House of Dangerkat

Love these guys. Check them out at dangerkat.com

I was lucky enough to shoot them at Nova Dando's showcase at The Hospital Club - highly recommended!

La Roux at The Hospital Club

Shot forelocked popette, La Roux, on Friday night at the Hospital Club. She was doing a private gig to support designer mate Nova Dando ... the joint was rammed with fashionistas! Dando was screening a video of her work. The night also featured performances by mind altering dance troupe House of Dangerkat

A very impressive showcase of talent indeed!

Behind The Scenes

So often I find it's not during the performance that you capture those special moments; it's behind the scenes. Before the big show, or after. When the curtain is down, those poignant moments when the artist is contemplative, energized, relaxed. In their own world. Away from the stare of the audience.

Some of these photos show the artist in their most private moments. Nervous, bored, excited ... putting on that mask, taking it off. Being who they are.

The Rose

At the moment I'm working on project called The Rose. It stemmed from my fascination with a hotel in Dalston called The Rose Hotel. It's in a bizarre location and I always wonder who and why anyone would stay there. Anyway, I've always been interested in hotel rooms. Well, any space that's private but also public. It's the voyuer in me I guess. So basically, the way this project works is I will be shooting various people throughout one day in one room at this hotel. People can come and go as they please. They can come in groups, alone or as a couple - whatever. And they can do whatever they like in the room when they're there (within reason - unfortunately!) So now I'm trying to get as many willing participants as possible.

Dancer in the Dark

These shots were taken a while ago. My friend Kate is a dancer and she asked me to take some shots of her. In terms of lighting and mood this is definitely my favorite style of photography. Dark. Lots of contrast and shadows. And shot on film. Film looks a lot grainier when reproduced digitally. I need a dark room.

Will

16:15hrs

Lunch Break

We are so small ...

Life in the Wharf

Still life - literally.

The Truth Of It

My friend Henrik Nordstrom (amazing photographer) suggested I check out a blog by Zac Arias (another amazing photographer) for a relaxed critique of other people’s work. It’s a fabulous site with information and lots of conversation between fellow snappers.

Most importantly though, his blog made me realize (maybe) I need to be a bit more honest in my blogging.

I’ve written a journal since the age of 9, but the thought of logging my thoughts for the rest of the world to see is utterly frightening. I am, however, going to give it a try; rather than pretend my life as a photographer is a glamorous journey of creative achievement. The truth is, I feel frustrated, despondent, alone and like I will never ever be good enough.

Something keeps me pushing along though.

If I don’t have photography, what do I have? If I don’t have my creative outlet - my passion - what’s the point?

This week I am temping at an ad agency in Canary Wharf. As a PA. It’s soul destroying. The banking environment makes me want to slit my wrists. I feel like I’m stuck in some sort of mind numbing hell. But I have to do it. How else will I pay the bills? My paid photography work is few and far between.

But last week something good happened. I signed a contract with NME as a photographer. It’s a glimmer of hope. It’s what I’ve wanted. And although I haven’t had my first assignment yet, I’m waiting in anticipation. I’ll be as nervous as anything, I know, but it’s my dream.

I will post a photo for every day that I am in the land of the mundane.

Stereo Decade: New MySpace Page

Check out some of the work I did for Stereo Decade on their new MySpace page http://www.myspace.com/stereodecade

Great bunch of lads ... and their tunes are brilliant too; fun and quirky - just like them!