Everyone should watch this feature-length film …. the factors that have caused global warming, the inbalance between rich and poor across the world, how fossil fuels are decimating life on earth and why much of the crops produced across the world are actually being used to feed animals rather than people. This message has to get across to global politicians and developing countries who are ignoring the scientific evidence. All good reasons too to reduce your consumerism by being a minimalist. And also reduce your consumption of meat. The photography, videography and aerial photography is truly astounding. Link to the film on youtube. Please share with all your family and friends. It’s important.

There was some discussion on one of the photography forums about what photo backup equipment someone should use. To me, it’s not just about the equipment. It’s also the methodology of how …. and where … you backup. So anyway it got me thinking that I’d write a bit about how I manage my files. Many people swear by them I know and they really do have their place in a corporate environment, but I have never liked RAID or NAS units for the simple reason some (maybe all) use a brand-specific bespoke Operating System (OS) and software backup programs which to me means the way they store files would be incompatible if I moved it over to a different brand either to upgrade or to recover a crashed unit. Maybe some don’t use bespoke OS and software but I have never bothered to complicate things by finding out which ones don’t, and only use those ones, which to me would be a vulnerable point if for whatever reason they were no longer available or supported. So I keep it all nice and simple and use external portable 2TB and 4TB hard drives formatted to FAT or NTFS, that way […]

I’m amazed at the number of photographers who do not stretch and challenge themselves or the model when they are shooting. Doing the same style time and time again may be in your comfort zone but really only makes for boring photos over time and certainly does not improve your skills. I’d had plenty of experience of photography having started when I was 17 shooting general topics such as landscapes and architecture, with a little street photography thrown in too, particularly around the city of York where I lived.  I went on to do weddings and more commercial work for clients but really hadn’t touched on working with models until probably about 20 years ago.  I look back on my photos at that time and think to myself, what the devil was I thinking.  Poses were wrong, ideas were lacking, lighting was rubbish and personally I thought my model photos were just generally pretty poor and certainly not to be proud of.  I gradually got a little better but it wasn’t until I met a wonderful young lady who I took on as my muse and, whilst she might not have recognised it at the time, she helped me with […]

Since the TV advert you probably know of the word “noseblind” – which according to Wikipedia means “The gradual acclimation to the smells of one’s home, car, or belongings, in which the affected does not notice them” Well, I’m sorry but I’ve gone photoblind. I really cannot “see” 99% of the imagery that pervade our social media, model and photographer portfolios, modelling sites etc. It all just seems that most photos are oh so bloody boring, lack feeling, imagination, have no excitement, no story and so does that mean that potentially they have no reason for being. Sure, they may be perfectly lit, exposed, posed, styled, post-processed, shot in a great location, obeys all the photographic “rules” etc. but really does it do anything for you … or me. And for many, as well as being boring, they can often be a repetitive clone of their own or others work. Rightly or wrongly due to the likes of instagram and tumblr particularly, I think that photography is so very different now than it used to be and for some people that’s a shock. Who cares if there’s big shadows, bright lights, the tops of heads cropped off, limbs cut off […]

Well, plenty of excitement for Nikon, Canon and Fuji photographers this week with their new camera releases. All very tempting whether it’s the Nikon D750, the Canon 7D Mark II or the Fuji X-T1 in graphite silver. Consider though, will your photos actually be any better once you’ve satisfied your GAS tendencies? Probably not. So if you’ve the urge to splash some cash, then go somewhere on a trip either at home or abroad and take photos like you’ve never taken before. Or book a great model or perhaps go do some workshops. All are very much more likely to improve your photography. And your pocket will thank you for it. ? Note: GAS – Gear Acquisition Syndrome

The Christmas holiday I find is always a good time to take stock on what has happened during the year and also start to plan the coming year in terms of what the priorities will be and what work I will be pushing towards. Over the past months I’ve certainly been working towards doing more fashion and commercial, but also moving into product photography.   Some avenues of photography that I’ve previously been in appear to be becoming almost what feels like a closed shop as a number of  photographers flood the market with cheap work and in so doing devalue the work of others and what the magazines are prepared to pay. So by exploring new markets, not only will it help channel my creativity in a different way, it may well open up new work if I build up the relevant skills and also make the right contacts with magazines and companies. I think also that sometimes we do work and/or styles because that is what people always expect us to do.  This year is going to be different, it’s going to be a year of what I want to do ….. so you’re either with me or you’re not.  And if […]