On Tuesday evening Derek shared his enthusiasm and love for infra-red photography with us. But he said he was not a technical photographer and his passion for photography began in his childhood with a Russian plastic camera when he was only 12 years old, but this cheap camera fired his imagination and then later in life he studied philosophy, and this guided his own particular and special approach to taking photographs. Everything is made up of atoms and everything is related.

Derek thanked Robert Williams Wood who invented IR (and ultraviolet) photography in the 1800 s. It is very important to remember that we are not photographing visible light with these IR cameras and that's why post processing is very difficult to grasp if you are working on your own. But the colours are false, of course, and there are many opportunities to just have fun with colour.

This idea of having fun and above all experimenting with filters and post processing were a theme running through Derek's presentation.

He showed us a series of photographs of trees and woodlands, olive trees from a garden centre and city centre shots! What a breath taking selection of beautiful images.

After the break we went to one of Derek's favourite places, a cemetery - here, he said, he felt at home and surrounded by endless opportunities for IR. This was followed by a whole series of photographs of clouds, seascapes and a landscape of Stone Henge!

Derek rounded off his presentation by offering 'The Best Of', some of his favourite photographs - Cambridge, abroad and a very happy cow!

Practice makes perfect was his last injunction and it was apparent to us all that here was a photographer who had practised a great deal. Our thanks for an instructive, informative and entertaining evening.

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