Marshland on the Hoo Peninsula

Just over 1500 words into the 3000 word essay and it's starting to take shape - had a day off yesterday on the marshland on the Hoo Peninsula.

christmas eve walk

christmas eve walk, a photo by mdx on Flickr.

@ the works xmas party 1

now that work is done it's down to the essay - applying Jill Bennett's notions of art as a visual language of trauma to Francesc Torres photos of 9/11 remains - I'm going to wait till xmas is over -

favourites from TW portrait prize

DD and I picked our favourites from the TW prize

DD no 1
Both no 2
Me no 3

winter life 3

It'a such a relief to finally hand in the Constructed Photography project - I like our final selection - but there's plenty I would change 2nd time round - but I guess that's the point - otherwise we might have learnt nothing!

So 3 things I've learnt are:

1/ photographs aren't about "telling the truth"
2/ creating a photograph is as much about moving around with a camera as it is organising what's in the frame
3/ I like collaborations (I actually knew that already - I just got reminded)

A vigil for cyclist Ellie Carey

A vigil for cyclist Ellie Carey, a photo by mdx on Flickr.

Another cyclist killed on the streets of London, this time just round the corner from us on Tower Bridge Road and Long Lane junction.
lcc.org.uk/articles/family-of-ellie-carey-killed-in-tower...

There was a good few snappers there getting the shots - I was glad I didn't have to be doing that.
And yet just by actually being there, embodied(!) - the shot presented itself.

“No photograph without ... longing”

recent photographs by Anders Petersen and an interesting audio interview http://www.lensculture.com/petersen.html#

Danny & the Champions Of The World

Danny & the Champions Of The World, a photo by mdx on Flickr.

H has been enjoying The Ramones and the Ruts so tonight we went to see Paul (hat) playing with his new band Danny & the Champions Of The World.
Me - "what do you think about them?"
H - "they are good"
www.dannyandthechamps.com/

Waiting Room

Our final selection of images for our group project - Waiting Room.

Stefan and Andy at the AGIT DISCO book launch

Stefan and Andy at the AGIT DISCO book launch, a photo by mdx on Flickr.

AGIT DISCO

www.agitdisco.com/
www.metamute.org/en/shop/agit_disco

Agit Disco collects the playlists of its 23 writers to tell the story of how music has politically influenced and inspired them. The book provides a multi-genre survey of political musics, from a wide range of viewpoints, that goes beyond protest songs into the darker hinterlands of musical meaning. Each playlist is annotated and illustrated. The collection grew organically with an exchange of homemade CDs and images. These images, with their DIY graphics, are used to give the playlists a visual materiality.

Almost everyone makes selections of music to play to themselves and friends.Agit Disco intends to show the importance of this creative activity and its place in our formation as political beings. This activity is at odds with to the usual process of selection by the mainstream media - in which the most potent musical agents of change are, whenever possible, erased from the public airwaves.

Agit Disco Selectors: Sian Addicott, Louise Carolin, Peter Conlin, Mel Croucher, Martin Dixon, John Eden, Sarah Falloon, Simon Ford, Peter Haining, Stewart Home, Tom Jennings, DJ Krautpleaser, Roger McKinley, Micheline Mason, Tracey Moberly, Luca Paci, Room 13 – Lochyside Scotland, Howard Slater, Johnny Spencer, Stefan Szczelkun, Andy T, Neil Transpontine, Tom Vague

Conceived & compiled by Stefan Szczelkun www.flickr.com/photos/stefan-szczelkun/ , edited by Anthony Iles

www.agitdisco.com/
www.metamute.org/en/shop/agit_disco

The music's here: www.youtube.com/user/AgitDisco?feature=mhee#g/p

pavement life 1

pavement life 1, a photo by mdx on Flickr.

sometimes the best photograph is just on the way out of the house first thing

Aubade Magazine - Issue 7

Got one of my photographs published in the wonderful Aubade Magazine.
Aubade Magazine - Issue 7, a photo by Christopher C Turner on Flickr.

visitors

Hazwani and Loretta came to visit the allotments to get some advice on setting up a food growing project at their college. In return I took their photograph.

The last shoot (mine)

Scans of medium format transparencies for the group project narrative based constructed photography project. We were each responsible for one shot. Scanning the transparencies produces huge files with amazing detail. Once we've agreed on which one of these shots, it will need retouching in photoshop for dust and hairs from the scan - and then we can see how it sits with the other 3 shots.

At first I thought this was the one - I like the detail of the hands - Laura's moody look - but maybe it's all too much - too obvious.

Maybe this works better - pulling you into the image first and then back out to Marion

It's the sort of shot that could work really well - but not this time - it's too theatrical

We had to go and get the security guard to release the shutter - the only thing actually in focus is Valerie's sleeve.