A huge thank you to the Large Format Photography Forum and all its wonderful members.

I haven't been on here for a long time. That in itself is a huge and long story.

But today I was reflecting on how important this forum was to me in the 90's and 00's.

I learnt so much from you all. You were all so helpful and supportive.

When I needed help you always came to the rescue.

Reflecting on that now, I don't find the same support in social media, and lament how wonderful my experience here was.

I have a huge draw of beautiful prints from print swaps we did. You started my collection of beautiful art. I have bought reference prints, but honestly I use yours more often to evaluate my own printing against. I pull many of them out to show different papers and inks when I teach. Having the details for each print is just such great reference material. My students just love seeing real photographs, and gush endlessly over them, just as I still do.

Large Format Photography was my life for many decades... And you my dear friends were so much apart of that journey.

I am indebted and so thankful for that support.

Since then I have become a full time photography teacher, become a regular contributor to 'Better Photography Magazine' and started my own journal of creative photography.

I have learnt that I am a monochromist, and am so much at home in that genre.

Most sadly I have sold most of my large format equipment, though I have kept a few beauties, and have a pile of 4 x 5 and 8 x 10 film in the fridge for projects I will return to one day.

I am so thankful for this forum and its members.

So I thought I would let you all know how I felt.

I am similarly indebted and grateful, though I am a newcomer by comparison, having found this oasis about five years ago when picking up my passion once again.

Keep teaching and inspiring.

Great!

Thanks for your thoughts, Len.

It's the hope that the forum provides that kind of help to many LF photographers that keeps us going.

Aw, shucks.

You've offered many constructive tips and perceptive insights too.

The threads I've started always prospered when you appeared.