Can you afford to roll the dice?

I was updating the copyright info 2011 - 2021 on this website last weekend when I was reminded that no image on my site is older than ten years old ?

During the last ten years I have created three long term projects and explored a few other visual ideas.

The surprise for me is that I have only recently got around to making serious personal work , which is a bit sad, as my motivation to follow a photographic career path involved aspirations to shoot the sort of stuff I am finally able to shoot now , as a commercial photographer I had neither the budget , time or desire to make long form personal work , I was busy trying to make a living !

I would make studio test shots to expand my skill set & portfolio but these experimental pictures were created with long term commercial intentions , life always got between me and any serious personal photographic aspirations !

In the very early days despite having the time, I lacked the confidence and the money to shoot and process large amounts of film for serious personal projects , I always saw the early work as “Learning” , I’m not sure I had anything to say photographically at this time , my top priority was to make work that would keep the wolf away , besides , my everyday was already being well photographed by some of the best !

I never really understood how speculative documentary photography could be commercially viable , I’m still less than convinced that it is in the short term !

Personal work requires time and money , one without the other will inhibit effectiveness and the ultimate outcome , photo projects built on solid financial foundations will almost always trump talent , creativity and persistence but not always thankfully !

The digital revolution has helped working class photographers to work with fewer financial pressures at the planning, capture and online sharing stage but production costs still remain prohibitive for many without clients , sponsorship or alternative incomes !

Turning photos into meaningful amounts of cash still remains challenging for most ! .

The price of real creative photographic freedom is high , many togs rely on regular employment to get through , this is not a golden era for independent serious photographers seeking financial security , perversely a abundance of great socially relevant stories keep coming during these turbulent times.

Is it reasonable to expect personal work to be commercially viable or even cost neutral ?

The dilemma is that you can not sell a project that does not exist , conversely , shooting nothing will result in selling nothing ?

Sometimes the pictures just have to be made and the story told , the commercial considerations, sacrifices and costs overlooked , deferred or absorbed ?

This approach to personal photography is not sustainable for most , British Art / Doc Photography has never been a meritocracy, as education , financial security, class and nepotism have almost always filtered out those with precarious financial lifestyles. I’m not sure that “The System” is deliberately skewed against anyone but it appears to subconsciously promote the maintenance and adoption of a middle class gaze as “The Representative Look” of “The Best” of British photography ?

Same old, same old , same as it ever was …

This might be obvious but serious photographers only make money when they make serious pictures and even then the “Kerching” moment might take time, in fact it might never happen at all ?

The Photographic representation of Britain can only ever be representative when British Photographic creators and curators reflect a demographic that is as diverse as the society featured in the photographs , class tourism should be behind us in 2021 ! .

I understand the principle of money being the worst reason to make a picture but I and many like me can’t afford to have too many high and mighty principles !

I like to eat , drink and be warm ,

Can you afford to roll the dice of self financed documentary photography and lose ?

Stay safe !

Self Financed Projects .2011 - 2021 .

2011 - 2016 Another Day Off a study of English leisure time . More than 200 works

2016 - 2020 The State Of Britain a study of Britain during the Brexit era . More than 200 works

2020 -2021 Testing Times a reflection of my life during the pandemic. More than 150 works -ongoing

The Closed Doors project , Tomorrow Was Created Yesterday , The Blue Frames Project and Whoooosh were all created in the last decade too ..

My Fave Five Foto Books , ever !

That should read “British” photography books but the British bit interfered with the alliteration !

Please note this is not necessarily a “Best” but fave list , the criteria for inclusion is personal , I suspect that my list holds few surprises for most photographers of the same vintage as me .

The books that I value most , tend to be those that have taught me most .

A Day Off , Tony Ray Jones , 1974 .

Lets not mess about , the list starts with the foundation of British Street / Doc Photography , A Day Off , Tony Ray Jones , the guy who showed many of us how to see Britain in a new way , I did not realise that photography was capable of communicating so much until I came across the work of TRJ , humour and empathy with lashings of surrealism create a humanistic melting pot that reflects the social complexities, contradictions and eccentricities of a changing 1960’s England .

