END OF YEAR BLOG

I can't believe its the end of a decade already.
I finish on a high note as for December was a month full of activity.
Not that i thought it would be, more snow than i can remember tho.
Which left me spending alot of time at my computer editing and staring vacantly at the screen from time to time.
But i did get out and about.
On a commission for a Antique,s dealer which is a type of job i am new to , but like to mix it up a little. I was able the make a portrait of the owner who is a very interesting guy and i now know more kinds of marble too lol.

One the last exhibitions i saw this year was right on my doorstep in Stroud.
DOUBLE TAKE at the Space gallery was a collaboration between Jimmy Edmonds and he,s daughter Rosa Edmonds.
Jimmy's work was yet another take on one of the oldest arena,s of photography.
The street all the portraits are controlled with Jimmy asking he,s subjects to close there eyes.I was inspired by the work as i consider myself a Street Photographer and have found Jimmy,s work to slip in to a take on the genre to be fresh and any work that makes me stop and think , be provoked and ask questions has for me a substance.
The exhibit was filled with portraits by Jimmy.
The running theme he is dealing with in he's work is trust with subject and maker and this provokes debate.
Rosa's work is again dealing with this but in the subject matter she turns her camera towards youth partly nude, the Sally Mannish inspiration is clearly seen in the work,
But for someone just finding her voice with the camera, there is a language learned.
In all i must say one of the beat shows i've seen at the space this year on all levels.

Now on to what inspired me this month two portraits the first is made by one of my fav photographers.
Nadav Kander.
I made this image (below) a long time before Nadav Kander,s image lolNadav Kander shot Gary Barlow for Take That,s new Album
I shot Jamie when i was at Uni, the funny thing is people did say he looked a little like Gary Barlow lol.

I will finish on this a chance moment\encounter with a modern day Shakespeare
the one and only John Cooper Clarke!
Went to see him at the Thekla in Bristol, we went for some food right next door and WHO turns up..........
My mates son is sat next to John how by the way almost adopted him.
Happy New Year Bring On 2011 !

From the HardDrive Archive

From the HardDrive Archive
Some portraits i found in the bottom of me archive.
I dusted them off and am putting them on the mantle-piece.

Teaching,Protests and 1940's Weddings

I had chance to run a one day workshop in Portraiture (approach's and techniques). On the Visual Anthropology MA at Kent University, i could not of timed it better than i did as there was a student march, protesting the Uni fees. Which lent itself to some interesting work made by the students in the class. They was ask to make two portraits of someone you know and some you don't. Very productive it was and some strong work made by all. I shall be returning next year for more teaching which i come to enjoy and just love being in that environment again.

Below is one of the portraits made by a member of the class.




I then headed to London for more work but while there i could not miss out on seeing the Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize at the NPG. As i entered two of my own portraits and did not make to the finals i was interested to see what DID. There seems to be a move towards more of a open mind about portraiture this year as one of the finalist images is semi nude also there is a image made with a lot of movement and not all images are eye to eye with maker and sitting.
I personally pleased to see this as the genre is changing rapidly in the digital age and the repersention of us now has to reflect that.
Well here is my selection from the show , which is one of the best i've seen in a while.
I'll just have to wait for next to enter again?

Finally a image i made at a 1940's themed Wedding.
There attention to detail was something to be desired a totally ACE job one of the best Weddings i have had the pleasure of being a part of and to top it all off the Pearly King kicked off the nights entertainment.

Sweat As !