helentphoto

Two Peaks are better than none (via iPhone)...

2010-12-18T14:34:00.011Z

On our second wedding anniversary Tom and I decided we were going to try and run the Three Peaks. Approximately 24miles over the three highest peaks in the Yorkshire Dales. Peny-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough. We've walked them all (a long time ago) and loved it...but it was Summer then! Unfortunately, not having a map meant we couldn't start until we had purchased one. We arrived the night before at the usually open Peny-ghent Cafe but they had closed for Christmas so the map purchase was going to have to wait until the morning :(

At 9am in Settle the next morning, the map was bought and our adventure began. Armed with a bag of Mars Bars, my iPhone and little else we trotted off confident that we'd make all three as long as we could run the downs and the bits in-between the peaks. However, once we got up high the snow and ice was treacherous and it made the up and the down very, very difficult to navigate and stay upright. It was such an adventure and a little hairy in places but it was so much fun. Armed with my iPhone I knew I had sufficient photographic armoury to make the best of the surrounding breathtaking views.

We were the only people out there and in places which are popular among tourists and walkers a like we both relished the solitude. The peaks were all ours for one day. The time ticked on though and we knew we would be cutting it fine to make the last peak (Ingleborough). As we climbed Whernside, Ingleborough was just a stones throw away and bathed in the slowly setting sun. If only we had left an hour earlier and that last peak would have been ours. But we had to err on the side of caution. We could definitely have made it up to the top of Ingleborough but we weren't so sure we would have made it down in the light and as much as it was our anniversary, a trip in a helicopter wasn't quite what we had planned so we ran into the setting sun to the nearest village.

With 23 miles in our legs, a day full of cold, fresh Yorkshire beauty and my iPhone full of magic we got back to our warm snuggly cottage with tired bodies and the filthiest feet and we ended the evening in a restaurant up the road. Our perfect anniversary...except for the missing peak... an opportunity to go back and finish it...in Summer!!!

Enjoy our day from start to finish via my iPhone... (if you want to see the picture bigger just click on it).

H x

What's a Licentiateship???

2010-11-30T15:53:00.007Z

I've had such a lovely response from so many people about my award and I can't thank you all enough for your positive comments and genuine happiness for me... but... I know a few of you are a tad confused about what I won the award for. It's way to complicated to explain in 140 characters so hopefully this will make some sense of it for you.

I'm a member of the British Institue of Professional Photography (BIPP) and they have a qualification system. The levels are Affiliate, Licentiate, Associate and Fellow. When I joined the BIPP last year they said I didn't have to qualify for Affiliate, that they recognised my photography as being of a high enough standard to start as an Affliate and that I could head towards my Licentiateship straight away.

I had to submit 20 images including a working profile that explained:

-What the images were taken for and how I achieved the end result (technically).

-A personal statement about me and my photography and what I'm working towards.

-My photography insurance certificate, proof of professional indemnity and my CV.

-And supporting evidence (basically proof of published work and commissions).

Click on the below jpg for the panel of images I submitted...

All of the high res images and required information goes to a panel of judges who discuss the work and the images separately, it gets marked and then that determines whether or not you get awarded your qualification. I was awarded my Licentiateship earlier this year, yeahhh!!

BUT what I hadn't realised was that they had chosen my panel of images to go forward to be nominated for the Best Licentiateship Panel 2010. On the evening of the awards, held at Blenheim Palace in Oxford, we were told that 100 people were awarded their Licentiateship this year, that five people had gone forward to be nominated for the Best Panel award and... that I was the winner!!!!

... phew... does that make sense now?

I'm so pleased to have won, and so surprised... those that know Tom, he'll tell you if you ask, I nearly fell off my chair! I had some inspirational conversations with some of the photographers that were there and they were so complimentary about my work, it's motivated me like nothing else and that's such a great feeling.

My plan is to start working towards my Associateship, and I'm really looking forward to being assigned a BIPP mentor that is going to push me and my images as hard as possible to get the best out of myself. I'm also hoping the process will push my photography into a particular style and that based on that style I'll get booked for lots of the shoots that I really love doing.