A photo-book masterpiece published posthumously in 1974 .

The English , Ian Berry , 1978

This is a portrait of England that I hold in the highest regard , this monochromatic study of my country lacks the visual poetry that TRJ brings to his work in exchange for a portrait of a more industrious nation.

Berry is a master photographer at the top of his game here , this is England through a more objective , “Critical” journalistic eye .

Berry’s superior use of light is demonstrated best when he photographs the North East mining communities , shooting against low sunlight in a couple of memorable views .

Berry actually shoots from Byker Bridge towards the Cluny Wharehouse & river Tyne in one shot , it appears that world class photographers were everywhere in Newcastle’s east end at this time !

The Last Resort , Martin Parr , 1986 .

No blog on British photo-books would be complete without at least one of Martin Parr’s tomes , at the risk of being predicable The Last Resort can not be overlooked !

In my view The Last Resort is a game changer within British photography and the evolution of the Photo-Book as a vehicle for Art / Doc photography. Especially when compared with the books already mentioned in this blog .

It is easy to forget that this book appeared in 1986 and challenged everything that had gone before , Parr brought a new aesthetic to British documentary photography that sat comfortably alongside his newly developed critical , sarcastic eye !

The new middle-class gaze had landed , aided and abetted by TRJ & Dewi Lewis !

The Non-Conformists and Bad Weather lived on another planet and belonged to another time and maybe a different photographer ?

I suspect Paul Grahams use of colour in his 1983 A1 project influenced Parrs’ choice of film stock , I can also inform readers that the super powerful fill-flash technique was borrowed from Killip’s Sea Coal project technique !

Lots to like and lots to loathe here in this depiction of New Brighton , this book seriously conflicts me and wrong foots me with every viewing , long may it continue ?

This book lives on my fave list because I am yet to resolve how I feel about it ?

This book challenged and expanded my idea of what photography could be, just when I thought I already knew !

Cardiff After Dark , Maciej Dakowicz , 2012 ,

Every now and then a book comes along that punches way above my expectations , this is that book !

British based Polish photographer Maciej Dakowicz spent five years documenting the weekend party-night activities of the Welsh capital , warts and all !

All of life fuelled by alcohol is captured here in this deceptively simple record of weekend drinking culture during the 21st century , sadness , loneliness and humour are captured with unusually high levels of empathy,

Photographers who have attempted to shoot this subject themselves will appreciate the skills, risk and persistence required here .

A book that reminds us all that the old dogs don’t know all the new tricks and your next photo project subject might not be too far away .

Byker , Sirkka-liisa Konttinen , 1983 .

This book and all the work in it influenced my life , not just my photography !

In fact the work in this book and all things Side Gallery really helped to shape my life choices , I knew at the age of 14 that photography would play a important role in my life . Many of the locations in this book were very familiar to me as were some of the faces , my connection with this work is much deeper than my usual relationship with a photography book , the history of this book overlaps my personal history .

The work of Sirkka-liisa Konttinen is established now and does not need any introduction or endorsement from me , I was introduced to much of the Byker work via Side Gallery long before the book appeared , Side Gallery demonstrated to a teenage me the power of photography, long before the tinternet age !

The Byker book is much more than a documentary record of life in 1970’s Byker to me , it is a reflection of places, faces and my life at this time , it taught me that my everyday was a valid photo subject and that photography could be a career .

A wonderful book that gets better with age , looking back Raby Street feels and looks like another life , I’ve just remembered the surreal astronaut that used to live on the bingo hall ?

Can the pictures in a photo-book change your life ? I know that they can …

Did HCB once have a pint in The Middle Club ?

My lips are sealed …

Books by Jimmy Forsyth , Chris Killip , “Johnny Stiletto” , Markéta Luskačová , Bill Brandt , Humphrey Spender , Shirley Baker, Bert Hardy, McCullin and many others also live happily alongside each other in the British Doc section of my photobook collection.

