A few shots from Tom Hodge’s 70th birthday party at a his home near Wittersham in Kent. A thoroughly civilised affair, Tom’s friends and family were treated to champagne in the garden and a leisurely lunch followed by a tea dance with a jazz band in the marquee. I was lurking paparazzi-style around the property and playing back the pictures as I shot them through a projector, an equally satisfying and frustrating situation as although I could see I’d got a few ok shots, it leaves no time for the all important editing process.
Events
Primary Ballerinas
I couldn’t refuse the opportunity to photograph my daughter’s school ballet class last week. They’re a feisty bunch but with the inspirational and authoritative Mrs Gunn at the helm, they behaved and danced immaculately. I’m not sure exactly why there weren't any Billy Elliotts, their male classmates weren’t involved, but as you can see in the last pic, they were completely transfixed.
The Wild West of East Sussex
Some of the cowboys and cowgirls from Tim Henderson's 50th party in Buxted. They were mainly an authentic looking bunch especially considering we were in a tent in a muddy Sussex field. It's an enduring theme and a look that people of all ages seem to be able to carry off with ease. However, the western feel, lost it's way a bit, later in the evening with performances from a Take That cover band and a Michael Jackson impersonator from Britain's Got Talent.
Down On The Intensive Farm
I was commissioned to get some shots of Watts Farms in Kent for their new website. They grow and supply herbs, salad leaves and various exotic vegetables for supermarkets and restaurants. It's a fascinatingly high-tech set-up where skilled, mainly nepalese pickers and packers can earn up to £1000 per week and ways of growing popular fashionable crops, that you wouldn't expect to be grown near the M25, are researched and quickly put into practice.
The Hardest Hit
Parkinsons UK assigned me to cover their participation in The Hardest Hit rally against cuts in disability benefits. It turned out to be the biggest gathering of disabled people ever in this country. I met some really inspiring people, It was a great day and a truely worthwhile cause. The lady in the wheelchair here was the real star of the show!
From Mud To Matisse
A few shots of a recent From Mud To Matisse art history workshop for children. The course is run by my wife, Nicola and art historian Henrietta Gibb. It's proving to be a great success, really engaging children of all ages in the work of old masters and modern artists, as well as enabling them to create their own still-life masterpiece on canvas.
Executive Away-Day
Dig out the flip charts and name badges, It's team building away-day time for the good people of Peter Charles Ltd.
Plastic Food in Croydon
A diabetes awareness course for care-workers in Croydon isn't the most glamourous assignment I've ever been given. I was happy with this shot though.
The End Of The Exhibition
Here's my son Billy at the exhibition. We just went up to London together for it's last day, to take some pictures and enjoy, for one last time, that fantastic feeling of being in a room full of my own pictures.
The latest on the actual pictures themselves, which are now the property of DiabetesUK, is that they will be on show again at their AGM and may even tour the country. There is also talk of a coffee table book with a dedicated website and of course any other ideas would be considered.
As for me, it's time to get back to my bread and butter non-diabetic photography. Again I'm looking for any ideas for future projects, diabetes-related or otherwise. So watch this space!
Exhibition Launch Party
Some pictures from the launch party of my exhibition, "A Portrait Of Diabetes". A Fantastic evening! I'll never forget it.
Hanging
I've finally got all 20 pictures printed, framed and hung on the gallery walls. I spent most of yesterday lurking around the exhibition space feeling proud and smug!
More info about the exhibition and where to find it here:
http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Get_involved/Diabetes-Week/Exhibition---A-Portrait-of-Diabetes/
A Day At The Opera
I got this, precision alignment of salt and pepper mills, shot at The Royal Opera House on Saturday where I was commissioned to capture a day in the life of their new catering team. Synchronised table setting is a dying art but thankfully, still practised by the waiters at the opera house restaurant.