I was given the choice of two cameras, a Fuji 6×9 (which I used in first year) and a Mamiya RB67. I thought I’d play with something I’d yet to have time with so chose the Mamiya with a 120 back.

The exercise started with me shooting a film with my eyes closed.

By the end of the exercise I had my eyes open and trying to pose – you would not believe how hard I find it to pose in front of a camera!

The lighting was setup in this way so that it would not distract from the simplicity of the photographs themselves.

The aim of the session was to get me to look at simple lighting akin to David Bailey, Sally Man and Richard Avedon to try to open up the possibilities of a series of portraits I’m currently shooting. I may have more from this set (I’ve got photographs of two other people too and if they will let me post them I’ll share them with you lot!).

So yes, there it much talk of what I’m planning for the next 8 months. I have a 5000 word essay due in January 2010 (which I need to get the first 1000 words written by the 30th September). I’m going to be writing about the value of a photograph. Not just “oh I want you to pay me £foo for this photograph”, but also discuss the value to others sentimentally or the value to a collector. Beyond that I’m not too sure what my photographic work is going to be this year – just yet at least – but I’m sure I’ll let you lot know as it happens!

I have some cute photos of my cats and those that live with my parents to show you lot later!

Tomorrow (Saturday 2nd of May) is the final day of the photographic exhibition At This Space. I hope you all get chance to drop by and I really hope that you enjoy it.

March 16th 2009

March 17th 2009

Today I have been sat in the office trying to get prints done for a print sale fund raiser for my exhibition next month. If anyone would like a card with this on the front then let me know. Also if there are any others on the site you’d like then drop me a line.

I’m currently scanning negatives from my last few shoots today. I’m quite happy atm. Also writing about the photographic books I’ve been reading recently.

Also if you fancy dropping by, tonight there is cake and games.

Tootdood’s metaphoto (photograph of a photograph being taken…etc..)

The first person I was intending to see was Tootdood. He was the first person I could arrange to see about why he does photography. I was very pleased that Tootdood introduced me to AirAdam. Adam agreed to join the project too. Which makes him another of my favorite people!

While photographing AirAdam, Pixel.Eight wandered across us. Once AirAdam wandered to do some more photography, myself and Pixel.Eight wandered around Market Street, Piccadilly Gardens and upto Victoria train station too, chatting and discussion photography.

Today I have shot 18 frames on the Mamiya C220 with either the 55mm or 80mm lenses. Been using Kodak Tri-X 400. Gonna dev in Kodak TMAX when I’ve finished the second roll.

Looking forward to further shooting!

Now this is your chance to get involved.

Are you a photographer?

Would you be willing to give me 30 minutes with you, your thoughts and camera for a photograph and interview?
(and are somewhere relatively close to Manchester or going to PhotoCampLeeds this weekend)

If yes, could you email me on cat@catashton.co.uk

Happy Birthday (Emotions)

Dancer’s Heart (Emotion)

Ready to Dance (The Human Body)

Roma (The World We Live In)

Competitions gallery

Hopefully its an object and not *huge*… I’m wanting to take photos similar to Irving Penn’s Cigarette series:

Please leave a comment.

Do you know what that means boys and girls?? Shopping time!  I’ve bought myself two new lenses – Canon 85mm f1.8 USM and the Sigma 10-20mm f4-5.6.  I also bought a new camera body, Canon EOS 50E, one beautiful film body!  Yes, a automagic film body, but it works nicely along side the digital body.  Sadly, I haven’t been able to get the lithium batteries that the 50E requires, but I do have the battery pack to go with it which takes AA batteries instead!  Not to forget about the ordered things that have still to come though the mail – sensor cleaner, filters for the lenses (don’t forget to get your UV filters to protect the front element!) and a few other odds and sods for the camera bag.

This does, however, mean that my dear Epson R340 printer is being dicky. The yellow printing head is clogged and has been quite rapidly not printing things right for a couple of weeks. Kian is working his technical genius on it to help me out (I really don’t want to buy another printer for another 6months or so – when this one hits 3years old I was planning on replacing it…). Annoyingly, Epson feel that it is time to replace my printer and offer no way of repairing it – only replacing with an all-in-one unit (further down the scale then the R340, but *slightly* cheaper!).

Things that are happening at uni – part of our education this term is that we must enter 2 photographic awards/competitions/contests, one of them being the Nikon Discovery Awards. There are a few people that don’t like the idea, but I’m not too sure that their reasons are that logical – the work, if chosen by our tutors, *might* have a chance of winning a place at an exhibition and having their work printed and publicised by Nikon and the British Journal of Photography.  As it is, the brief for it is so broad that I don’t feel restricted by it in anyway!  Its getting us ready for next term where we *must* put on a public exhibition.  So, on top of the Nikon Discovery Awards I need to choose another photographic competition to enter before Christmas.  Got a couple in mind.

Still debating going to the fencing competition this weekend – its the Manchester Cadet.  I’ve not been around the fencing scene since last December – got the next lenses and camera I want to try out.  We Shall See.