All Fingers and Thumbs

Another plate image. This was a still life with forks. I have 2 boxes of these glass plates waiting to have new life breathed into them.

Ooo, I've just had a shivery premonition that I'm going to end up in an episode of CSI, where someone plants my fingerprints on a crime scene and frames me for a murder I didn't do. I hope it's the original one, I like Grissom.

Wish me luck

On Friday I took a trip down to London College of Communication and dropped off my photograph for the Schweppes Portrait Prize. I didn't expect there to be quite so many people there, it was a little off-putting but quite exciting too. I've always been the sort of person who enters competitions, not because I ever think I'll win them but I just can't resist them. Still, I guess I wouldn't enter if I thought there was absolutely no chance at all. You've got to be in it to win it right? So, there I was queueing up with my portrait along with all the other hopefuls this year. You never know...

Just what you didn't expect

I love this blogging lark, it's so nicely laid out, it makes everything I write look interesting...

I'm thinking about starting a mini-series with these images. They were made from glass plates that I loaded into my Rollei plate adapter, exposed and then developed, only to discover no image but this wonderful abstract. This shot should have been a close up of a pile of white napkins. I love the idea that the latent image never appeared but that I still made my mark on the plate. For me, it speaks volumes about artistic intent and unexpected outcomes.

talking and listening

Do you ever get the impression that you're talking but no-one is listening? I'm not just thinking about this blog but life in general. I often feel like I spend so much time and effort, working on websites, contributing to forums, trying to sell postcards and convince people to put on exhibitions - sometimes I get fed up with doing all the chasing... Just once I'd love someone to call me up and say "Hey! Really like your work, what to put on a show for us/ publish a book/ earn loads of money?" Hmmm, not likely I guess. I'll just keep talking.

Making lists

In order to try and become a freelance photographer I have had to take stock of what I want to and am able to do. With two young children at home I have limited time at the moment, which will change once no. 2 goes to school (another year). So I have lists and lists of ideas for money making schemes that will take up minimal time. Given that I love photography and want to be taking photos all the time, this isn't too much of a chore, but I also have to be realistic. Here is my current list:

1. Picture agencies
2. Selling prints (via Etsy, exhibitions etc.)
3. Selling postcards (Etsy, local bookshops and artshops)
4. Environmental portraits
5. Competitions
6. Running workshops (school's activities weeks)

These 6 things are all ideas that give me scope to work when I am able to and yet, hopefully gain some income. I'll post some more lists tomorrow. My notebook is full of them.

The First Post

OK, just for the record, my life is not particularly exciting. Please do not expect posts about weekend climbing trips or bungee jumping. What I can offer is some words and links about my passion: photography.
At the moment I am spending time and money on trying to become a freelance photographer. I seem to be spending a lot of money on kit, portfolios and products and not recouping very much at all. I don't mind paying out too much because I have a part-time job that I quite enjoy, but it's in London and it takes me an hour and a half to get there, which is a pain.
I don't know if I'm going to make in the world of photography but I am, to some degree, an optimist, so I can only hope...

In the meantime, here is an image to get started with: