Tony Hamblin [1938 – 2012]. Member 218 |
Back |
|
Tony joined the ZPC in 1984 and he remained a dedicated and active member for the next 28 years. He was very honoured to serve a term in office as President of the Club in 2004-2005. It was Tony’s great love of the British countryside and its wildlife that inspired him to put forward the proposal that one of the ZPC folios should be devoted to images taken in Britain or its coastal waters. This British Folio is a fitting tribute to a popular and talented photographer, who always had the best interests of the ZPC and its members very close to his heart.
|
Tony Hamblin FRPS - 1938-2012
|
Words kindly provided by Derek Walton ARPS
|
Tony was born in the Somerset village of Holcombe. His interest in natural history was sparked off by his primary school teacher who used to take the class on frequent rambles into the countryside. He built his first hide in his parent’s garden using raspberry canes and old sheets to get closer to wildlife.
Tony left grammar school to join a local company that made reinforced concrete units as a draughtsman, gaining his Higher National Certificate on day release at college. In his teens Tony was a keen member of the local tennis club, and here he met a member who had an interest in budgerigars. Tony became very interested himself and had soon built an aviary in the garden, and was breeding his own birds and showing them locally. The expertise he gained in this area was valuable in later years when he began to focus on wild birds.
Tony met Valerie and they were married in 1961. He then obtained a position in a growing design and construction company in Stratford upon Avon, and in 1963 he and Val moved lock, stock and budgerigars to Bidford on Avon where they lived until present. He was now becoming a renowned breeder and exhibitor, being asked to judge locally and nationally, also being involved in the organisation of the national Show.
Tony and Val started a family, and when son Mark became keen on birdwatching, this re-ignited Tony’s interest, and they were soon going out together to view and eventually photograph birds. Budgerigar breeding was now taking a back seat to bird photography. Tony joined the Royal Photographic Society, gaining his Associateship in 1984, followed by Fellowship in 1989. Also in 1984 Tony and Mark were invited to become joint members of the Zoological Photographic Club, when Eric Hosking was Secretary. Both have been Presidents of the Club.
By now Tony had set up his own business as a Contract Draughtsman, and this meant that he was able to choose his holidays and devote more time to photography. This gave him the opportunity to make trips to Africa, America and Europe. Although his trips abroad were memorable, he always said that you could not beat the British Isles for its diversity of wildlife and scenery, Scotland being a favourite, particularly when Mark moved there. He was always thrilled to gain a good image on a local patch, his winning image of two little owls being taken a quarter of a mile from home.
For many years Tony contributed to FLPA and RSPB Images picture libraries, and his images have been sold at home and abroad to a wide variety of magazines, books, calendars and other media. He was a winning photographer, taking three awards in BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year, and being winner and runner up in British Birds Photographer of the Year. He won many medals in RPS Exhibitions and International Salons, and was frequently in demand as a judge.
Tony assembled a wide range of illustrated talks which became very popular throughout the Midlands. He never lectured at an audience, but brought them into his talks with his warm personality, enthusiasm for the natural world, and amusing anecdotes. When he retired he had not worked on a computer, but he soon embraced the digital age, becoming a self-taught expert on Photoshop, Lightroom, and other photographic software.
In 2005 Tony was diagnosed with scleroderma, which resulted in the partial amputation of a finger on each hand later in the year. The day after coming out of hospital following the second operation, some friends were going to Donna Nook. “ I want to come “ was his reaction. He was weak, but his determination ensured he managed the long walk to the tide line, with friends carrying his gear. He referred afterwards to that day as one of his most memorable, photographically.
In 2009 Tony was diagnosed with cancer. The first course of treatment was successful, but he began setting himself targets. The first was his and Val’s Golden Wedding which they celebrated in 2011. After that he was determined to see the London Olympics, and he derived a lot of pleasure from that. Although his mobility was restricted in his latter years, he obtained great enjoyment from photographing moths in the conservatory, birds in flight at his feeders, and dragonflies at a local aquatics centre. Tony made a final trip to Scotland last May, photographing moorland birds, eiders, red squirrels and sea birds. He said that 2012 was one of his most enjoyable photographic years. His enthusiasm for the natural world and photography was never dampened by his illness. He attended the Joint Nature Photographer’s Convention two weeks before he died, and gave a well received presentation. Tony was a loving husband, proud father and grandfather and a very good friend to many. He will be deeply missed.
