It was a damp day in London and I was looking for things to photograph outside of the Bank when a bus pulled up. The windows were wet on the outside and had condensation on the inside but I could see a young girl staring out. She caught my eye and she saw me point the camera. This was that moment.
This was an Olympus-sponsored street walk with Rob Pugh. We were taking photographs in the Tate Modern and I saw this security guard. Being bold as I am with strangers in my street photography, I walked up the guy and started chatting to him. I explained my purpose and asked if I might take a photo. I chose a wide-angle lens and shot from below. I deliberately wanted the hands framing the face but I didn’t want them sharp to take attention away from his face.
Patrick Moore had many telescopes in his garden, some with special housings to protect them from the elements. I wanted a shot with him standing next to one of his reflector telescopes. In typical Patrick style, he wanted his pipe and wore his monocle. I chatted to him for a couple of hours and though he was very courteous and answered all my questions, I sensed that only a fraction of his mind was engaging with me – the rest was pondering some astronomical problem. A great man now sadly missed.
I was fortunate to meet Patrick Moore and chat to him about photography and astronomy. I pushed my luck by asking if I might photograph him. To my surprise, he agreed and invited me down to him home and observatory at Selsey Bill. I spent a couple of hours with him photographing him in his study, in his garden, with his telescopes and even playing the xylophone! I feel that this shot sums up Patrick well. The only concession he had to modern technology in his study was a fax machine!
Taken at the Wymondham Dickensian Steampunk Fayre in November 2013. I saw this gentleman, who was actually one of the stall holders, and asked if I could take his picture as he smoked his cigarette. He willingly obliged. I converted in to B&W and added some treatment to emphasise the facial features.
I don’t know the chaps name. He often turns up at 1940s re-enactments as a Greengrass-type character (from the TV series Heartbeat). I asked him for a photo and found an angle where the lighting brought out the texture in his face and where the backdrop wasn’t too intrusive. A little Photoshop work brought out more detail in his face.
Fiona was the singer at a Rushden Transport Museum 1940s Weekend. I asked to take a few shots and suggested a few poses. I created a sepia image and added some handwriting-like text to the bottom to create a kind of ‘forces sweetheart’ image that the troops might have carried around in their pockets.
I wanted to call this ‘Fast Freddie – the Bookies Favourite’. I don’t know why – he just seems the sort of chap to enjoy a quiet cig, a pint, and a little something on the horses. Rushden Transport Museum 1940s Weekend.
I originally called this The Gurney Man. It was taken as a mediaeval receation event at Ely and ‘Smithy’ was actually working there as a blacksmith hence the title.