So there you have it, that's what a Licentiateship is and that's what I won my award for. Thanks for all of your comments and support and I can't wait to get the Associateship ball rolling...

H x

Busy bee...

2010-11-25T14:36:00.009Z

"If you need something doing, give it to someone busy"... isn't that how the saying goes?

This month has been crazy... brilliant, but crazy!

Earlier in the year I was commissioned to shoot the cover image for a great book, Britain and the Olympic Games - Past, Present & Legacy, which was launched last Tuesday in London. Matt Rogan and his Dad Martin (the authors) weren't quite sure what they wanted to have as the front cover. The nice thing about this commission though was that Matt already loved my work and trusted me and my ideas. We worked together to come up with what we thought would be the perfect image for his first ever book.

I shot it on the track at Leeds Metropolitan University armed with a British flag and a plethora of ideas, none of which I was sure would work! I'd asked my good friend Sarah if she thought her son Joe would like to be the model, he's got such a great face and he's also an aspiring and talented athlete, I knew he would be perfect. The hardest thing was trying to keep an element of childish hope, talent and Britishness yet not really show Joe's face as he needed to be anonymous to stop people wondering who he was. We also wanted to age the picture to maintain the sense of the past yet keep the colour in the flag to represent the present, with Joe representing the legacy.

The launch on Tuesday went brilliantly and it was great to meet the publishers as well as hang out with Matt & Martin Rogan. The book looks great (available on Amazon if you fancy a read) and I'm proud to have shot the cover. Matt loved so many of the images Joe & I created that day on Carnegie track that he asked for five of them to be printed on blocks (see below). I found some motivational sports quotes and added them to the images and Matt auctioned them, raising £1500 for the Meningitis Trust. Hope you like them...

So... what else have I been up to...

Well, if you take a look at the portfolio section of my website you'll see I've finally got round to updating a lot of the images on it. It's one of those tasks that I put off and put off but I'm pleased I've done it.

I've just shot another front cover for TVTimes with Lorraine Kelly and was really pleased to be commissioned to shoot Theo Paphitis, for the BBC. I'll tell you all about him in my next blog. I've just spent two days in Manchester Children's Hospital for ITV's series 2 of the programme and tomorrow I'll be photographing ballet dancers just before they go on stage. My job is anything but boring, I absolutely love it. I'm also really excited to see if I'll be lucky enough to be commissioned for a tv project that will take me over the pond to the US of A with a celebrity...fingers crossed!! And of course I'm still shooting my daily picture via iPhone, a habit I don't think I'll ever stop.

Happy snapping!

H :0)

Not as easy as it looks...

2010-10-03T17:24:00.006+01:00

I always thought that the photographs that appear in TV listings guides/papers/magazines were video grabs from the actual shows. Then while working as a freelance press photographer I discovered this wasn't actually the case and it got me thinking how much I would enjoy being on the nicer side of the media fence. How lovely it must be to have 'all that time' to set up some dramatic images I thought. All of those camera tested, beautiful, photogenic actors/actresses to photograph and then see your pictures every week in glorious technicolour in said listings. Oh how wrong I was!

I learned pretty quickly while climbing the staff photography ladder at ITV that time is certainly of the essence and as the stills photographer on a TV or film set none of that time is prioritised for stills thank you very much. Oh and those lights that have beautifully lit the scene you're there to capture, nope, they're not there for you either...

So how does it all work? Oddly it does and I still love this part of my job, I know how the television industry works like the back of my hand, understanding my place and when and where I can over step the mark (which I have to overstep every now and then or get forgotten) and when to keep my camera quiet. It's a challenge, honestly, it's really not easy. Cast and crew make the numbers on a TV set up to at least twenty five to thirty people (minimum). All departments work like well oiled machines and from camera's, lighting, costume, make-up, props and then behind the scenes press and publicity, communication is key.

There are two types of photography used to publicise programmes and films... unit photography which basically covers certain scenes that represent the episode/show/film and what we call 'specials' which are set ups of the main characters/cast.

