November Blog update, still no sight but who cares … Christmas is soon here !

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Welcome back to my little corner of the web.

Straight off let me apologies for again dishing up a short blog. Simple fact is that due to my diminished eye capacity its been a bit slow. Its getting seen to, but the Hospital is being a bit coy about if it will return? But look on the bright side …. I could be in Jail as the lyrics go to a Prefab Sprout track called 'Spinning Belinda' And besides I still have another eye so nothing stopping me just using that as I have been doing.

This month we said hello again to the lovely Mercybongo for her ninth shoot with me and Shadrine. We all went to The Boardroom Studio in Derby for its ambience and charm as we like to do. And I think we got some good stuff done that day. Oh and by the way, I am publishing a book of all the highlights I have done with Shadrine (not quite every picture), but one from each shoot. book is a vanity project and its called FIELD WORK

I hope you enjoy this months short blog and hope to show a bit more next month. I will see you all again in Mariah Carey season also known as Christmas. So be safe and enjoy the show

x

Mercybongo Shoot at the studio. 'GOLD'

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Its always a good shoot when Mercybongo rides into town. She is such a great model and genuinely happy person to work with. This is our ninth shot together and the theme this shoot was gold. Shadine was on hand to add a gold flaky texture to her face using Vaseline and gold makeup. I thought we might not get a lot done this shoot as it is very time consuming, but it turned out good timewise. It was also Mercybongos first time attending the shoot without Carl and driving herself. Well done … you can do it, nothing to worry about.

We will be seeing Mercy again in December when she does a two model fashion shoot with Munira Model. Needless to say I am looking forward to that. So thank you then to everyone there. To Mercy. To Shadrine at Kavour Beauty and Phil at The Boardroom Studio, Derby. Although Amy was not there she provided the food so another thanks to her.

November Flower Updates

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You can’t beat a gerbera …. they are such a photogenic flower. South Africas pride and joy, the gerbera never fails to impress … if a kittle over used sometimes.So thanks then to our friends at The Bramblesrist and Flowers to yours who have provided us with a wonderful selection of flowers to work with this month.They are getting the shop ready for the Christmas silly season, so thanks to Chris and the ladies at the Bramblesrist and Flowers to yours and Amy for her help.

This is a very short month again, but we will be back in December with all new stuff. Apologies once more for the shortness of it. Please don't let this put you off coming back next month.

Until then, take care and see you all again (all three of you!) soon x

October Updates and I lost a whole bunch of stiff as well as my eyesight in one eye

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Welcome back to my little corner of the web.

Its going to be a short blog this month as I had a bit of a month off. There was to be a shoot at the start of October, but due to circumstances beyond my control I had to move it to the 11th of November. On top of which I have lost some images I created for the digital art folder? Where they have gone I don't know, although I have a sneaky suspicion that I might have deleted them by mistake. Oh well. ….. And to add insult to injury to my left eyes is out of use because some blood vessels have exploded in them and covered my vision. I have been to my local A&E as well as spoke with my GP. They have done an emergency referral to Clinic 8 to have them do something about it. I am still waiting for them to contact me and now writing this blog is a little bit difficult. So maybe its a good thing its a quick one.

Just before I go I would like to say a warm thank you to my parents for traveling to see us both and take me to the Steve Hackett concert. Luv Ya x

Enjoy the blog and see you next month I hope x

Still Life Update

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This month I did manage to do some still life stuff, some of which were left over unedited from September. These are all of vegetables and past their best flowers. As always thank you to Amy for her help.

Amy's Street Photography for the 'Streets of your town' site

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October Flower Updates

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Our friends at Brambles Florist and Flowers to yours who have provided us again with some great selection of flowers to work with. A special stand out is the kangaroo feet flower. It is so photogenic and easy to edit, the shape is everything. Thanks then to Chris and the ladies at Brambles Florist and Flowers to yours and Amy for her help.

That is it for this month. Apologies for the shortness of it. Please don't let this put you off coming back next month.

Until then, take care and see you soon x

September Updates and the Cops are after me for stalking (a building) !!!

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Welcome back to my little corner of (Pentonville Prison) the web.

The seasons have changed from Summer to Autumn and the bad weather it can bring before Winter.There was a very short but welcome Indian Summer, which was nice while it lasted, but gone now. realised that I only have two shoots left this year and so should give good thought to what I am going to do next year in 2025? I know its cliche to say, but where has all the year gone?

