https://www.pentaxuser.com/images/gallery/2009/03/normal/Philip-Carew_1238266947...
Hope I did this right: I was in 'photogalaxy'from where I could link photos to Pentax User,then since I had my computer 'upgraded' I cannot get photogalaxy to open even when I try to log in,so I am trying the method mentioned, selecting a photo from the 'Gallery'
Only the URL thingy showed up. but it works if you click on that.

I started in professional photography in 1959-- got into the Civil Service as 'photographer grade' at £7-15-0d a week (£7.75 new pence).Then it was all darkroom work and a 65 mile round trip every day to Chessington, Surrey from East Ham--- wore me out. Saw an ad for 'outdoor photographers 'at £15 a week -- well, it was 'School Photography' and I didn't get £15 a week --- I had to go round schools trying to book them for the 'regular' photographer to do ( HE probably got £15 a week !) I ended up having to buy a Car at £420, Austin A35 ,and in the end only got £6 a week -- worse than the Civil Service! Next came job with local studio in Barking who did all the press photos for the 'Barking Advertiser' -- they got 7/6d a photo reproduced-- again, mostly darkroom work as I could save their terrible films and did all the press reprint orders ( they got 4/6d for a 7x5" print).Then they promised me a 'manager's job' in their new branch in Canning Town-- well, it was NOT TRUE! All lies-- but I was introduced to PENTAX as one of the partners had been in the RAF in Singapore and brought back these weird cameras--Asahi Pentax H2 and K that nobody had heard of.
I left Breda Studios in Barking having done some Press work and after a lot of trouble got a job at University College London doing Scientific work-- they would not take me on at first as they said "I had done too much" -- well, they took on somebody with the gift of the gab who didn't know one end of a microscope from another,and re-advertised it in the BJ where I saw it again and asked why I had not been given a chance as I had Advanced Level Chemistry, Zoololgy, O Level Botany, French, Eng. Lang, Eng.Lit etc and had been in the Army for three years doing Scientific work and knew all about microscopes etc.... they took me on at £12 a week. After 8 years there I had to leave to keep an eye on what was happening in my house with ex-wife No.1 and left at £27 a week.I started as a Freelance with the promise of a few weddings and press work from local newspapers at 1 Guinea ( £1-1-0d) a picture. I have now LOST all my freelance work -- there is NO 'Brentwood Gazette' in Brentwood, the Brentwood Argus went broke in 1980 after 10 years with them as Freelance, the Brentwood Recorder has been closed, there is NO 'Romford Recorder' in Romford any more, the Yellow Advertiser has NO budget for any Freelancers so doesn't pay, the local council gets the girl from the office with a Nikon Coolpix to do all the Council work, the estate agents take their own photos, there is NO PR work any more,all the local Operatic and Theatrical Societies get their own members to do Front of House and show photos, etc etc so I rely on my Pension,most of it taken up in £1428 a year Council Tax ! You will NOT earn much in Photography now-- the MOST I ever Grossed doing 7 days a week,up to 2am getting out wedding prints and press prints was £16,000 before tax. Now I don't earn enough to PAY any Tax !

BonusPrint are tightening up - I sent three films in a 'bargain rate'envelope at £1-99 for 36 shots +postage at 70p per film and they returned it in another envelope un-opened and a note saying' Old Envelope please use enclosed' and there was another BonusPrint envelope at over £4 for processing + £1-50 per film - well it was cheaper to take films to a High Street processors here on the two-day rate.

I bought a new,boxed MX body in Comet, Romford for £65 and gave it to wife No.2- it must have been 1985 or so - she went off with the Vice-Chairman of Barking Photographic Society in 1993 and took the MX+120mm f2.8 Pentx-M lens, so I bought wife No. 3 a cheap Nikon FE outfit and kept all my Pentaxes! (Broke my record- 14 years married and 2 new kids ! )

You sure you didn't mean to post it after midnight on March 31st......

If the water mark is on the back of the film you can breath on it and wipe it off with a hanky ( NOT one you use to blow your nose on !)

Welcome from a member in BRENTWOOD down the road from you !
(My wife loves Romford Tesco!)

One of my Zeniths with the 58mm f2 Helios, I have used it on my K10D to try it and on my screw Pentaxes and it is very good.


Here is a Praktica with the 85mm f2 Jupiter I got for £1 in my Camera Club auction also a Carl Zeiss 135mm f3.5 I got fpor the same price-they both work on my K10D and screw Pentaxes. I have done lots of press work with the 85mm f2 on my K10D; available light stuff.

I was talking to David Leung on the coach to Focus on sunday and he says he has 30 Pentax MX's in Stock ! I bought my MX and ME Super off him in 1986 together with a 120mm f2.8 Pentax-M lens and my ex-wife went off with that lens! e-mail : [email protected] and phone: 0208 590 3268 or 8599 0r 6657 mention Peter Elgar

Trying a new idea-----
SUCCESS !!! I have got rid of the red Box thing and seen the photo at last ! This time I clicked on 'small'in the image size box on Flickr and it allowed me to copy the 'short URL' and it pasted OK.