It was late morning on March 20th 2020, day 4 of the first national lockdown and I was writing the final few lines of my blog ‘Fist bumps and boardroom etiquette’. Even as I watched my diary of work evaporate, and looked out the window to the ghostly empty streets, and watched the national television broadcast of a stern-faced Boris Johnson telling us ‘lives will be lost, this is very serious and we should all stay at home’ ; for me like many people, this was my first personal experience of a global pandemic and I really had no idea of the true impact it would have, and how life as we know it would be turned on its head for the rest of 2020.

Nine months on and the last line of that blog feels more poignant than ever.

Read More

It has been with out doubt an unprecedented year, and this will be a Christmas like no other, where the usual Christmas build up and the rush to beat the crowds to get your Christmas presents, is replaced by the rush to get the presents before moving to Tier 3! Where the plans for that big, once a year family social gathering are a little more complicated, working in the rules in place to protect our elderly loved ones and those at risk, and deciding which family members to delay seeing until Boxing Day. But I hope amongst it all you can find that little something that makes it special and makes it feel a little Christmassy for you with only ten days to go!

For me, going through my archive pictures, I found this shot, that always gives me that ‘cosy, wrapped up in hat and scarf’ Christmas feel. The day I shot this I’d actually headed out to capture a wintery landscape shot of the park full of children playing in the first snow fall of the year, but then he caught my eye, with his beret and little brown bag, and that line of trees. I quickly (and nimbly as i could with cold and numb fingers from the cold) switched the wide angle for the long lens, and snapped this frame before he disappeared into the white mist!………..

Read More

I took one final check online of the forecast for the day. 'Mostly cloudy. A bit of sun may break through. A small chance of rain'. In good old British spring weather tradition, 'Anything could happen. Be prepared!'

But as I set up the light for the 10th headshot of the day, the clouds broke and the sun peaked through the trees, illuminating the back of her hair and I knew I had made the right call, deciding to set up for the headshot shoot outside.

Read More

As I write this the new year is already eleven days old. After an incredible 2018, the busiest December ever, and a long well-earned break, I was faced with the challenge of trying to edit all the people, the headshots,the portraits, and candid moments down to sixty seconds of video. in the end I settled for one minute and nine seconds!

It’s been amazing year full of lots of opportunities and pictures that of course wouldn’t have been possible without you, so thanks to everyone who worked with me in 2018. And thanks to all for taking a peek at my year in pictures! I hope to work with you 2019, but if not whatever you do with the next twelve months, make it count, and have an amazing year!

Read More

When the opportunity arose to work at Aeromart 2018 in Toulouse, of course I had to say yes. It was the chance to spend a few days in ‘the Pink City’ in December when the city is filled with Christmas markets and lights, ant the opportunity to practice the French and above all to photograph some of the world’s leading companies working in the space and aerospace industry. So here is a link with a small selection of images from the three days but to anyone who was a key speaker at Aeromart that I didn’t meet on the day, feel free to get in touch if you did want to see images from your talk.

Read More

The Igbo people, an ethnic group native to Nigeria, believe that all things come from Chuku, also known as Chukwu, the supreme being, who brings the rains necessary for plants to grow and controls everything on Earth and the spiritual world. I realised as soon as I had left that I had forgotten to ask her what was of the meaning of the name she had chosen to call her pop-up restaurant in Morning Lane, Hackney. I was there to photograph Ifeyinwa Frederick, who was listed in The Forbes top 100 Women Founders in Europe as co-founder of Chukus, ‘London’s first and only restaurant serving Nigerian Tapas’, which she set up with her brother Emeka.

Read More

‘….Yes that’s perfect! Just move the leg round a little, and bend the knee…..’

The leg was only fifteen inches long and detached from the rest of the body. It was a wooden leg. In the background was a workbench filled with various other body parts. A head on a post, two arms and the other leg. Marionettes reclined on a table to the right, and a small figurine sat to the left.  Several sets of wooden beady eyes peered at me. You could be forgiven for thinking I was in Geppetto’s workshop, but I  was actually in the office of North London Puppet Maker,  Catherine Thomas.

Read More

One tripod, one full frame camera, one alarm clock set to 3am, two  tired, red, bleary eyes and 888,246 red flowers.

I wasn't quite so enthusiastic  about them at first.  The first I knew of them was early November,  on the daily cycle into the city. Weaving my way through the 'sea of tourists' that had descended on East London to glimpse the 'sea of poppies';  being shepherded and directed by policemen in HI Vis  jackets with megaphones. Hastily erected street barriers doing little to stop the flood of people spilling from the pavement. But then after a few mornings of battling my way through the crowds, I relented and thought maybe I should take a look for myself; and I'm glad I did. 

