Retirement, what must you have experienced by the time you get there?

 All of my working life, I've heard the men and women that I've met along the way, talk about how much they're looking forward to retiring from work.  Most people plan on enjoying retirement and hope that they can save enough money to keep them for their remaining years.  For some it becomes a worry and for others they just take it in their stride.

 It's led me to think about it in a deeper way and to explore what it must feel like.  I invited some pensioners  in to my rural portrait studio to chat with them and make a touching photograph of them, one that captured the very essence of thought.  

Some of the stories were heart breaking and some were filled with a zest for life.

 One couple were due to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in The Maldives. They'd traveled there for the last 7 years but this trip was going to be so special until they learned that their daughter had cancer.  It must tear them up inside and you could see the pain in their eyes.  Another couple had experienced real physical trauma.  The husband had a stroke during love making and hasn't been the same since.  One lady lost her husband just a few years prior to retirement, scuppering all of their long made plans.

 So in essence, most people look forward to retirement but it doesn't come with out flaws. Getting there is exciting but when you finally make it, you will have experienced so much during your time here and perhaps become apprehensive once it arrives as you enter the latter stages of your life.  

Click on each image to enlarge.


A Small and Proud Moment

I'm very proud to have been selected for one of my street photography images that has been picked to appear in an International Online Gallery.

A collaborative effort led by American Barbara Peacock is rising with increasing popularity.  They have a social platform on Facebook filled with some of the best Street Photographers from all over the World.

Of all the people to have made it in to this gallery is little old me from Hinckley in the middle of England.  It's a proud moment for me.

You can view the gallery by following this link

This is my image, click on it to enlarge.

Keeping on top of my website.

Just lately I've been snowed under.  Life can sometimes take over and keep you doing real stuff like washing up or Fighting off three animals that walk under my feet as soon as I move from the desk in our office space.  In between eating and sleeping both myself and Lisa have been slogging away with our Uni studies.  It's dominated our lives for a long time but it's given us so much knowledge about our art.  Anyway, I'm going off piste a little here.  I've neglected my website.  I'm getting enquiries for work through it, so I've been forced to get back in to and show my best work.  I've set up two new galleries which include several images from my street photography escapades in Amsterdam, London, New York and my favorite of all, Paris.  I'd be happy to hear what you think, after all feedback is the best form of learning.  

Street Photography:

In Colour

In White & Black

 

Click on each image to enlarge, then follow the links if you fancy having a look at my new galleries.  Thanks for reading.

Boxing Training Photography

There's always a lot of energy in a boxing gym.  Watching the lads really put the effort in and keep going right up until the end of a session is hard going, let alone doing what they put themselves through.  UBL 12 is just around the corner and part of Jerry's team are pushing themselves to the limits in preparation. The next show on February 21st 2015 is going to be an explosive one.

Click on the image to watch the promo video.

What is Street Photography

Recently I've been having some discussions with other like minded creatives with a Street Photography collaborative on Facebook.  What is Street Photography?  You can choose to take the linear view and run with the obvious definition or dig deeper in to your soul and find the bravery to create these images.  I can assure it's really difficult to create something that you like and the wider audience also understands your image.  What's the story?  Is there one? Does there have to be?  

You're questions will go on forever and it's a matter learning, keep shooting.  Take your time on location, keep hydrated, pub stops are some times necessary!  Those that go out and create their art in the street, enjoy it.

This was my recent shoot in London, mostly in Camden.

Click on image to enlarge.

Street Photography London

I tend to come back from a Street Photography shoot with a few good images and today's in London was no different.  I'm quite happy with his image and is by far my favourite from about 4-5 images that are strong enough to be considered for my portfolio.  What do you think to this one?  Feel free to give me some crit.

Click on image to enlarge.

Footballs Backside Featuring The Wealdstone Raider

Over a year ago I created a body of photographic work that sent me around the Country to a variety of football grounds.  I followed Manchester City to Wembley to document their fans journey to the FA Cup with Wigan.  I drove up to Manchester to visit the National Football Museum and Manchester United.  I also spent an afternoon in the back rooms of Macclesfield Town FC as well as an entire week with Barwell Football Club in Leicestershire.  During the project I also spent many rainy Sundays pitch side with my camera at several Sunday Football pitches.  This movie is a compilation of my work set against the background music from Wakes, latest track featuring the Wealdstone Raider.

Night time landscapes

I'm a sucker for night landscapes, I just love to see the vibrancy of the night in colour and am able to find the beauty in most places.  I especially love it on a clear night when you can see all of the stars so clearly.  I always like to ground every night landscape with some of the Earth's surface and human dwellings to give the image a sense of scale.

Here's one I created in Burbage, England last night.

Click on image to enlarge.

Background change

I've been doing a lot of research recently on many of the great landscape photographers around the World and especially those that have used a 5x4 large format plate camera.  This has led me to pick up one and get outside in the freezing outdoors and make some great landscapes too.

I'm using a Wista which is made in Japan.  Believe me, at first it's a complicated bit of kit but once you've shot a few with it, it feels like you're stepping back in time but can get to grips with it quite easily.  

The background on my site has always been bright white making everything stand out way too much and was difficult to view the pages.  So I've adjusted the background colour in my logo and matched it with an easy on the eye grey colour.

I feel it's easier to browse my site now, also I've switched the menu's around to promote my personal work.  I find those images much more interesting to view than my commercial work. Not because I think there's anything wrong with my commercial work.  I'm sure every photographer would agree that when shooting your own work, it creates a different feeling.  One that makes you feel free with total creativity.  To me it makes sense to promote my personal work first because it's that style that has helped me to find clients.

Click on image to enlarge.


Human Hinckley

So over the past few years, I've been documenting many different aspects of Hinckley through Hinckley Photographed.  During the last 12 Months, I've been to many of the Town's events and captured the People as well as many of the landscapes.  I'm adding a selection of images of the people that I've photographed in 2014.  2015 will be the year it really kicks off and changes Hinckley Photographed.  We're talking with an organisation about funding and will hopefully be taking Hinckley Photographed to a completely different level.

Stay tuned.

Click on images to enlarge.