Our in-house photographer also keeps our finances in check

With a history of photographers in her family, it’s easy to see where Elaine gets her keen eye from.

“My father was very interested in photography and would use our bathroom as a dark room to print his photographs. I was bought a Kodak instamatic camera when I was about 8 and really enjoyed it, but then stopped for several years until I found out Canon had launched a model that had automatic focusing, which was just amazing, the Canon EOS 1000F (I’m showing my age here as this was a film SLR). I saved up to buy one and that reignited my passion again. Over the years I realised my main interest was wildlife photography, so I have gradually improved my kit as I obviously needed a good telephoto lens, macro lens and a digital camera! I now have a backpack that I can just about lift. It was lovely to be able to share my photos with my father all those years later.”

Elaine’s increasing interest for wildlife photography takes her day tripping photographing ospreys, to travelling around the world in the search for grizzly bears. In recent years she has travelled to Bempton Cliffs (gannets), Isle of Mull (white tailed sea eagles and otters, if lucky), Lunga Island (puffins), Rutland Waters (ospreys) and Dunham Massey many, many times during lockdown. Travelling further afield, Elaine has photographed Humpback whales, grizzly bears, and moose on a trip of a lifetime to Alaska.

One of Elaine’s biggest passions is the tough challenge of macro photography. It’s not all glamourous when getting amongst the meadows and streams to achieve that perfect shot of butterflies, dragonflies, damselflies, bees, and flowers. And she’s already planning her next subject matters with a weekend away to Malham Cove with the camera club and, Skomer Island for more puffin photography. Bempton Cliffs for the gannet mating rituals is also on her list to visit. But for these, she’s got her eye on a new gadget.

“I am now looking for my next camera and I’m wondering whether to take the plunge and purchase one of the new Canon mirrorless cameras that have eye tracking built in so you can track birds in flight at the push of a button – which is game changing for wildlife photography!”

Elaine being a member of the Davyhulme camera club has been a big gain to the Foundry team. We often call on her expertise for any internal photography needed. But now, in light of World Photography Day, Elaine is turning the tables and setting all the Foundry team a photography brief to get our minds ticking. Watch this space to see how we all get on under the watch of Elaine’s guidance.