Photographer wins competition with 40-year-old film camera

A British pensioner has won an international photography competition – using a camera built in the 1970s that he bought on eBay.

David Miller, 67, scooped first place in the landscape category of the prestigious Black & White Photographer of the Year competition.

He beat off digital entries from around the world with his eerie shot of a hut standing on the bank of Rydal Water, in the Lake District.

But incredibly David won the competition using a battered, second-hand Mamiya rb67 camera, which dates back to the early 1970s.

Retired builder David, of Wellingborough, Northants., admitted that he is ”not into” digital cameras.

He said: ”I’m very happy to win because it’s always nice if other people recognise your work.  I was surprised but pleased with the result.

”I enjoyed taking the shot and I’m very proud of it because I exposed it and
developed it in my own darkroom.

”Monochrome is my favourite type of film because it helps you to get a lot
more expression into your prints.

”Kids these days are using digital cameras and although I’m not into them it
is a good way of introducing people to photography.”

David took his prize-winning shot 2 years ago while on a walking holiday in the Lake District.

He took the snap with an old-style Mamiya rb67 camera, which he bought on eBay eight years ago for under #100.

Using monochrome film he developed the shot in his own darkroom before sending it in to the annual Black & White Photographer of the Year competition.

He won first prize in the landscape category and his photograph will now
feature in an exhibition at Hooper’s Gallery, London.

Elizabeth Roberts, editor of Black & White Photography magazine, described
David’s picture as ”incredible”.

She said: ”The competition proves black and white photography is thriving,
with a talented new generation of photographers coming through, shooting on digital or film.

”We were delighted with the huge number of photographers who entered and the high standard of entries. The judges had some very tough decisions to make.

”Dave’s image is so beautiful it just had to win. The skill that goes into
such a picture is considerable and it’s such a delight to see good landscape
work in black and white.”