Beyond the obvious

There's a perception that photojournalists are emotionally detached, fly on the wall observers, taking their pictures, high on the adrenaline of the moment. All they care about is getting the image at any cost. OK you can't heap everyone together in the same pile and yes there are photojournalists that seem detached, that would do virtually anything to get the shot. Paradoxically they're never really good in my experience. The photographers that rise above the rest, that produce images which define our perception of a historical event, the really great photojournalists are people that care passionately about life, justice and human rights. They are not detached but they do know how to deal with their emotions in the heat of the moment so that they can continue photographing. Over riding almost everything else is the need to tell the important stories around the world. The photojournalist holds a mirror up to our collective conscious and says with his/her images - this is...

A couple enjoying the park and fountain despite it being a cold winter afternoon. My motto as you know by now is to go beyond the obvious and here I tried to do just that by using the fountain in the foreground to create extra interest and add to the design of the image. Often a foreground can be used to frame an image and add depth. Cheers, Paul

I'd just like to draw your attention to a new blog written by friend and fellow photographer Jill Coleman. She describes with great sensitivity her photographic journey and the people she has met which provides a unique insight into the thoughts of this talented documentary photographer. I highly recommend a visit to her blog Freedom to Dream . Cheers Paul

Worn tires, each one the result of thousands of miles of travel on our roads, lie in an ever growing mountain of waste. The challenge here was to make an attractive image from an ugly subject. As photographers we have to look for the beauty in everything, even ugliness and human misery. Paradoxically the first challenge of the photographer is to make the image attractive for the viewer to look at, no matter what it contains. An image that no one wants to look at will fail to communicate. More soon... Paul

A young lady checks her latest text message. Just about everyone has a mobile these days. It's part of life and the streets are full of people using them. Yet in society people don't seem to be able to really communicate and meaningful conversation is a dying art. "Hello, I'm on the train. Yes, it's snowing." Nothing beats a face to face chat. All of which has got very little to do with this picture, which I hope you enjoy. Cheers, Paul

Today I was interviewed by a group of student journalists. All respect to them. They asked tough questions on difficult social issues. It is often journalists who raise awareness and help set the social and political agenda. They are in a privileged and powerful position because they can turn the spotlight on important issues. Journalists can play the role of social conscious. However all too often the media is a fickle beast, refusing to cover important stories. Unfortunately commercial pressure from advertisers who do not want to see their brand on display next to a grim picture and story dictate that magazines and papers stay away from the harsh realities that used to be covered in magazines like Life. Now the pages are more often filled with celebrities and gossip. I hope these young journalists realise the importance of what they are doing and the role that they can play in helping to shape our social conscious. What I've said here is not new but it is important. Journalists...

Magda has been through a rough time with her health over a period of several months. She is now starting to recover. On Sunday we went for a walk in the local park. Naturally we had our cameras with us. A photographer's portfolio is the most vital marketing tool he or she has. If you would like to know more about building a successful portfolio then I recommend buying John Kaplan's excellent book, Photo Portfolio Success. Here are some of the tips from leading figures in the industry that he shares in the book: "Show your work and get feedback. Don't ever pass on a good opportunity." - Ruth Adams; photographer, educator. "Develop a personal vision, not just a style. One is just aesthetics and the other is a coming from the soul and the heart." - Tom Kennedy; Director of Photography, Washington Post Newsweek Interactive (Former Director of Photography at National Geographic). "Show the world through your eyes. It's as much about the real world ...

