade organisations and the schools there was little focus on photography.

I think that the focus should be on learning the skills of taking pictures with your head and your heart instead of with a camera that requires in many cases no more involvement from the 'photographer' than that of aiming. I am delighted to say that in discussing this with visitors to the show I found that I was not alone in feeling this way and hopefully I will have plenty of opportunity to expand on this in the future.

The pictures in this weeks blog have little to do with the subject except that they were taken at Focus... The panda faced girl is Becca, author of the brilliant sunset pictures I blogged about a few weeks ago. Becca is a friend of my son's and came to have a look around the show.

The fellow in the glasses is here for no better reason than that he had the best suited pair of glasses I have seen for ages. they were the perfect match for his face! He is (or was?) a student at University of East London. I hope to be doing something with his Tutor, Ralph who I have known for nearly 30 years!

The final picture - well, I have seen pictures like this passed off as art - very conceptual... it was taken by my lovely wife who is indeed an artist but the truth is that the focus of this particular picture was a failure to find the correct button to press to close the camera.