BLOGGING IS HARD

for me at least

I appear to be making a habit of not posting for long periods. There might be a month where I do what I intend to, and post once a week. Then there could be a month gap between. And sometimes longer! Distractions! I have way too many distractions in my life. I call them hobbies, but boy oh boy do they distract me from taking pictures.

I’ve been writing this blog for little over an hour at this point because of Top Gun (original, and the best by the way). Major distraction. Perhaps I need to focus more? Or stop some hobbies? Or just carry on and be happy with the pace in which I post on here? I think it will be the latter.

Another 20 minutes have past and I’ve written a paragraph of sorts…

As much as I love taking pictures, documenting my family (more on this later) and working on projects, when I need to step away and live, I do. Fishing. I’ve fished since I was a young boy when my Grandpa taught me. The first fish I ever caught was a Perch, and 30 years later it is still my favorite fish to catch, albeit different way of fishing now with lures but that 3oz perch I caught 30 years ago really set it off. Before the river season in the UK ended in March I managed to land my new PB at 3lb 12oz!

This is a good distraction!

The latest but not new hobby is shooting. My son showed an interest so I picked up another PCP Air Rifle for him and we’ve going going out most weekends to the range. He loves it and I’m so happy that we are able to spend time together while doing something we both enjoy.
Today he even shot a 20 gauge shotgun for the fist time at some clays! He was absolutely made up and his face! I wish I had my camera because his face was just pure excitement!

As far as distractions go, spending time with family is the best.

With all of that said, I’ve just dumped my SD card to the computer, and there is still quite a few frames taken this month. Anything good? Nah not really but just a lot of memories, that I’m glad to have taken.

I need to get my a**e back in to gear really and get back to a project I really got going earlier in the year. It will take a few years I suspect as the seasons change and events happen but I need to drive up there and get cracking!

Here is a handful of pictures I’ve taken during March

2 hours to write this small post!

First "Actual" Blog post of 2024

Hey everyone who is kind enough to grace this fine blog… Or whatever it actually is.

Some may have noticed that my website has had a little overhaul… And I've got to be honest, i’m not entirely sold on it just yet. I think its an improvement, but still has room to be played with; to fine tune.

Its Been a Minute!

So where have I been? What have I been doing?
Well the short answer is… I’ve been right here, still doing the same thing, still working on projects. I just haven’t been all too active online. But I need to get myself back in to the habit of writing new posts for my blog. Maybe perhaps start a newsletter? If that is something people would like to receive, let me know!

I have a small dream to create my own little ecosystem rather that rely on the likes of Instagram. I’ve blogged my thoughts on Instagram before and my opinion is still the same and now dislike it even more so! I need to give that a think on how to do this but I’ll make it happen.

I thought I’d share some images taken over the last few weeks and some from a small family walk around RSPB Otmoor. Admittedly I think spring or summer there would have been better, but it was still a lovely place for a walk and to see species of birds that you don’t usually see around towns!

Nothing special but I’m sharing them anyway!

That’s all folks!

End of an Era, Start of a New

Well it’s been over two years since my last post! Really never intended for that to happen but what do you do?

So where have I been and what have I been doing? Aside from work not a lot. I had a period of about 10 months where I barely even picked up a camera. I had some personal things going on and well, I guess that was enough to not want to shoot.

After some conversations with friends I come around, picked up a Fujifilm X100F and for the last few months shooting almost non stop.

 

End of an Era

 

For those who follow my social, blog or know of my work. You’ll know my main body of work has been my ‘Home’ Project. Well after almost 10 years of shooting and over 10k images, its time to wrap it up.
I started to document my family because, well I had a camera and it just happened, it wasn’t for a couple of years in that I decided to make it a project with the intent to publish a very limted run of books for family and close friends.
Fast fowrad another 8 years and its still going! A part of me is glad as there are so many memories captured… And a part of me that thats gutted because in the time I’ve been shooting we’ve had losses in our family who will never get to see the book.

Its been a huge part of my life, and an honor to have documented my family the way I have, and I can’t wait to finally have a book to show my effort.

Now I’ll take the time to try and edit the work down (this is no small task) and hopefully soon produce a small run of books.

Here are a small selection of images from over the years.

New Era

So with my Home project coming to its end, whats next?

I’d like to finish my project ‘Sand between you toes’ this summer, well at least have all of the images taken and edit for a Zine.

’One Click From Home’

Since we moved to Oxfordshire in 2020, I started a project with a friend that was put on hold and actually forgot about until recently.
The idea of the project initially was to shoot within a 1km Radius of home. This has been the perfect project to get me back out and taking pictures again. In this limited radius of my house, there isn’t a great deal of places to shoot so it really forces you to look around and find the small points of interest.
I don’t think I have much more to contribute to this body of work but once done I’ll be publishing this in another Zine too.

Here is a small selection of images so far.

I’m going to try posting with more frequency again like years gone by so thanks for taking time to read and hope to have some Zines out in the near future!

Cheers!