March Updates, Three shoots in the bag this month and would it have been so hard to have shown a little bit more respect when it was needed?

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A very warm welcome back to my little piece on the web

It has been a busy month this last month with not one, but three photo shoots and a cremation thrown it in the mix as well.

We finally got to do our shoot with singer Alexis Victoria Hall that was originally planned for January. That shoot was postponed because of both Amy and I being down with the flu. So I am glad it happened because it was a shoot twenty years in the making. It was that long ago and more that Alexis first contacted me for a shoot. For whatever reason we never got around to it, so made up for it with this short but sweet shoot. It was a month when Mercybongo came back for her sixth shoot and the promise of more shoots to come later in the year. I also got to go on location with male model Lee Henshaw at a local (ish) Art Gallery. What a brilliant place to shoot. We even had good weather, so did some stuff outside the gallery. And to top it all off it was also fun !

On a more down beat note I attended the cremation of Patricia my friend whose daughter I used to work with many moons ago. It was a decent send off for her, if a little chaotic and unorganised. I felt a deep sorrow, not just for the passing of Patricia but of what I thought was the rudeness of some of the mourners. At lesst three times some peoples mobile phones went of, with no urgency to turn them off. Sadly there were others who turned up late and were still filling through the doors right up until the end of the service. I know its wrong to compare cremations and maybe it is just me, but it would have been nice if everyone showed a bit more respect and for starters turned off their cell phones. But it must be said, that at the end of the day Patricia did get a good turn out of people to pay their respects. And I suppose that is really all that mattered,

This April will be a bit quieter with only one photo shoot planned featuring the lovely Indian model Munira come back for her second shoot with us. We are going to do some edgy fashion shots with fluffy pick jackets, pencil skirts, ballet boots and toilet roll middles.

We do not have anything else planned, so a bit of an easy month compared to March. Hope to see you all again next month and enjoy the offerings we have for you here today.

X



Still Life – Update

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We have been doing a few still life jobs this month, all in different styles of finish.

Many of them are bulbs with a lot of root search out for water and a home. Others are dried flowers and odd things like past it sell by date vegetables, gone to seed/ Fresh fruit for rotting veg as the punk band The Dead Kennedys once sang about it, but it would be nice to see one day, one of these images hanging from a gallery wall … I would be happy to make do with an outdoor privy … its a start.

Model Mercybongo Sixth Shoot, 1920's Vibe

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ts Mercy time again.!!!!

This lovely model is now on her sixth shoot with us, with still more to come

She is a great model and so enjoyable to be around. Permanently positive and happy she makes working with her so easy. So on this shoot we have a bit of a 1920s 'flapper' look going on/ Black and golden dress on a yellow background to highlight the gold. Mercy looks the part. We also have some sporty type pictures with a hula-hoop. Those images have a Leni Riefenstahl feel to them I am not saying I agree with her politics (far from it), or the unpleasant company she kept. Rather her strong images of statuesque German Olympic sports personnel/ She was and still is, a controversial photographer, but she was good at what work she produced. That said it was not my intention to produce that kind of image, rather it just happened and turned out that way.

We also created some dreamy effect pictures using a Vaseline smeared UV filter on the lens and Mercy wrapped in a white mesh material.. I am happy with the results we obtained, even with the more tongue in cheek 'Cowgirl' styled pictures, just for the fun of it. So thank you Mercybongo for being a true star. Thanks also to Shadrine at Kavour Beauty. Phil Lynam at The Boardroom Studio in Derby and to Carl and Amy for their help on the day

We shall see you again soon Mercy x

Singer and Model Alexis Victoria Hall

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Here was a shoot twenty years in the making.

Singer and model from Manchester Alexis Victoria Hall and I always said we would like to work with each other, but never got around to it. Twenty years passed and we finally got to get the job done. Alexis came down to Derby where we got the gang in to do the hair and makeup. Sadly on the day both model and makeup artist were not feeling their best with body pains all over. But we all crammed everything into an hour and a half shoot to get something out of the day. And it worked. Alexis is a true professional and a joy to work with. She even got her record company to give me a tune I could use on the slide show. So thank you then to all involved Alexis Victoria Hall and her record publisher 'Soul n' Pepa'. Thanks also to Shadrine at Kavour Beauty. Phil Lynam at The Boardroom Studio in Derby and my dear wife Amy for all their hard work. you also to Amy and Retoucher Sophia for their help as well.

Model Gallery Lee Henshaw at the Art Gallery

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Male model and studio owner Lee Henshaw asked me to do a shoot for him recently. So I agreed and scratched my head a bit thinking of interesting places to go. After some deliberation I called a local Art Gallery with huge ca vinous walls and ceiling if we could shoot in their place. Thankfully they said yes and the shoot went ahead. I think we got some decent stuff. There was no up close portraits you would find from a studio setting, but we made use of the minimalist surroundings in the gallery and outside the building as well. I hope you enjoy the images?

(Mostly) Amy's stuff for the streets of your town site

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She wants my job !!!!