For unit stills, picture publicists tell me the certain scenes that they want covering. They're usually fights, stunts like car crashes, train crashes etc, kisses or arguments. I'm there while the scenes are rehearsed and then recorded. Depending on the scene sometimes I shoot the rehearsal (it means I don't have to cut into scheduled filming time and I keep everyone happy) but sometimes shooting the rehearsals doesn't work for me and so I have to set my images up, usually at the end of the scene (not favoured when you've been given last scene of the day to cover on a Friday evening!!)

Then we have the specials. The above TV Times cover is a 'special' which means that time (haha, I'll get back to this) is actually given to get these images. Sometimes if I'm lucky I get to shoot specials when the main characters are on off days and not filming which means pressure isn't so high.

For this TV Times cover however, due to hectic schedules, I wasn't that lucky. TV Times were very keen to get a strong image from the period drama Joe Maddison's War and from their warm picture desk in London had no idea (or care) that for this shot I had ten minutes. Hardly oodles and noodles of time to get quite an important and strong image for them. Luckily for specials I always have an assistant and so while some of the scenes were being shot my assistant and I chose a spot to do the shoot, set a couple of lights up and did a test shot so that I would be as ready as I could be when I was given the nod. We were shooting at a war memorial on the coast in Whitley Bay, and the second Kevin & Robson had finished on set I used my ten minutes as frantically as Anneka Rice and managed to get a few different set ups so TV Times had a choice of images. Costume and make-up always accompany a shoot. I haven't got time to check buttons are buttoned, or collars are flat or hair is in place so as a unit we work together (in a hurry) and before you know it the actors are being screamed for to be back on set and I'm done.

So, there you have it and the next time you see an image in a listing magazine then think of me, I was probably standing in the cold waiting like a sniper for the right moment to pounce to get my pictures :)

H x

Stick to what you're good at...

2010-09-08T15:31:00.002+01:00

It turns out that being a successful photographer doesn't mean that you're good at all photography. Actually that's quite an obvious thing to say. However, It's taken me a while to shed my defensive nature and accept that some photography (usually the stuff I enjoy - surprise surprise) is the kind of stuff I love doing and am good at. Whereas other areas I really don't enjoy and surprise surprise although I can do it, I'm no good at it... there's a difference.

While Tom & I were spectating at The Vitruvian (a half Ironman distance triathlon event in Leicester) I travelled light and only had my trusty iPhone4 as my camera companion. The day was littered with amazing photographic opportunities. We were there to support many of our friends who were racing yet oddly my eye was drawn away from the people as individuals and I got caught up in the mysterious loveliness that the rising sun and thick fog were creating.

As we waited for the start of the race Tom got his camera out so he could catch our friends during the race. It was then that I realised I'm just not into race photography. Don't get me wrong, I love looking at amazing race/in action images (which Tom's actually really good at.) A couple of my triathlete friends (David & his wife Sharon Rowe) are a wicked race photography combination and I love seeing their sport images. The images that appear on back pages after huge sporting events like the Olympics blow me away but for me personally I just don't enjoy doing it. Give me athlete portraiture and I'm there, man/woman at one with their sport, I love it. It's a bit weird but I can only put it down to actually not being that great at race photography and the monotony of snapping away at every competitor bores me. There's definitely a talent to it and I admire those that are good it, but leave the random arty side to me and I'm as happy as the proverbial pig.

Now I've accepted that a) I don't enjoy that sort of photography and b) I'm not that good at it I can move on.

So I'm sticking to what I'm good at...BUT that doesn't mean not pushing my photography boundaries and getting out of my comfort zone. That's an important part of learning how to grow and lately I've been challenged quite a bit and as uncomfortable as it's been at the start by the time I've finished the process I've learnt so much. No one job is ever the same, it's an amazing occupation, in fact I dont really feel like I work for a living, it's a bonus that I get paid for doing something that I love!!

Freelancing is a bit like these tentative swimmers. They can swim and they all know roughly how the course goes. The fact that the fog has blighted their path doesn't stop them from getting in and trusting their instincts and the people in front. Even if they go off course a little they'll find the end eventually and be all the more proud for doing so.

I've just finished shooting the cover image for a book being written about the Olympics and once the launch in November is done I'll blog about the creative process and how we went about getting the right image from start to finish.

Happy week.

H :0)

Packing light...

