A virtual photo walk

I’m delighted to announce my first virtual photo walk. The idea is to bring together a small group of photographers with no geographical boundaries. We will all start our own walk at the same time. What unites the group is that I will set exercises for us to carry out. These exercises are designed to make us see things a little differently. It may challenge the way you look at what is around you! It doesn’t matter if you walk in the city, the countryside or around your house or garden. We will then meet online the following day to share and discuss some of our images. The walk will take place on Saturday 3rd September at 4pm UK time (11am New York time). We meet online at the same time on September 4th to share and discuss our images. I will facilitate this discussion. 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.

What I’ve been up to this month

This has been more of a month of playing. I have been making images with no agenda (apart from some new images for Dead Flowers In Vases). It has been refreshing not to be so project driven but just to be inspired by what is in front of me. I have been using smartphone a lot and trying out some more extreme edits. Some worked and others were less successful!

What I learned this month

My big learning this month is that it can be good to let projects marinade. Dead Flowers In Vases has had a break and I am now keen to get going with it again. I had another couple of abstract projects in my mind. After giving them some time I have decided that one just doesn’t work. The other will take a slightly different direction and I’m keen to see what happens next!

My other learning is not to have regrets. It doesn’t matter that one of my abstract projects doesn’t work. I had a lot of fun starting it and trying new things out. It developed the way I see things. And it has developed the way I work. Some people may see images that do not work as a waste of their time. I see them as an education.

What are my plans for next month?

I am looking forward to a family break. We are going to North Devon and I am keen to make some coastline images whilst I am there. Although I have said this before, I am keen to get Dead Flowers In Vases moving (I am sure I say this every month!). Finally, I would like to get some prints up for sale on website. Do let me know if there are any images that you are particularly interested in.

What I’ve been writing about this month

This month’s blog was all about multiple output photography. Everyone can benefit from experimenting with different ways to output their work. Do read the blog here – I hope it will give you some ideas. 

What books have caught my attention this month?

My eagerly-awaited copy of Passage by Guy Dickinson was delivered recently. I thoroughly recommend this to everyone, but especially to landscape and black and white photographers, although I understand that stocks are running low. It is beautifully produced by Another Place Press. I have two more books of theirs on pre-order and I know of one more they will announce later this year that I will definitely be purchasing.

What have I seen this month

We took friends to Lacock recently. Whilst there I went to the photography museum and saw Plastic Soup by Mandy Barkerg.uk/events/d63a4eb1-129d-46e9-b6ea-2290c16bda90/pages/details. This is a set of beautiful but heartbreaking images about plastic pollution. It includes an image of 256 pieces of plastic recovered from the stomach of a young albatross chick just 90 days old. The images are powerfully conceived, arranged and lit. I have no idea how Mandy managed to create images in this way.

What I have been listening to this month

I am very lucky that my local pub puts on live music in the summer. So I have recently enjoyed Erotic Secrets of Pompeii, who defy description but are well worth looking up on YouTube. I also enjoyed another gig by Kevin Brown, a very talented blues artist who lives locally.

Make sure you keep in touch!

I’d love to see image and projects that you are proud of. And do send me recommendations for reading, listening, blog articles and more!