Sorry for the delay in posting anything this week on the blog - been totally snowed under with work. This phone snap is of a makeshift lighting anchor I had to set up the other day on a blustery outdoor shoot. It uses my Thinktank photo rolling case (Airport Security) and it's in-built security leash as way of keeping one of my softboxes from blowing over! Worked a treat - bodging at it's best.

Impossible Project - Colour PUSH! (2nd attempt)

So this is my 1st 2nd attempt with the Impossible Projects Colour PUSH film. My first attempt was utterly useless. This one I shot earlier today whilst in the City. I used a light shield with my SX70 (as described on this page of the Impossible Projects website) I was able to take the photo out of the camera without exposing it directly to light before popping it in an envelope with one of those exothermic hand warmers you can get. The heat's meant to help bring out the colour - but I think to be honest that's where the psychedelic pink sky has come from. I'm not sure why there is a scaly/mottled pattern on the image? (most evident in the bottom right) - I'd be interested to know if anyone else has had this problem and what it might be that I'm doing that's wrong.

Recent Tearsheet - Yorkshire, Guardian

Recent tearsheet from a trip I did up to Yorkshire for a Guardian travel piece. I had two days to get everything in the list and so I had to prep it all in terms of driving distances, times that the light was going to be best, and what going to be worth shooting and what wasn't (see my makeshift map below). The snow caused a few issues and made the driving more stressful than it needed to be - but google street view proved to be a great way of gauging a location without having to go there. I'll post some more of the actual images up soon.

Recent corporate tearsheets

Some images I shot of insurance execs for an editorial piece earlier this year.
Had to squeeze a group shot and all the individuals into an hour and I was shooting unassisted so it was quite hectic. Here's the set up shot for the group plus a few alternatives.

Prepping for an assignment

A quick snap of some equipment I'm taking on a two day assignment in the Peak District. I love packing for assignments, especially when they're out of London - I look forward to being away from the desk, not having to deal with emails and office based inquiries and the chance to get creative, try some ideas out and to be honest, get the chance to be away from the big smoke.

For all the equipment geeks (of which I include myself): Above are a Holga, a 5D mkI with a 40mm Voigtlander f/2 EF lens, Mamiya 7 (taking it with the 135 panoramic adapter), 5D mkII, Contax T2 and my beloved SX70 polaroid with some new Impossible Project Colour shade film (my first batch). Along with a bunch of standard lenses and 580EXII plus my newswear and thinktank pouches...

pre-light

Quick pre-light of Tony from a shoot earlier today

HKT in the office of Belfast Exposed Gallery. From trip over to Northern Ireland at the end of last year.

Japanese restaurant near South Ken in London

Thames in the snow

A snowy view of the Thames from London Bridge

Serbian building site, Mitrovica, Kosovo. Nov/Dec 2007

I took these to photos in North Mitrovica in Kosovo. At the time it was a small Serbian enclave that Belgrade was evidently trying to strengthen in the light of Kosovo's highly anticipated claim for independence toward the end of 2007, early 2008. Mitrovica was divided by the river Ibar, the north being mainly Serbian whilst the south bank consisted more of Kosovo Albanian residents. During the war the bridge had become a focal point of the troubles, with frequent sniper attacks and after the war 'Bridge watchers' on the northern bank, Serbian thugs who were ready to hand out a 'Kosovo Kiss' to anyone who strayed into the wrong area. The builders in the above photo were from Belgrade, sent down to Mitrovica to build apartments right on the river bank with the hope of enticing Serbs to move down and live in them, thus strengthening the Serb position in the region.

I don't know why but I still really like the top photo - I think it's the slightly hectic composition. I imagine I'd been looking at too much work by Alex Webb or someone. Anyway the rest of the images from that series is up online and you can view it here.