A photograph taken in September 2020, on a rare street photography outing. About a year or so ago, I wrote a short blog post about the importance of taking a break from photography. The advantages of having our cameras with us at all times in street photography are obvious, but it’s only by truly stepping back and taking a break, I suggested, that we get a real chance for reflection - rest - and uninterrupted consideration of our artistic journey. This in itself can help us return to photography with fresh focus, motivation and creativity to better advance our work. For me, I think this is wh ..read more

Instagram. How does that word make you feel? Love it or hate it, social media is now a major part of everyday life. And as photographers, we have a special relationship with Instagram in particular. It has self-appointed itself into the very heart of the way we promote ourselves, find new work, and view the work of others. As photographers on a photography platform, it’s not just a luxury - it’s often a necessity. Just twenty years ago, our present opportunities would have seemed a world away. From nothing, we can self-publish our work in front of a ready-made, worldwide audience of millions ..read more

A lot of people talk about “when things get back to normal”. There are things to be done that can’t happen until we get back to normal. It’s quite understandable of course, and I’d be surprised if anyone hasn’t uttered similar things at some point - I know I have. But what exactly is normal? Will things ever really be the same again, and even if they were, should we really be “going back to normal” in the first place? So many of the social and environmental problems that already exist come from the flaws in this accepted normality - and anyway, like it or not, after our initial lockdown period ..read more

"Dogleg" - 24th February 2019 This is the story of the photograph that won me Street Photographer of the Year at the 2020 British Photography Awards, and my subsequent search for the dog in the picture. A quiet walk along the seafront in Brighton would be the start of a story that would end with the Savoy, press interviews, a cold meeting on the seafront and a packet of dog biscuits. But sometimes it’s the smallest things that can make a difference. And this year-long chain of events started with a bright, Sunday afternoon in late February 2019. It was an obvious day to head down to the coast ..read more

Instagram. How does that word make you feel? Love it or hate it, social media is now a major part of everyday life. And as photographers, we have a special relationship with Instagram in particular. It has self-appointed itself into the very heart of the way we promote ourselves, find new work, and view the work of others. As photographers on a photography platform, it’s not just a luxury - it’s often a necessity. Just twenty years ago, our present opportunities would have seemed a world away. From nothing, we can self-publish our work in front of a ready-made, worldwide audience of millions ..read more

A lot of people talk about “when things get back to normal”. There are things to be done that can’t happen until we get back to normal. It’s quite understandable of course, and I’d be surprised if anyone hasn’t uttered similar things at some point - I know I have. But what exactly is normal? Will things ever really be the same again, and even if they were, should we really be “going back to normal” in the first place? So many of the social and environmental problems that already exist come from the flaws in this accepted normality - and anyway, like it or not, after our initial lockdown period ..read more

"Dogleg" - 24th February 2019 This is the story of the photograph that won me Street Photographer of the Year at the 2020 British Photography Awards, and my subsequent search for the dog in the picture. Amazingly, a quiet walk along the seafront in Brighton would be the start of a story that would end with the Savoy, multiple press interviews, a cold meeting on the seafront and a packet of dog biscuits. But sometimes it’s the smallest things that can make a difference. And this year-long chain of events started with a bright, Sunday afternoon in late February 2019. It was an obvious day to he ..read more

We humans are tribal creatures, so it seems in many walks of life. Including photography. Which camp do you fall into? Nikon or Canon? SLR or mirrorless? Prime or zoom? People can get pretty passionate about explaining why their choice wins out, in a game of photographic top trumps. Today I’m going to discuss that age old question - prime or zoom. We’re likely going to work with one better than the other, and so it’s important to make an informed decision on which merits your hard-earned cash. So here’s what we could bear in mind: Primes. On a purely practical level, primes are smaller, and li ..read more

Today I thought I’d write about my lenses. What lenses do I have and what do I like about them? Fujifilm Nano-GI XF 16-55mm f2.8 R LM WR The wide angle zoom My wide-angle zoom was the first X-Series lens I bought, when I moved over to the mirrorless system. I bought it for exactly what it is - my go-to lens for all-round flexibility in perhaps unfamiliar environments. I do like to work with zooms - there simply isn’t the same control over composition with a prime, and the optical quality and lack of noticeable distortion is great throughout the range to the extent that the difference from a p ..read more

When I’m not shooting street, I’m also a wedding and event photographer specialising in documentary style photography. I love photographing weddings. It’s a wonderful way to work for lovely people at a happy occasion, with real scope for photographic creativity. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a wedding where I haven’t enjoyed meeting the guests and spending the day in their company. But some guests become a bit more familiar than others! So here are five people I pretty much guarantee you’ll meet at weddings on a regular basis - popping up to say hello like an old friend: 1. Uncle Bob Uncle B ..read more