David Barrett shot the pandemic crisis during 2020, The Testing Times project can be seen by clicking above .   

The State Of Britain series is complete, it explores everyday life during the Brexit era and gives visual insights into British identity, aspirations and post-truth uncertainty .....

Check out the new UK Street Shop on this site to buy Prints, Walks & More …

He is based in the South West of England .

The Days We once Lived

Where is good photography found ?

This blog was inspired by the poem Days by Philip Larkin , thanks to @Bertrom for posting it on Twitter this week and setting off this chain of thought .

As a photographer and admirer of great photographs the instinctive answer to the “Where” question is “Within” as the beauty of great photography relies on interpretation , interaction and empathy, pre & post capture !

Are the photographs we make little more than reflections of Larkin’s “Days” that we once lived and shared with others .

Days

What are days for?

Days are where we live.

They come, they wake us

Time and time over.

They are to be happy in:

Where can we live but days?

Ah, solving that question

Brings the priest and the doctor

In their long coats Running over the fields.

Philip Larkin

Some days are for making photographs , time and time over.

Are photographs to be happy in , to remember our favorite days , people and places ?

Everyone “lives” within photographs nowadays , like it or not .

Photographs are capable of reflecting great sadness and anger too ,… that depends on you ?

No amount of words can do what photographs do .

Time travel !

View photographs through your eyes your heart and your soul , not your headphones or the eyes of others .

Words are great , pictures are better for those who listen with their eyes !

Great Photographs live beyond the noise and amplify the truth of life in silence.

Stay safe…

The State Of Britain , no 84 , 2018

David Barrett shot the pandemic crisis during 2020, The Testing Times project can be seen by clicking above .   

The State Of Britain series is complete, it explores everyday life during the Brexit era and gives visual insights into British identity, aspirations and post-truth uncertainty .....

Check out the new UK Street Shop on this site to buy Prints, Walks & More …

He is based in the South West of England .

Serendipitous gifts ?

Are some things best left alone ?

Imagine understanding everything about everything and eliminating the mysteries of life , love and all things !

Makes me shiver thinking about it , I’ve written before about the importance of leaving space within your mental and aesthetic approach to Street Photography for serendipity to flourish , a big part of this approach is giving up a element of control in order to be “Lucky” !

The acid test of this approach is the repeatability test , how difficult would your latest masterpiece be to reshoot ?

What are the odds of the right person turning up in the right light at the right time and doing the same thing , that is before we get into settings , viewpoint and chance favoring a repeat capture .

Truth be told the repeatability question really relies on how adventurous the author is at the time of capture , simple captures are more likely to be simple to replicate !

I’m not a gambler but I consider myself to be a visual risk taker within my personal work , the buzz of formulating ideas that at first glance are unlikely but eventually deliver are a personal driver for me , good Street Photography should be uncertain , unpredictable and full of surprises for the viewer and the photographer !

I love the idea of giving up photographic control and rolling with the flow of the everyday !

Once my head goes into creative mode it becomes a playhouse of visualisation but it never threatens to come close to the unlikely imagery that real life randomly delivers , I might not be able to imagine the serendipitous surrealism of my reality but I hope to be able to identify it when I see it !

The quick recognition and anticipation of a complex picture opportunity is the real talent that good Street Photographers develop over time .

I dare not think about how much of this “Stuff” passes under my radar , unseen and un-photographed ? It would send me mad if I thought about it too long , I’m grateful for the ones that I manage to see and capture.

The ones I see and fail to capture are another blog for another day , I’m not going there !

Some days deliver a level of SP clarity while others feel like hard work , good days flow and create a visual rhythm while other days feel difficult , obstructive and uncooperative , its like being at the centre of a invisible conspiracy of photo-vandalism ?

What makes good days good and bad days not so good is anyone’s guess , I do believe that happy togs make better photos , I’m not sure its the happiness itself but the positivity that accompanies a inner smile and maybe a outer smile too definitely helps !

