JN, when I saw your name 'pitch up' on an email to tell me someone had posted, I thought 'here we go, not tonight, I'm very tired blah blah' I just read your post, which brought a smile to my face
Anyone that knows me, knows I DON'T BULLS**T and I stand by everything I say 100% of the time. If I'm wrong, I admit it.
My life is built around aviation and taking photographs. My ONLY way of allowing people to see my work (of which there is probably only 3% on show) is via the website. It is all self contained, self designed and I'm self taught. If I have brought pleasure to someone via my photos, then that's what its all about. Every single photograph I have ever taken is available to the MoD, Flight Safety, RAF News, AirClues etc, I have never asked for one Penny. Reward is seeing my work in print and perhaps giving the
PR machine some clout.
I don't write articles (only written a few) because nuts and bolts bore me to tears, our aviation magazines are so BORING today which is not helped by so little these days to write about (bases closing, Sqn's disbanding Aircraft scrapping...), .
I have been very fortunate to go to some cool places and also fly in some cool jets, BUT I EARNED THAT RIGHT. I didn't lick @rse like many whom I know.
I have a lot of mates on this forum who I also socialise with, I am also pleased that a majority of 'current/ex aircrew' accept me on here as a decent photog. I must do something right else no one would pitch up for photographs.
So, why not post 'Snappers updated low level gallery'? How else would anyone on here know about it. It only took me a whole 24 hours to scan, write the pages, add the links blah blah.
I ask anyone here, Has anyone ever seen a post that said EXCLUSIVE, MICHAEL RONDOT NEW PRINT ONLY 75 QUID'.
If feelings are that strong, I shall gladly leave this forum and post new additions to my site elsewhere.
Perhaps there should be a post so we can have a poll, 'Snappers stays or Snappers goes?'
I shall leave this with my favourite proverb, it shall sum it all up.
'It is better to attempt great things, even if sometimes we fail, rather than sit on the sidelines of life'
When I was a kid, the only way I ever thought I would fly in a FJ would be to write to Jimmy Saville! I so desperately wanted to fly in a Phantom. I didn't write in as I never had the bottle. Well I did get to fly in a FJ, although not in a 'Tomb' and have since flown many hours in military aircraft. I did it through merit, tenacity and hard work.
I do remember seeing a Harrier poster firing SNEBS I think? Anyway, it was that image that stuck with me. I set off to Holbeach and asked the chaps in the tower, 'I want to get a photograph of a Harrier firing those practice rockets blah', I drove from Birmingham every week on my day off (13 years ago), in the belief I would see one and catch it on film. I did one day, back then it was awesome, today, it would go in the bin. But it was the desire to do whatever it takes to get the result.
The Buccaneer photographs everyone goes on about, I drove to Tain and Lossiemouth (1100 miles round trip) 8 times in 7 weeks back February March 1994 to get those photographs. I got them though! I presented 208 Sqn with a gorgeous framed print which was signed by the entire Sqn. This was auctioned/raffled at the end bash in the OM with the money (I assume) going to the BEN Fund and not behind the bar
. I also had one of my photographs on the front page of AirClues, April 1994. Very Pround. All this came from my own pocket. No one asked me to do it, I just did.
If I can provide an RAF recruiting office with a sexy photograph of an aircraft doing 'its thing' that might inspire and young kid to walk in and say 'I'll have a bit of that', (at whatever part of the chain he/she might enter into, not necessarily aircrew but EVERYONE counts), then I shall have done something VERY worthy.
On the basis of this alone (All of what I have said above), why should I not, post an announcement to tell people I have some more photographs to view?
I am sure Danny and his team do not begrudge me a few kb's of their site to do this? In fact I have have very positive feedback from the PPRuNe admin.
Remember, I have the b@lls to post my details on here, how many others stand by what they say and make themselves known?
Awaits the incoming, no snags got a hard hat
Thanks for the comments anyway.
Snaps
[ 03 October 2001: Message edited by: Snapshot ]