My passion for photography was sparked by my father, Jack Norton. I spent countless hours alongside him in the darkroom, captivated as images slowly emerged in the developer—a kind of magic that never lost its hold on me. When I was 11, he gifted me my first camera: a Kodak Brownie Reflex. That moment ignited an interest that has endured for over seven decades.
In the 1980s, I joined the Maidenhead Camera Club, where I’m proud to remain an active member to this day. I also spent several rewarding years with the Molesey Camera Club, serving as chairman for a time. Additionally, I’m a member of the Royal Photographic Society, having earned my Licentiate distinction many years ago.
I've owned more cameras and lenses than I'd care to admit, but I’ve come to accept that gear is relatively unimportant. What matters most to me is the narrative, the mood, and the emotion captured in a photograph—far more than its technical precision. As Ansel Adams once said, “There's nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept.”
Personally, I don’t believe I’ve ever developed a distinct photographic style. My interests are too eclectic. If pressed, I’d say I currently gravitate towards modern architecture, travel photography, and, to a lesser extent, landscapes, both intimate and panoramic.
I firmly believe that a good photograph deserves to be printed. There’s a deep satisfaction in viewing a well-executed, mounted print—something that simply cannot be matched by the fleeting presence of an image displayed on a screen.
London Docks, 1957