Never Mind The Bullocks

While enjoying a bit of rural family R&R in Somerset yesterday, I was asked if I had any nice farm shots to show a potential client. So camera in hand and hope in my heart, I climbed over the gate into the nearest field and got some shots of a distant herd of farmyard beasts. They seemed interested in me though, and moved closer with increasing speed. Shouting at them made them stop for a few seconds and I got this picture but after this seemingly serene moment, they charged and I fled back to the gate skidding in cow pats, all dignity lost.

Yoga With Ancona

Part 1 in the series "Keep Fit With Impressionists".  Here is scottish actress and impressionist Ronni Ancona at home with her more serene but equally charming and easy on the eye yoga teacher Tara.

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!

http://thehardesthit.wordpress.com/

http://www.parkinsons.org.uk/

Alan And Peat

TV gardener and chat show host Alan Titchmarsh shot for The Times. Alan is currently embroiled in a row over peat which has split older against younger gardeners. Conservation minded younger gardeners like Alys Fowler are against the use peat compost as it comes from centuries-old bogs and digging it up releases greenhouse gasses and ruins wildlife habitats. However, Titchmarsh says he will carry on using peat until a "perfect substitute" is found.

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.

The Soprano

Hayley Westenra, 24 year-old New Zealand opera singer, who I shot for The Times. Her first album reeased in 2003 was the fastest selling debut classical album ever. After recently breaking down in tears while speaking at an earthquake memorial service, she is currently organising a benefit concert to raise funds for her hometown of Christchurch.

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.

www.frommudtomatisse.com

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.

http://www.petercharles.com/

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.

Up Against The Wall

My grumpy old editor from The Melody Maker told me never to accept photos of people shot against brick walls. It's not the most imaginative background I know, but to add some continuity and a light touch of urban grittiness to these profile pictures of the staff from groovy design agency Fjord,  a bit of interior brickwork seems to work quite well.

http://www.fjordnet.com/

Kid Rock

It's a wet half-term holiday morning so why not get rockin' in dad's office! Here's Billy (6) on lead guitar with his little sister Daisy Mae (5) on drums, seconds later she had a hissy fit and smashed up her kit in true Keith Moon style.

Brigit & Vicky Van Dijk-Van de Rejit

This is Brigit with her baby daughter Vicky. They wanted a few relaxed reportage-style family pics. A lovely family with a very long sir name, they also turned out to be quite photogenic.