Photography Beginnings
My journey with photography began in 1974. I was fortunate enough to get into Bristol University to study medicine and also to intercalate a science degree. The science degree was in the department headed up by Prof M. A. Epstein who discovered the Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) in 1964, along with Y.M. Barr and B.G. Achong. Most people have been infected with EBV at some stage and a few people develop Glandular Fever from it (infectious mononucleosis).
As part of that degree, I did a short research project which was to do with the possible association of EBV with some cancers (eg Burkitt’s Lymphoma, Nasopharyngeal carcinoma and Hodgkin’s Lymphoma). We used a microtome tool with a glass knife to create very thin sections of tumours embedded in resin for examination with the electron microscope.
The electron microscope used for this project was the Phillips EM201. This had a viewing screen but it was important to take photographs because they were more likely to show details than the screen. The 35mm film was developed in the dark room and prints made. This was really interesting and very enjoyable with many evenings spent with the microscope and in the dark room. It was here I first learned the principles of exposure, developing and printing – including dodging and burning.
The project entailed looking for the actual virus particles in the cancer tissue as well as characteristic cell changes. I show here some of the images from that study, including some with the characteristic herpes virus particles of EBV. See if you can spot them!
So that’s where my love of photography began and I soon went on to buy my first camera - the Canon AE1.
