It's a bit tricky to blog being an actual published writer. Most of what I have to say goes into the Dench Diary, a monthly column in Professional Photographer Magazine. It should go live on the PP website soon and I'll be sure to link it here. Still plenty to discuss; 'Pro Secrets Revealed'
Podcast3 and 'Is it Sexy or Sexist' (no not me) but the predictably titled;
Podcast4.
Late June I received an interesting email from a foreign magazine about a proposed feature on disappearing London. I was to shoot a day on my own and three with a writer in July. A shoot list was provided to be getting on with; Routemaster buses, old pubs, a 'greasy spoon,' an iron staircase and various characters and clubs. Sounded the perfect photographic treasure hunt. The writer had to reschedule our original dates due to a priority assignment, not a problem. As the date of their arrival drew near I arranged care for my daughter who was on school holiday. I had to turn down other assignments. Having not heard from the writer by the eve of our planned journey through the streets of London, I emailed called and texted without success.
Finally on proposed shoot day 1 a reply, they weren't coming. They would never come, personal issues. In panic I call the picture desk. I'm to proceed alone and can take my time, the writer will provide a list; wooden escalator, a man reading
The Sun, a pint, a park and an iron staircase. I shot the 3 days and submitted the material. A list of additional motifs came, I mop up; rain, punks, Beefeaters, posh schoolboys, city drinkers and submit the material. The writer without having been to London in what I understand is a long time reports to the office to look over the pictures, a list arrives; a specific cafe with a specific boiler, a wooden bench in a specific park, a specific tree, a view from a specific building and an iron staircase. I have been to the tube station where that staircase is, twice. It has been condemned and is inaccessible to the public. I have called London Underground and put in a request. It has been denied. I shoot what I can and submit the material.
25 days later an order for the highres arrives, and a list. I must have shot 8 days on this so far so ask for some more money. It reads like an Ealing Comedy wish list; Queues in front of a red bus, Bearskin hat, Changing of the Guard, ladies with flowered dresses and eccentric hats, having tea in fine porcelain cups and silver spoons, a Gentleman's Club with leather armchair, thick carpet, a wall with books with leather spine, cigars, whisky, trophy and a dirty laugh! a 'Look Right' written on the street and a red telephone box, an iron staircase. I have one and a half days in which this must be achieved. I was optimistic before this shoot, they wanted a Dench take on the material. Not too cynical, more with a 'wink and a nod'. I was happy with that.
With the mixing of so many minds a predictable set of images have been achieved that could have been dragged straight from stock. It must be nice to sit in an office and imagine what a place must be like. The respect and trust a photographer once had experiencing what is actually there to capture and develop into a feature seems as long ago as smoking on public transport. The highres have been delivered, there was no iron staircase.
Robyn (left) & Laiba from the Daphne & Limonkraft funded migrant projectI've been asked to shoot a project co-financed by the European Commissions
Daphne programme and
Limonkraft a Spanish non-profit association based in Valencia. A series of 6 photographic essays have been commissioned in 6 different European countries by 6 different photographers documenting 2nd generation migrant girls aged between 11-21 years old in the context of education in Europe. Once I got my head round the brief and after a month of often fruitless research I found the perfect place. Southall in West London is often known as 'Little Punjab.' Over 55% of Southall's population of 70,000 is Indian/Pakistani with less than 10% being White British. At the heart of the town is Villiers High School where I've been granted access to shoot. Two main protagonists have been found to hang the feature from. All the work is to come together next year in Spain for an exhibition, catalogue and awareness posters. Happy days.
It's a bit tricky to blog being an actual published writer. Most of what I have to say goes into the Dench Diary, a monthly column in Professional Photographer Magazine. It should go live on the PP website soon and I'll be sure to link it here. Still plenty to discuss; 'Pro Secrets Revealed' Podcast3 and 'Is it Sexy or Sexist' (no not me) but the predictably titled; Podcast4.
Late June I received an interesting email from a foreign magazine about a proposed feature on disappearing London. I was to shoot a day on my own and three with a writer in July. A shoot list was provided to be getting on with; Routemaster buses, old pubs, a 'greasy spoon,' an iron staircase and various characters and clubs. Sounded the perfect photographic treasure hunt. The writer had to reschedule our original dates due to a priority assignment, not a problem. As the date of their arrival drew near I arranged care for my daughter who was on school holiday. I had to turn down other assignments. Having not heard from the writer by the eve of our planned journey through the streets of London, I emailed called and texted without success.
Finally on proposed shoot day 1 a reply, they weren't coming. They would never come, personal issues. In panic I call the picture desk. I'm to proceed alone and can take my time, the writer will provide a list; wooden escalator, a man reading The Sun, a pint, a park and an iron staircase. I shot the 3 days and submitted the material. A list of additional motifs came, I mop up; rain, punks, Beefeaters, posh schoolboys, city drinkers and submit the material. The writer without having been to London in what I understand is a long time reports to the office to look over the pictures, a list arrives; a specific cafe with a specific boiler, a wooden bench in a specific park, a specific tree, a view from a specific building and an iron staircase. I have been to the tube station where that staircase is, twice. It has been condemned and is inaccessible to the public. I have called London Underground and put in a request. It has been denied. I shoot what I can and submit the material.
25 days later an order for the highres arrives, and a list. I must have shot 8 days on this so far so ask for some more money. It reads like an Ealing Comedy wish list; Queues in front of a red bus, Bearskin hat, Changing of the Guard, ladies with flowered dresses and eccentric hats, having tea in fine porcelain cups and silver spoons, a Gentleman's Club with leather armchair, thick carpet, a wall with books with leather spine, cigars, whisky, trophy and a dirty laugh! a 'Look Right' written on the street and a red telephone box, an iron staircase. I have one and a half days in which this must be achieved. I was optimistic before this shoot, they wanted a Dench take on the material. Not too cynical, more with a 'wink and a nod'. I was happy with that.
Robyn (left) & Laiba from the Daphne & Limonkraft funded migrant project
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