Valerie Rawlins is a member of Trowbridge Camera Club and also Waves AV Group. Here she gives her thoughts about her photographic life.

When I finally realised that Art Classes were more of a frustration than a pleasure I took my husband's advice and bought a camera. I made the vast leap from an Instamatic (very cheap and tiny), to an Olympus OM 10. My first SLR.

I reluctantly joined a Camera Club to please a friend.

On my second visit an Audio Visual was mentioned and described, this, I thought, sounded a really creative medium, without me having to put brush to canvas, that is where photography started for me.

I have been making sequences for 22 years, for the first 19 years I happily jogged along making sequences for entertainment and club competitions.

In November 2002 I gained my ARPS after much encouragement. Followed by my Fellowship in March 2004 also with good advice and support.

I joined WAVES at its inauguration and still enjoy the really friendly and helpful meetings and the encouraging way the members have embraced the digital era.

My main objective for the future is to find the time to make more sequences.

I do produce digital prints from time to time for Club Competitions but find I take photographs with AVs in mind and they do not often suit a stand-alone picture.

Previous RPS Western Members In Focus:

Robert Albright FRPS
Andy Beel FRPS
Ray Grace LRPS
John Long ARPS
Valerie Rawlins FRPS