Making time.

As a photographer ideas occasionally pop into my head for an image or series of photographs that I think would be really striking or interesting. Regrettably these little opportunities often get missed, or I just never get round to doing them. I'm a busy man these days, but making time for these little escapades and experiments is something I've decided I should really improve on.

The last time I did this I took one of my favourite shots (the watercress farmer above). I really love this image. I like the man and his proud expression, but I also like the colours, the textures, and the way his two Border Collies were looking at me and him - It really draws you into the photograph.

I entered this image into the National Portrait Gallery Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize a couple of years ago, but sadly they didn't rate it as I do and it didn't get through to the final exhibition. Mind you very few of the 10,000 entrants do! I'm proud of this photograph, and it now hangs on the wall by our dining table.

Shortly after I entered the portrait prize I had another idea, but for a series of portraits this time. At this stage I won't disclose what my idea is, but I have finally decided to make time time to start on the project this Friday, and I'm very excited about it indeed. It should provide a fascinating insight into rather unusual, and largely unseen society.

Watch this space - All will be revealed in due course!

Debenhams Ottaway and more!

Well I really don't know where the last five or six weeks have gone since I last posted on my blog - Time is flying by! Things have been rather busy, which is fantastic. Fingers crossed it will stay this way.

So what have I been up to? Well, I've been working on a series of profile shots for Debenhams Ottaway Solicitors in St Albans (see example above). Over the next couple of weeks I will be shooting head and shoulders portraits of all fifty staff for intranet use.

Other recent jobs, to name a few, have included photographing famous Russian chef, Anatoly Kohm, for Yachting Magazine Russia, I have photographed The University of Hertfordshire school of pharmacy, I've taken photos of the new olympic white water centre, and shot some Scalextrics for a advertising campaign. A mixed bag I'm sure you'll agree!

Local Legends

I'm pleased to say that last week will stay in my memory for some time. I spent four days photographing 'local legends' for a campaign run by Northcliffe Digital who run the Local People websites. Each area (27 in total) nominated and voted for local people that they thought deserved to be officially recognised as legends. As I'm sure you can imagine this meant that I met some absolutely amazing people. To name just a few, the legends included a professional skateboarder, people doing great things for charity, a pub landlady, a policeman, a man that's run a local hardware shop for 55 years, and an utterly bonkers musical duo going by the name of Wheel of Four Tunes.

A lot of fun was had along the way, and above I have included a team shot with one of the models from the shoots. One the left are Maria and Zoe from Local People, in the very pink shirt is Phil Wilson (a drummer with several 70's rock bands who now does amazing work supporting and promoting breast cancer charity Breakthrough). Next to Phil is Make-up artist Gemma Sutton, Debbie Bigg from The Collective Design, and myself.

Once the ads have hit the streets (they will soon be on bus stops, billboards and web in each legends local area) I will post again to show them off.

Great people, a great project, and great fun too - I'm really looking forward to seeing the finished results.