Another Day Off

This  series of pictures investigates how the English use recreational time

The subject was originally explored by Tony Ray-Jones  in his 1974 posthumously published book "A Day Off".

I started this series  in 2012 and expect to complete the project in 2014,  These pictures record  many of the subtle changes that have taken place in England over the last forty years but more importantly I believe they prove that the eccentric spirit of the English that Ray-Jones captured still exists today. 

At first glance these images should appear ordinary or even mundane however I believe they contain small collisions of coincidence, surreal elements and even a little humour for those that take the time to look. The more I look at these images the more I begin to realise that the English are in danger of becoming hostages to nostalgia.

Thanks for taking the time to look at my work.

Why ? Street Photography

As a photographer who has "enjoyed" a commercial photography career and a formal photographic education I am attracted to street photography because it represents a freedom that commercial commissions rarely provide. Street Photography is always a surprise to me which is in total contrast to commissioned work where the the little surprises are usually bad news.

I find the unplanned nature of SP exciting as all I ever really know before a shoot is the location, I have no idea who will feature in my pictures or what they will be doing. The pictures that work best appear to have an element that is beyond my control or expectation, some might describe it as luck !

I'll be the first to admit that serendipity plays its part in my photography however it should be remembered that the more time I invest in SP the luckier I become.

I will try to expand on my photographic thought process in future blogs as I believe an awareness of various visual devices can help togs make sense of what appears to be chaos.

Keep it real !

Welcome

First of all thanks for taking the time to check out my site.

I thought I would open this blog by asking the age old question What is Street Photography ?

Unless we understand our medium we have little chance of creating successful images.

Street Photography is a form of art photography it is not created with a vision of historical relevance that is documentary photography however the images may develop historical relevance in the future as any art form reflects the time of its creation.

Street Photography is not meant to address social injustice or try to change the world that is the job of photojournalism although everyday life is our subject in all its various forms.

Street Photography should take place in public places and usually include a reference to life but this can be indirect, most street togs believe "SP" should be candid and that the great street pictures expose the small truths of life. SP is not better or worse than documentary photography or photojournalism it is just different and can be difficult to identify along side each other.

Share your thoughts.