The lovely wedding of Ian and Jennifer at The Norfolk Arms, Sheffield. This was a great celebration in the middle of the hottest June for forty years – a proper English summers day! We managed to grab half an hour to head off further into the peaks (despite the jubilant cèilidh being in full swing) to get some epic romantic sunset shots – very calm, peaceful, warm and great light to shoot in. Below is a sneak preview of the official shots of the day…..
I like the idea that my photographs tell a story – maybe without the need for words. But these three images need some words to make more sense of them. The three images are of my dear mum. My mum has had dementia for the last three years. I feel very lucky that we still have my mum with us – you can still have a hug, you can sometimes have a joke, you can catch each other’s eyes, you can look through a photo album together and it somehow still feels meaningful, she still plays the piano brilliantly and you can still just be together – that’s all worth a lot. The flip side, or the paradox is that in some respects mum isn’t here anymore. A lot of things are missing – the chats about life and the family, her interest and consistent belief in us all, her…
These are a few photos from a recording session for Sheffield band The Feral3. Nick (the base player) wanted portraits that were intimate – looking straight into the eyes (my favourite type of portraits!) as well as some documentary style shots. Check out https://soundcloud.com/theferal3 to hear their music….
A dream project – to photograph the club I have supported since I was seven! As well as being “my” club, Notts County represents a life time of memories, an enduring friendship with my brother-in-law who first introduced me to the magic world of football and an ongoing connection to my city of birth. Notts County is also about community, drama, belonging, the simplicity of the (sometimes) beautiful game and the raw emotion that accompanies it. This project is about endeavoring to capture some of the magic, emotion, sense of history and spirit of the club. Also it’s about seeing things from a more intimate perspective. I have two favourite images. The father and son waiting – this captures something of the way football is a way of relating – particularly for men perhaps – and a tradition of friends and family connecting and spending quality time together. One of my…
From a photographic perspective I love this sort of work. I get a simple brief to capture an interesting day as it unfolds – no posing, setting up, giving instructions – just observing and endeavoring to tell a story – by far my favourite kind of brief. The only downside is having little control over the light – yellowy indoor light vs beautiful natural light can be profoundly different/challenging. Take for example the last shot of this set of images – the image comes alive because of the light – making the photographer’s job much easier! This was a grabbed shot and literally my last photo of the day. It’s also a privilege to be around so many lovely people and to be a first hand witness to such an uplifting event. Bishop Pete was warm, gracious, inspiring and passionate about the job ahead. The best of luck to him…
I had the privilege of documenting the official announcement of the new Bishop of Sheffield today. The day began at the inspiring Archer Project with the a press conference, following the official announcement on the Downing Street website. The day then included a visit to the Sheffield Diocesan offices, a trip to a local Doncaster school to chat with pupils and then the official day ending with Evensong at Sheffield Cathedral. Quite a long day for the new bishop. I wondered if he was naturally extrovert. He greeted and chatted with so many people over the course of the day never seeing to tire but rather coming across as genuinely warm and interested in everyone he met. He has some interesting links with the region not least a grandfather who played for Doncaster Rovers! He’ll start his new role officially later in the year.
These guys have been working on our house for the last few weeks. They literally turn up at the crack of dawn and then work all day – mostly hard physical work – often outside in the driving cold winter rain – and always with a cheery attitude. They have a tremendous amount of skill and overcome problems easily – I guess from years worth of experience. I don’t envy them being out in the elements when it’s harsh and having to do hard physical work regardless, but there is something about doing an honest day’s hard work and having something to show for it at the end of the day. And something to be said for being part of a team with a bit of banter and also looking out for each other. Thanks to the builders from ASK for all their hard work and for being up for having…
I had the privilege of being asked to document the Bishop of Sheffield’s leaving service at Sheffield Cathedral a couple of weeks ago. Part of the challenge was to create a huge group portrait with the bishop and his wife stood together with the whole cathedral congregation at the end of the service. I thought this was a great idea albeit a bit of a daunting prospect with hundreds of people in attendance! The congregation were great and the cathedral’s removable crane appearing like magic at the appointed time helped me get a decent vantage point. It was a great service and also a fitting tribute to the bishop as he leaves Sheffield to become the Bishop of Oxford in the Autumn.
I have a mini exhibition at the finest bakery in Sheffield – Gerry’s on South Road in Walkley. If you live locally please check out his superb wholesome, tasty bread, warm welcome and a handful of prints showing the queen’s Royal Maundy visit to Sheffield Cathedral last year.