Paul Lorenz takes a quick photo in the backyard of his Pelham home. He became interested in photography after borrowing his parents' Pentax camera some 20 years ago. His work will be on display at the Pelham Art Festival this weekend.

Paul Lorenz loves a challenge.

That's why the Grade 5 teacher at Connaught Public School never uses a digital camera.

"I love the challenge of slide film," he said.

"Anyone can use a digital camera and produce great photos, but it takes time to become consistent on film."

Lorenz caught the photography bug after he borrowed his parents' old manual Pentax camera some 20 years ago. He hasn't put the camera down since and feels that film itself is a dying art form.

"Everybody uses digital nowadays, I find slide film better because the colours are more true and the processing is more consistent."

Lorenz also likes the anticipation of waiting two weeks for his slides to come in.

"I also find that people want to be rewarded instantly (when using digital), it seems that all digital photographs or even manipulation through Photoshop makes photography too easy," he said.

Lorenz loves the challenge of getting the best possible photo which is why he doesn't use any manipulation in his photographs, and does not crop anything out.

"Mother Nature is beautiful enough as she is, she doesn't need to be embellished."

Being immersed in all of mother nature's beauty, is what feeds Lorenz's passion for photography.

"The number one is being lost in your element. Being oblivious to all other distractions, all other thoughts seem to disappear. I love the beauty of the world like the morning light or fog in the atmosphere, and the changing seasons."

Lorenz photographs everything from scenic landscapes and nature to animals and birds and abstract scenery.But his favourite by far, is taking a photo extremely close up.

"You can spend eight hours taking closeups," he said. "You see things that others pass by and that's what keeps me interested."

Lorenz said that his job becomes extremely worthwhile when someone has an emotional connection and a story behind why they purchase one of his photographs.

"I sold a picture of a flower coming up through a crevice of a rock to a woman who was recently divorced.

The flower still found a way of coming through and she told me it symbolized coming into a new beginning," he said.

"That moment was extremely rewarding for me."

Lorenz and his photography will be available to purchase at this weekend's Pelham Art Festival, which runs through Sunday at the Pelham Arena.

It is his third year participating in the event. More of Lorenz's work can be viewed online at www.lorenzimages.com.