So what is all this about the Police being after me. In truth that statement is a bit exaggerated as nothing came of it in the end. Sunday at the start of September Amy and I with James our taxi driver went out to do a bit of landscape and architecture photography. It was a but drizzly out but that did not stop us visiting a Roman hill and another smaller mound near B&Q for the landscape part. After which we drove the short distance to the Amazon Depot, because I like its design. More toi t I like all the lines that are in the design of the structure. So we stopped in front of it and then a short drive to the side of the building. There were CCTV cameras there which was no surprise and a mentioned at the time that we might get reported for taking these snaps. Sure enough we did. After James dropped us off at home he called back saying that Amazon had contacted the Taxi company and informed them that they would call the police. Apparently I had been stalking the building? Quite how you go about stalking a building I don't know and everyone I mention this fact to is also baffled by it. There was no need to panic over it as we had not committed any crime and last thing I can remember is that its not illegal to photograph a building. So I called the Police myself and gave them my details, address phone number and explanation for the call. Asking them if they want to come around and see me that would be great. Four weeks later now and I am still waiting for them. I would like to think that somewhere a more common sensed view prevailed and they realised that if I were a criminal 'casing the joint' as they say, I would hardly turn up midday on a Sunday in a taxi .. that would be pretty stupid and almost as idiotic as saying that I was stalking the building in the first place.

We got to work with a new model this month at the studio. Eva Mengling Pu travelled up to see us and the team set to work making it a memorable day with so great pictures. There was going to be a shoot in October, and none in November, but that has had to be changed around due to circumstanced in Shadrine’s family. No problem we are all go for the 11th of November instead.Thats it for the round up of this month so thanks for dropping by and enjoy the show. X

PS. OMG ...I have just heard a loud knock at my front door ? …. It could be the Police !!!!


Still Life Update

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This months Still Life images feature the dried up and dying stills from last months flower pictures. I like the quality and textures of decay. As much as rust can look great colour wise on an old piece of iron, so decay, like Autumn, can throw up beautiful hues.

Eva Mengling Pu First Shoot

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I wanted to work with someone new to me and was approached by oriental model Eva Mengling Pu to do a shoot together. She travelled a long way to attend the shoot, so only thought it fair to put her up in a hotel for the night. So come the shoot day, she was full of life and eager to get involved with the day in front. Eva was great and a pleasure to work with. Getting some almost Halloween ish sets done, although that was not the original aim of the set. There are as well as some Art Deco inspired theme shoots. Thanks then to all involved with the shoot. To Shadrine at Kavour Beauty for all the hair and beauty. To Phil Lynam and his studio at at The Boardroom Studio in Derby. And to Amy for her help and sourcing the materials. Thank you all.

Project – 'Architectural Metaphor ' Update

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This is it folks, this is what all the fuss was about!

The front, back and sides of our local Amazon Depot I have been asked why I take pictures of these, soulless buildings, but I like them. Its all in the lines. Note the lines in the walls and even the lines of the road markings. Lines lead the eye into a composition, and I am captivated by them. So there you have it was the lines Officer …. And to this day, they still have not come to arrest me?

There are also a few shots thrown in of a new building next to my GP's surgery. Very square, very uniformed.

Project – 'Landscapes' Update

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On the same afternoon that we took pictures of the Amazon Depot and caused a minor stir, we also took some snaps of a Roman hill. I say it is Roman, although I have no actual proof of this, only what my taxi driver friend James said it is one. It does look man made. As well as having few interesting trees growing on the top of it. Also taken that day is another view of a tree on a small hill (first picture) that I first viewed when Amy and I were on our way back home from our parents. It can be seen through a gap in the trees opposite the local B&Q depot. I had thought for a time that I had imagined the view from the depot as the mind plays tricks on you, but yes it was real and James and his taxi took us there to capture its fleeting splendour.

Random Stuff !!!

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On a trip into town the other week I got dropped off in a taxi as near as I could to the market place (what's left of it anyway!!) and walked the rest. This is when I took a better look at what was around me to see if I could make any pictures out of it. And I was lucky. There is a scene waiting to be captured of some beer barrels outside the back of a pub, in a blink and you will miss it corner of the lane. I stood looking at it seeing if it worked, then sat down to take its composition. It looked a bit dark and dingy, which was perfect for the image I had in mind. The results are as follows below along with a second set of pictures taken of a side of an old house, with more wall than windows and peeling of paint. I think these pictures work, but I just don't have a file they can go in on the site. So I am showing them only on this blog as extras and random stuff/ I hope you like them?

