Cameras aren't always in my hands. They are usually nearby but sometimes I don't get to use them as much as I would like. I haven't been as active photographically in the past few weeks but sometimes that happens. Not ideal but my work isn't always about me actually taking photographs.
That might sound odd considering its my profession but the other aspects of a working month come into play.
Writing, researching, cataloguing and running workshops are all wonderfully pleasing to do and vital to support me but they are just as demanding of my time. They dove tail into a working pattern and I need them all to keep the 'jam pot' full, (I am a mercenary after all ha ha) and not forgetting the improvment of my skills.
Thats something I believe in. Constant development. Could be processing or shooting in a specific way. We never stop learning and I never forget that.
I like testing myself with new 'avenues' to explore and so I recently set myself a new task Namely to drive around my local area, (I know I should have walked but my back hasn't been great) and undertaking the newly christened, 'Drive By shooting'......
The concept was simple:
Go out into the countryside, (I am surrounded here in deepest darkest Cheshire) and find a few nice images. If it looked good, snap it! No tripods. Just me, the camera and if needed, a couple of LEE medium grads.
I chose the afternoon as I knew the sun would be up enough and decided against taking the easy way out and waiting for the sunset.
Here are a couple I made earlier:
Fields and Sky. Although shot in colour I liked the Black and White conversion.
Rape Seed. That clash of blue, green and vivid yellow. A Brazil shirt in Cheshire.....
I was relatively pleased with the result. Simple but effective concept.
You could apply the same notion to any type of 'scape' and after a meeting in Manchester last week and seeing what was 'on offer', I think a stroll around the streets of that fair city will also be on the agenda soon.
he River Irwell. Dividing Manchester from my home town of Salford
A couple of weeks back I was honoured to be filmed by Granada TV. The subject being my work. The weather had been fantastic but the one day we had scheduled at Black Clough in the Longdendale Valley, Derbyshire was 'Minging' to say the least. It started off as a mizzle and then really poured down. At least my new BERGHAUS Extreme jacket did its job. Having made numerous TV progs myself over the past 35 years, we knew that, yes you guessed it . 'The Show Must Go On'. It did and we all had a great time. Took me back to my directing days. I loved making programmes with single camera. Flexible but needs lots of planning with a little bit of improv! They were a great bunch to work with and it was a pleasure to finally meet Simon the cameraman as we had been 'online' friends for a few years. A special shout to producer Phil Gornall too who tolerated my sense of humour.
I received a lovely email from Phil after the event. Was gratifying to receive that from within the industry. From a personal perspective, I would love to do 'more telly'.
Just as we finished the sun shone and so Simon was able to 'tack' on a few Drone shots to add to the piece. The idea of the piece or 'strand' as it is known in the industry, was to take out the weather presenter Kerry Gosney and lead her through a days workshop. Her progress would be monitored and revealed. It was to finish with a 'big show stopper'. No pressure then....
With the lovely Kerry Gosney at Black Clough discussing 'the biggy'. Image kindly donated by Simon Higginbotham.
I am told it will air in the next ten days or so. I hope I will get to see it before we venture off to the South of France for a part jolly and part work assignment.
I will post the image here when the programme has been on the box.
Really looking forward to that but first a trip to meet the Fuji representatives in Bedford who are going to be working with me to move our working res;ationship forward and then I have some photographs to deliver to the Eskdale art show for the back of the month.
Throw in a couple of lovely new folk to meet then undertake workshops and it will be June! Haven't even heard the Cuckoo yet....