rambling photographer

A year ago

17/6/2020

About a year ago I was dithering on this photograph that I had taken the week before.
The crooked angle was more by accident in this case as my main concern was to capture the intimacy of the moment with a bit of location.
Anyway I also tend to have a unique photography condition known as "crooked photo angliteous " which I take adequate amounts of Adobe to correct it so that it is never really that noticeable.
But the main issue was what to do with the wandering Joe public who had decided to dare to stray into my shot at this precious time.
As I hadn't barked at them (the two background strays I'm talking about) in the right allocated time the plan B was to decimate the walkers in post production. Easy enough to do whilst the focus stayed with the loving couple until I thought let them stay and be remembered. The reason for this was their own contribution to the day. They had shouted their congratulations to our handsome couple once we had been caught up by the long striding photo bombers.
I never asked MR and MRS if they still like this particular picture with the long socked and cagoulled walkers. If they don't, I know where the eraser tool is and it's not far from the angle tool either.

Going for a walk

10/6/2020

The freeze frame is melting, life and work begins to return but hopefully slowly.
Hedge verges stand like undisturbed triffids grabbing the sunlight and freedom from the cutters. Wildlife sounds, with their magnified decibals echo down country lanes. It is a unique time to exploit the camera in nature.
The month of June is always full of colour but everything out there is exaggerated, spoilt for choice for picturing. No coincidence there are no planes flying over, fewer cars bustling past.
Alone in thoughts, the extraordinary has left a blank calendar for a few months but a blank canvas to refill. It could be for the better long term.

Bread

2/5/2020

An un-necessary amount of lycra now sports the pavements at any time of day, is it too late to keep fit? New routines, new leaf's turned, new ideas to fulfil, new projects to take on, life has suddenly become shorter.
Every task has become more thorough, so many more nails are being hammered. Dusty and dirt from neighbouring DIY projects, we are in this for the long run. No one can move as everything has become worthless. Make do and mend. The war slogans are back in fashion.
Yet I still crumble to the out of season of hot cross bun which my bowels hate. And it's nothing new to start re-making my yeasty bread, time that I had previously put towards editing pictures. One day there will be a revival of being a photographer again.

Garden lockdown

16/4/2020

The grand splendour of Springtime, forced upon us to enjoy in lockdown.
The refuge of the garden shed to regain a sense of normality, a tranquil escape from the fear of what may come next.
Photography suddenly becomes a pastime in a literal sense, the writings I write have more familiarity with back garden anecdote forums than photo whizz promotional blogs.
Solitude and stranded, awaiting the first go-ahead event. Set back to June at present but expecting later.
Not needed as a volunteer, nor a seasonal picker, at least our potatoes got dug in.
The blossom is in full pelt, causing my eyes to sting and my nose runs more than the stream in the woodland below. My sniffling scares the old dears in the local co-op.
The smogless days and the only human noise is either another lawn being cut or a gossiping loud neighbour who ignores her safe distancing (which in her case should always be another street away).
Really this should be testing times, putting your back into those picture experimenting tasks to make you a better photographer. I'm content thanks.

noisy January

17/1/2020

The sound of drilling as our builder concentrates on demolishing the back wall of our house. It is a photographer's DIY period of the year.
Another expletive but a chuckle at how hard our bricks are. The full throttle of his work vibrating the laptop screen so much to give a whole new meaning to camera shake whilst I summarise through last year's pictures.
In a way January is always stressful, scheduling hopeful work for the months ahead after the heavy recuperation of New Year celebrations.
This time the added burden of builder Bob (he could be Phil, John, Ron) and the task of deciding bathroom and kitchen layouts with my other half. My job as a photographer has taken a backseat until that correct bathroom shade of colour is agreed.
So please do invite me away for a cup of tea even if you don't require my photographic services right this minute..