A grandmother sits on a wall at the Canal Gardens in Leeds, patiently waiting for her family. She looks like a strong and determined woman and I wanted to bring this aspect out in the photographs I took of her. As photographers we touch on many people's lives, our images a testimony to the passing moment we bear witness too. But the images can be so much more. They can be a metaphor and a symbol of someone's life, a tribute to them. I for one do not treat this responsibility lightly. I hope this image also bears witness to the respect I feel for the people who's portraits I make. More soon... Paul

Young lady in the city. The above image has done rather well on a website where photographers share their images for critiques and points. Obviously I like it or I would not have uploaded the image. The thing that makes it stand out is the digital manipulation that I applied to the image. It literally took five minutes to do. The thing that bothers me though is that while I'm grateful for the recognition from other photographers I have produced far more meaningful images that have received virtually no attention. It seems that for the audience on this website the key point of interest is not the story a picture tells or the emotion it evokes but rather that a technique has been used. Any artist or creative is happy and flattered when their work gets attention but I think it is rather sad that so many images in the world by photographers who genuinely capture emotion or communicate something important are ignored by the photographic community. Their praise then rings rather hollow a...

Journalist Gert Van Langendonck located the subjects of Spencer Platt's prize-winning photo from Lebanon. You've probably seen it. The people in the red convertable with t-shirts and designer shades driving through war torn Beirut. Gert met and talked to and photographed the group. The picture which won the World Press Photo of the Year has stirred up quite a bit of controversy in photojournalist circles. There's a thought provoking article on PDNOnline , well worth a read. More soon... Paul

I've posted an image for the next Saatchi Gallery Showdown, which will be featured in the round between 19-03-2007 and 26-03-2007. You will be able to click here to visit the page to vote for my image when the next showdown starts. I am building a portfolio with The Saatchi Gallery , which will soon go live. The whole initiatve of an interactive gallery is great and well worth a visit. See you there. More soon... Paul

M waiting to see the doctor. Sitting there watching the minutes tick by wondering about the diagnosis, hoping for answers. Her look says it all. Photojournalists witness all sorts of emotional and physical struggles. It's never easy but when your loved ones are affected it is very hard indeed. We all have to find our own way to deal with things. This time I reached for my camera. M didn't mind being photographed. She understands my drive to photograph life in all its facets. Shortly before I took this image she had taken a poignant picture of the waiting room with it's array of well read magazines on the glass table. We waited together for over an hour. I don't think I know of anyone who enjoys sitting in a doctor or dentist's waiting room. I hope that in a way this image captures a sense of the feeling we all share, whether we are there for something minor or a serious illness. And I hope my image tells the story and touches your emotions. I hope it gives other peo...

Looking back from the passenger seat in the cab of the truck I watched the refeulling operation. This image was taken during a reportage on the road with a construction company. I chose the image because I like the balance between the elements and the overall visual design with various forms and shapes interacting across the composition. The wide angle creates depth and dynamism. Their's a slightly surreal feeling to the whole scene. The image also fits wih my motto 'go beyond the obvious'. If you'd like to read more of my thoughts on using design in photography take a look here . More soon... Paul

Portrait of B on holiday with his family. This was one of several portraits for this family taken during a week long reportage. Perception is a strange thing. I like this portrait and so do the family that commissioned it. They are delighted with the images taken during the reportage. However, when I wanted to upload this picture on a photo sharing site my wife and fellow photographer, Magda, said, "No one is going to comment on that, it's just a straightforward picture of a young boy." And she is right. I tried the image briefly on three different websites. No comments. Many of my images delight clients when they see them in print but on the Internet they don't attract much attention from fellow photographers. It must be a matter of perception. I'm told time and again that I capture the essence of an individual. Of course if you don't know the person you can't recognise this aspect of what the image achieves. Portraiture is about the person you are phot...

Welcome to the second article on design. If you missed the first here it is . There’s a lot to cover and we’ll get there eventually. I think it will take another two or three articles. For now let’s look at a few advanced design strategies . Anchoring the subject, or the lead into the subject, to the edges of the frame. This can introduce a feeling of structure and stability to the subject as well as enhancing the sense of strong design within a composition. Creating a path for the eye to follow. When you design an image you need to lead the viewer’s eye through the composition and make it easy for their eye to move from one element to another. The key here is how easily the eye can move through the composition without being distracted. Western people tend to scan an image starting top left and they then ‘read’ the image zig zagging down and leaving at the bottom right. Of course using strong colour or subjects of interest like faces will change the starting point but overall we still ...