Interview with Brett

1. Would you tell us some info about yourself? 

       (Real name, where you live, profession etc)

My real name is Brett Oliver and I live in Surrey in the UK and I am married with three grown up kids.

I started work in the late 70s as an apprentice in the telecoms industry installing and commissioning telephone exchanges and transmission equipment. I still work in telecoms but have an office based job in a control. My interests apart from photography are listening to music (especially 60s, 70s, & 80s reggae, rock steady etc), gardening, house renovation, cycling, electronics, horology and family history. There are some pictures of my garden here http://uk.geocities.com/[email protected]/location.htm . My garden has taken about 10 years to create and is still evolving. It is on the side of a hill and I have moved tons of earth by hand to create terrace areas. The garden is split into 6 parts including my favourite area a secret garden. This is hidden from the rest of the garden by a tall hedge, accessed by a door in the hedge and has a seating area, fish pond and some decking.

2. How did you first get started creating for internet? Do you remember your first upload? What year was that? Can you tell us about it? And where can we see it?

I have always had an interest in photography and got my first digital SLR in 2004. I combined this with my love of gardening and produced my first uploaded image in 2004. It was a picture of one of my favourite plants Dicksonia Antartica or Tree Fern.  http://www.skinbase.org/rate.php?skins=19611  Many of my early uploads were and still are pictures of plants. I also experimented in abstract images and landscapes. I like to record the flora and fauna of my local area the North Downs in Surrey . I commute to work by bike and capture many of my landscape shots on route.

I used to upload to a few Wallpaper sites but in the end just liked the friendly feel of Skinbase and soon it became my site of choice.

3. Who would you like to mention as influence or inspiration in your skinning experience?

I donʼt think I would use the words influence or inspiration but maybe Artur aka Greytataʼs work would be my benchmark for photographic excellence. His images are outstanding and he can see a picture from nothing.

4. How much time do you spend daily on your creations and in skinning community?

I spend from zero to 18 hours a day on my pictures, far less time in the winter than spring or summer. The trouble is I have many interests and hobbies and there just is not enough time in the day to fit them all in.

5. We all have certain programs we like the most. What would you consider your favorite?

My favourite program has to be Photoshop. It takes many years to get the hang of it but all the effort is well worth it. Many of my early pictures were really just experiments with Photoshop.

6. How about your computer system? Can you describe your configuration?

My computer is a self built Quad core Media centre PC running Vista .

7. Do you have a personal web site? Can you give us the address?

I have as many web sites as I have interests.

Here are a few.

Kenley Weather Station. I have built this station up over the last year or so and installed a couple of servers for 24hr weather and weather cam.  http://home2.btconnect.com/brettoliver/Kenley_Weather.htm

Nest Box Cam . This site records and broadcast live video of nesting Great Tits, Blue Tits and Robins in my garden in the spring. http://uk.geocities.com/[email protected]/nest_box.htm

 

Master Clock. This site details the construction of an electronic master clock and various slave clocks that I have designed and built for my house. http://uk.geocities.com/[email protected]/clock_electronic_1a.htm

First world war tribute to my Canadian Great Grand Uncle killed at Vimy Ridge in France and is also a history of the 3rd batt. CEF at the Somme & Vimy Ridge http://uk.geocities.com/[email protected]/

My general Family History site http://www.brett.oliver.btinternet.co.uk/

My photographic site. http://www.flickr.com/photos/brettoliver/

 8. Do you want to say something in this interview, which is not included in the above questions?

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Thank you Brett.

Skinbase Administration