Ron Davies (photographer)
Encyclopedia
Ron Davies, OBE
, (born 17 December 1921 in Aberaeron
, Wales
) is a Welsh
photographer.
, his home town.
, Ron became an official war photographer
on the staff of Air Information with the South East Asia command of the British Royal Air Force
, stationed in India
, Indonesia
and Singapore
. In 1950, Ron was injured in an accident on his motorcycle combination
, and has used a wheelchair since, though this hasn't prevented him pursuing his chosen career.
, the BBC
, the Western Mail, Y Cymro
and various national newspapers, and has produced much private work and mounted many exhibitions. He's also taken a keen and active interest in teaching photography, and was the driving force behind the first mobile disabled darkroom, operated by Arts Care/Gofal Celf.
In 2003, Ron Davies was awarded the OBE
for his services to photography, and the year before he was accepted into the Welsh National Eisteddfod
's Bardic Circle.
techniques and digital printing, though he maintains that he's never lost the sense of wonder he felt when he saw his first black-and-white print appearing in a dish of developer
under a safelight
.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, (born 17 December 1921 in Aberaeron
Aberaeron
Aberaeron |Aeron]] being a Welsh god of war) is a seaside resort town in Ceredigion, Wales. Situated between Aberystwyth and Cardigan, it is home to the headquarters of Ceredigion County Council. The population was 1520 in 2001.-History and design:...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
) is a Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
photographer.
Early life
Ron developed an interest in photography at the age of 8, while working as an errand boy for a chemist shop in AberaeronAberaeron
Aberaeron |Aeron]] being a Welsh god of war) is a seaside resort town in Ceredigion, Wales. Situated between Aberystwyth and Cardigan, it is home to the headquarters of Ceredigion County Council. The population was 1520 in 2001.-History and design:...
, his home town.
War years and motorcycle accident
During WWIIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Ron became an official war photographer
War Photographer
War Photographer is a documentary by Christian Frei about the photographer James Nachtwey. As well as telling the story of an iconic man in the field of war photography, the film addresses the broader scope of ideas common to all those involved in war journalism, as well as the issues that they...
on the staff of Air Information with the South East Asia command of the British Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, stationed in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
and Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. In 1950, Ron was injured in an accident on his motorcycle combination
Sidecar
A sidecar is a one-wheeled device attached to the side of a motorcycle, scooter, or bicycle, producing a three-wheeled vehicle.-History:A sidecar appeared in a cartoon by George Moore in the January 7, 1903, issue of the British newspaper Motor Cycling. Three weeks later, a provisional patent was...
, and has used a wheelchair since, though this hasn't prevented him pursuing his chosen career.
Career
Ron has worked as a still and cine press photographer for HTVHTV
HTV, now legally known as ITV Wales & West, is the ITV contractor for Wales and the West of England, which operated from studios in Cardiff and Bristol. The company provided commercial television for the dual-region 'Wales and West' franchise, which it won from TWW in 1968...
, the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, the Western Mail, Y Cymro
Y Cymro
Y Cymro is a Welsh language newspaper, first published in 1932.Y Cymro was founded in Wrexham, and succeeded other newspapers of the same name that had existed during the 19th and early 20th century. It is the only national newspaper in the Welsh language, and is published weekly, on a Friday.In...
and various national newspapers, and has produced much private work and mounted many exhibitions. He's also taken a keen and active interest in teaching photography, and was the driving force behind the first mobile disabled darkroom, operated by Arts Care/Gofal Celf.
In 2003, Ron Davies was awarded the OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
for his services to photography, and the year before he was accepted into the Welsh National Eisteddfod
National Eisteddfod of Wales
The National Eisteddfod of Wales is the most important of several eisteddfodau that are held annually, mostly in Wales.- Organisation :...
's Bardic Circle.
Recent work (2008)
In his late 80s, Ron maintains an un-dimmed enthusiasm for photography, and for the last few years has been experimenting with digital darkroomDigital darkroom
Digital "darkroom" is the hardware, software and techniques used in digital photography that replace the darkroom equivalents, such as enlarging, cropping, dodging and burning, as well as processes that don't have a film equivalent....
techniques and digital printing, though he maintains that he's never lost the sense of wonder he felt when he saw his first black-and-white print appearing in a dish of developer
Photographic developer
In the processing of photographic films, plates or papers, the photographic developer is a chemical that makes the latent image on the film or print visible. It does this by reducing the silver halides that have been exposed to light to elemental silver in the gelatine matrix...
under a safelight
Safelight
A safelight is a light source suitable for use in a photographic darkroom. It provides illumination only from parts of the visible spectrum to which the photographic material in use is nearly or completely insensitive.- Design :...
.
Publications
- Llun A Chân, 1983, ISBN 0-85088-539-6
- 24 Awr Bronglais: Bywyd mewn diwrnod, Bronglais: 24 hours - A life in the day of, 1988, exhibition catalogue
- Delweddau O Gymru/Images Of Wales, 1990, ISBN 0-86243-226-X
- The Seven Wonders of Wales, 1993, ISBN 0-86243-292-8
- Byd Ron/Ron's World, 2001, ISBN 1-86225-032-4
External links
- Ron Davies on ArtCymru Page about Ron Davies on ArtCymru website, with some photographs.
- BBC news article BBC News article about Ron's OBE.