Hello from Tyneside

Hi, my name is Les Dix and I live and work on Tyneside in the North East of England (I live in Ryton and work in Newcastle for those who know the area).

I do nothing but monochrome in my attic darkroom. Photography is a hobby but I am doing some ultra-violet photography on delta 3200 with a forensic science student at the University where I teach. I belong to a camera club (Ryton) and got into silver printing at about the time when everybody else in the club was getting out. My favourite photographers include...

John Sexton, the late Barry Thornton, Michael Kenna, Arnold Hubbard (an outstanding local amateur) and Andrew Sanderson.

I like the UK magazine 'Black and White photography', Mono and also Lenswork (although I only look at the free web version).

My own work is varied (perhaps too varied) but I love still life and landscapes. Currently I am using a 6x6 TLR a lot with XP2 and cropping the negatives down to 4x4. Why? Because I happen to have an old 127 enlarger. I find cropping does work and I get nice quality prints.

Bye for now

Welcome Les!
Hope you enjoy your stay here! looking forward to seeing your photos in the gallery!

Hi!

I grew up in Whitley Bay, but now work at the Uni in Bournemouth - a long way from "home". There's so much great stuff to shoot round Tyneside. I usually get home once per year, and try and take a few rolls of film while I'm there. The river and the coast are fantastic subjects.

What sort of enlarger is it you're using? If you ever upgrade it, I'd LOVE to get my hands on a real 44 enlarger - I currently put my 44 negs in a 66 glass carrier!

Alternativly get yourself a nice 44 tlr...

Ian

Hi Les,

Welcome to APUG.

I grew up in Lemington. We lived above one of the shops on Tyne View and our Sunday afternoon strolls often took us through Ryton. Ah, pubs called 'The New Tyne Iron', 'The Hydraulic Crane' and 'The Steam Hammer'; cycling down Union Hall Road (not cycling up Union Hall Road); the Bessie Surtees and the Bobby Shaftoe with decks awash carrying ash down the river from Stella North power station; the glassworks; tea and toast in the Mechanics Hall at Blaydon, building the new Scotswood Bridge; falling in the stinking black river full of asbestos, excrement, grease and condoms*; playing montykitty and getting your head smashed in ... such sweet memories.

Best,
Helen
*it's a bit cleaner now folks.

Hi Les,

Welcome from the other side of the world, Hawaii. I am looking forward to seeing some of your images in the gallery. I visited England once, two years ago and found it to be a really beautiful country.

Welcome from another loft worker. Time to get the winter woollies out with the cooler weather !

Welcome and I promise not to mention a certain brown ale (Doh just did).

Welcome, looks like a NW movement has begun!

Tom

Welcome and good luck with this site. It is fun here.

hi there Les - the UK contingency is growing beyond all prediction. - good to have you here.

Welcome Les.