(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.

Latest

Swarm

It was as simple as ‘get to the top of Finland and turn left’.  At least that is

Blink and you’ll miss it

Iceland. Never has the essence of a country so closely resembled the way in which I see the

Under the Stars in Madagascar

There are times when writing about memories from as far back as my eighteenth year feels wrong. How

Viewpoints

The Rooftop Collective exhibition edition VI Tempus Fugit. So they say. Here we are again, another Rooftop Collective

Memories

Confiscation in Aden

This was one of those moments when something inside you withers away and dies. I was only just

Cold, tired and high in Ladakh

India 16-03-11 It wasn’t that cold. Or rather it didn’t feel that cold. It was dry, drier than

Portuguese lakes at sunrise

I am now long overdue a film developing session followed by some printing. And I cannot wait. Apart

Speedometers and Bikes

When cycling around Eastern Europe it was very low-tech for Morgan and I. Our decision was spur of

Randomly Selected

Equipment and Materials used – The Film

KODAK T-MAX 400 Once again I have been using T-Max pretty much since I started. To me it

Skills, Smells and Spells: Press

During the build up to the exhibition I made contact with some wonderful, passionate people: Peers, bloggers, journalists

No Strings Attached

Photography has become my art. Photography has become important. Laden. Very serious. Photography has become entangled in a

The Olympic Games in Berlin 1938 – by Barbara Wace

Written by Barbara in April 1995: I worked as a short hand typist at the British Embassy in