On Practice
The first time I remember hearing the joke, I was on the second floor of a block of flats in the Cairnhill area of Airdrie. A young boy, sitting warming in front of a 3-bar fire. With the smell of… Read More »On Practice
Blog
The Importance of Anticipation
My fascination with the exceptional work of the masters of street photography tends to come not from the photographer’s technical prowess, compositional expertise, or excellence of the prints, but from their preternatural ability to find themselves in the right place,… Read More »The Importance of Anticipation
Free Palestine! part. 1
Having spent an adulthood protesting the occupation of Palestine, and the last month and a half watching the results of evident war crimes committed by a far-right settler-colonialist government of Israel, from the point of view of a smartphone screen,… Read More »Free Palestine! part. 1
Top 5 Street Photography Quotes
Whether reinforcing opinions, imparting knowledge, or presenting a pithy rejoinder, we all love a good quote – as long, of course, as the words are not apocryphal or misattributed. A running bit on the excellent Knowledge Fight podcast is noting… Read More »Top 5 Street Photography Quotes
BFI 100: 82 – Distant Voices, Still Lives (1988)
Continuing my resurrected journey of watching each of the British Film Institute’s 100 best films of the 20th Century. Starting at 100 and working my way to Orson Welles’ The Third Man at number 1. This time, Distant Voices, Still Lives.… Read More »BFI 100: 82 – Distant Voices, Still Lives (1988)
We Sink Ships
I don’t remember when I met Heidi Kuisma, but I do remember that I had found a kindred spirit. A Finn, at that time living in Glasgow, Heidi was (and still is) a talented, creative photographer who moved in similar… Read More »We Sink Ships
Top 5 Record Covers
In my most recent assignment for school, I was asked to design, photograph, and pitch a picture for a record cover design. Though I had the option of finding a client, I was behind schedule and wanted to avoid cooperation… Read More »Top 5 Record Covers
The March of a Million Hearts
I woke up on the morning of Sunday 1st October feeling much better than I did the day before. The previous week had been marred by a cold I couldn’t seem to shake, and a persistent cough that, true to… Read More »The March of a Million Hearts
Techniques for Candid Street Photography
As a street photographer teaching high school photography, my students are often fascinated by the candid photographs of people going about their lives. Whether looking through pictures of Cartier-Bresson, Garry Winogrand, Jill Freedman, or – less exciting, I’m sure –… Read More »Techniques for Candid Street Photography
BFI 100: 83 – Darling (1965)
Continuing my resurrected journey of watching each of the British Film Institute’s 100 best films of the 20th Century. Starting at 100 and working my way to Orson Welles’ The Third Man at number 1. This time, the swinging sixties in… Read More »BFI 100: 83 – Darling (1965)