The street offers up amazing surprises and the opportunities are there for a trained eye.
When I first noticed this opportunity, I was a fair distance and an older man was addressing a crowd having just finished a tour of the city of Chester, for a Japanese Tourist group.
Then this flautist came into view set himself up, and I drew closer.
Old Guys Rule
Thursday, 25 July 2013
Old Guys Rule
Thursday, 18 July 2013
Photo-Forum UK
Well, well I have been really busy, just over a month since I last posted anything to talk about on here.
Just lately though having just finished my final assignment for college, which I decided on focusing on propaganda in photography and coming from an advertising background, it was something I felt I could apply some great effort and come up trumps with some great images.
So having completed another year at college I am now looking forward, and college asked me if I would be interested in shooting a behind the scenes dress rehearsal, I got some outstanding shots of the dance and drama students. At first I was using flash but then as the rehearsal was being videoed it was opted to go for a prime lens with a large aperture and go higher on the ISO.
That is the one pro about having prime lenses is this, that they have a much bigger aperture, so I was using a Soligor f/2.8 28mm lens and an Canon f/1.8 50mm lens, both lenses worked extremely well as the lighting conditions were constantly changing from a variety of high key and low key situations.
Admittedly I got a lot more besides, in some circumstances I was using flash, but then the ambiance of the shots shone through with the light that was used on stage. The dancers were true professionals too, and it's another feather in my cap for my portfolio.
One of the best shoots this year by far, though I did have a few other appointments to attend this month, a 40th birthday and some retouch work for another client.
That done and I was then off to London to view a talk from renowned photographers Iain McKell and Dougie Wallace the event took place at Calumet Drummond St, London. They meet every second Thursday on a monthly basis. The group was a fabulous quirky bunch and all were passionate photographers! I loved the fact that Stags, Hens and Bunnies work from Blackpool, fascinating insight into his very brash style; the subjects being quite inebriated and some have certainly had a right skin full.
the styles were different in approach from the photographers and the body of work from both were intriguing, exceptional subject matter. On the one hand we had Dougie Wallace showcasing his
The work is very comical and the lighting set-up for some of his shots from his latest project entitled Road Wallah really gives you more access to this very approachable and upbeat Glaswegian who has been living in London for the last fifthteen years or so. So when I dropped in to Euston I had plenty of time to get to Camden Town and do some street shots myself, all this added to the buzz of the day.
It was great to be in the old smoke again, I've not been there since 2011, so quite a while. The second half of the night was then taken up by art/fashion photographer Iain McKell, Iain began exhibiting his earlier work and showing his grass roots from living in Weymouth. The old black & white shots were iconic of a time during the 1960s/70s, then Iain himself stated "Britishness" about those works, I was elated at the sight of these photographs, he finished off the nite with a variety of shots from his book The New Gypsies and latest work Beautiful Britain. I was ecstatic these shots were very inspiring and the subject matter was literally incredible, Iain had a chat with me after the talk, and we talked about the differing styles and approach.
I found Iain to be a very sincere person and very passionate about his art and photography in general, I realised too that I had actually learned a lot from just meeting and chatting with these two photographers, not just that but the group too.
For the past two years or so I have been learning photography from a student perspective, when you get out in the real world and meet two working professional 'greats' you begin to realise your aspirations have no real bounds, and the world is literally your oyster. I enjoyed attending this photo forum, it was a worthwhile event and if you not gone before and live in that area, pay them a visit Photo-Forum UK was an eye opener in many ways. It had made me realise which direction I should go in with my own photography, following my own project Work, Rest and Play.
Looking at this it made me think more about how I enjoyed shooting social documentary and the aspect of being a photojournalist, and also getting paid for it too. I also met a lovely woman whose name I recall was Sandra; she had just returned from a trip to Mumbai, and she commented on Dougie's epic film Road Wallah, when the screening was being played, we were totally immersed in these recordings of the Mumbai streets, if you closed your eyes it was amazing, but you wanted to view the work too, so you could associate the actual work with the location.
Brilliantly done, I thought and even gave me an idea for my next social-documentary film for my third year, am getting there and totally enjoying photography. What I will say before I sign off, is this if you not seen either photographers work, go seek them out. They're definitely worth forking out for, if like me you have a small library of photographic books, these two should be on your list.