Dark moods usually trigger cynical dark pictures , nothing wrong with that if that is what you want .

I don’t really want to understand or over think all this analytical “Stuff” , I’m happy to approach my pictures in the same way that I tackle life , one bite at a time !

Street Photography is capable of delivering great highs and lows on the same day , the secret of surviving these extremes long term is to treat both emotions equally , both success and failure are temporary states that can usually be effected and rectified by a continuous search for the next great shot !

Good spontaneous, unplanned pictures still feel like magic to me , I am less paranoid on the bad days than I used to be , truth be told lockdown has taught me that life is not so bad if I’m lucky enough to be out on the streets making pictures , regardless of the end results .

Believe in your next shot , it might be the best capture you ever make ?

I don’t want to be the one who explains the magic away , a deep understanding might break the spell , appreciate the small things and accept lifes serendipitous gifts, graciously …

Keep it real , stay safe and be lucky …

David Barrett shot the pandemic crisis during 2020, The Testing Times project can be seen by clicking above .   

The State Of Britain series is complete, it explores everyday life during the Brexit era and gives visual insights into British identity, aspirations and post-truth uncertainty .....

Check out the new UK Street Shop on this site to buy Prints, Walks & More …

He is based in the South West of England .

Intent ?

Here’s the thing , once photographers step away from conventional photographic technique the line between “Good” & “Bad” photography blurs to the point that it almost disappears !

It should be said that good technique is no indicator of “Good” photography , it is simply a indicator of technique that is viewed by the majority as good , in short it meets the expectations of the herd !

“Conventional” photographic technique executed well can begin to look a bit sterile , the repetition of perfection can become a bit soulless when technique alone becomes the priority, sacrificing spontaneity, movement and blur in exchange for technical excellence might not be a positive decision ?

Pink Print Pajamas , 2020

The image above fails on many levels , framing , sharpness , camera shake etc , strangely it succeeds on many levels too , framing , sharpness , camera shake etc ? ( No computer shenanigans )

Like it or not this frame , frames the dilemma perfectly and begs the question of INTENT ?

Once I fess up to making more than fifty attempts at this capture the intent becomes indisputable , I knew how this picture could look in my mind , I just needed to pursue it with a liberal execution of “Bad” technique in order to reflect the moment !

Interestingly the technique decision is based on how this scenario felt as much as how the moment looked , the subject movement was real I just needed to exploit it !

The takeaway point of this blog is to encourage photographers to find a compromise between a search for technical excellence and a emotional response / connection to the world , show how it feels or show how it looks ?

Be bold, take visual risks and consider your picture opportunities on a deeper level , think what could be , rather than what is …

The choice is yours , effect the outcome ?

Stay safe and keep it real …

Road Works, 2020 . Photographers with good technique can choose to use it or abuse it ?

David Barrett shot the pandemic crisis during 2020, The Testing Times project can be seen by clicking above .   

The State Of Britain series is complete, it explores everyday life during the Brexit era and gives visual insights into British identity, aspirations and post-truth uncertainty .....

Check out the new UK Street Shop on this site to buy Prints, Walks & More …

He is based in the South West of England .

Seeing It !

My first effort for this weeks blog was a bit of a whinge fest , so I ripped it up and started again , no Edwyn Collins , Orange Juice reference intended !

No, no no , positive and inspirational is the tone of this blog today, even if I have yet to identify the subject of this blog to myself at this point ?

I’ll have a ramble and see where it goes ?

Street Photography blogging might be in the doldrums due to lockdown , social distancing and a invisible apathetic population but Street Photographers can at least look forward to inhabiting and photographing what could be a new social landscape soon , whatever that means ?

A brave new world ?

Will Street Photography return to the same old , same old ?

How will the new normal and post pandemic Street photography look ?

Do you have photographic plans for this year , what will you shoot once UK lockdown lifts ?

