In which nothing much happened
A year ago I wrote about saying “good riddance” to 2020, and vaguely hoped for a better 2021.
Sorry about that not working out.
Man + Dog, Blackpool Promenade, April 2021 || Nikon Fm2n, Ilford HP5+
A year ago I wrote about saying “good riddance” to 2020, and vaguely hoped for a better 2021.
Sorry about that not working out.
2021 was, for me, a year in which not much happened, at least photographically. The studio was shuttered for a large chunk of time, and commissions were few and far between, as I pursued non-photographic work as a way of making sure that the business stayed healthy and that I was able to pay the rent.
Of course the knock-on to that is that it left me feeling like not-a-proper-photographer, but when did I ever feel like I was a proper photographer, anyway?
On top of that there was COVID (which I finally stopped managing to avoid just before Christmas; thankfully my case was very mild, though I’m still trepidatious about the coming weeks will bring, knowing that Long COVID is no joke) and various personal stressors, including but not limited to owning a horse who seems to want to spend her life causing drama at inopportune moments.
Towards the end of the year, though, I did start to do more things: the studio re-opened, and I’ve started work on a separate brand for headshots (for reasons I’ll discuss another time). I started work, too, on a long-term project with a frequent collaborator of mine, which will hopefully at least start to come to fruition in the first quarter of 2022.
Oh, and I shot a lot of photos on film, and conceived of a short film that I want to shoot, using powered flight as a metaphor for creativity…
So maybe stuff did happen in 2021 after all. Maybe I just didn’t talk about it to myself very much.
Here’s to your 2022, whoever you are. I hope it’s a safe, happy, healthy and creative one.
Looking for Muses in and around Manchester
It’s that time of year, where I’m trying out new ideas, scratching my mental itches, looking forward to my next portfolio of work.
And so I need some subjects to work with. I want to try out lighting scenarios and locations and ideas and stories that are in my head. And sure, I could hire professional models for that, but I want a more diverse set of subjects than going to modelling agencies or networking sites will get me. I need everyday people, not people who know how to work in front of the camera.
If you're in or near Manchester and you're interested in helping me make some interesting images, hit me up — on the contact form, by email at hello@gmb.photo, or on Twitter or Instagram. I don't know what I'll come up with, but I'll come up with something (I have a notebook full of ideas, so no fear there).
What will you do with the images?
I'm going to start sharing some of this self-commissioned work here as I shoot it, along with behind-the-scenes, idea-to-final-print and so on. My goal is to get all of these images finished before I start the next one, since one of my worst habits is not finishing what I start. Once I've got a final print together I'll happily give you a copy.
How does this differ from your 15 Minute Portraits?
My 15 Minute Portrait shoots are all about doing something new and unique in a very short space of time. They're necessarily studio bound — because I don't have time to be setting up and tearing down between shoots.
These images are far more experimental. I might ask to just turn up and shoot with you with absolutely no definite ideas about where I want to start. I might shoot a picture in which you're mostly anonymous. I might shoot something in which you're only in the distance or in which you're super close-up.
Whatever we end up shooting together, I aim for it to be amazing. I can't wait to get started and work with you!