(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

Blizzards in the Lake District

January 2010. New Years resolutions and a new found determination to drown myself in my photography again turned

The shitting fields

India 21-04-11: Driving towards Delhi from Mathura, early in the morning as the sun came up, mist rising,

Portuguese lakes at sunrise

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

Wild swimming in Romania

Deep in the heart of the Carpathians, Kate and I parked our van. We were in a field

Randomly Selected

To the West of the Sun

“But what is there, west of the sun?” I asked. She shook her head again. “I don’t know.

Zen and the Art of Midge Maintenance

Scotland is famous for many wonderful things… Scotland is also famous for it’s midges. I had, of course,

The Red Light District: Blog 2nd June 2014

West of the Sun – an exciting week ahead: Life is all about stretching those comfort zones. And

Mario Giacomelli

Mario Giacomelli (1925-2000) is the photographer I never had the courage to be. His work exudes extremes of