36 hours in Biarritz

A flying visit to the south west of France to capture fashion trends at Biarritz's Rip Curl Music festival, commissioned by WGSN. A celebration of music and surf right on the Bay of Biscay, with the Klaxons headlining, there was plenty of fun for all whom attended.

Photography Workshops in St Neots

It's been a somewhat disjointed week of workshops in St Neots this week. Working with friends at ADEC combined with the dedicated youth workers at St Neots Bargroves Youth Centre, photography workshops were set up to engage young people who frequently use St Neots skatepark with photography sessions and live music planned, although it's with regret I write, particularly those whom attended Wednesdays session, the summer rain damped plans, certainly with regards to todays scheduled event at the skatepark. Rather than give up, Social workers moved the live music sessions to Bargroves were impromptu music and photo workshops were set up. Frustrating, yet hopefully engaging:

(Thanks to Zoe Davidson from ADEC for this image)

Dragon Alliance Photoshoot

Last week whilst on commission for Vans and Reef at Boardmasters 2011, i hocked up with good friends at Dragon Alliance. I've undertaken a few spontaneous photo-shoots for these guys over the years, and between shooting the highlights at the Newquay festival I captured imagery for the leading street eyewear company. Pro surf poster signings, collaborations with Volkswagen Transporters and also producing iconic imagery of there top UK athletes. I'll leave the best for Craig and his team, but here is a taste of the photoshoot at Fristal beach.

Workshops with Ipswich Art School:

Back to the Art School for a second day and two new groups. Morning and afternoon sessions flew by and we missed the rain by moments. After talking the young people through my Roadside Britain exhibition and celebrating the work from First Exposure and Darren Johnston, we headed to Christchurch Park to document 'Park Life' in the widest sense. With a short motivational talk about composition and 'Park Life' interpretations, we headed out to capture the mood. Here are some of my favourite images i took from the past two days.

Workshops at Ipswich Art School:

Back in Suffolk for two days to run young peoples workshops at Ipswich Art School. Taking the lead to inspire young people through documentary photography, the workshops have been kindly set up by Ipswich and Colchester Museum services. Today I worked with two groups, talking about modern photographic practices and putting these practices into use at Christchurch Park documenting 'Park Life'. I have to say, I did feel rather old when not one of the students knew Blurs classic hit single Park Life! I'll upload some of my imagery after tomorrows session:

5 days in Cornwall shooting for Vans and Reef footwear

Last week and well into the weekend I was commissioned by friends at Vans and Reef footwear to capture imagery of the events at Boardmasters 2011 in Newquay. Music, Skateboarding, BMX and surf were among the spectacles during the 5 day festival. Newton Faulkner was representing Reef, while an international cartel of pro skaters; riders and Surfers hit the waves and ramps for the orignal skate company - Vans. And if that wasn't enough, to top it off the latest 'Off The Wall' musicians thrashed it out well into the twilight hours mixing it up with plenty of great live performances. Heres just a taste of some of the imagery whilst shooting for the two leading lifestyle footwear companies.

Dragon And Hurley Pro Surf Signing

Teaming up with friends at Dragon Alliance at Boardmasters 2011, I popped along to their pro surf give away and poster signing at Northshore to capture the mood and shoot the product throw outs.....

Art In The Reason

Good friend and artist Schoph Schophfield was featured in The Reason Mag not so long ago. Last winter, after a set up paint session i captured some imagery of Schoph at work putting acrylic to canvas. Here is the feature which appeared in The Reason this year.

On Tour with Desert Scene:

After a flyby trip through Wales last Thursday i parked my car in Bristol to join forces with Dersertscene to tour with kings of stoner rock Karma to Burn, Black Spiders and Gentleman's Pistols. Four venues including Bristol, London, Leeds and Birmingham.

Black Spiders - The Fleece - Bristol

Karma To Burn - The Underworld - London

The Gentleman's Pistols - The Cockpit - Leeds

A fine Irish Wedding!

Last week I was in Ireland to shoot a good friends sisters wedding, an Irish-Spanish affair in the 17th century grounds of a beautiful country manor in the outskirts of the Northern Walled city of Derry. A huge congratulations to Niav and Rafa on their special day! Have fun on your Honeymoon guys!

Belfast to Dublin

Arriving in Belfast last night I found myself parked within meters of one of the cheapest Youth Hostels I’ve ever come across. Since undertaking this project, I’ve steered clear of hostels unless I can camp, in a city B&B's are expensive while camping often is not an option. Yet, having stumbled so close to Linen Hostel, i felt it’d be a good place to rest my head. So, car safely in the lock up, after satisfying my soul with a few pints of black goodness i settled in at Linen to drink tea and read Annie Leibovitz At Work. Having just put down Patti Smith i'm absorbing books like fresh air. Early this morning, I awoke to head south to Dublin and after a few stops at rather familiar truck stops, i came across Moore's Catering where Jordan was passing the time reading his paper waiting for his next order. I asked Jordan to pose for a few pictures, making use of film, digital and all my flashed I’d brought with me. As I was packing my car I inadvertently laid my gear next to my wagon just to create a neat loading system. I'd wanted to take a self-portrait, with my gear, for some time so just then, as traffic hurtled past seemed like the optimum time. I'll leave Jordon to the drawing room when i make my final edit in 2012, so please enjoy this self-portrait from the road.

Hillsborough - Lisburn - A1 - Northern Ireland

Dorset, Wales and overland through Ireland

July hardly stood still, making the long days all the more enjoyable and productive, transcending from one commission to the next, rallying me from one side of the county to the other in consecutive runs. After Tunbridge Wells I briefly visited Suffolk and the family only to flutter off to Dorset for a private commission, then darting back to the road through Wales across the Irish Sea into Ireland to celebrate and capture a good friends family wedding. On all accounts a great day indeed and images will follow. With a substantial amount of milage clocking up, i amalgamated the wedding with a fly by visit to capture the roadside essence of the Irish highways, looking for those traditional and quintessential business i've come so familiar with. With my Irish trip near complete, i've seen a lot of pubs, strawberry stalls and Guinness signs, yet hardly a trace of what can be seen on homeland turf. Yet, there has been a small brigade of diners and burger vans holding fort. I came to capture just a few of these traders, and now wait to see what my 120film greets me with. For now, here are a few captured on the eos1MK3. My saviour yet not my guiding star.