About Me

My wife is resolved to the fact I do not have normal hobbies. Whatever I do, I am unashamedly single-minded about it, be it photography, electronics or astronomy. With a sponsorship from Marconi, I graduated from Bath University with a BSc. and MEng. in Electrical and Electronic engineering and later with an MSc. course in optics. This set me up for a series of technical and engineering positions in military communications, optical gauging and automotive engineering and project management .

As a boy, astronomy had been a brief hobby, stifled by a lack of equipment and, in those days, no Internet, mobile phones or computers. My latent interest was re-ignited when I was clearing out a bookshelf and discovered the Hamlyn Guide to Astronomy. This little book was published in the 1970s, with hand illustrations, artist’s impressions and precious few photographs.  It is amazingly out of date.

Up to this point, I was an amateur fine-art photographer, using transparency and black & white film in 35-mm, medium and large formats. During one cold, wet Christmas, I designed an f/stop darkroom meter, which I patented. One thing led to another and, after selling the design rights, I started writing for magazines and eventually, published two books on advanced traditional monochrome photography. I achieved LRPS and ARPS distinctions in traditional monochrome prints from the Royal Photographic Society. 

These darkroom exploits were de-valued with the emergence of digital imaging and I sought new challenges; frustrated with the digital bandwagon, I abandoned photography for several years but, on a whim, purchased an entire astrophotography outfit off a guy moving house. In at the deep end, my next few years were a steep learning curve like no other. I was in heaven!

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The available books in 2011 were out of date and lacked depth; I ended up teaching myself and, after witnessing others struggling with the same issues, I decided to write a book while the bruises were still fresh! Following a number of outreach events, I became a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society.

My technical background was useful, if rather rusty. I had to re-learn a great deal, especially for the more technical projects. Research and technique are not enough though; this is an art-form after all and my aim is to produce beautiful images.   

You can email me at  chris at digitalastrophotography dot co dot uk

regards 

Chris Woodhouse BSc., MEng., ARPS, FRAS

Clear skies.