It’s time for me to start looking forward with a level of positivity and optimism , even if it is nothing more than a survival mechanism that helps me get through the muted tones of lockdown life and the photographic here and now !

My world, like yours became a lot smaller during the past year , my photography became very local , I explored a suburban landscape through necessity and was surprised by the depth that existed once I started looking with a level of seriousness and expectation !

Plastic Green House , 2020

The British suburban landscape is certainly worth a look for those photographers who might be at a enforced crossroads with their personal Photography as the nation re-aligns to the future . A suburban art movement has existed in the UK for years, practitioners like Shaw and Bush are well worth checking out for inspiration .

A quiet suburban aesthetic can be compelling for photographers too, once you start to see it !

The beauty of the urban everyday hides behind a level of familiarity for most of us but it will reveal itself once you get tuned in , the traditional approach to photographing the suburban mundane could become the new subject of choice for urban based photographers until the invisible population and full on social gatherings return.

Mundane subjects do not have to become mundane photographs !

Its no surprise to me that these minor miracles of light and beauty turn up in unlikely places at unexpected times , you have to be receptive to the idea of the extraordinary ordinary to see them !

Look closer to home for your next photo subjects, take your neighborhood seriously , its full of surprises !

Stay positive , stay local and stay safe ….

Gate , 2020

David Barrett shot the pandemic crisis during 2020, The Testing Times project can be seen by clicking above .   

The State Of Britain series is complete, it explores everyday life during the Brexit era and gives visual insights into British identity, aspirations and post-truth uncertainty .....

Check out the new UK Street Shop on this site to buy Prints, Walks & More …

He is based in the South West of England .

Value ?

How do we calculate the value of photography ?

The “Value” question is a real can of worms , especially as I have deliberately not given the question any context !

We value photographs everyday , subconsciously , some photographs inspire us to read articles , buy products or reflect on friends and family . Social media users “Like” , share or ignore pictures on a industrial scale all the time , interestingly the criteria of the various responses is never really clear and therefore any idea of photographic coherence of “Good” , “Bad” or “Indifferent” is difficult to establish ?

If a unknown , ambiguous criteria measure makes value difficult to establish, the question becomes even more difficult if age is added to the conundrum , as time appears to effect the perceived and real value of pictures too !

Sadly even this criteria is not consistent as “Old” photographs are not necessarily deemed to be of greater value than “New” photographs , one thing is certain and that is that age effects the value of photography at both ends of the scale ?

News pictures are used quickly in order to maintain their value as news , conversely pictures that have survived the decades become valued as social history documents , not necessarily because they are “Good” photographs !

So far we have only discussed pictures that already exist but as photographers we make “Photo-Value” judgments on every shoot and re-value these in-camera value decisions later during the edit , one mans error can be another persons deliberate technique ?

We all possess a individual set of photographic values that are communicated through our “Successful” photographs , these values may be deliberate premeditated “Rules” or a set of ethics or a subconscious ethos , one way or another as photographers we feel a need to develop or follow a set of values linked to our work , aims and personal identities !

Trying to establish value within personal photography is a very interesting exercise , understanding how you get to your final value should be a education in itself , interestingly the photography discussed here could be the activity of making pictures and not the photographic content , quality or the images / prints themselves ?

Perhaps the real value of photography to you and me should be measured by the mental and physical health benefits it creates, a photographic lifestyle enables us to forge links between people , everyday lives and the communities we live in . Photography has certainly enhanced the quality of my life !

Under capitalism a forest has no value until you cut it down ? ( Think about that )

The quote above inspired this blog, it brought home to me how one persons perception of value is often missed by others and vice versa , most of us see trees not profit in our woodlands , I assume ?

This realisation begs the question , is financial value the best measure of photography, forests , tyres or anything else ?

Giving work away for free is a definitive way of establishing a price if not a value !

Knowing the price of everything and the value of nothing is a modern contagion …

Value yourself and the important things , especially during these challenging times .

