Its been a hectic time recently. This week I was at the House of Lords for the launch of a book that I contributed to. I've also been selecting and printing photos for a London exhibition in September and there are a couple of other exhibitions in the pipeline too. The writing was a personal reflection... Continue Reading →
From years back, when I was still wearing the soles of my shoes out on street photo walks, I've found the idea of anonymising people and merging them into the urban landscape intriguing. I have some sympathy with people who question whether it's right to take photos of people without asking first. As much as I think candid... Continue Reading →
If you contemplate the miracle we call sight, what we actually see is light reflecting off "stuff" that is received by the sensory organs of the eyes and processed by the brain for the mind to make sense of. So, in a way, our mind is a house of mirrors from which we create meaning, our "lives" and... Continue Reading →
It's funny how you can take a photograph and something that you might think of as being detrimental ends up adding an unexpected new dimension to the image. I took this photograph of a lovely lady feeding pigeons a month or so ago. I was in my mobility scooter at the time and by the time I'd got... Continue Reading →
It's been wet. It's been really wet, mild, windy, occasionally cold, but mostly just wet. We are not supposed to have a monsoon season in the UK, but this January was very like one - albeit cooler. All that dampness condenses on glass and makes for interesting opportunities for image making. A new glass bus stop has... Continue Reading →
I saw this street art and thought "how cute" but then wondered how on earth they made the babies feet so perfect without putting it to some discomfort! Hopefully stencils were involved. Sometimes I feel a slight a dilemma about whether to process images to black and white or colour. I know many photo blogs... Continue Reading →
I've been taking "street" photographs from a mobility scooter recently using my little Ricoh GR compact. It's a funny thing, but what they say about people not noticing you if you are disabled and in a scooter or a wheelchair is quite frequently true and it makes for great candids! The way I look at it, if I... Continue Reading →
As I was getting dressed this morning I listened to the CD "Popular Problems" by Leonard Cohen that I'd borrowed off my dad. The album artwork makes great use of shadows and that and Cohen's inevitably deep and melancholy lyrics got me thinking about how we all have a shadow side. my shadow side I'm not embarrassed to... Continue Reading →
Despite having MND I can still manage a short walk occasionally, just so long as my crutches take the strain. I'll normally start off confidently but gradually, at around ten steps in, will experience the start of increasing pain as my already tight muscles contract and say "no, slow down" - That's my inner zen master telling me not to... Continue Reading →
Have you ever been to an event and found the audience more interesting than the performance? "oooohh missis" If so, you probably love people photography. It's what normally happens to me when I have a camera in my hand. Even on the rare occasions I'm without one, I find myself imagining the shots I could... Continue Reading →
We are moving to a new house in a few days and I may not have an internet connection at first. I'll be taking a break from blog posts for a short while as we make the new place shipshape. Until then, here are a few photos from my archives on the theme of "Moving" - These were taken with a Canon 6D and a Samsung EX1 compact,... Continue Reading →
I'm looking forward to taking more photographs from the relative comfort of a scooter after my productive experience at Hay. The other day I drove to a place where I hadn't taken street photos before. When I saw the crowds and the grumpy look on most people's faces, I have to admit, I chickened out.... Continue Reading →
(Apologies if you've received this more than once. I've reposted to see whether the image in the WordPress "blog reader list" makes a huge difference to the amount of readers the post receives.) - To first time viewers welcome and I hope you enjoy! On Saturday evening almost by accident, my family and I experienced some... Continue Reading →
Mindful Photos Sunday Reflection: Does the taking of certain types of photograph contradict Buddhist or Mindful ethics? Any introductory book on Buddhism would be likely to mention the Five Precepts. They're ethical guidelines designed to help us avoid harming, and to create conditions helpful to the arising of wisdom. At number two is "not taking that which is not given"... Continue Reading →
It was my interest in "street photography" that caused me to pick up a stills camera again five years ago after a twenty year hiatus from taking photographs (in the 80's and 90's it was how I made a living - but that's another story). Even in a place as picturesque as Venice I can't pass... Continue Reading →
Sooner or later I will come to the end of my prolific week spent in Venice but for now the photos keep on coming. I'm gratified by the number of half decent pictures I came back with despite walking with crutches due to my disability. Just goes to show that you don't have to trudge ten miles a day searching for... Continue Reading →
Please take a look at the "about" page to see the circumstances that have encouraged me to start blogging again. Every evening for a week of the eight week mindfulness course that I've been a part of, I would write a list of ten pleasurable things that I'd noticed during the day. We were encouraged to open up to the subtle, pleasant... Continue Reading →
Day one of any good Buddhism course would probably mention the five precepts: a list of guidelines to help us stay on the ethical straight and narrow. Second only to not killing is not taking that which is not given.....This poses a big dilemma for me as a "mindful" photographer. When we squeeze the shutter to capture an unmissable (aren't they always?) candid picture, are... Continue Reading →
mindful photos 