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Well, first of all, who's Selwyn Green, or should I say who was Selwyn Green? Sadly, he passed away in 2010 after a long ilness. I was very sorry to hear that and, unfortunately, it was not until after his funeral that I learned of this.

 

The early 80s was when Selwyn was to  become a welcome addition to the customer base at Bradford Camera Exchange's  Market Street shop, later to become a friend to all who worked there. I don't recall the first time he came into the shop, as is quite normal when running a city centre shop, especially with the heavy footfall that Bradford city centre had in those days. However, I do know the impression he made later - his friendliness, humour and very measured way of speaking about a subject (teacher training showed there certainly!) For Selwyn was an art teacher at Buttershaw Upper School and, from what I was told by people who knew him in that work environment, he was popular  with both pupils and colleagues alike. However, I do recall him telling me that he didn't like the direction his profession was taking, and said that he felt more like an administrator, just ticking boxes and making sure that his department was hitting targets. So when he was offered early retirement he took it with both regret and enthusiasm. I recall him coming into the shop once and saying he had no problems with his pupils, it was just the system. Ironically, it was only a few months out from retirement that he started supply teaching.

 

 I suppose in deciding  to take up serious photography, with his art training backgound, it must have filled a void - a void he was determined to fill with panache!

 

Using mainly Contax 35mm equipment with top quality Carl Zeiss lenses, he soon went on to doing his own quality black and white printing, using Ilford Multigrade and Gallerie papers. Selwyn  was not just a customer however, he became a part of the Market Street family at Bradford Camera Exchange. So much so, that he had a standing invitation to join us (a rare honour, not casually dished out) after work on Saturdays at the now well documented bar next door, "The Spinks". Some years ago I uploaded a picture of Selwyn into the Spinks Black & White gallery, with another to be found on the colour section. I remember him one day coming into the shop, saying he was taking pictures of the world famous Huddersfield Choral Society, and over the coming months we saw some very fine examples of his work, mainly black and white using Ilford HP5 400 iso film. I believe he had a Zeiss 85mm telephoto lens that he used for portraiture as this was a favourite genre of his. This, I suppose, led him into wedding photography, where he developed a reputation for producing high-end quality work. He was always in demand, by reputation alone, and didn't have to rely heavily on advertising as his work was of such high a standard. Having seen some of the last work he produced, he deserved the reputation he acquired.

 

Now, lets get up to modern day. In August 2011 his widow, Sylvia, called me to ask if I would be interested in looking at some of his pictures /slides/ negatives, to see if they would be of use to my website. I didn't need asking twice and the same afternoon I was over there, to be handed a box of slides, hoping that  Selwyn would have taken pictures in the Bradford area all those years ago. I knew that this was one of his favourite photographic subjects, urban street photography, but would there any evidence in what he'd left behind, as he had  an interest in a wide variety of subject matters?  Well, I was not to be disappointed, and I don't think the BradfordEye audience will be either.  I'm sure this Gallery will be well received. In the next few months I hope to be coming across more of Selwyn's photographic legacy. I've had to do some work regarding the bringing back to life the colour, contrast and clarity of these slides as, with all things, age takes its toll. I just hope I've done them justice! Please keep referring back this gallery.  I'm certain you'll not be disappointed!

 

So it is  that I would like to thank Sylvia for her foresight, and also for her trust in BradfordEye, in the handing over to me of Selwyn's collection of images.  I will see that they go out to a wider audience, to be appreciated by all who log on to the site, and that her husband  will be remembered not just for the body of work he left  behind but in words, however inadequate, showing the man he was. Fondly thought of and I'm sure loved by the many who knew him.

 

Selwyn Green

 

Finally from me, as in all things in life, situations do change, I left Bradford Camera Exchange in 1989, and Selwyn and I lost touch, but I still thought of him, and  regret now that I didn't make greater efforts to trace him.  BradfordEye.