Every time she goes out she sneaks out the camera and indulges in a spot of street photography and she is very good at it. I did photograph the ladies working in the burger van outside the plastics factory, but Amy did everything else. One of my favourites as a simple, but effective image of a man's shadow on the pebbled floor. Great work Amy. See more at the Streets of your town web site. x.

Project – 'Landscapes'

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Just a few from a location that always caught my eye on which ever journey I took by car to the City. Its just outside the City limits and a blink and you miss it. It is a copse of trees on top of a mound and it reminds me of a similar view on the A38 just outside of Bristol on the way to Cornwall. You can not stop on that road, but you can this. So thanks then to my driver from my local taxi firm, James for taking me there.

March Flower Updates

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There is a mixture of flowers I got from the Brambles Florist and Flowers To Yours. this month, along with some random bits Amy found in the hedgerows. So we have quite a lot to feast your eyes on. I would really like to photograph poppy's, but they are so hard to transport home as the often wilt before reaching their destination. I suppose the trick might be to go see them in situ on a clear and calm day.

So thank you then going out to my friends Chris and the ladies at Brambles Florist and Flowers To Yours. As well as a nod to my wife Amy. Well that's it for this March's updates, I do hope you enjoyed them and see you again next month.

X

February Updates, welcome to all the new stuff and a sad farewell to a friend, remembering Patricia Nyajeka

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A warm welcome back to my little piece on the web

Apologies for the lateness of writing this blog, I should have done it yesterday but had been in the studio in Derby working with singer Alexis Victoria Hall so by the time we got back home, both Amy and I were exhausted. This month just gone has been a busy one with shoots and family stuff to do like the funeral of my beloved Aunt Jane in Northampton. My uncle and cousins and greater family gave Aunt Jane a good send off. It was not a morbid affair as some funerals can be and I learned a lot about my aunt that I did not know before. There was a tear jerker moment when the song 'The way we were' by Barbara Streisand played over the ceremony. And when the curtains closed around the coffin, all I could think to say was 'Goodbye Aunt Jane … and thank you x.

Hats when it hits you that you will never see her again.

Aunt Jane in our memories.

February also witness the cruel hand of fate fall on another friend of mine, Patricia Nyajeka.

Patricia was the mother of a lovely model I used to work with on many projects called Lorna Nyajeka. I got to know Pat as we called her, through Lorna, whom she was very proud of. She was born in what was then Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe in Africa, She was a good women and was only one month younger than me. She asked me once to design a flyer to publicize a class reunion in a hall of all of her friends from home which I was glad to do. I even got to photograph the event and meet the good people there. It was a very friendly event, full of warm African hospitality in an English country house. Good memories. Life does not seem fair sometimes, its very arbitrary and often cruet

so then you have to take the bad times to hold dear the good times. But its never easy in reality. My thoughts are with her family and those she loved.

A few weeks ago we got to work again with the flaming redhead Lydia Clifford at the Boardroom Studio in Derby and dot some great stuff. Sadly the second model Zoe Birtwhistle could not make the shoot which was a shame. Maybe again at some future date? So a huge thank you to all there. Lydia, Shadrine from Kavour Beauty. Phil Lynam and of course Amy.

This March has already started on a good foot with a shoot yesterday featuring awesome singer Alexis Victoria Hall in Derby and will be followed by two more shoots, one with the lovely Mercybongo and a third with male model Lee Henshaw on location. So keeping us busy.

So I would like to say a big thank you to my parents for putting us both up for the night, as well as their company at the funeral.

See you all in March for another update and I hope, plenty to view.

Do take care of yourselves and enjoy this months blog x.

Model Gallery for Lydia Clifford's Second Shoot

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Here was a shoot date with Zoe Birtwhistle in mind, sadly she was not ready with her hats that she was to model in so we have had to postpone till a later date. But not all was lost. The amazing Lydia Clifford stepped in to take the strain and so we did our four hour session with her. We have worked with Lydia before so I knew I could trust her. Her work ethic is a good one as is her time keeping and shear knowledge of her job. True to form she was brilliant and here are the results. One of the costumes was an orange pair of trousers with an orange t-shirt with the words 'RIOT' across her chest. She is also holding a bull horn as well for effect. Another look is based on an old picture I saw in a Hollywood magazine of actress and dancer Ann Margret wearing a black roll neck jumper and black tights. It was a fashion look that I thought was hood and have wanted to shoot in that style for a long time. Finally doing it with Lydia.

So thank you then to our model Lydia Clifford. Our makeup artist Shadrine at Kavour Beauty. Phil Lynam at The Boardroom Studio in Derby and my dear wife Amy for all their hard work.

Amy's stuff for the streets of your town site

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I have not done much this February with Street photography, but Amy has done stuff a plenty and its not bad. What is more she enjoys going out and meeting people to take their pictures and looking at the world through a photographers eye. is doing well and I am encouraging Amy to do more everytime she goes shopping. Viewing things around her Enjoy Amy's work here and on the Streets of your town site.

