The portrait # 1

I have been pondering for some time about my own portraits and the wish to move in a new direction when using my lovely old Bronica. The Bronica was a gift from a very kind friend from who didn't need it anymore. The first time I picked it up I had a good feeling about it, it is sturdy, a little clunky and even though I have dropped it once, it still works like a dream. I have loaded film in muddy fields, in the rain and on the beach and still it produces wonderful images time and time again. Best of all they sit inside a very satisfying square frame like a dependable old friend - except for user error of course.

I now want to experiment within my square frame and will post work here soon. As inspiration for portraits I've been looking at many photographers over the past year and have found some truly beautiful images. I will post them on here as often as I find them and dig out the links to the ones I found a while ago. They are not necessarily photographers who use square format but are portraits that made me stop and sit for a minute to enjoy them.

My friend Julian Lass a journalist and photographer first drew my attention to Laura Pannack after he interviewed her for the BJP. Since then she has won numerous awards including World Press Photo 2010, 1st Prize in the single portrait category.

Here are two of her images.

from the series the untitled

Life continuing

Janne Orelis, 26, sales woman and mother of two, Central Hospital, Port-au-Prince

A woman preaches in downtown Port-au-Prince

Picking up the current issue of foto8 Crosscurrent I was inspired by images by Louis Quail . He has combined portraiture and quotes from people he photographed in Haiti. Now forgotten by the mainstream media through this work they are able to share their stories.

foto8, Crosscurrent, issue 27. p. 132.

life.still - 1 day to go

Inspired by marcia's picture of her to do wall, this is what my digital workflow looks like - whatever that means....Do most photographers have a desk like this? - I suspect there may be a fair few.

Well it is the result of a busy busy week sorting out the life.still exhibition and we still have to finish everything tomorrow and have a tidy up. Check out www.lifestill.co.uk to keep updated and come along to the opening if you find yourself in the sunny city of Bristol.

Seven months later.....

Recently I went to America and visited Pinellas Hope, the 'tent city' I photographed last year as part of my MA. It was very strange to go back. Many people had moved on, some were still at the camp and most had still not found work or a stable place to live.

For me it was a very important visit and as I drove to the camp where I had spent so much time I felt strangely nervous. What would the people I photographed think of the work and their own portraits? What would the people running the camp think of the images of the camp?

After running into one of the residents and chatting to her I found out that she was still in the same situation. 'S' had left the camp for a while but was now back. She still hadn't found work and was on anti-depressants and anxiety pills. Things were not looking up.

I also talked to a former resident, he wasn't in town but was away working. He had managed to find a place to live and his daughters had moved to be near him. He said he felt good - he had followed his goal to get the hell out of the camp.

Here is an image of Karen, she has moved from the camp and is currently living at the Salvation army.

Karen at the Salvation Army Emergency Shelter for the Homeless