Bits and Bobs
Summer is finally here in Toronto, and oh is it glorious, as I look upon it from a desk, in a basement, which is 10 degrees cooler than outside. Sigh.
But here is not the place to bemoan shouty clients, hour upon hour of virtual calls and everyone pointing the finger at someone else. More sighing.
This is, I suppose, therefore becomes a kind of ‘life lately / May dump’ thing, just in my own way, with gratitude, and less Pinterest tone coordination.
For the Love of St Lucia
Replacing car horns, sirens and streetcar voice overs with the sounds of nature should have come to me sooner. Replacing snow with sun and sand alongside it.
Touching down in St Lucia and stepping off the plane is one invigorating transition after 5 months of Canadian wintering. My two layers now redundant and long sleeve shirt ready to spend a week hung up unused.
For the Love of Costa Rica
Book-ending a trip to a new country with two coastlines interesting. Doing so with such a variety of climates along the way is fascinating and provides perspective. The shift from heat and humidity, through sweat rainforest to mountains, cooling clouds and back down to the arid heat and dryness.
My binoculars were also a little out of place on the beach resorts of the Pacific coastline…
Out of Frame
A novel on the other hand, gives you words on a page, words which your mind creates a visual scene from and character voices. We are left to our own devices to create and see paint the scene with our own interpretation.
I like reading, I like being creative and I like pondering. Not being able to see the answers instantaneously encourages curiosity and creativity. Constraint is the birthplace of creatively, right?
A New Camera for the Right Reasons
Retrospective is the best word for this business case. Justification for a new camera is loose, or so it may seem.
Photographing Less
Late March it became clear a break was needed. Despite being someone who might be regarded as fairly resilient - the lack of outlet and downtime was starting to compound. Typically I will push myself to consistently deliver; on occasions though you can’t just push through and do it all.
So, a week in St Lucia was just the ticket to unwind and pick up the camera again.
Photographs that Represent You
As a hobbyist I am afforded the luxury of wielding a camera to photograph what I want without external demands or pressures. That is to say I perhaps have the purest creative scope unencumbered by the need to deliver to a set brief, or make a living.
Photos of 2025
August was very profitable for me. Tonality, subjects and conditions just became so good, so often. I think being on vacation by the coast, feeling relaxed and enjoying time with family and friends added to the productivity - I felt calm and creative.
4 Photo Books that Inspire Me
At first rather unassuming it is only following a ‘proper gander’ that this book exposes its true beauty. Perhaps fitting for Britain, eh?
Bracing for Winter
Setting photographic goals for the winter months.
In Toronto
A series of images from 9 months living in Toronto, Canada.
Local Wandering is a Photographers Tool
The local environment is never going to be the extreme wilderness like the public-use city bikes are never going to be the carbon fibre machine used in the Tour de France. But how often are you riding Le Tour?
My Quirkiest Project Yet
Another small photography project, documenting other people’s former furniture.
Photographic Blanks
Struggling with photographic inspiration in Ottawa.
Pretty Photos v AI
The threat of AI on pretty photographs.
Nature Photography
Nature photography is a real mental health booster.
Observing as a Photographer
Observing is a skill to utilise as a photographer.
Phone Photography Workflow
My quick, easy and time-efficient phone photography workflow to keep things simple and manageable on the move.
Learning to Create Instead of Imitate with Photography
Starting out incompetent and imitating and learning to to enjoy the process to start creating.
Does camera gear really matter?
Your Motivations and the Act of Photography.