Blog

Jan 2011

I find it quite sad that I can't remember why or how I became interested in photography. I would love to have a moment or memory that I could say ignited it all. At 14 years old, taking photography at GCSE was the only beginning I can remember really. My education in the subject went on; Art & Photography at A-Levels, then a Foundation in Art & Design specialising in Fine Art via Photography, and ending at 23 years old, with a Bachelors Degree in Fine Art Photography. Almost 10 years. Scary. Crazy.

In my attempts to cling onto the idealism of youth and to always have a key to Neverland, I've never really had a clear, concise thought about what is it is I want to do 'when I grow up' apart from the broad notion of 'photography'. Now that I have 'grown up' I think I need to find a new excuse, 'when I get older' perhaps? Troubling.

Toward the end of my degree, and parallel to my life, one of the other a reflection into the other, I became more and more interested in Fashion Photography and the huge spectrum that is involved in a that highly commercially perceived world. While I spent so much of photographic time embroiling the medium with Art, and entwining the two, for some reason I started to reject it. I am not sure if this was just a realisation on my part, a sign of me finally slipping into who I am/want to be (or rather don't want) or maybe just a way of lashing out at what I had been narrowing myself into for quite some time. Deep. My honours dissertation, 'From Page to Wall...' looked at the transition of photography from fashion/editorial to art. 10,000 words of me trying to wrestle an idea of what I wanted I think. I didn't quite achieve, maybe I could of done with another 10,000. Oh my god, no.

Almost straight out of finishing my degree, I got a job as a photographer (& editor, technician, sales person and children's entertainer) at a small photography studio on the fringes of London. This almost destroyed me and any passion I had left for making imagery. Photography can be used as tool yes, but any monkey can press a button. I need something a lot higher than that to fulfill me I think. I hope.

If I was to state what my goals or ambitions are right now, I would say to become involved in an evolving industry, producing fashion and advertising imagery and pictures that have depth, direction and narration while still stating their message and meaning. A fusion of subliminal and overt.

I am on an exploration for my niche, and on the way just want to capture anything and everything that is beautiful. Because, why wouldn't you want to do that? Oh and of course, save the world.