2010-08-24T11:25:00.010+01:00

Afternoon sunshine

Seaton Sluice coast line

Paul - The Gaffer

The North Sea

Little seat

I spent some time up North shooting the stills on a new Brenda Blethyn drama this week. (Working on a film set by the way is far from glamorous and requires a lot as in A LOT of waiting around but the crew are great and I managed to amuse myself with my iPhone in between shoots with Brenda). I'll write a blog about a day on a set soon. We were shooting by the coast in Seaton Sluice - see above iPhone images. I hail from South Shields which must only be about ten (ish) miles away and I'm ashamed to say I'd never ever been to this beautiful place. Funny how people always seek to explore further from home when really home is worth the exploration too!

In fact the exact same thing happened when Tom & I flew to Geneva for the weekend to see his Pa. Tom's Dad, Brian, has lived in Geneva for ten years and we've been quite a few times for fleeting visits, usually for birthday dinners or celebrations and so we haven't really visited many places in Geneva. This weekend we did loads of things and Brian said the exact same thing. Showing us some of the beautiful places in Geneva and surrounding areas he looked at it through our visiting eyes and was amazed at just how lucky and how lovely where he lives is.

We travelled with CheesyJet. We also only travelled with hand luggage which for a girl is really quite difficult! It also meant that I wouldn't be taking my camera's with me but I knew I could rely on my trusty iPhone and snapped happily for the whole weekend.

As you can see, we did a lot. Enjoy!

H :0)

The Rhona in Geneva

Sunbathing statue - Geneva

Looking over the bridge - Geneva

Tom & Brian - Geneva

Fountain painting the sky - Lake Geneva

Wet sky - Geneva

Fire Hydrant - Geneva
Brian

Sunshine and streetlight - Lake Annecy

Jonny Brownlee - World Sprint Triathlon Champion - Lausanne

Graffiti - Geneva

Rooftops - Lake Annecy

Lake Annecy Old Town

Shutters - Lake Annecy

Me and my iPhone at work

Freelancing is like waiting for a bus...

2010-08-10T09:44:00.006+01:00

...they always come at once...

Why is that I wonder?

The life of a freelance means there are quiet times and there are busy times. Quiet for me means I get to work on my personal projects and I'm always planning future shoots. It's not really quiet if you know what I mean. But it's sods law that when the phone rings to be booked I can guarantee that later that day someone else will ring to try and book me for that exact same day, and recently this has happened more than twice. Weird how that one day of the week/month is the chosen one?! Its frustrating too because in my line of work all of my jobs mean I get to meet exciting people and I get to be part of great projects. I've just had to turn down a shoot in the Dales with Comedian Ade Edmondson because I'm working on a drama up North for ITV. Damn it, I'd love to be doing that shoot!

I shoot a lot for television and it's something I feel very comfortable doing. Every shoot is different and every actor/actress have to be approached differently. Every now and then I shoot real life and that I can tell you is a whole new world. Shooting actors/actresses' pretending to be other people is easy. I used to be a press photographer. I shot 'real' people every day but I was rarely involved with them. Hard news would mean waiting outside of a court/incident/accident/house... I left that side of the media because it didn't sit very well with my personality. Bum in the butter and the world of TV suits me well, I'm a people person and all of the artists have been camera tested and are used to some sort of limelight. Last week I was working with the programme Tonight with Trevor MacDonald. I was there to shoot portraits and family pictures of the recently blinded police office David Rathband. David was shot in the face twice by Raoul Moat. He's incredibly lucky to be alive and he was an incredibly inspirational man. I actually felt nervous but after sitting chatting with him for most of the morning before it was time to do my pictures I felt so much more at ease. As a photographer when you shoot portraits, people eyes are normally the focus. David's are still closed. When he was shot, the first shot went right through the middle of his eyes at the top of the bridge of his nose, that shot took his right eye out. He tried to avoid the second shot by lifting his arm, it didn't take his left eye out and surgeons tried to save it but to no avail. And so David is now blind, he's only been blind for a month and the scars both emotionally and physically are going to take a long time to heal. He was brilliant and we worked together chatting all of the time while I was photographing him. I used the numbers of the clock to tell him where in the room I was and where I wanted him to look. It was a hard shoot to do but I feel honoured to have met such a man as David and his incredible family. A reminder of the reality of life. Some people I will never forget meeting and David is one of them.

