Poets, Portraits, Horses & Proms

Well this was a fairly busy week. My teaching at Malvern Library started on Tuesday so I'm doing 2 nights at John Masefield and 1 at Malvern Library at the moment. Always nice to meet a new group and start them on their journey. I have had some great feedback from the workshop last week too and have started to take bookings for the dates in July & August. Full details are now on the website.

Monday I was back in John Masefield to cover a poetry workshop. Shane Solanki is working with a group of year 7 students who will be performing at the Ledbury Poetry Festival and the Big Chill, alongside The Anomalies groups that I photographed last week. Here's Shane wondering how he's going to get them into shape in time!! Actually they were a great group and I'm looking forward to covering the performances.


Then on Thursday I did a lovely outdoor family portrait shoot over near Ross and we had some unexpected extras! These two came to see what was happening and it was a close call for my camera bag as I managed to rescue it before it got eaten. Along with the cows that came along just after this was quite a session!

Thursday evening I went to meet a wedding couple who have booked in for next June. Thanks Carrie & James, can't wait for your pre-wedding shoot soon.

Then Friday it was off to Munstone House in Hereford for the Hereford Cathedral School year 11 prom. Thanks to Alesa for coming along and helping with that one. We had a studio set-up in the reception area and got some cracking shots. They're up on the main website now for those who know the password to have a look at.

Workshops & More

Last week I was back in at John Masefield to cover the first workshops taking place to prepare students for their performances at the Ledbury Poetry Festival and the Big Chill music festival. Hereford band The Anomalies are in for the next few weeks to coach the students and help them write rap-style poems to perform at both festivals.
To protect the kids' new rap identities and so as not to give away any secrets ahead of their performances, I have only showed pics of Sam & Murf from the Anomalies here. :-)




After that, things were very different as I covered a First Holy Communion for a school in Ross-on-Wye. No pics yet as I have to make sure the parents are happy with shots being on the web. There's one or two lovely ones I'll probably be able to share on here soon though.

Then rounded off my recent CPD (!) with an urban portraits workshop in Bristol led by Damien Lovegrove. It was brilliant and a took place on a glorious sunny day round the streets and waterfront area of Bristol.
Here's a couple of my favourites from the day.

Arty Start

Well I've had something of an arty start to the New Year so far.
As well as helping artist Jeanette McCulloch and poet Nick Alexander put together their limited edition book "Excavations of Eternity", I have been photographing works for a catalogue for another artist Dave Cormack. That really sorts out your eye and highlights any flaws in your camera's sensor alignment or your perception of straight edges! I've enjoyed doing that and am pleased with the results (see below).

The school term is under way again too so I've been back at John Masefield helping the 6th form fine art students with their photography and my evening classes start again from next week (19th Jan).
Finally, I've started to put together my work for the exhibition that I'm involved in: Unsung Heroes. This is organised by Jeanette too and features work from 12 very different artists. It's at the Courtyard Theatre in Hereford from 6th March. More info and sneak previews to follow!

Happy New Year!

Yes I know I've been bad and haven't blogged for ages. Just to prove I haven't been hibernating, here's a picture from the crazy Boxing Day raft race in Matlock Derbyshire. The guy in yellow is just about to try and soak me with a water cannon! (He missed by the way).
November was a very busy time with Xmas portraits and December didn't slacken off much.
I also covered High School Musical for John Masefield High School so here's one from there too.
I promise to be back soon!!

JMHS Evening of Drama

Last Wednesday at the Market Theatre, Ledbury saw another great performance from the John Masefield Theatre Group. I went down to cover the second half after teaching my SLR class and caught a piece from the Crucible and a devised piece by year 13 students Sam and Nicole named Happily Ever After.