Gallery and Clarence St with Camper Obscura

When I arrived at the Gallery this morning, Jon and Matt had been very busy setting up the exhibition. They had juggled my images around and they looked much better; they had also put up Pinhole Peddlars images, and Pete Davey's Reflections work. The Gallery felt refreshed and looked colourful and awesome. I was so excited to see my work on the wall and felt very happy.

My Images at West End Gallery

Plymouth, Rain and Umbrells

Pete Davey Reflections

Claremon St Funday

This afternoon I went along to Clarence St with Camper Obscura for a Community Event.  It was an enjoyable afternoon with lots of the residents visiting the Camper and having fun with a few imaginative games for the children, and the Community Health Workder providing fruit smoothies which were delicious. It was great to see everyone enjoying a sociable get together.

Setting Up My Work at the Gallery

Setting up my images at the Gallery today was quite stressful. All my insecurities about whether my work was actually good enough to be exhibited in the West End Gallery kept overwhelming me.

The images are a documentary style series, of the people of Plymouth walking by the Gallery, as I invigilated there. The images meant to have imperfections, they are meant to be a record of the local  people as they go about their daily lives. I suppose it is only natural to feel a little vulnerable when I am showcasing my work to the masses. It is the first time that I have exhibited in the City (as opposed to at the Art College).

But it is a wonderful opportunity and one that I am very fortunate to be a part of. Fotonow has enabled me to network, and to gain an insight into how the public view artists work.

Some of my images at the Gallery

Summer Abundance at the Allotment

At the weekend, I returned to the Allotment to shoot some Summer Images. It was beautiful, abundant and peaceful.

I began documenting the space in October 2010 with the intention of returning as often as I could, over a twelve month period.

The changes that have taken place in the past months have been awesome. Paths that were once easy to walk along, are now completely covered with vegetation, several different varieties of fruits and lots of beautiful plants and flowers. Each time I visit, there is a "wow" factor for me.

There are only two more months until the twelve month period is over, and then I will have to sift through my images to find those that I would like to exhibit. I'm thinking that it would be a good idea to show the same spaces at different times of the year, which will give a clearer picture of how the seasons are constantly changing the landscape.

Intervals of Heavy Showers .... and Umbrellas

I think I'm getting a bit carried away photographing people in the street when I'm invigilating at the West End Gallery. Today there was, at times, torrential rain, and that was my cue to photograph as many people with umbrellas as I could. I stood in the Gallery doorway waiting for people with umbrellas, but I also couldn't resist photographing people, who didn't have an umbrella, scurrying along the street trying to get out of the rain. It was great fun!

I'm enjoying my role at the Gallery ,and I guess I should start conceptualising why I like photographing people walking by. Most people have a purposeful gait, and most look as though they have a definite destination. There are those of course, who saunter along, chatting to partners, families or friends, but on the whole people are solitary and have something to do, or somewhere to go. Personally when I am in the city centre, I notice very little around me as I am too busy thinking about the reason I am there.

A few happy hours passed, watching people pass by, chatting to those who looked inclined to come in and find out about our project, and some volunteering to be photographed and others' taking a little persuasion to be photographed.

West End Gallery - More of Pannier Market Colourful Stalls

West End Gallery - View from a Window

I was overseeing the West End Gallery again on Friday morning. At present there is very little to do so as unfortunately we haven't had many people visiting the gallery. We need more work to exhibit and I think also that we should have some equipment and a table and chairs in the space so that those of us who are invigilating could get on with some work, and also make the space look more professional. I have been taking a book with me to read. But after Pete had sat in the window taking photographs the previous day and I had thought of doing this myself, I decided to give it a go. I sat in the window for a little while but I felt very self conscious doing this. I moved to sit in the middle of the Gallery with my camera, hiding myself away a little so that the people walking past the Gallery could not see clearly that I was taking photographs. I'm not sure that the results are any good but here are some of my images. I have made them into collages purely because I enjoy doing this.

Anne n Andy's Wedding

My friend Nancy rang and asked if I was free on the 6th August to shoot her sister's wedding. The couple were having a difference of opinion; Andy didn't want any 'Traditional Photographs', but Anne was worried that she would regret it if they didn't have some formal family shots. I agreed to do it as a favour. I have avoided weddings as I had shot three before I began my college course and I had found them incredibly stressful. But as this was a favour and they only wanted me for a couple of hours after the ceremony, I agreed. I thought that I would take some formal group shots and try to shoot some candids.

I panicked a little for the first few days after I'd agreed to do it, but then I gave myself a talking too and said to myself  'just enjoy the experience.' So that's what I did.

Being highly critical of my own work, I panicked a little again when I saw the results of my endeavours, but after editing and creating an album for them, I felt better. After all, I had done this as a favour, I had done my best and I have little experience of Wedding Photography. There is so much to remember when shooting a wedding, its not at all straightforward.

I needn't have worried; both Anne and Andy were extremely happy with my photographs and rewarded me with a very generous gift. It was a great relief to me that they were happy.

Here are some of my favourite images of the day.

Anne and Andy signing the Register

The Happy Couple

My friend Nancy with her daughter Tamsin

Clinging to Dad

This is my favourite shot of the day

A Happy Accident

Mr and Mrs A Blackwell

West End Gallery

Jon had called me to ask if I would cover the West End Gallery on Saturday afternoon from 1pm to 4pm. This I did. Donna was there when I arrived and as she had her youngest son with her, they left soon after I arrived.

It was good to sit in the Gallery Space and oversee it. There were photographs of the activities from the week being displayed on the walls. Great Contemporary images of the people of Plymouth.

Unfortunately the city wasn't crowded with people on Saturday afternoon, but a few people came into the Gallery to view the work. The general response is one of a keen interest, asking what the Gallery Space is for, what events are taking place over the next few months, and generally being quite excited at the prospect of the creative attention being given to the West End of the City.

West End Project Update

Karen and I have decided to work together photographing Pannier Market. I find markets vibrant and lively spaces, and I'm looking forward to hopefully getting some good shots of the traders, customers and general views of the market itself. We will be asking permission to sit in the cafes and interview people about their lives and memories of Plymouth. Specifically, I would like to photograph older people who have a wealth of experience, and strong character faces. We were hoping to do this soon but as Karen has been unwell and I am hoping to take a few days holiday in Wales next week, we will be cutting it a bit fine to exhibit for the upcoming British Art Festival. However, I 'm sure that all will be ok and we will manage to get something in place for September.

The West End Project has been a great experience so far. I've been along to some of the Camper Obsucra events and helped to organise the space at 125 Cornwall St where we have a shop to use for anything "photographic."

Pannier Market