I am writing this whilst on holiday

My family and I are in Combe Martin in Devon. It has been good to relax and have new perspectives. I don’t normally kayak between rocky cliffs or through caves! And it reinforces my belief that local is good. There are so many things to do here that I cannot do at home, even though it is only, in theory, a three-hour drive away, if we forget the crashes and traffic jams on our journey here… It is also a new landscape and a new set of environments to make images in.

Virtual photo walk

My first virtual photo walk will now take place in late October on a weekend date to suit participants. The walk brings together a small group of photographers who will all start our own walk at the same time. We will all carry out the same exercises that make us see things a little differently. We will also meet online the following day to share and discuss some of our images. The walk is limited to eight participants and I need six for it to go ahead. The cost is £25 (approx. $35). Please let me know if you are interested if the dates are right for you.

What I’ve been up to this month

I suddenly started 1Point4 Miles volume 2. It is based on the same walk and the same themes. However, this one is in colour! The images are very different from those I normally make. I have shot most of it in two days, so this zine may actually see the light of day before Dead Flowers In Vases!

I have also started looking at how I might offer prints. The mechanics are simple, but I am taking some time to think about pricing and edition sizes. There will be more news next month. Is there a particular image of mine that you would like to have a limited edition of? Do let me know.

What I learned this month

I have been taking some time this month to think about artistic direction and talking about it with other photographers. I will write a blog on this in the future. What is one’s style? I am coming to the conclusion that this is not necessarily a defined style but more a way of making images and the reasoning behind these images. I would welcome your thoughts on style and artistic. Just hit reply to this e-mail and let me know what you think.

My second learning is to do with inspiration. I am learning just how many different things inspire and influence my images. Look out for a blog on this in a couple of weeks.

What are my plans for next month?

I am looking forward to getting as much as possible from the Beauty through Stillness online course I am attending that is run by Paul Sanders. The first session has got me very excited and experimenting with things I would not previously have thought of. I certainly would never have imagined getting so excited about making images of a toilet roll!

What I’ve been writing about this month

This month I wrote about why I think it is healthy to dislike one’s work. If that seems a strange idea then I encourage you to read my blog here.

What books have caught my attention this month?

I enjoyed two very different books this month. The first is “A Year Amongst Trees”: a set of powerful tree images by Brad Carr that is accompanied by some wonderfully reflective writing. He has documented his development as a tree photographer over a year.

The second is Rob Knight’s “Life’s An Ocean”. This was actually published a few years ago but Rob discovered some seconds and I have been lucky enough to obtain a copy of one (contact him directly to see if he has any left). Rob has made powerful abstracts set to lyrics by The Verve and they really appeal to me. I am also looking forward to the forthcoming publication of his Intertidal project.

What have I seen this month

Whilst on holiday we visited the Broomhill Estate Sculpture Garden. This is a fascinating place with over 150 contemporary sculptures. It made me realise that there are many similarities between photography and sculpture. It also made me think about how art and landscape intersect. I would thoroughly recommend a visit: it is only £5 to enter, the cakes are also very good and there are two friendly cats.

Make sure you keep in touch!

You can follow me on Twitter, Instagram and Vero. But please also e-mail directly: I really enjoy the conversations I have with those of you who have contacted me. And I love to see image and projects that you are proud of. And do send me recommendations for reading, listening, exhibitions, blog articles and more!