So, October happened! Since going freelance again in July I have been investing in myself and my practice, juggling personal projects, funding applications and paid jobs!

Britain has been buoyant with photography festivals, and I attended events in Bristol & Brighton to mingle with my peers and to get myself seen!

Bristol Photography Festival was just kicking off when I spent a weekend at BOP (Books on Photography), an event celebrating all things Photobook related and incorporating book signings, talks, events, as well as hosting lots of Photobook publishers, from small enterprises to longstanding publishing houses. The event spans across the Paintworks complex which contains both the Martin Parr Foundation and the Royal Photographic Society Head Quarters. Enroute to BOP I visited Into the Abyss by Hashem Shakeri at Bristol museum and art gallery. There are still a number of shows running at Bristol Photo Festival, some until the end of the year and beyond, find out more here

Whilst at BOP I attended four talks, which were all thoroughly engaging;

Max Pinckers talked eloquently about his documentary project State Of Emergency which was made in collaboration with Mau Mau war veterans and Kenyans who survived colonial atrocities. The book which accompanies the project is in both English and Swahili, and contains “fragmentary colonial archives, photographs of architectural and symbolic remnants from the past, mass grave sites, demonstrations and the testimonies of people who experienced and survived the war themselves”. Brilliant work.

Libby Bove talked us through her wonderful world of imagination, intrigue and magic! Somehow interweaving life on the road (with an emphasis on the MOT), magic and various Guardians of the road: are they real? Are they imagined? Or are they both? Roadside Magic is the title of a new book by Libby. Look out also for The Museum Of Roadside Magic, a travelling archive that was stationed at BOP that weekend.

Photobook Museum Markus Shaden took us on a whirlwind audio-visual tour, showing highlights of the work of The Photobook Museum which he co-founded with two friends in 2014. “It serves as a public platform for collections, exhibitions and events and is committed to research and education on contemporary photobook culture.

Kirsty Mackay in conversation with Tom Booth Woodger about her new book The Magic Money Tree. The book, published by Bluecoat Press takes its title from a comment made by Teresa May in 2017, referencing how our wants (needs is probably a better word) cannot be solved by getting money by shaking a magic tree. ‘Mackay’s viewpoint is that poverty in the UK was a political choice inflicted on the most disadvantaged members of society – first with austerity, then with the steady erosion of the welfare state’.

The following week I hot-footed it to Brighton to participate in ‘Photomeet Superlab’ a collaboration between Photomeet & Photoworks. It involved two intense daily workshops, where a small group of participants gathered to engage with our current work and discuss the details & mechanisms of Industry Experts’ particular fields. I attended the Publishing workshop with Aron Morel (Morel Books) and Ramon Pez (Art Director at Thames & Hudson / Director Ramon Pez Studio) and the Galleries workshop led by Hannah Watson (Gallery Director TJ Boulting) and Tim Clark (Editor and Curator, 1000 Words Magazine & Artistic Director, Fotografia Europea). It was very insightful, and beneficial to discuss our work amongst peers.

Brighton Photo Fringe was happening when I visited, but I didn’t have time to see much of all that hasto offer. Here’s a few ideas for photography festivals to visit next year, and remember that Brighton and Bristol 2024 events are still happening! Please comment below if you recommend any others, thanks!

Bristol Photography Festival
Brighton Photo Fringe
Photo Hastings
Belfast Photo Festival
Impressions Gallery Book Fair, Bradford

Brighton, but from a trip earlier this year!

My return to freelancing is going pretty well, and some recent commissions I’ve worked on are photographing artworks for Norwegian artist Jens Johannessen and an ongoing commission for a Veteran’s charity. Clients tell me that they book me because I am friendly, approachable, and discreet; providing natural images of people. If you have any contacts or need for images to help tell a story please get in touch!

You may have heard me mention zines here before, and I have accumulated a vast collection of images with zine-making in mind. I am thrilled to announce that my first official zine will be launched at the LIP Zine, Book etc… Fair on 23rd November! Details as follows:

Saturday 23rd November 12-6pm

Rich Mix Streetside Space

35-47 Bethnal Green Road

London, E1 6LA

There are thirty stalls, so plenty of zines, books and other merchandise to fill those christmas stockings or add to your collections!

Lastly, in case you missed it, my friend Charly and I completed our three-day running extravaganza in mid September. This ended with a festivity of our own, when we were greeted at Paddington station by my son, and a few friends! Sonia Davda of Little Wing Flowers adorned us with flower garlands that she had made, and we felt like celebrities! You only realise that it’s quite an achievement when other people behave dumbfounded by what you have done! Thanks to everyone who sponsored us, we raised £950 for the charity Free to Run.

This year has been a roller-coaster for me, and by that I mean exhilarating.

I have visited four countries, fought and won my first boxing match, and moved home. I have not however written many blog posts, and I had the hunch that I haven’t taken many pictures in 2018, but I seem to be wrong.

When you are a photographer who participates in many other pursuits, both work-wise, and in their private lives, as well as having a young adult to keep track of, it can seem that there is no time for your first love and passion. I wonder if photography is such an integral part of my life, that I often don’t realise that somehow, it is always there?

I have produced a few small series of work this year, and got some cracking shots in Morocco that I plan to make available for purchase - an online store may be in sight!

The most recent show I had work selected for is the Shutter Hub Open. If you’re reading this as it’s published, you could see it for yourself as it ends tomorrow at 6pm.

It seems the organisers have even surprised themselves with the overwhelmingly positive reaction to the show - it really is their best yet!

Teaming up with Newspaper Club all of the images were printed onto newsprint paper. I was a little concerned with how the pictures might reproduce, but they looked fantastic!

The private view was held last Thursday, the same night Photo Month began across the east of the city, and formed part of Photomonth’s time-tabled events schedule.

Shutter Hub is a photography organisation offering opportunities, support, and net-working for their members. At their helm is a woman who does all she can to promote the work of the Shutter Hub community. I was really touched, as I was about to leave the Private View, when Karen Harvey thanked me for always getting involved, being encouraging and spreading the word. I told her it cuts both ways.

Having worked in photography for over two decades, I have seen it change from an industry of individuals, keeping their ideas and clients close to their chests, to an open forum for discussion and ideas sharing. Obviously that has a lot to do with the digital explosion, and a need to change, but it has opened up the floor to people like Karen who work tirelessly to keep us photographers on show.

Funny enough, I spoke to a photographer that I assisted for years in the editorial sector yesterday: he was always driven by money, and we used to have heated debates about politics. He asked me if I make any money from all these exhibitions I do, in the same way my Dad, or my ex-partner would. Ironically they are all Capricorns, but I digress! Do I make money? I don’t know, probably not, but you never know, in a round-about way.

I thought we were living in the times of ‘do what you love’? Well, I worked that out for myself at a young age, and despite the peaks and troughs over the years I know I made the right choice.

Long live Photography!

Two images from my Face Pack project were chosen for display: Super Fruits, and Flowers in her hair.

Simplicity in Execution: Paper and Tape.

The show is being held at:

11 Dray Walk, Old Truman Brewery, London E1

Just off of Brick Lane

Open 11 - 6pm today and tomorrow, Tuesday 9th October

Photography Festivals and Book Fairs

Putting on a show: Shutter Hub Open