Ask the Family

Ask the Family

Cast your mind back nearly fifty years to a BBC early evening television show. I was an intellectual game show but it could inspire photography.

This show aired at something like 7 pm after the news magazine programme Nationwide. I think those details are right, but if you remember those times I'm sure it rings a bell. Not to menyion there were only three (yes, hard to comprehend now) channels to view. It would be nearly another decade before a fourth channel appeared.




I had just started secondary school so was just starting to appreciate the show's content. It pitched two families and their children against each other and hosted by Robert Robinson. It was 'very proper' BBC fare and straight laced. It involved questions on general knowledge and specialist topics. Some questions were aimed at just the children. For learning it was interesting. For entertainment there was The Sweeney, Starsky and Hutch and so on...

There were also puzzles to solve, both word and numerical as well as, and this is where the photography element comes in, pictures. These pictures were mostly of everyday objects often taken from unusual angles. The image would start off really close in and zoom out. The first to identify the object would win a point.

I had not started serious photography at this point, nut those brain teasing images shoulf still help and inspire today's photographers. Today we have so many more gadgets that we could use as subjects. Look for the small details and use a macro lens or close-up setting, together with an unconventional angle. Go for the abstract.

A tripod or other firm support is needed as precise framing and focus will improve your success rate no end. By success I mean a strong and intriguing image, not just sharpness. We only had a black and white television at the time so I don't know if ny of the pictures were in colour, but going mono does add another layer of mystery.

It's an ideal way to pass the time, give your own brain a workout deciding on what and how to photography and perhaps inject some impetus to your image making if that's stagnated. You could even sit down at your desk to take the images so it doesn't have to involve fancy arrangements.



Answer: the underneath of a frying pan


All text and images © Keith Rowley 2022