Back in the blogging saddle...

2010-07-27T16:11:00.007+01:00

I never really did get into a routine of blogging on my photography website. That's mostly because I was too busy blogging over on our joint spot that Tom and I wrote, about my never decreasing triathlon training and whatever races I had coming up. Well, these times they are a changing! It's time to get the wheels back in motion over here and let you all know what's going on in my crazy world of photography. Who have I/am I/haven't I snapped and what's on the agenda for the future...that's the plan...regularily. Be prepared some weeks are painful as I sit for hours editing at my computer...those blog's could be short in length!!

So...what am I up to?

Well, I finished my first proper personal project (365-a picture a day for a year), had the exhibition launch in Salvo's where it was held for four months and sold 240 images which made the charity I sold them for (Naomi's Fund) very happy. This whole process has made me see how in-valuable it has been to me and my photography. I've made myself a creative well which I can now dip into. I now see the world and it's objects differently and think nothing of whipping my iPhone out to snap something that catches my eye. I'm revolutionised!! So, now, with work bubbling over at a constant (some weeks more constant than others) I'm working on another personal project. I may have physically moved far from the world of sport but mentally I still think like an athlete, except now I can see like a photographer because my head isn't too full of race pressure, times to hit or people to beat. Hopefully by the end of this year I'll have enough material to start putting together a great set of images based in and around the Cycling Time Trial world. I've shot images on my Canon 5D MarkII, my iPhone and even messed around with a not very reliable and gimicky yet quite sweet Holgaroid. The above images are a taster of what I've been doing.

I also need to update the images on my website. I've done a lot since it was made and I'm looking forward to be able to get my other images out there. I'm working on this with Chris and Gav from Occipital, the marvellous makers of said site! I'll keep you posted and as soon as the new images go up I'll give you a prod.

Happy snapping.

H x

A huge success... and lots of thank you's...

2010-02-07T15:41:00.004Z

Well it happened!! It well and truly happened. On Wednesday 4th February 2010 I had my very first exhibition. From day one on 2nd February 2009 and my first picture of the day I didn't realise what a journey the whole process would take me on. Firstly it was a little personal challenge to dig out my creative side and secondly never in my wildest dreams did I think this would have been the result.

It's been one of the best things I could have done for myself in terms of personal development. I've plunged into a whole other world of photography and I'm really, really enjoying it. I can't wait to dot the t's and cross the i's on my next one which I'm hoping to start in May once this exhibition has finished.

CC Imaging who dealt with all of the printing were so patient as we sat working out how we were going to get the right size and maintain quality for each individual image. They had to print right up to the wire because my last picture was taken the day before the whole thing had to be finished and they never batted an eyelid. Then they told me they wouldn't charge for ANY of the 365 individual images that they printed (and more as we tested many variations along the way) because they wanted to give something to the charity! How nice is that! So John, Mark, Taj and Chris... Thanks guys, you're awesome.

The Flash Centre's Graham & Russ who didn't really need to get too involved in the project have been an incredible source of support and advice throughout the year. They've never failed to help me whenever I've needed it with camera advice above and beyond any corporate 'chain.'

Pictures+ took on the task of cutting each individual mount and frame and glass by hand all at a lower than normal price purely for the charity. New contacts for me to work with forever and if you ever need anything framing... these are your guys. Every mount and frame was perfect, they even came and hung them all. Yup, that's 365 of the little buggers all hanging neatly on the wall. So to Lucy, Pat, Pete & John THANK YOU. You did an incredible job.

Salvo's, the restaurant that has allowed me to put 365 holes in their walls and are holding the exhibition for 3 months. John & Gip and their PR girl Rachel were so accommodating and they too provided their space and time for free. I think your bar is perfect for the exhibition and I hope lots of people come to see the pictures, maybe buy one or two and treat themselves to some of your delicious food.

