It's a busy day today. We are getting things together for the Wolverhampton Camera Fair on Sunday. The fair is organised by William. And it's a real labour of love. Planning the layout is almost a military operation.
Will and Josh know all the stallholders personally and appreciate that they all have their different needs in terms of space, accessibility - and 'who knows who'!
...But more than anything, the 'battle plan' remains the same: everybody should have a fun day - sellers and buyers alike. The worst thing is organised chaos - something that often threatens to plague a fair as busy as ours!
Covid killed camera fairs for a while - Wolverhampton was forced to disappear from the scene for almost two years. And one thing's for sure; we weren't the only people that missed our favourite show. All camera fairs have a dedicated - some would say, fanatical following. Wolverhampton is no exception. Maybe it has something to do with the distance the fair is from London; because all agree that the show has its own very distinctive character and atmosphere - which is every bit as beguiling as Photographica - but moreover, Wolverhampton seems to have more than a little magic to it.
Everyone involved shares the same ambition to make the event a real joy. And the fair is not just about buying and selling. It never has been - and I guess it never will be. More than anything, Wolverhampton (like all the great camera fairs from Bièvres to Photographica) acts as a meeting place for all those who have a love of photography - whether they are new to the medium or time-served devotees.
It's always such a pleasure to eavesdrop on the conversations held across the sales tables; for every haggle over the price or value of an item, there can be heard an equal number of exchanges that are simply about the love of a particular item or photographer.
A great photo fair lays out a world of photography fuelled by a love of the history, theory and practice of the medium. A visitor can come to learn and leave richer - even if they haven't bought an item...
But we hope you do!
We always make a real effort to dig out and pack some real treats from our stock at The Latent Image; we know what a pleasure it is to find a real 'treasure' at a camera fair...
But we also choose pieces that will encourage some real dialogue with all at the fair. There is always something new to learn; a new gem to discover.
And if you are 'new to the game', we will also be bringing a good stock of classic student cameras...
...So don't miss the show! https://www.ukcamerafair.com/