Greetings from Swindon, Wilts

[Mark Pope]

Hi,

allow me to introduce myself. My name is Mark Pope. I live in Swindon in the UK.
I've been into photography for more years that I care to remember, although only really seriously for about 6 years: I built my darkroom in 1999. It currently contains a wall-mounted Meopta Opemus 6 enlarger with Meograde head. I use a timer and analyser from RH designs and have a Nova slot processor and print washer.

I use a range of cameras, from rangefinders to holgas. I used to have a MF (645) outfit but I sold this to make way for digital. I truly believe that analogue and digital complement each other and it's nice to have the choice, depending on the subject and the approach.

I've been lucky (or stupid) enough to exhibit my work. I'm looking to build a portfolio of work based on the Normandy Invasion beaches which I hope to get published in the not too distant future: assuming of course I spend more time in the darkroom and less time surfing the net...

Anyway, I look forward to participating on APUG!

All the best,

 

[roteague]

Hi Mark, welcome from Hawaii. You have found a great place to hang out. You will also find quite a large UK group here; some of the most outstanding B&W photographers I've seen yet. But, you have to check out Baxter Bradford's color work - stunning.

 

[Tom Kershaw]

Stupid enough to exhibit?

 

[removed account4]

hi mark

welcome to apug, from rhode island ( between boston and new york ) ..
i look forward to seeing some of your work!

john

ps. one of my fav bands - xtc - is from swindon !

 

[pentaxuser]

Welcome Mark from the mysterious East.

pentaxuser

 

[Tom Kershaw]

What does that make Norfolk?

 

[philldresser]

What does that make Norfolk?

Better!

Welcome Mark

Phill

 

[Dave Miller]

Welcome Mark, from nearer the middle.

 

[Les McLean]

Welcome Mark, from the far north of England.

 

[Baxter Bradford]

And welcome also from the far South.

The Beaches project sounds interesting and at some stage would like to see you post some of them in the galleries (you would need to subscribe however to do this).

I like to think of the Beach as being my 'office'. Problem is that I spend too much time away from it!

(Thanks Robert, you are too kind - I would love an 'office suite' like yours!)

 

[digiconvert]

Welcome from the West Mids

 

[roy]

Welcome Mark. I think it is good to explore a theme and build up a body of work.

 

[BarryWilkinson]

Wecome from the 'Smoke' Mark.

Barry

 

[mono]

Welcome from Germany and enjoy this great community!

 

[Mark Pope]

Stupid enough to exhibit?

I got a great buzz from seeing my work in a public place BUT it was pretty hard work getting everything together and it wasn't cheap. It's also pretty stressful getting everything together on time.

I'm probably stupid enough to do it again though...

 

[Mark Pope]

ps. one of my fav bands - xtc - is from swindon !

Really? Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding went to the same school as me. They were in the year above. Colin's dad used to be the caretaker at the school.

I've got quite a few of their albums myself, although I can't remember which ones...

 

[removed account4]

Really? Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding went to the same school as me. They were in the year above. Colin's dad used to be the caretaker at the school.

I've got quite a few of their albums myself, although I can't remember which ones...

too cool!

i almost saw them in 83 ( english settlement tour) but andy & the band stopped touring for various reasons ...

... i did manage to get an autographed post card when i sent them coupons for soda and fast food in the mail ( kind of a joke ) - i think colin said they would try not to spend them all in one place

john

 

[Brac]

Welcome Mark.

I'm in Swindon myself though probably only for a few months more if things go to plan (which is tempting fate). I'm sure you'll enjoy APUG. Best wishes.

 

[Mark Pope]

Hi Brac,
nice to see another Swindonian on the list, albeit temporarily. Where are you off to?

Cheers

 

[wfe]

A warm welcome from Pennsylvania, USA

Regards,
Bill

 

[leeturner]

Hi Mark and welcome from the North West.

 

[mikeg]

Really? Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding went to the same school as me. They were in the year above. Colin's dad used to be the caretaker at the school.

I've got quite a few of their albums myself, although I can't remember which ones...

Welcome from Shropshire.

XTC, now there's a name from the past. An old flatmate of mine at university was into them in a big way.

Also, a few years back I was over in the US on business. Went to a restaurant in a small town in the middle of MA. The waitress there did the "Gee, you're from England!" bit and made us read some things out from the menu just so she could hear our English accents then said that she had been to England a few years before. I politely asked her where she had visited in the UK, expecting the usual London, Windsor, Stonehenge etc. and was amazed when she said Swindon! Just Swindon? Yes! Apparently she was mad on XTC and just had to see their home town .

Cheers

Mike

 

[Drew B.]

Welcome from the eastern most part of the newest England....New England. Enjoy the ride..but walk away from the computer once in a while and shoot!

Oh, and who the heck is XTC?

 

[Mark Pope]

And welcome also from the far South.

The Beaches project sounds interesting and at some stage would like to see you post some of them in the galleries (you would need to subscribe however to do this).

Hi Baxter,

I will post some shots as soon as I've selected and printed them. I have about 30 rolls of 35mm film to choose from. I've already done an initial pass and have about 50 work prints to make. Hopefully I ought to be able to make a reasonable stab at a coherent portfolio/photo essay out of this.

Work prints aside, I'm having a think about the 'look' that I want for the prints. I'm currently swinging towards a warmtone paper - probably MGIV WT, developed in warm tone developer. I just haven't decided on which one yet (probably the new Harman one or Agfa Neutol WA) or the amount of selenium toning that they'll need.

So... lots of experimentation to do and then printing, etc. etc.

It should be fun though.

Cheers

 

[Mark Pope]

Oh, and who the heck is XTC?

Hi Drew,

XTC were (are?) a rock band from the late 1970s/early 1980s. They were pretty successful in the UK. I don't know how well they did in the U.S. Sadly, the lead singer Andy Partridge suffered from stage fright (i believe), so they didn't do very much in the way of touring.

I'm sure their stuff is available to download off the net. Good tunes, clever lyrics.

On another note, you know the band Supertramp, well, if you take a look at the back of the album cover for 'Breakfast in America, you will see one of the band reading a copy of a newspaper called the 'Evening Advertiser'. This is Swindon's Local paper. The band member who bought that used to come into my dad's paper shop and I think I may have sold it to him one saturday afternoon...hows THAT for a claim to fame?