And of course Mabeth & Sally who have started the charity Naomi's Fund. They took a huge punt on my idea. They paid for the initial cost of mounting and framing and to break even we had to sell half. I'm really pleased to say we did that on Wednesday, opening night, so every single image that is being sold now is all going into the charity and I'm so pleased. Mabeth's been wonderful and the charity deserves to get the help it needs to get registered and start helping those kids out there who need it. Good luck and thank you for your belief in me. x

So the night, how did it all go? It was brilliant. Over 150 people turned up and over 160 images were sold that night. It was slightly manic and poor Mabeth was more than a little flustered with the desperate cries of 'I want that one'!! But people went home with smiles on their faces clutching a little piece of my year. I loved watching people and seeing which ones they liked or disliked and it was incredibly interesting seeing just what people bought for their walls. It's been an experience I will never forget and I hope to move onto another project and keep pushing my boundaries.

I'm proud of myself. It's not often I say that, but I am. I'm proud of myself. And like I say I couldn't have done it without all of those involved above. However, without my husband who is a constant source of my inspiration NONE of this would have happened. I did this because he believed in me more than I believed in me and that's priceless. Thanks husband x

There are still images left to buy so if you fancy some good food and a peruse pop into Salvo's.

Onwards...

H x

What a difference a 'person' makes...

2009-12-02T17:33:00.004Z

I'm right in the thick of the exhibition arrangements right now and it's all very exciting. The people that are involved with the 365 project have been and are being incredible. I'm such a 'people' person and getting the right people on board to make this whole project work really hasn't been difficult but the sheer process has if anything highlighted the importance of getting to know everyone involved right from the printer to Salvo's PR consultant (a wonderful girl called Rachel McAlley.)

Getting this thing off the ground as a novice was quite daunting at first. Approaching possible venues to host it, getting people interested in coming, keeping Naomi's Fund (the charity) in the loop, getting the right print and frame at the right cost etc, etc... the list is long and endless.

So far, everything couldn't be going better. The reason for this... people. It's as simple as that. Mabeth from the charity is wonderful, we get together regularly and bounce ideas of each other. Tom (my husband) has been amazing, giving us his much sort after time for all sorts of our processes. Salvo's Restaurant in Leeds (our exhibition host) and acclaimed F Word Best Italian restaurant winners have been brilliant. Friendships and meetings have been struck up with John, Gip & Rachel from Salvo's and their help and enthusiasm has been refreshing.

Today Mabeth & I ventured out to look at who we could use to frame all 365 of these little gems and were struck by the warmth and genuine friendliness of a company in Leeds called Picture Plus. We went to a few other places before Picture Plus and weren't particularly enamored with the response and in fact if I'm truthful, their lack of people skills. The friendly, family business of Picture Plus was second to none and worth it's weight in gold. Lucy & her dad Pat welcomed us and helped immensley with our decisions and I'm really looking forward to working with them throughout the project.

So with happy heart, the project moves forward a few steps and it's exciting to see it starting to take shape. It also highlights the reason why I like genuine people, they interest me. Automated messages, spam phone calls, personality-less people...no thanks.

Onwards and upwards goes 365 with thanks to all those involved so far :)

H x

It's not about the money...

2009-10-12T13:57:00.003+01:00

... but it helps!

I've been freelance now since November 07, so my business is nearly two whole years old. I'm loving it, it's truly a wonderful job (although doesn't ever really feel like a job). I get to meet amazing people, see amazing things and work for great companies. However, I no longer get a company car, a paid mobile phone bill, paid holidays, sick pay or time in lieu. It's different I tell you that for sure!

The benefits far outweigh all of those above, because money or 'things' don't motivate me. Earning money is a priority, let's not get confused here, but I do this job because I love photography. I love the challenges it brings and no job is ever the same, the money thing is just a necessary part of it all.

However, not being motivated by money doesn't mean I can ignore it and just watch it roll in. How money is handled from job pricing to accounting has been (and still is) a steep learning curve. I didn't do a business degree, I still get tangled up in Excel spreadsheets and I've only just learned the correct way to show my finances to my accountant to stop me having to pay him a million pounds to sort out my receipt jumble!!! I didn't account for that when I left the cosy world of life as an employee with ITV!!

