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Andrea, 2009.

I’ve spent most of December in Manchester doing some more shooting for my ‘Domestic Fables’ project. The project is part of my MA, and i’m starting to feel the strange pressure of having to produce work to a deadline. This is something that every pj and commercial photographer will be used to, but its a new experience to have to create art in this way…Its gonna interesting to see whether this helps or hinders the creative process in the end.

I’ve been in Gent recently for the Zesdaagse Vlaanderen-Gent six day bike race cum booze-up. Its become kind of an annual pilgrimage for me and about 15 friends where we hang out and discuss, racing, bikes, women & the meaning of life whilst getting slowly and inexorably smashed…

Highlight for me however wasn’t the racing - it was the show of Stephan vanFleteren’s portraits from the past 20 years. We came across it by chance whilst scooting around Gent in the pouring rain. Housed in a wonderful old cinema building called the Wintercircus Mahy, only the structure of the place remains, and it provides a great and gritty ambience for the work of Belgium’s finest portrait photographer.

I’m really excited to announce that some of my work will be featured in an upcoming show called ‘A Place Like Home’. The show will feature work from myself and two other excellent photographers - Ewa Bialek and Carolyn Lefley. I’ve long been an admirer of Carolyn’s work and it feels cool to be showing alongside her!

The show is part of the Photomonth festival which runs throughout October & November in East London and the City and is one of the largest photo festivals in Europe; I’ve been going to many of the Photomonth shows over the years and it feels great to be involved with it as an artist as well as a punter. I’m feeling slightly nervous as its the first showing of a new project I started over summer called ‘Domestic’. Its based around staged recreations of scenes so it signifies a bit of a departure from my usual portrait work.

The show’s at the Foundry EC2A 3JL and runs from 7-11 October. There’s an opening party from 6-9pm on the 7th and everyone’s welcome!

Also the ‘Paint It White‘ show run at the Red Lion in Hoxton has also been extended and is now part of the PhotoMonth festival: click here for more details and a link to the Photomonth site.

Andy, Bournemouth 2009

I bumped into Andy on the last day of my stay. He’s a photographer and so we chatted about cameras, sunsets, visual cliches and the joys of film.

Richard, Bournemouth 2009

Christiane, Bournemouth 2009

Wes, Bournemouth 2009

I spent most of June in Bournemouth in the UK shooting portraits along the beach front. Some early rough scans are above & I’ll be posting more over the coming weeks as I work through them.

And just a reminder that this Thursday 13th August is the opening of the ‘Paint It White’ show upstairs at the Red Lion in Hoxton. Show opens at 7pm til late, with a DJ & refreshments. All are welcome: See you there!

I’m pleased to say that I have a piece in the forthcoming ‘Paint It White‘ group show in Shoreditch. The show is at the Red Lion in Hoxton and runs from August 10th to September 20th. Opening party is on August 13th at 7pm; hope to see you there!

It’s nice to see that ‘Missionaries’ is gradually making its presence felt in the world, including a thoughtful and considered piece by Dave Burton on his blog and a brief write up and discussion on Jonny Baker’s blog. An image from the project was featured in the Viewfinder Gallery’s recent Open Salon 2009 show, and the project was the showcase feature on the London Independent Photography website in November & December. Also, two images from the series are included in the LIP’s 20th Annual Exhibition and the accompanying hardback catalogue.

It’s been a project which has seen me learn a lot in quite a short space of time; I’m still at the beginning of my journey as a photographer and an artist but I feel I’ve learned so much already compared to where I was 18 months ago, and I’m truly thrilled to have the opportunity to continue to develop my interests in my latest work via my Masters degree… 2009 is already vibing good!

Howard, N Yorks Moors, 2008

Some very early work from my current project, The space between us, is featured in the London Independent Photography Winter 2008 magazine. The magazine is available direct from the LIP website or from galleries including the ICA, the NPG , the Serpentine (Kensington Gardens, London W2 3XA) and the newly relocated Photographer’s Gallery and photo bookshops including Koenig (Koenig Books 80 Charing Cross Road London WC2H 0BF). I’m also really happy to share space in the publication with a great photographer whose work I’ve long admired and who I’ve recently been lucky enough to meet in person - Carolyn Lefley.

Belén, Dungeness, 2008