The Wild West of East Sussex

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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. photocrati gallery

Cat Woman

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Actress, dancer and children's tv presenter Sarah-Jane Honeywell at home with Gandulph, one of her 3 cats. What a nice lady! As well as fronting ZingZillas on Cbeebies and supporting the Dogs Trust she's a big football fan and has a column in Well Red, the Bristol City FC match day programme. She's also the only person I've ever met who merchandises their own doll. Now that's an idea, but is there a market for soft toy versions of bald middle-aged men. Lots more about Sarah-Jane including the doll here: www.sarah-jane.biz

 

Down On The Intensive Farm

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photocrati gallery 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.

Never Mind The Bullocks

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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.

 

Alan And Peat

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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.

 

The Soprano

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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.