(Just Like) Starting Over

In 1980 John Lennon released his first single for five years after a long period of self imposed exile, ‘(Just Like) Starting Over’. Those who are close to me know the influence Lennon has had on my life and the respect and admiration in which I hold him. In reality our lives cannot (of course) be compared, though in this instance I couldn’t help but notice a small similarity. After all, I too have finally returned to my vocation in life and entered the darkroom again after a long, eight year absence.

Yes, eight whole years during which time my photography took a back seat in my life for reasons both professional and personal. Family, moving house and a career as a television cameraman all came together to make sure I had no access to a darkroom, causing me to put my photography on hold.

That’s not to say it disappeared entirely from my life. I continued to take some photographs (though not nearly as many as before), travelling to Scandinavia, Spain, Greece and Kenya. The nucleus and idea for my book, ‘West of the Sun’ was born and grew steadily until it suddenly exploded into life about a year ago. So yes, it all stayed with me, ticking over in my mind. But it was not the same, all consuming passion that it was eight years ago.

Now finally, through another set of circumstances – some fortuitous, some tragic and some of my own doing – my photography has come back to the fore with a vengeance. This website, as I write, is coming together beautifully thanks to Jim, a long suffering friend. I have built a darkroom, which I am revelling in and I am, once again, taking lots of photographs. I have just finished my first batch of prints and it feels fantastic. The aim, direction and passion has returned. My photographs have come to life once again – back to fill the many holes that have somehow appeared within me.