So for the last week or so after my accountant asked for my income and expenditure for the tax year 08-09 I've plunged into the depths of Excel. I must have threatened to throw my computer and every scrap of tatty receipt and bank statement I own out of the window on more than one occasion and nearly had a nervous breakdown when my cousin showed me how I should be displaying my figures... i.e not at all like I had thought it should be done. So with patience in small doses by my side and the odd visit from Ben to check I haven't gone wrong, I've waded my way into the world of accounting and do you know, I've found it quite therapeutic. Excel was still born of the devil and we aren't quite the friends I think we could be but at the moment we tolerate each other and manage to just about get things done the way they should be. It also means I now have a stable grasp on how things need to be kept and so every month I can set to task to keep on top of it all without fear and also without having a whole year to sort.

People said going freelance would be hard. They were talking about getting work though, they never mentioned the bitty little bits like doing your own accounts. I thought if I had an accountant they did it all for you...wrong! I still have to provide the necessary information to allow the accountant to do his work. But I've done it, I'm a mere one hours work away from completing the battle that I started when he first emailed me those awful words... "Send me your figures".

So you see, not a drop of cash to be seen, it's all numbers written with silly formulas and put in confusing boxes that only numbers people can decipher.

It's not about the money is it... it's about the numbers... oh to be on a payroll (joke)!!!

H :)

Exciting project...

2009-09-27T12:35:00.005+01:00

A very brief blog to announce the exciting news that an exhibition of my daily pic project 365 has been confirmed. The dates are yet to be finalised but I will be exhibiting the limited edition framed images in February and selling them, with all of the proceeds going to a relatively new but fantastic charity called Naomi's Fund.

My 365 project has been a great challenge, taking a picture every day regardless of my working shoots has been a brilliant project and I'm loving the fact that most of my images have come from using my iphone, a project certainly inspired by Chase Jarvis. Infact for many months I have specifically used my iphone to shoot the everyday images that I see and I'm loving the outcome.

I'm currently working hard on getting the exhibition details just right so I'll be back with more info, watch this space. But I would love to hear if there are images in that project that you would love to own :) Or indeed if you'd like to be invited to the exhibition.

Happy snapping,

H x

Welcome...

2009-09-16T21:18:00.003+01:00

A fresh new website, and a brand new Blog to get my teeth into. It’s like opening a brand new school book and writing on the pristine, smooth, clean white page for the first time and not wanting to tarnish it with any mistakes or bad handwriting!!

Wow, where do I start?! Hello and welcome I guess. I’m planning to write regular blogs on the whereabouts of my work and what I’m learning along the way and hope that you enjoy not only seeing my own progress but that it is interesting and of some help if you too love photography.

Having my website updated has certainly made me see the huge journey I’ve made over such a small time as I take old images out and put new ‘Turton’ images in. I’ve become so much more open to creativity, more open than ever before. I really hadn’t realised just how stifled I was and yet I still feel there’s a whole lot more to come out. Unlocking it isn’t so easy but I’m enjoying the process of seeing my photography grow, move and change direction. Talking of creativity, something that has really helped me open up is my 365 picture project where since the second of February this year I've committed to taking a daily photo. More often than not these have been taken on my iphone, the first 200 are here and I'm up to number 226 here, check them out and let me know what you think. More on that in future posts ;)

Just recently I went to a two day photographic seminar held by the British Institute of Professional Photography (BIPP), I came away feeling so inspired and motivated, it was fantastic. I don’t just like my job… I love it and I can’t wait to embark on new projects and new techniques along the way. The people I met there were incredible and so talented, it made me see where I’d like to be in the photography world. If the truth be known, there isn’t ever an end point, but always striving for something better is as near to that end point as I will get and as long as I’m always looking to push forward I have to be improving and learning along the way.

Inspired by the likes of modern photographers Chase Jarvis and Andy Gotts and greats from the past such as Robert Doisneau and Henri Cartier-Bresson I’m like a sponge, soaking it all up. So, what is the aim of the blog? Well, I’d like to be able to see my own progression and I’d love to hear from others about theirs. I’ll be blogging about the likes and dislikes of life in the photography world and things that I discover along the way. Hope you come with me.

Happy snapping.