Curiosity killed the cat
Written on November 29, 2017
in Creativity and technique

‘The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.’ Ellen Parr Curiosity gets a bad press – people often confuse it with being nosy. So if someone tells you that curiosity killed the cat, they probably mean you should mind your own business. As a photographer, you’re then left
On Westminster Bridge
Written on November 22, 2017
in London

When I worked in London, I’d often take a detour across Westminster Bridge on my way home. Except in winter, there would still be enough daylight to take photos. I came across this couple one April evening. I expect they’d come from north London, to relax and take in the sights. As
Hippo etiquette
Written on November 15, 2017
in Photoquotes

‘Never go to bed mad. Stay up and fight.’ Phyllis Diller
Susan Hayek-Kent : going with the flow
Written on November 8, 2017
in My inspirations

“I like ‘organic’, which isn’t always pristine.” I stumbled on Susan’s work through Flickr, the photo sharing website. We both love dogs and black & white photography, which seemed a good beginning. Then as I explored Susan’s images, I was drawn into her creative world. Sharing home with husband Leon, six dogs
King of the jungle?
Written on October 31, 2017
in Zambia

Walt Disney’s ‘Jungle Book’ has a lot to answer for. Having watched the film as a child, I was convinced that a jungle was thick tropical forest where the animals danced to swinging jazz. The truth isn’t as entertaining. Apparently ‘jungle’ comes from the Hindi word ‘jangala’, meaning open, savannah-like terrain, uninhabited
Blog post No.100 : feedback welcome
Written on October 25, 2017
in Uncategorized

‘We always hold hands. If I let go, she shops.’ Henny Youngman (1906-98). Having reached a hundred blog posts in just over two years, it’s time to take stock. So I’m asking for your feedback. What do you like about the blog? And which items do you pass over, because you’re not
Photography : black and white or colour?
Written on October 19, 2017
in Creativity and technique

For many years a friend teased me. She would praise one of my black and white photos, then suggest that colour might have worked better. Smiling, I’d explain that I preferred black and white, before changing the subject. But when I moved to Zambia, the choice didn’t feel so clear-cut. Suddenly, faced
The Art of Happiness
Written on September 27, 2017
in Photoquotes

‘Happiness makes up in height for what it lacks in length.’ Robert Frost (1874-1963)
Elliott Erwitt : Observer
Written on September 20, 2017
in My inspirations

‘To me, photography is an art of observation.’ Elliott Erwitt For a long time Elliott Erwitt has been one of my heroes. And while he’s best known for his humorous dog pictures, the range of his photography is much broader than that. Mr Erwitt likes his pictures (or snaps as he sometimes
Model releases : the basics
Written on September 13, 2017
in Photo business

Imagine – you’ve hit the photographic jackpot. You’ve just sold a candid portrait, taken on Brighton beach, for an advertising campaign. It’s a generous fee, so now you can afford that new lens. If only life was that simple. Without the written permission of your subject, you can’t go selling pictures of