Tony left grammar school to join a local company that made reinforced concrete units as a draughtsman, gaining his Higher National Certificate on day release at college. In his teens Tony was a keen member of the local tennis club, and here he met a member who had an interest in budgerigars. Tony became very interested himself and had soon built an aviary in the garden, and was breeding his own birds and showing them locally. The expertise he gained in this area was valuable in later years when he began to focus on wild birds.
Tony met Valerie and they were married in 1961. He then obtained a position in a growing design and construction company in Stratford upon Avon, and in 1963 he and Val moved lock, stock and budgerigars to Bidford on Avon where they lived until present. He was now becoming a renowned breeder and exhibitor, being asked to judge locally and nationally, also being involved in the organisation of the national Show.
Tony and Val started a family, and when son Mark became keen on birdwatching, this re-ignited Tony’s interest, and they were soon going out together to view and eventually photograph birds. Budgerigar breeding was now taking a back seat to bird photography. Tony joined the Royal Photographic Society, gaining his Associateship in 1984, followed by Fellowship in 1989. Also in 1984 Tony and Mark were invited to become joint members of the Zoological Photographic Club, when Eric Hosking was Secretary. Both have been Presidents of the Club.
By now Tony had set up his own business as a Contract Draughtsman, and this meant that he was able to choose his holidays and devote more time to photography. This gave him the opportunity to make trips to Africa, America and Europe. Although his trips abroad were memorable, he always said that you could not beat the British Isles for its diversity of wildlife and scenery, Scotland being a favourite, particularly when Mark moved there. He was always thrilled to gain a good image on a local patch, his winning image of two little owls being taken a quarter of a mile from home.
For many years Tony contributed to FLPA and RSPB Images picture libraries, and his images have been sold at home and abroad to a wide variety of magazines, books, calendars and other media. He was a winning photographer, taking three awards in BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year, and being winner and runner up in British Birds Photographer of the Year. He won many medals in RPS Exhibitions and International Salons, and was frequently in demand as a judge.
Tony assembled a wide range of illustrated talks which became very popular throughout the Midlands. He never lectured at an audience, but brought them into his talks with his warm personality, enthusiasm for the natural world, and amusing anecdotes. When he retired he had not worked on a computer, but he soon embraced the digital age, becoming a self-taught expert on Photoshop, Lightroom, and other photographic software.
In 2005 Tony was diagnosed with scleroderma, which resulted in the partial amputation of a finger on each hand later in the year. The day after coming out of hospital following the second operation, some friends were going to Donna Nook. “ I want to come “ was his reaction. He was weak, but his determination ensured he managed the long walk to the tide line, with friends carrying his gear. He referred afterwards to that day as one of his most memorable, photographically.
In 2009 Tony was diagnosed with cancer. The first course of treatment was successful, but he began setting himself targets. The first was his and Val’s Golden Wedding which they celebrated in 2011. After that he was determined to see the London Olympics, and he derived a lot of pleasure from that. Although his mobility was restricted in his latter years, he obtained great enjoyment from photographing moths in the conservatory, birds in flight at his feeders, and dragonflies at a local aquatics centre. Tony made a final trip to Scotland last May, photographing moorland birds, eiders, red squirrels and sea birds. He said that 2012 was one of his most enjoyable photographic years. His enthusiasm for the natural world and photography was never dampened by his illness. He attended the Joint Nature Photographer’s Convention two weeks before he died, and gave a well received presentation. Tony was a loving husband, proud father and grandfather and a very good friend to many. He will be deeply missed.
Memories of Tony Hamblin |
Words kindly provided by Derek Walton ARPS |
I first knew of Tony Hamblin when I joined the Structural office of a large design and construction company in Stratford in 1966. Tony was in the Civils office, and his reputation as a breeder and exhibitor of cage birds had earned him the nickname “Budgie Bill”. I also recall he was renowned for his spectacular car prangs.
Tony left to become self-employed, and our paths did not cross again until 1975, when I went to work for a Consulting Engineers in Cheltenham, I was shown to an office with 2 drawing boards, and Tony was sitting at the other. We soon discovered a mutual interest in the Goons and jazz, enjoying trips to see Chris Barber and “Humph” over the years. We shared the car journeys to Cheltenham, and I have vivid memories of Tony driving home with Bohemian Rhapsody at full volume on the radio. By now we were firm friends.
Soon Tony moved from budgies to Benbos and Billinghams, and I had met Mike Wilkes, Mike Lane and Gordon Langsbury at Christmas gatherings at Tony and Val’s long before I got into photography.