The story behind Iain McKell's book The New Gypsies was fascinating to listen to, it gave us an in depth view of these nu-breed gypsies, they have no heritage, they are there by choice.
So I for one will be investing in these books; and just to let you know my own book is very nearly finished, so very close now. The book of course will focus on the landscape of Britain and the other book focuses on the streets of Britain. So a lot more besides from myself.
Enjoy!
David
Just lately though having just finished my final assignment for college, which I decided on focusing on propaganda in photography and coming from an advertising background, it was something I felt I could apply some great effort and come up trumps with some great images.
So having completed another year at college I am now looking forward, and college asked me if I would be interested in shooting a behind the scenes dress rehearsal, I got some outstanding shots of the dance and drama students. At first I was using flash but then as the rehearsal was being videoed it was opted to go for a prime lens with a large aperture and go higher on the ISO.
That is the one pro about having prime lenses is this, that they have a much bigger aperture, so I was using a Soligor f/2.8 28mm lens and an Canon f/1.8 50mm lens, both lenses worked extremely well as the lighting conditions were constantly changing from a variety of high key and low key situations.
 |
| ©David Rothwell Photography |
Admittedly I got a lot more besides, in some circumstances I was using flash, but then the ambiance of the shots shone through with the light that was used on stage. The dancers were true professionals too, and it's another feather in my cap for my portfolio.
One of the best shoots this year by far, though I did have a few other appointments to attend this month, a 40th birthday and some retouch work for another client.
 |
| ©David Rothwell Photography |
the styles were different in approach from the photographers and the body of work from both were intriguing, exceptional subject matter. On the one hand we had Dougie Wallace showcasing his
The work is very comical and the lighting set-up for some of his shots from his latest project entitled Road Wallah really gives you more access to this very approachable and upbeat Glaswegian who has been living in London for the last fifthteen years or so. So when I dropped in to Euston I had plenty of time to get to Camden Town and do some street shots myself, all this added to the buzz of the day.
It was great to be in the old smoke again, I've not been there since 2011, so quite a while. The second half of the night was then taken up by art/fashion photographer Iain McKell, Iain began exhibiting his earlier work and showing his grass roots from living in Weymouth. The old black & white shots were iconic of a time during the 1960s/70s, then Iain himself stated "Britishness" about those works, I was elated at the sight of these photographs, he finished off the nite with a variety of shots from his book The New Gypsies and latest work Beautiful Britain. I was ecstatic these shots were very inspiring and the subject matter was literally incredible, Iain had a chat with me after the talk, and we talked about the differing styles and approach.
 |
| ©David Rothwell Photography |
For the past two years or so I have been learning photography from a student perspective, when you get out in the real world and meet two working professional 'greats' you begin to realise your aspirations have no real bounds, and the world is literally your oyster. I enjoyed attending this photo forum, it was a worthwhile event and if you not gone before and live in that area, pay them a visit Photo-Forum UK was an eye opener in many ways. It had made me realise which direction I should go in with my own photography, following my own project Work, Rest and Play.
Looking at this it made me think more about how I enjoyed shooting social documentary and the aspect of being a photojournalist, and also getting paid for it too. I also met a lovely woman whose name I recall was Sandra; she had just returned from a trip to Mumbai, and she commented on Dougie's epic film Road Wallah, when the screening was being played, we were totally immersed in these recordings of the Mumbai streets, if you closed your eyes it was amazing, but you wanted to view the work too, so you could associate the actual work with the location.
Brilliantly done, I thought and even gave me an idea for my next social-documentary film for my third year, am getting there and totally enjoying photography. What I will say before I sign off, is this if you not seen either photographers work, go seek them out. They're definitely worth forking out for, if like me you have a small library of photographic books, these two should be on your list.
The story behind Iain McKell's book The New Gypsies was fascinating to listen to, it gave us an in depth view of these nu-breed gypsies, they have no heritage, they are there by choice.
So I for one will be investing in these books; and just to let you know my own book is very nearly finished, so very close now. The book of course will focus on the landscape of Britain and the other book focuses on the streets of Britain. So a lot more besides from myself.
Enjoy!
David
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