The Photography Group (1969) outside the Samurai Club, Epsom, Surrey (8643) January 2004 | Timeline

Learning About Photography
In 1969 I was asked if I would like to organise some photography at my local youth club. I had worked as an assistant to a commercial photographer for a year and had produced photographs for a magazine I worked on. I suggested we could build a darkroom for learning to develop films and make our own prints. During that year at the club I became the 'photography teacher' explaining the processes of picture making to a group of two or three people who learnt some basic skills and developed an enthusiasm for photography. This core group gradually got other people involved in photograpy and the darkroom became the place for listening to music, chatting about clothes and films, developing relationships ... and making photographs.