garden leave

10/11/2019

As a form of meditation and escapism digging a vegetable patch in the back garden has taken precedence in these mixed weather days we are having. A chance for my thoughts to meander, and my shooting finger to recuperate from those gruelling 1500 picture weddings.
Through the quieter times a reason to look back and update the website (see weddings 2019). Possibly the most hardest issue as a photographer is to be your own critic. Hence why my selection from this year of so-called 'best of' may not be everybody's 'best of'.
When I look back on a wedding picture selection I hope to see a collection, it's the way I mostly shoot. I don't want a single individual brilliance, although it might help to have that flare occasionally. But instead I try to portray a storyline with stills, generally I get it.
That's what makes it harder to pick out the highlights, the day was the highlight, the memories were as well. The single frame is for the artist, what you learn from and work with from the masters in the field of photography.
Currently I am being bombarded with entry requests for wedding photograph of the year style competitions. How do you judge? They were not at the wedding. How would they know the picture reflects any truth, where's the honesty in some super-duper back lit spectacular image? They aren't going to except my picture of a groom smashing a defensively clearance in an impromptu football match during a wedding reception.
Rant over, one more plot to dig.

summer19

18/10/2019

Mustn't grumble, the summer season wasn't all that bad. Through wind, rain and occasionally very hot sun I explored new corners of the East of England with a bit of London thrown in. Different smily faces, laughs and tumbles. The occasional drunken lurch towards my camera but mostly I was an un-noticed observer, an artist waiting for the second to record.
And not a single "I don't" at the alter, no hairy moments apart from the odd gust of seaside air in Southend (is it always windy there!?).
The fright of thinking I was attending the wrong church on one wedding, only to realise I was an hour early. A battery death on a precious cake cutting moment, resolved with a minute's delay and a fresh set of power for the flashgun. I'm only human.
Recommendation though; If avoidable don't try to move home during a week of four weddings and a party, because there is only seven days in a week.. I apologise if anyone attending those weddings heard my creaking bones.
Only now have the thousands of images taken all been processed and presented. My square eyes staring at a computer screen are having a breather, resting with some outdoor Suffolk air whilst digging in our new garden.

smartphone arm

20/7/2019

I fell victim to the 'smartphone arm' at the last wedding photographed. This protruded body part with gadget attached intent to photograph a 'selfie' whilst inview of an all important bride and groom picture. Even five years ago this irritable phenomenon would never have occurred.
If these demon hands were recording something that is likely to be seen for prosperity and fondly remembered in years to come then I will take my photographer's hat off and welcome this intrusion. Sadly I can guess a week and that picture/video will be forgotten like so many other billions of phone recordings. Lost into the technolgical dustbin. Whilst muggins photographer has to work a photoshop miracle to preserve a wedding's critical moment and keep a stray secret arm at bay.

footie, in'it..

24/6/2019

What could be more idyllic at a wedding reception than.. an impromptu football match in their best wedding clobber. The greasy top surface from the earlier steady drizzle made for interesting conditions and resulted into an array of rich green grass stains that only the local dry cleaners could look forward to. In fact the wet horizontal rain had not deterred this brave wedding party from the formal group shots. Watching the brave, teeth-gritted expressions through the lens made me feel guilty. But it was a jointly amicable decision to be outside and I exactly wasn't dry either.
Back forward to the match and occasionally the goalie, with understandable pint in hand, did actually save a couple. Otherwise the seriousness of scoring that worldly goal was obvious to share. The hysterics when it was missed was funnier.

"look this way.."

13/4/2019

An example of the zealous 'know-better'. Fortunately my calm exterior let the moment pass with a straight-forward rejection of what the restaurant manager had perceived as a better photograph to take of the bemused wedding couple.
Later I was considering a foodie response advice regarding the over-peppered chicken, but thought best left. We all have our own roles.
Worse, the SLR enthusiast guest. A distracting menace, who's purpose seems to un-wittingly disturb the natural bohemia of your routine. No malice as they have a big-bum Canon or Nikon which probably outguns your discreet Fuji, but what could be precious moments not recorded because it makes sense to tatter on about full frame, mirrorless, bob's your uncle knobs on the camera. Nah, best avoid the eye contact.
Then again a favourite these days for me is to 'nab the picture' from all the smartphone once photographed never viewed again random group shots. Let them set up the collective, all smiling with relaxed ease. Then barge up to the shoulder of the taker and boom you have a great group shot that no one had thought of until now. It's called cheating really.