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 !

October Horror

The Rocky Horror is in town and i got a behind the scenes peek at the madness from Almost Legal Productions. I must say that i have not laughed like that for a while, nudity , cross dressing and of course the transvestites from transsexual. All in aid of charity of course.

Reality Street

Street Photography is getting alot more exposure of late.
What with the publication and exhibition of Street Photography Now
http://www.in-public.com/

Street Photography Now from Third Floor Gallery on Vimeo.

A book that is on the heart beat of what is happening now in that world.
Also there is The Street Photography Now Project in connection with the authors of the book and The Photographers Gallery a Flicker group http://www.flickr.com/people/streetphotographynowproject/ has been set up that will go on for 52 weeks until the reopening of The Photographers Gallery.
Digital photography has aloud a burst of creativity for so many that the streets are now alive even more so then at any other time. Its exciting, the street holds so much possibility for spontaneity and wonder that its is a endless subject that will present itself each time with new happenings.

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!