Mark had gone off to university, and I was showing an interest in photography, so I think Tony saw the potential for a partnership. He set me up in a hide in a local wood where he had a feeding station, and as soon as I saw a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the viewfinder, I was hooked. The advice and encouragement he gave me in the early days has proved invaluable. We had weekends away in his camper van, visiting reserves and meeting other photographers, and his reputation was soon obvious.
I went to many of his talks with him, and he used to refer to me as his “Roadie” or “Minder”. He was very popular and had a way of bringing the audience in with his warm personality and enthusiasm for the natural world. He also knew he had a habit of mis-quoting, a Cetti’s Warbler becoming Savi’s and Pied Wagtail becoming a Flycatcher, so he would give me his crib sheet and I was his prompter.
We had many memorable trips to Africa, America and Europe and around the UK. For a while we camped, and I still wonder how we crammed camping gear, food supplies, luggage, and camera equipment into his Ford Fiesta.
When the digital age arrived, he embraced it after me, saying he would not get involved with digital manipulation, but he soon taught himself Photoshop and Lightroom, and to me he was the “Master”. I knew if I was struggling with a picture that he would sort it and print it up for me, and if he was happy with it that was good enough for me.
His trial and tribulations with illness never dampened his enthusiasm. “We’re alive, Del” was his constant quote. I remember that when he came out of hospital after his second finger amputation, I was taking Paul to Donna Nook the next day, and I told him we were going. “I’m coming” was his immediate reaction. Paul and I carried his gear, but it is still a long walk out and he made it. The icing on the cake for him was that we met up with Mark as well. I was also impressed on our last trip to Scotland in May this year how he walked out on the Ythan estuary to see the King Eider, sheer determination getting him there carrying heavy camera gear.
I could go on for ever; Tony always said we could have written a book about our exploits. He is with the angels now, and I am sure he is trying some flight shots. I miss him.
Tony left to become self-employed, and our paths did not cross again until 1975, when I went to work for a Consulting Engineers in Cheltenham, I was shown to an office with 2 drawing boards, and Tony was sitting at the other. We soon discovered a mutual interest in the Goons and jazz, enjoying trips to see Chris Barber and “Humph” over the years. We shared the car journeys to Cheltenham, and I have vivid memories of Tony driving home with Bohemian Rhapsody at full volume on the radio. By now we were firm friends.
Soon Tony moved from budgies to Benbos and Billinghams, and I had met Mike Wilkes, Mike Lane and Gordon Langsbury at Christmas gatherings at Tony and Val’s long before I got into photography.
Mark had gone off to university, and I was showing an interest in photography, so I think Tony saw the potential for a partnership. He set me up in a hide in a local wood where he had a feeding station, and as soon as I saw a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the viewfinder, I was hooked. The advice and encouragement he gave me in the early days has proved invaluable. We had weekends away in his camper van, visiting reserves and meeting other photographers, and his reputation was soon obvious.
I went to many of his talks with him, and he used to refer to me as his “Roadie” or “Minder”. He was very popular and had a way of bringing the audience in with his warm personality and enthusiasm for the natural world. He also knew he had a habit of mis-quoting, a Cetti’s Warbler becoming Savi’s and Pied Wagtail becoming a Flycatcher, so he would give me his crib sheet and I was his prompter.
We had many memorable trips to Africa, America and Europe and around the UK. For a while we camped, and I still wonder how we crammed camping gear, food supplies, luggage, and camera equipment into his Ford Fiesta.
When the digital age arrived, he embraced it after me, saying he would not get involved with digital manipulation, but he soon taught himself Photoshop and Lightroom, and to me he was the “Master”. I knew if I was struggling with a picture that he would sort it and print it up for me, and if he was happy with it that was good enough for me.
His trial and tribulations with illness never dampened his enthusiasm. “We’re alive, Del” was his constant quote. I remember that when he came out of hospital after his second finger amputation, I was taking Paul to Donna Nook the next day, and I told him we were going. “I’m coming” was his immediate reaction. Paul and I carried his gear, but it is still a long walk out and he made it. The icing on the cake for him was that we met up with Mark as well. I was also impressed on our last trip to Scotland in May this year how he walked out on the Ythan estuary to see the King Eider, sheer determination getting him there carrying heavy camera gear.
I could go on for ever; Tony always said we could have written a book about our exploits. He is with the angels now, and I am sure he is trying some flight shots. I miss him.