Stay safe…

Part Worn Tyres Sign , 2020

David Barrett shot the pandemic crisis during 2020, The Testing Times project can be seen by clicking above .   

The State Of Britain series is complete, it explores everyday life during the Brexit era and gives visual insights into British identity, aspirations and post-truth uncertainty .....

Check out the new UK Street Shop on this site to buy Prints, Walks & More …

He is based in the South West of England .

Photography Is Easy , If ...

Following on from “photography is hard” I have written this to balance the books ?

That title should really read, can be “Easier , If … “

A photographic life becomes much easier if you know what your trying to achieve , sounds basic but you would be surprised by the number of folk who bring a passive mentality to their pursuit of pictures , expecting python-esque herds of wildebeest to fill the frame at any moment on the local High Street !

All right so that’s a exaggeration but what I’m saying is that serendipity is unreliable , photographers need to work within approaches that are realistic but allow “LUCK” to prosper !

What does that mean ?

Leaving space to be lucky is not just a smart one-liner , it can can be a solid approach to developing a working aesthetic !

Tightly cropped well composed scenarios don’ t leave a lot of space for you to be lucky , luck needs a helping hand , leaving space within your frame and your mind for “STUFF” to occur is a huge step towards ensuring that “Lucky Stuff” does happen !!!

The infrastructure of this frame offered me the opportunity for good luck to find me , I never imagined what I actually got , more than twenty different frames also helped to ensure a “serendipitous” event occurred !

The infrastructure of your frame might be static but it is the people and other moving parts within your view that will influence the outcome of your capture most !

We should also consider that your position in this fictitious capture is not set in stone either , you are or should be a moving part too , seeking out the best view of things continuously as they unfold .

Locations with “Good Light” are always a good place to start your search for pictures , remember good light is not necessarily sunshine and shadows, the light you work with should be part of your early thought process , how do you want your pictures to look , feel ?

How will you approach the shoot , best lens , techniques , time and locations ?

The right place , time , viewpoint and light are major influences on the work you make , sadly it is rare for all of these things to occur at a convenient time within your busy day , sacrifices have to be made to ensure your ready to shoot at the best time, do not settle for second best or worse !

Shoot , fail , LEARN , repeat until your idea of success is achieved , success can only be identified if you have established firm ideas of what your idea of “Success” looks like ?

Try this , write a artists statement for your project BEFORE you even start making the pictures , this will really focus the mind and create a road map to help you measure progress or failure during production , this artists statement will probably never be shared as you will be much better informed about the series on completion of the project !

Imagine that your writing a aspirational photographic brief , addressed to yourself !

I can understand photographers thinking this image was created in bad light , I would argue that this image was made in the “RIGHT” light ?

Hard work will always out perform natural talent in the long run , its no coincidence that the togs that enjoy most success are usually blessed with a strong work ethic , persistence , commitment and a acceptance of personal sacrifice !

Working close to home on a regular basis will pay greater dividends than working “Ideal” locations now and then , create a visual narrative based on the life-style you know best , yours !

Work within your comfort zone initially , shoot portraits if your not ready to shoot candidly , shoot corner shops if your not ready to shoot people , in short shoot , shoot , shoot whatever you can , the world is in lockdown !

Look at the work of Peter Mitchel, Tom Wood and Jimmy Forsyth , the life / work connection with their everyday is tangible !

Bring a considered organised planned approach to your local project , imagine what your pictures might look like before you’ve taken the camera out ! One successful capture each week will deliver a meaningful photographic project of 52 images within year one , take your project and yourself seriously !

Build a photographic life , with a smile on your face , one shot at a time ….

Keep it real , stay safe…

Simple views from your neighborhood can grow into a significant body of work with consistency , care and commitment .

David Barrett shot the pandemic crisis during 2020, The Testing Times project can be seen by clicking above .   

The State Of Britain series is complete, it explores everyday life during the Brexit era and gives visual insights into British identity, aspirations and post-truth uncertainty .....

Check out the new UK Street Shop on this site to buy Prints, Walks & More …

He is based in the South West of England .