Read More

This time last week I sat at my kitchen table editing pictures on my laptop, gazing through the window wondering if this incessant wind and rain would ever stop, and when it did, what would I do with the remains of my garden fence. I write this, one week later, gazing through the window of my 'media-distancia' train from Seville to Malaga, to sun and blue skies and rolling fields of orange trees punctuated by the occasional 'casa blanca', wondering how soon I can get back here again!

I landed at Malaga - Costa del Sol Airport a little disorientated after only 45 minutes sleep the night before, but knowing Malaga well , I took the ten minute train trip to Maria Zambrano, had my first fix of 'Churros con Chocolate' and jumped on the train to Seville. I arrived at my flat to be greeted by my host, Javier who was understanding to the fact that in my current state of fatigue my Spanish was far from fluent and my English equally as bad. So I dropped off my bag, heavy camera and lenses, before heading out to explore the local area, armed with my more mangeable, lightweight point and shoot. After a quick 'paseo' and a pit stop at the local 'Mercadona' to pick up some things, I went back to the flat to get a good night's sleep in preparation for an early start the next day.

Read More

 With my prized 'point and shoot' in for repair, and no camera to pop in my pocket when I'm out and about on the streets of London, I really had no idea how I'd continue the blog! So I decided to dig through my archives, to see if I could find one picture that might offer some sort of inspiration.  

Read More

I used love going to Brick Lane on a Sunday afternoon. The laid back bohemian vibe with a mixture of artists, writers and its traditional Bangladeshi Community.  Would I have the sweet potato curry or an Ethiopian Injera wrap, from one of the many stalls offering an array of world cuisines at the indoor market.  Browsing the oddities on sale at the makeshift market stalls set out on old bed sheets covering the pavement, wondering, would anyone ever buy, one size nine black leather gentleman's shoes, with the lace missing.  

Read More

A new dawn. A new beginning. Who will take the mantle now. Who will fill those colossal shoes left behind by the man who started life as a shepherd but went on to lead a nation from oppression and racial segregation to democracy and unity.

 

Read More

When I was young my mum took me on holiday to The Gambia.  We went on a day trip to James Island. I remember collecting beautiful coloured stones buried in the sand - slave beads - I knew what they were and I felt a connection, but I didn't really understand their true significance. Where are they now?  I don't know. But this Christmas I'd planned to go home and sort through old boxes stored in the loft,...I hope I can find them.....

 

Nelson Mandela 1918 - 2013

Read More

 

I moved to London because after two years travelling my back pack was worn out and I had run out of money. Well not strictly true . I also  had an amazing job offer that I couldn't refuse, working as a photographer at the then Trident Communications based in East London.

The plan was to travel for a year,  'mata la curiosidad' - get it out of the system and come back and settle down. But one year became two and when I finally returned to England, I realised the plan hadn't worked! I still craved learning new languages, experiencing new cultures and meeting interesting people from all over the world. Read More

Last night was  of the most incredible and unique nights of dance, theatre and music I have experienced in eight years living in London. At the same time it was one of the most frustrating because for once my trusty Samsung Galaxy S3 wasn't up to the job, and I wished I'd taken my proper camera with me. No disrespect to my S3 as the lighting conditions were such that many a compact camera would have struggled. So it was a welcome relief when finally my phone battery 'gave up the ghost' and I was free to fully immerse myself in the rest of the show.

 

Read More

Look at any recent picture of London City's skyline and there's one building that stands head and shoulders above the rest. While The Gherkin ( 30 St Mary Axe) is possibly the most recognized of London's tall buildings , The Shard is undoubtedly the tallest. Standing at 309 metres it is currently the 2nd tallest building in Europe( missing out by 30 metres to Moscow's Mercury City Tower).

Opinions are still divided on The Shard with Boris famously describing  it  as 'an intergalatic spear' , whilst Prince Charles called it 'an enormous salt cellar'.

Love it or loathe it you can't deny The Shard's domination on the London Landscape. With The Gherkin, The Cheese grater and the Cucumber Tower to come,how many more vegetables or kitchen utensils  will it take before London has a new tallest building.  Who knows? The sky's the limit.

 

Read More

 

I missed the best light on my morning cycle today ,after meeting a young friendly web developer from Pakistan on Westminster Bridge. He was walking home from Elephant and Castle to Basildon!!! after trying his first ever alcoholic drink and 'some sort of tablet ' he'd been given  at the Ministry of Sound, nightclub in London. He didn't seem worried that it was a 25 mile walk as it '....truely is the most wonderful of mornings in this beautiful city.'

Pavel , good luck! I hope you make it home!!!

DISCLAIMER - This actually happened on 28th September and not in the early hours of November 1st( if it had, I fear poor Pavel may have ended up with a touch of hypothermia on that long walk home!).

Read More