NEW!

This site is repurposed from my defunct photographic business site to now serve my publishing and general ideas. Yes this was once the Photographic Emporium but I was finally obliged to retire (for the 3rd time!) by age and declining health. So no, I no longer sell cameras. Sorry - it was fun. But I do sell camera collector's books.

In the process of constuction and beyond, some pages may be inaccurate, out of date and in the process of ongoing updates, as usual with any site! 

Unfortunately my legs no longer work at all. I am effectively paraplegic. Very frustrating. But the head still works as well as ever. Well, well enough, so I can still write and publish. Now this website has become a showcase for  my personal bookstore. (Please buy my books, they aren't bad). And to promote some of my ideas as well. My first books, ten years ago and more, were Compendia for camera collectors and those books are still available - updated and I believe the best reference resource anywhere worldwide for collectors interested in the prism SLR, the TLR and reduced format versions of 35mm cameras such as half frame and 24mm square. Every one ever made identified and described. They should be good - they took years of careful research and I'm quite good at research. Plus there's a rather cynical history of early Eastman/Kodak with details and images of their pre-1900 models, a beginner's guide to film photography  and a booklet all about Box cameras and how to use them.   

But that list and specialisation expanded as I got much better at self-published Print on Demand book creation. I'm full of ideas at any time and perhaps I'm narcissistic enough to believe that some people will find my ideas and writings entertaining. (Perhapsn a bit full of myself too! :-) There's a series of 'Little Grumpy Books' for I am  a bit grumpy and always have been. Illustrated books for older children and youthful adults such as the Bestiary. An unauthorised autobiography, The Omelette. Some poetry though who buys poetry anymore? But it's great to write! And as I improve my cartooning skills, there will be some rather sour and cynical graphic commentaries on the gross stupidities of the world in general.

All are available through  Blurb https://au.blurb.com/user/afildes where you can see previews, prices and details and order up one or two or ten. I have included some samples of my general writings and commentaries here as a taster - so that you can see if you like my view of the world or whether I merely irritate and annoy. Not that that is a bad thing. Socrates was nicknamed The Gadfly because he buzzed around, annoyed and bit the citizens of ancient Athens. And he was usually right. So they killed him of course. I also loved the idea of the Essayists of the 17-18th century who sold their ideas and sermons in the city streets as pamphlets, for a few pence each. I have been tempted to revive that approach but such things as podcasts have replaced that way of getting your ideas out there. Without the elegance.

 

You can contact me through the Contact Page on this site, direct by email to soultheft@optusnet.com.au or call/message any time on 61-404 33 00 75.

 

My good old days!

Image ©Rob Leeson

 

 

Ring the bells that still can ring,

 Forget your perfect offering,

 There is a crack, a crack in everything.

 That's how the light gets in. 

                               "Anthem" - Leonard Cohen

 

"Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it." - Confucius