Oswald Pike

From awkward rock legends to pensioners with bed sores, that's the way we roll at The James Clarke Photography Blog.

This is Oswald Pike of Worthing, West Sussex who I shot for The Daily Mail. He suffered from a horrific 6cm deep bed sore he got from a short stay in his local hospital that resulted in over a year's treatment that is still ongoing. He also had a particularly grim story about being left in a toilet for two and a half hours. Although he has trouble moving around and uses walking poles to get around his flat, he was a happy soul who regaled me with stories of previous work with Burberry and travel in The Congo. He was also keen to tell me about his new girlfriend. Good to meet you Ossie and good luck with everything.

Compassion People

A few pictures from my recent trip to the US. These were all quick, 2 minute portraits of people who took part in The Compassion Convention in Colorado Springs last month. Most are church pastors and  all are advocates of the supremely worthy Compassion charity which works through american churches finding people to sponsor children in developing countries. Not being a god believing person, it was fascinating to meet people with such strong religious convictions, They had really good teeth and were actually very nice.

The Ladies Of Trouser Mountain

These are a couple of test shots for an exhibition idea on charity shop volunteers. Norma is the seated manager and Laura who is standing and dwarfed by a pile of unwanted garments is one of her many able volunteers. This is the backstage sorting room at Oxfam in Tunbridge Wells where they go through tons of unwanted clothes, toys and various household goods and decide what is and isn't worth moving downstairs to the shop. In these recessionary times, the charity shop continues to thrive and in my opinion is far more worthy of a visit than all the usual high street names that are more popular with looters. Watch this space for more on charity shopping and their volunteer workers.

Life's A Beach

Maria Ortega on Eastbourne beach last week. Outwardly healthy, positive and jolly, 46 year-old Maria has recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Her symptoms took years to diagnose, she sometimes has trouble walking and problems with other simple tasks.

Stranger On A Train

I was quite pleased with this reflective portrait. I used the hipstamatic app on my iphone, and it's not a stranger, it's my wife.

Wanderlust Portraits

Three pictures shot in London streets of people who have recently taken part in volunteer overseas work. Sarah Elliot with ruck-sack and lap-top worked on comunity and environmental projects for young people in Costa Rica for Raleigh International. www.raleighinternational.org. Cicely Brown in african costume helped out at a non-profit making computer training business in Nigeria for the VSO. www.vso.org.uk. Ed Stocker in yellow t-shirt taught children in Equador aboard the Book Bus. www.thebookbus.org

They all appear with their full stories in the current February edition of Wanderlust magazine. www.wanderlust.co.uk

Nurse!

Another Asthma UK shoot. This is specialist respiratory nurse and all round nice lady, Suzie Regan, who works at the Brompton Hospital in London.

"Patients living with severe asthma often feel that their voice within the wider community, or within general healthcare practice, is not being heard. It is the job of the specialist respiratory nurse to ensure a platform is provided for their fears and concerns to be expressed."

Severe Asthmatics

Two Pictures from a series of portraits of people I've just shot, who suffer from severe forms of Asthma. Pip, 11 from Gwent on the left and Kerry-Anne from Middlesborough on the right. Kerry-Anne says:

"It feels like somebody sticking a pin in my chest and then it’s a hundred pins. Straight away my airways close and I can’t breathe, it’s not a gradual thing but sudden. I try not to panic and dial 999"

Pastry Chefs Of The World Unite

Just finished a great little assignment for an american magazine. The 4 best pastry chefs in London and Paris with desserts they'd come up with especially for the feature.

Ulli The Wonder Dog

I've just photographed Ulli who looks after his disabled owner, Claire. He's a retriver-poodle, an incredible dog with an amazingly close relationship with Claire. He can find anything and bring it to her including her keys, the phone when it rings, the post, slippers etc but he also helps her to get dressed and empty the washing machine.

He's trained by an organisation called Canine Partners. http://www.caninepartners.org.uk/

Hold The Front Page!

This is me and Milo, a waiter from The Hotel Du Vin in Tunbridge Wells. We were posing for Times photographer Teri Pengilley trying to illustrate my story in tomorrow's Times. It was tricky to get the whole idea of living with diabetes, carbohydrate counting confusion and insulin injections while still trying to be informative and vaguely amusing. But we gave it our best shot or Teri did.

The full story story in The Times here:

:http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article7145586.ece

Jadie And Tia

This is Jadie, age 10 who has had diabetes for just 3 months. We did the shoot in my local park, she's roller-skating with her dog, Tia. Recently diagnosed she is still getting used to her new life with diabetes. She says....

To begin with it  wasn't so bad  did my own bloods from the begining and then started injecting myself after about 3 weeks . had a bad week this month because my injections started to hurt and  I don't want to be diabetic anymore but it has it’s plus sides, I can eat in class when my friends can't. Being diabetic hasn't stopped me doing anything, I go roller skating nearly every day and Tia can pull me along. I swim with my friends and love playing on my trampoline. I don't feel any different to my friends but they all know if  have a hypo when I am with them, as long as  have my packet of dextrose tablets with me  I am fine’