Photography Is Hard !

Everyone’s a photographer now , Bla , Bla , Bla and other nonsense !

Lets sort a few things out in this blog and kill off a few myths that are perpetuated by the ignorance of fools , half wits and charlatans !

You’ve bought the camera or the top of the range phone , your a photographer !

Right , WRONG !

Buying a guitar, typewriter or a sable brush will not turn you into a musician , novelist or artist , lets not pretend .

The initial purchase is a start should you wish to pursue any of these journeys but a bit more than the right kit is going to be required !

Here’s the thing , the most experienced photographers I know still possess a curious responsive mindset and are happy to confess to being in the “Still Learning” category ?

The continuous learning is the motivation for many seasoned photographers.

The problem is the more you know the more you realise what you don’t know !

To be clear I’m not talking about exposure , settings and the nuts and bolts of “Correct ” exposure , no, no , no ….

This is a bit deeper than that , this is about developing a personal alignment within yourself and developing a relationship with everyday life , its about learning about you , how you see , feel and respond to the world , a fusion of eye , soul and all the elements that make you , you , a personal vision !

Write a poem with your camera !

Don’t use too many words , show how it feels , the camera is capable of much more than showing how something looks , it does that by default !

Don’t aim to show what it looked like , show how it felt …

Wind Blown Burgundy Blinds & Fan , 2020 .

Sometimes my best photographs feel like “Magic” just happened !

Everyone’s success bar lives at different heights , surprisingly the more experienced you become the more your hit rate drops , seasoned Street photographers aim for a dozen real “Successes” each year and will settle happily for half that number !

A whole load of failures are just part of the journey to the six pics that make each year worthwhile .

Interestingly if your just starting out on your photographic journey (10 years or less) it might be a good idea to think of yourself as a student of photography , I’ve only been making photographs seriously for 45 years and appreciate the value of thinking and exploring image making like a student ,

Life creates enough pressure without heaping more on yourself , free yourself from self made photographic burdens based on vanity !

Commissioned photography is a serious business but personal photography should set you free !

Don’t tell anyone but I’m still a student of photography and I hope to maintain that mindset forever !

It’s much more fun being a student , the world doesn’t need another self declared “EXPERT” ?

Stay safe and keep it real…….

David Barrett shot the pandemic crisis during 2020, The Testing Times project can be seen by clicking above .   

The State Of Britain series is complete, it explores everyday life during the Brexit era and gives visual insights into British identity, aspirations and post-truth uncertainty .....

Check out the new UK Street Shop on this site to buy Prints, Walks & More …

He is based in the South West of England .

One last shot, just one more …

Twenty Twenty was strange enough but 2021 is throwing up some strange stuff too and its only just beginning !

I went for my lockdown walk on 8th January , just like I do most days . I was running a bit late due to unforeseen circumstances but I really needed to clear the cobwebs of my mind , was it Thursday or Friday ?

I was feeling a bit fuzzy ?

You know how it is in lockdown each day is like the next , very few folk walking about , nowhere to go , nothing to do …

Anyway I decided to walk across the fields which is part of the Gloucestershire Way and cut back behind the old hall before it got dark , dark is pitch black around here once you get out of the village .

I know my way around , what could possibly go wrong ?

A quick shot from a local lockdown walk .

I kept to the well worn path as the mists and the cold rolled in , I could see my breath as I exhaled into the dusky landscape and admired the view that was evolving in front of me , I had photographed this very well rehearsed natural performance before , a quick snap would have to do today !

I pushed on aware that it would be dark within the hour ,

I climbed the stile into the next field and could see what I thought was a lone figure in the distance , as I got closer I could see a person hiding under a dark cloth using a large camera on a large wooden tripod , I couldn’t believe my eyes !

I had never seen anyone during my walks up here but today a fellow photographer was here too ?

I didn’t speak , I just stopped and watched him work , only the cattle in a distant field broke the silence, the figure remained under the focusing cloth for what seemed to be an eternity !