Project – 'Abstract' update

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All of these images were taken in my parents house ground floor. And most in the kitchen I was waiting for my mother and wife to come back from a shopping trip and was in an itch to photograph something so my eyes scanned the room for something abstract to take pictures of. Keyrings, curtains, stoves, toasters and other sundry things came to hand. See if you can make it out what they are?

Still Life – Update

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Yet again just a few still life images for this month, but something is better than nothing. I photographed some polystyrene hands using only room light which was a bit shitty really but it can give an interesting feel to the pictures if done right. So only three of them this month and very arty farty they are too!.

Flowers extra

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My father purchased my mum a bunch of flowers of the kindness of his heart. First time in over sixty years of marriage. His generosity knows no bounds or he has a guilty conscience about something? But seriously here are three takes of some of the tulips he purchased in abase taken in the window of the hall way. I have added them to the Garden page in the flower edition.

February Flower Updates

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Great set of flowers for this months flowers set from Brambles Florist and Flowers To Yours. There always seem to come up with something of interest and worth photographing. Often when they finally go over, you can get a second shoot out of them as dried flowers and decay. So thank you to Chris and the ladies at Brambles and Flowers To Yours. A thank you also to Amy for her help taking the pictures in our home studio (outhouse).

That is all from this months round up of stuff, be sure to tune in at the end of March for more new stuff.

Bye for now x

January 2024 Updates, welcome to the new year, a dose of the flu and a sad farewell to my beloved Aunt Jane and good, good friend Mick Skivington.

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Welcome back to my little piece on the web

It was my birthday yesterday (21 again!) and a pleasure to be writing this blog again after what seems like a very long month. Sadly this new year has seen the passing of two people in my life who I always thought would be around. My Aunt Jane passed away from cancer earlier this month leaving my Uncle, my cousins and their extended families. She was a lovely woman. She always was polite and I never heard her say a bad word against anyone, except supporters of Peterborough United. She was a huge fan and very involved with Northampton Town football club (The cobblers) and took it very seriously. This often served as a niggling point with another Uncle of mine, who did not share her enthusiasm for the cobblers.

Aunt Jane never forgot birthdays and was always good at getting me and my siblings presents at Christmas and birthdays. Aunt Jane was always welcoming when we went to her house, always making us feel relaxed . I know she will be badly missed by my Uncle Ralph and cousins, not to mention her many grand children and wider family. Her death came as a surprise to me as I was not aware of her condition, so all the more sadder. Until her passing I could never visualise a time when she would not be in my family life – she was always there. A constant.

She was a good Aunt and I still find it hard to think that she is no longer with us. I will miss her.

This month also brought the passing of a good friend of mine, Mick Skivington.

I have known Mick for many years, so much so that I have forgotten just how we first met. He was a brilliant wedding photographer and new his stuff about cameras. Initially he was Newark based until moving closer to Nottingham to be closer with his partner Sue. .

A great and well repected Wedding photogrpaher, Mick knew his trade. He was not a perfect man (none of us are) he was a man with foibles, but he was a fun person to know and above all he was my friend. Mick taught me darkroom printing of pictures in black and white, which was quite brilliant to see the photos come out of the stop baths. He was a skilled plasterer and the only man I know that could plaster a wall while wearing a three piece suit! Mick had at one time also worked as a stand up comedian, and always had a quick line in funny comments when needed. I can visualising him saying one of his pet lines when finishing a story. 'Bloody nightmare.' he would often say as a full stop. I liked Mick and will miss him greatly, but not as much as his partner and friend Sue. Like my Aunt, I always thought Mick would be here forever and i prefer to remember him how he was before his stroke. So thoughts are with Sue and rest in peace my old friend … see you again someday x

There was to be a shoot this month with the lovely Singer / Model Alexis Victoria Hall at the Boardroom Studio, but had to be arranged until the 1st March as I was very heavy with the cold at that point. On arriving back from time away with my parents, someone very kindly donated their flu to me. I intern donated my piece to Amy. We have both suffered with it, Amy taking work off for a few days during the worst of it. We are both better now after fighting it for the whole of January, but it has left me deaf in my left ear and with bruised muscles on my chest (coughing fits) as well as blood clots in the same area. Apart from that we are both fine and dandy!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my parents for putting up with us both over the new year period, as its always nice to get away and see them. Thank you Mum and Dad x

We have a studio shoot this month (February) with two models, Zoe Birtwhistle and Lydia Clifford at the studio. So am looking forward to that, as well as anything else we might find to take pictures of. Amy now takes out the small Ricoh GR camera with her when she goes into town to shop. She has taken some great street photography images, which have been put up on the www.streetsofyourtown.co.uk website/ Also added to that website are some more images from our recent visit to Mum and Dad’s of both the journey home and from a dilapidated row of shops in ruin. All of which are below.

That is about it for this years stater. I do hope your all well and I look forward to seeing you all again at the end of February/

Take care x