Amy's Street Photography for the 'Streets of your town' site

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Amy is still beavering away at her Streets of your town project and website of the same name, capturing shots as she goes about her business. She is doing really well at it and I am pleased to encourage her with this hobby. She not only gets to meet new people and she also is learning how to see the world through a photographers eye. Here are here latest pictures. See them also and more at Streets of your town online.

September Flower Updates and the *NEW 'Quirky' gallery

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Well I asked for constructive criticizism and I got it.

Reliable sources asked if I could produce more quirky flower images. So I did …. or like to think I had a try at it. So with this in mind I have created a new section in the flowers folder called appropriately 'Quirky' I looked up the meaning of the word and if I have understood it correctly its something a bit unusual. So this month I have made several images featuring the odd looking gerbera that I obtained and mixed it with some of the other flowers like the wax plant as well as putting them with a collection of dried leaves I have in the studio. You can see the results below with the last five pictures, after the square black and whites. So mixing it up and trying to keep it fresh.

Thanks then this month to our friends, Chris and the laddies at Brambles Florist and Flowers to yours for all their help. Thank you also to Amy for her input and help on the day

Thats it for this month … I hope you will return next month for Octobers update.

X

August Updates, Amys Birthday. Muniras return and a welcome getaway to a (not so) sunny Northamptonshire

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Welcome back to my little corner of the web.

We got away from the same four walls we surround ourselves with. I would do it more often if I was fully mobile. So we had our escape to the wilds of Northamptonshire to visit my Mum and Dad. It was so good to see them and spend time with them again, chewing the fat and visiting places. The weather was not as warm as it sometimes is and looked a bit threatening at times, but it did not rain until we were on the journey home.

August was the fifty seventh birthday of my long suffering wife Amy, although I am sure she told me she was twenty one again? So happy birthday sweetypie x Hope we have many more birthdays to share with each other to come.

Has anybody heard of how its possible to stalk a building? …. No, me neither …. but we went out the other day to do some photography and that accusation was levelled at me. I will tell you all more next month as it happened in September and the pictures for display at the end of the months blog. Watch this space.

Look out for awsome model and beauty Munira in this months fashion piece. Certainly worth a look. There is a shoot coming up on September 11th at the studio in Derby with a new model to me. A Chinese model called Eva from Bristol. Its planned to do some high fashion shots in black and white as well as using Art Deco as an inspiration. I am looking forward to it as its always good to work with someone new. So that's about it for a brief round up of things. I touch more on the trip to Northampton over the course of this months blog so please read on and enjoy.

Thanks for dropping by and enjoy the show. x

NB. The wound has healed up nicely.

Commercial

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Just outside and around the corner from Sywell Aerodrome near Northampton is a huge garden centre called Beckworth Emporium. Its an awesome place with a farmers market area deli and really cool restaurant. They serve this ice cream called Spaghetti Ice cream, that despite its name is not made using pasta, but is truly to die for. Every time I eat the stuff I fall in love with it and serious thought to settling down with the ice cream, marrying it and starting a family with it (?) Its that bloody good. So here are a few commercial food pictures of the Ice cream add a first course, some cheese and spring onion sandwiches. Lovely !!

Still Life Update

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There is a bit of a fruity feeling to this selection of Still Lifes. Amy and I set the camera up to take a snap of one of my fathers big tomatoes. Then giving it a highly saturated look in photoshop..The tomato was taken using only natural light and textured wallpaper as it backdrop.

Here also are snaps of pairs and a vine of tomatoes, once again made to look more in your face with colour and loosely inspired by Andy Warhol's pop art pictures of Marilyn Monroe and the such.

Project – 'Landscape' - Updates

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Going down to Northamptonshire is one of the few chances I get to explore the countryside and practice landscape photography. Its quite a flat county, not being a million miles away from the flat lands of the Fen country in Cambridgeshire. But if you get lucky, there are still some views worth venturing out for. All black and white, I hope you enjoy this offering and thanks to Amy for her help and Mum and Dad for taking us around.