The Leveson Inquiry
In the list of sexy subjects to write about, the Leveson Inquiry may appear to be low down the top 40 but this is the one that has huge potential to change working practise for every photographer in the UK. The fourth day of the inquiry has now finished and, along with a large percentage [...]
This just might be a one shot deal…
After many hours of thought, concern and general fizz, the day of the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton was quite definitely the biggest rollercoaster that I’ve ever been on. Thirty six hours after the day ended, I’m just starting to get a clear idea of how the day went. The problem with [...]
The Royal countdown begins…
12/04/2011 (17 days to go) With the details finally announced, AFP finally receives the list of positions that will be available to us on the day of the Royal Wedding. With so much planning already in place (despite a total lack of actual knowledge on where we’d be), it’s a relief to find that we’ve [...]
The alternative London “Knowledge” v4.0
There is no real need to take a camera, especially your Leica, to Focus. When cleaning your lens with a cloth, it will invariably be the final wipe when the cloth slips and you smear a dorito-grease covered finger across the front element. The World Press Awards must be something to do with the Corby [...]
Workflow-a-go-go
I recently discovered that there are quite a few photographers that do not have any real system of filing their images for easier archiving. With this in mind, I thought I’d share my thoughts on how to make life easier when it comes to organising your digital diamonds. When I first arrived in London, a [...]
It’s a Tory’s morning glory
So the campaigning was over and the votes were in. Overnight, early predictions had swayed between a thinnest of victories for the Conservatives and a Hung Parliament. As day broke over Westminster, it was looking like we were about to enter an a very rare era in British politics. The question now remained; how the [...]
Never mind the ballots
Having been working in London for seven years, it’s been odd to think that this is the first general election that I’ve actually covered. Back in 2005, I was working for The Times and as far as my archive shows, I appear to have been assigned the all important mopping-up duties by the picture desk. [...]
UPstrapped for cash
One of the biggest annoyances among photographers who have to carry cameras over both shoulders during their working day is the need to constantly do the Les Dawson-esque bra-adjusting manoeuvre as they recover the camera straps back onto their shoulder. As a news photographer, trying to run while laden with cameras involves a unique position with the [...]
Variety is the spice of life
The last time I was in Blackpool, I spent the day dashing between the “Haunted Swing” and the “Steeplechase” at Blackpool Pleasure Beach and building up the guts to go on the creaky looking “Grand National”. Nineteen years later, I’m onstage at the Opera House in front of a few thousand people taking pictures of [...]
..and one rule for another.
Yesterday, I was put on “Climate Camp” watch along with fellow AFP photographer and good friend Shaun Curry. Following a few days of media hype with demonstrators refusing to give any information on their planned camp site location and the police offering “community-style” policing if the demonstrators were prepared to cooperate, we both went to [...]
Nature’s flashgun
After seeing some of the great shots that came out of the storms at Glastonbury, I realised that I had yet another hole in my photography knowledge that needed filling and last week, I had the perfect opportunity to experiment. After reaching fatigue point recently, Kirsten and I got the chance to stay at a [...]
The alternative London “Knowledge” v3.0
If you actually prepare for the bad weather for once and get fully waterproofed up, by the time you arrive at the tube station in central London, you’ll emerge to blistering sunshine. The same also applies in reverse. You will see the politician that you waited 10 hours outside the House of Commons for on [...]
The alternative London “Knowledge” v2.0
It’s good practise to get on with all the photographers you come across as it’s guaranteed that you’ll end up stuck on a doorstep for three days with the one you told to piss off. Stand next to the loudest shouter at film premieres. (See also “Ian West“) Even if the object that we’ve been [...]
The alternative London “Knowledge” v1.0
Not much can compare to feeling the first hot rays from the sun as you leave Downing Street on a Summer’s day after an 8 hour stakeout. No matter how sure you are of the job, the longer you wait for it to happen, the more likely you are to feel the need to frantically [...]
The leak shall inherit the sack (AKA “D3x release? Ooops”)
When I was handed my mail in the office today, I was surprised to see that the quarterly Nikon magazine featured their brand new D3X. I have a geekish habit of keeping my eye on the forums and blogs relating to new gear so was really surprised by their casual launch. It’s only now that [...]
Super Cooper
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of getting to shoot Alice Cooper at the ExCel centre in London. I’m sure it must be rather an odd gig for him as he was essentially the “turn” to entertain the crowds at the British Motor Show but he still put on a top show. Considering this guy is [...]
This one time at Swede camp..
Another day, another visit to the Swedish training camp for my daily breakfast of crusty bread with some kind of salami. Thankfully, I just discovered that the guest-house that I’m staying at serves fantastic food so my evenings are no longer spent searching the area for decent fodder. All talk today was about a bust-up [...]
Trampled underfoot..
So the miles rack up and the EUROs plod on. After last night’s frantic battle to see who could be less inspiring to shoot between France and Romania in Zurich, I’m making my way back down to Lugano to shoot fans watching tonight’s match at an outdoor arena. As the thunder clouds rumble outside my [...]
See Bre Free
Kilometres! The measurement of choice for the MTV generation! Gasp as the units fly past! Laugh as the satnav talks in metres for once rather than “yards”! (I mean, WHO knows how far a yard is?) Feel all tough like Kris Kristofferson in “Convoy” as what was only a quite short journey feels like a [...]
when hings go wronmg
It’s been said in the past that the collective term for photographers is “a whinge”. To be fair, that’s frighteningly accurate as there is nothing most press photographers enjoy more than a good whine about equipment, weather, dull jobs, uncooperative PR people etc. As you may have gathered from my previous posts, I always try [...]
Behind closed doors
As I said in the previous post, one of the biggest pleasures in this job is getting to see behind the scenes. This can be wildly different in it’s interpretation ranging from literally behind the scenes as a tv programme is being made to being allowed through the “Staff only” door in some important building. [...]
Ban Ki-moon is coming to town..
In late April 2008, I got the chance to travel around West Africa with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon. Visiting Ghana, Liberia, Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivoire, the trip was a chance for “Spanky” and his wife to check out the work being done in some of the previously-unstable countries in the [...]