He obviously knew his way around that camera !

I thought about speaking but didn’t want to distract the very well equipped large format photographer , nothing worse than being distracted just as nature is about to deliver the prize , best not interrupt I thought …

I have to admit the view was looking great from his chosen viewpoint , the light was absolutely perfect !

The camera looked like a Gandolfi, judging from what I could see sticking out of the dark cloth , a beautiful old thing made of mahogany and brass , I used to have one , should never of sold it !

I maintained my silence and he maintained his position under the dark cloth , he is going to miss the shot if he doesn’t get a move on , the lens board was moving slowly backwards and forwards, forwards and backwards searching for the focus in the diminishing low light , this went on for ever !

Focus on infinity, focus on infinity, I thought but I kept my thoughts to myself …

I know you should never focus on infinity with landscapes but this was a emergency , he was going to miss the shot !

“That’s it” , said the voice from under the cloth , followed by a unusual question as he popped out from under the cloth !

“Do you like this new Ektachrome X , do you like it ?

“ I’m sure the cold effects the exposure , no two sheets are the same , its rubbish, its rubbish” he protested !

Ektachrome X !!! What is he talking about , that’s a film from the E4 process era ?

“Thirty seconds at f22 ought to do the trick” he declared while checking his Weston meter !

“It will do for starters anyway ! “

He followed this up with longer exposures as the blueness of the dusk faded . “ I love this view “ he said “love it” .

I was familiar with the view as I had admired a similar view on the wall of the local pub , I knew it was a local view but never knew exactly where it had been taken from . This was that spot !

I remained silent , this upmarket , well healed young guy seemed familiar but I couldn’t place him , he made a total of four exposures before squeezing the bellows back into their beautiful Gandolfi box , closing the baseboard and shrinking the tripod .

“Give me a hand with this lot back to the hall and I’ll buy you a pint in The George Hotel tonight “he said with a smile , so I did ….

Hang on , The pubs are closed due to lockdown, I thought , not to worry, I’ll give the stranger a hand anyway ?

Where is the George Hotel ?

It was completely dark as we approached the back gates of the old hall ,” I’ll take it from here” he said ,” Thanks for your help David “ …

“No worries” , see you later I said …

How did he know my name ?

I realised who the guy was once I got home, a voicemail informed me of a friends passing due to Covid , he had been in the local Infirmary for the last three weeks .

John was 84 when he died and looked well when I last met him in January last year , bloody hell !

He looked so much younger today , mid twenties perhaps ?

I thought the young photographer must have been visiting John at the Old Hall , you forget that old folk were young folk once !

He looked like someone else , I couldn’t , wouldn’t tell anyone about my experience today, no one would believe it anyway !

I don’t understand what happened here …

Time travel ?

Spooky stuff ?

I never knew he had been a high profile local photographer back in the day , I knew he ran a advertising agency in the 1980’s but the photography was a well kept secret ?

We always got on well , kindred spirits .

I wish I had talked with him more , wish I had got drunk with him one last time in our local pub , that’s the same pub that was once known as The George , apparently ?

When I sold him the Gandolfi he said he wanted it for his study as a ornament , he never let me know that the very same camera had once been his , made for him originally in the swinging sixties by the legendary brothers !

Thanks to the family I have inherited both the camera and the original purchase receipt , dated 1969 !

I also have dark slides loaded with Ektachrome X , not sure I want to process them , even if I could !

The original receipt was not supplied with the camera when I first bought it in London back in 1981 ?

This story brings a different meaning to “latent image” ? .

One last shot, just one more …

Obviously this is a work of fiction if anyone asks …

Stay safe…

David Barrett shot the pandemic crisis during 2020, The Testing Times project can be seen by clicking above .   

The State Of Britain series is complete, it explores everyday life during the Brexit era and gives visual insights into British identity, aspirations and post-truth uncertainty .....

Check out the new UK Street Shop on this site to buy Prints, Walks & More …

He is based in the South West of England .

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