Aperture Alternative

04/07/2025

Trust me. I’m an engineer… 😬

Last year my camera broke on a job trying to photograph the kids at Christmas. I lost all auto-focus function when a tiny metal lens contact pin shot off to the void. 🫥

Although I was able to complete the task, it was challenging for sure and devastating to have my camera out of action. 😓

Canon would do nothing.
A repair service would take weeks and the price left open in mystery.
A new / preowned camera was not financially possible. 🫠

But for a €13 spare part online from one of those trusty e-commerce stores, I could try… I hoped. 😳
Unfortunately there didn’t exist a video guide to replace my pin on the model I had.
But I watched a bunch of other cameras with similar issues, got a blueprint screw map for the Canon 6D and gave it my best shot. 🫡

Despite a few shredded screw heads at #0000, I was able to get the camera apart and make an educated guess on what to do to replace that bastard pin… 😡

Hours late into the night, and a few heart attacks later, it’s back together, a bit worse off cosmetically… but fully functional features! 🙌

Back in action! Let’s charge those batteries and clear those cards. Time to take some photos again! 📸

18/06/2025

Fantastic concept and perfectly executed! What a creative sentiment 👌🏼

08/12/2024

End-of-an-era… for now: camera broke today. Hit a sentimental chord. But looking for options! Thank you. 🙏

I noticed when preparing for a shoot, that my test photos were blurred. Despite focus confirming in the viewfinder and audible, it was not a good quality.
In trying to swap out the lens I felt like it was jammed into the camera mount. I couldn’t rotate it fully. It took more force than I wanted to give to get it free.

I saw in the lens mount, that the plastic interlocking mechanism was coming out which probably caused the jam. I could push it back down, not all the way, but at least the lens connected and disconnected again.

However the focusing issue was still buggy.
I noticed a metal gold pin of the camera mount interally was twisted. When I tried to move it back in place, it just snapped very easily and flung off into the void.
Since that moment I have lost all automatic function of focusing.

The camera still operates, but I can no longer use the auto assist to focus which was integral for the project, and any future works.
(Please No sassy or unhelpful comments about “being a proper photographer now using manual”)
I’m devastated and haven’t really processed the repercussions of what this means.

My Canon 6D+24-70L lens was purchased in 2013 for nearly £3,000 on grant to start my business over ten years ago! Its been on many adventures and captured hundreds of thousands of memories. I hope I can repair it or replace it.

30/04/2024

Tips & Tricks for info that sticks!

23/02/2023

I enjoyed every moment of creating content for my photography brand: Aperture Alternative. I ran that race and gave it everything I had to keep it fresh, meaningful, and design a representation of my capability as a creative artist.

There was so much passion and optimism and drive for my work, and it was a pleasure and a privilege to provide that entertainment and experience for myself and others I had the honour of working with and for.

But chasing the analytics was exhausting and despite the efforts and best intentions, it became easier to accept my media was just a flick of a thumb away in a matter of seconds.

As my passion for photography dwindled and I shifted my priorities, I saw how quickly work like mine was overwritten and irrelevant, it was crushing, but eventually I had to let it go as I could no longer uphold the values and justification of my art. Especially when I lost the domain name to a high premium.

Aperture Alternative and it’s content will always hold a special place in my heart, with fond memories, awesome adventures and a catalogue of amazing artists and creatives from all over the world. So although my race has long been ran, I think I’ve earned the biggest trophy, and I’ll shine it proudly.
Thank you 🙏

11/02/2022

20/08/2021

Welcome to the world my little Padawan!
Now one month old and (sleep) training hard!
Our family is healing well, and adjusting to new challenges but he's showing us wonderful development every day!

We didn't get much time to prepare a shoot, so set up something pretty quick in the attic!
Looking forward to spending a bit more time with him...and my studio set up and props! :D

28/04/2021

07/03/2021

🌳💪🏻