PERFECT
Photography by Geoff Robins
I started taking pictures at age 5, inspired by my father who was an avid photographer on our family trips. I remember my dad would double park the car and I’d run in and get the film — back when film was developed in a dark room. I was also in the high school photo club and started a small photo business in my parents’ basement taking hockey team pictures.
When my own kids came along years later, my wife was the primary documenter of the family activities, especially since I was busy working full time. My wife and I also started a business on the side, reselling children’s education software.
In 2004, my daughter saw a pamphlet at the local library for the London Camera Club, which had been around since the 1930s. I attended a couple of meetings and decided to join. That was the rekindling of my enthusiasm for the hobby, along with a river trip on the Green and Colorado Rivers in the western U.S. that was sponsored by Outdoor Photographer magazine.
I started entering photo competitions, including at the local Western Fair, where I won the Best Print in Show category three times. At the London Camera Club, which now has more than 200 members, I placed first in the Photographer of the Year competition seven times. I’ve come out on top in several photo competitions since, including most recently The Guardian's 2018 travel photo contest. The grand prize was a nine-day photo workshop in Greenland. Part of the prize was having several of my images published on the Guardian's website in December 2019.
Since we sold our software business in 2011, my wife and I purchased an Airstream for North American travel and have visited about 55 countries. With trips on hold, I have been missing travel photography — seascapes and mountains are my favourite subjects. I rarely travel without a tripod and my wife has given up suggesting I take less gear on a trip.
Today, I describe myself as “a very enthusiastic amateur photographer.” There’s nothing quite like finding something beautiful or interesting, taking a picture of it, and sharing it with others.
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