Rally's and Light's

Its been a eventful week. I was involved in my first protest rally "No Tesco in Stokes Croft". Always surprising myself as where the camera takes me, this is a issue that is close to my heart as getting in to photography has concentrated me to the issue of Community and the displacement of it. This i have covered in Bristol before , a few years ago. On this occasion the people of Stokes Croft were protesting against the building plan of a Tesco in a vibrant arty mixed culture part of Bristol. Think east London. I followed the day on the move from Stokes Croft to the council house's on collage green. I was blowen away by the energy that the people of Stokes Croft and touched by there passion for something they believe in and could not understand the arrogance of Mr Tesco! We have to keep the high street from becoming Town of Everywhere!
http://notesco.wordpress.com/







I was commissioned this week by a company called Trainspotters.
A specialist in the antique lighting market but industrial, pre-war and communist decor is just a slice of what they are involved in.
I had the task of shooting a advert that will be going in to Elle decor and World of interiors.
The product was the Dunlop light which to my amazement as been a design godfather, i mean this has been copied time and time again.
But i had the fortune of working two days with the original.
I found it such a pleasing form to explore and with so much to explore in the show room i was spoiled for choice.

http://www.trainspotters.uk.com/

I LOVE BOOKS

I have always loved photography books.
I think it is the one true and best way for the a photographer manifest there work and not only that , it in many ways makes you immortal in the photographic world.
Alec Soth has got this down to a fine art.
He's latest manifestation is Broken Manual http://littlebrownmushroom.wordpress.com/broken-manual/.

A instruction manual for those looking to escape their lives, he has worked with writer Lester B. Morrison.
The book is another angle Soth is exploring a different take of the world.
But for me more than this is the design of the book.
It is a book inside a book. Made in a edition of 300 the book is housed in a one off hand cut shell book with a signed and numbered 8 by 10 print by the artist.
This is what i love about photography right now is a massive change in the way we publish and produce books and the way we view the printed page.
This is a must as much is becoming digital and the book needs take a stand.
Alec Soth is also a book lover modern book lover.
Got to love books!

http://littlebrownmushroom.wordpress.com/broken-manual/

http://vimeo.com/14759277

Galleries !

Well what a month August has been to be honest i have not stopped so sorry for late blog.
I have been involved in a exhibition in Bristol.At ThePhotoGallery http://www.photographique.co.uk/gallery/"Portrait" is the first of many shows been put on Phillip Searle who runs the place, lovely chap.Photographer's in the show are Beso Uznadze,Mike Chick,James Kriszyk,James Stroud,Ellie Davies,Sam Holden and Victoria Hall

There is some really interesting photographic exhibitions on in
London at the moment too.I went along to the Exposed
Voyeurism, Surveillance and the Camera at the Tate Modern.
One of the main reason's for me to visit it is that Philip Lorca Dicorcia's work is on show and i rate Dicorcia as one of my main inspirations in the photographic world.He's street photography work is cinematic stark and surreal,full of tension and atmosphere.A slice from he's series "head's" is part of the exhibit alongside some the great street photographer's of the last hundred years.
Over at the Photographer's Gallery there is a stunning showcase of Sally Mann,s work The Family and the Land. Which takes you on a visual journey of Mann's work which for me is on the edge, there is a glimmer of spirit and soul within the work but this is continually fighting with a dark energy which seems the spill out of Sally Mann's work.
A must go see!