In a recent post I explained why I feel that I need to adopt a daily photography approach. It's something that I have been considering for some time, but a few things have helped me make up my mind. Recently I made a train journey to meet some old friends. I was travelling to a location that was relatively new to me, and I thought there may be some photo opportunities. However, since my trip involved some walking I simply carried what I needed – wallet, keys, phone and one or two other bits and pieces that live in my bag. I reckoned that my phone would be perfectly ok to take any photos I needed. Big mistake! I took a few pictures but wasn’t happy with them. The whole experience felt rushed and not at all like photography. I didn’t have much interest in looking at them when I returned home, and, unlike those on a camera memory card, they are now buried among photos of a family function and my dog! I regretted not having a proper camera with me. My photographer’s eye picked out lots of potential images but without a camera I didn’t feel that they were worth pursuing. This is just one recent occasion when I have realized the potential benefits of having an everyday carry camera, one that’s with me all the time. There have been many other similar occasions. What are the benefits of an everyday camera? Many photographers have embraced the idea of the everyday camera, sometimes called an everyday carry (EDC). The approach of having a camera with you all the time, instead of relying on a phone camera, is gaining momentum among photographers on YouTube. The everyday camera idea, and the tangible benefits it brings, were very well outlined in a recent YouTube video from photographer and filmmaker Rick Bebbington. Rick had been primarily a landscape photographer, photographing amazing landscapes at sunrise and sunset, and visiting iconic locations to do photography. He was able to capture some of the world’s most epic vistas in beautiful light, yet he noticed that by concentrating solely on this type of landscape photography, the number of photographs he was taking was declining. As a result, he began to question his worth as a photographer, saying that he regularly experienced ‘imposter syndrome’. An unexpected few hours free time on a stopover to Antarctica changed Rick’s mindset and subsequently his approach to photography. He began to embrace the idea of photographing the moments in between , those moments that often go un-noticed but that can offer the simple joy of making pictures. Rick embraced the idea of the everyday carry camera and now constantly takes his camera wherever he goes. Since he began to photograph ‘the moments in between’ the number of photographs he takes has increased greatly, and he has rediscovered his love for photography. Check out Rick’s interesting and inspirational video here. Rick Bebbington is one of the many photographers who are encouraging people to add an everyday carry camera to their photography workflow, and they cite the many benefits of doing so. ·      An everyday carry camera gives you numerous opportunities to practise your skills. The final images don’t have to be perfect, or even shown to anyone else, but they allow you to get to know your camera well, to experiment with composition, to observe the type of subjects you are drawn to, and to understand light and how it affects your images. The more often you are out with your camera capturing images, the better you’ll become at photography. Also, the more images you make, the more likely you are to get some you like. As photographer Gareth Danks puts it, ‘The more you shoot, the more you’ll score’. ·      An everyday carry camera gives you the tactile, real photography feeling that many believe is missing from phone camera photography. You hold a camera differently, use physical buttons, and you can adjust your settings in a tangible way to get the effect you want. ·      Having a camera always with you encourages you to become an observer of life, always at the ready to capture interesting subjects, quirky scenes, and amazing light. While we may have a phone camera to do this, I believe that there is a different feeling, a different vibe, to having a dedicated camera at hand. It gives you the impetus to be on the alert for potential subjects in a way that a ‘taken for granted’ phone in our pocket doesn’t do. ·      An everyday carry camera helps you to become more observant; it helps you to notice little details that you don’t ordinarily notice and to become more adventurous with your subject choices. ·      An everyday camera encourages you to experiment and to get more creative, knowing that your photos can be just for you. On my morning walk I noticed how the light was creating beautiful patterns through the perspex of the bus shelter. I waited for a person to walk into the light and took the shot. These are the types of unusual images I like to create when the right conditions present themselves, but I need to have a camera at the ready to capture them. Sometimes two of the elements essential for a good photograph - interesting subject and great light - can't be summoned together on demand. They often appear randomly and that is why it is important to have a camera at the ready. Why not just use your phone? I have been using my phone as my everyday camera for some time. Whenever I update, I look for the best phone camera option. While it is good for casual snapshots, I have had several issues with having my phone double as a camera for more serious photography. ·      It obviously doesn’t give that ‘real camera’ experience, the feel of a camera in my hand, the physical buttons, the satisfying 'click' , which I really do love. ·      The photographs are often over-saturated and don’t give that unique ‘out of camera’ look. Additionally, you have very little real control over the final outcome with so much in-phone processing and an increasingly AI driven photography experience. ·      My phone has many uses and adding photography on a more frequent, rather than simply casual, basis greatly increases battery usage. My phone camera will always be my camera of choice for casual photos of family and friends, mainly because most people want to see the photos immediately and share them instantly. It will also be a good backup option on many occasions, but to enhance my photography practice I want to embrace the benefits of a dedicated everyday camera. My phone camera has often been there when I had no other camera with me and I was glad to be able to get the shot I wanted. What are the options? I have researched the many and varied options that might serve as a suitable everyday carry camera. They range from top-of-the-range compact cameras such as the Ricoh GR and Leica series cameras, which come with a premium price tag, to the Sony and Canon slightly lower spec (but not by much!) compacts, to the vast Panasonic range of cameras offering different features for different needs. There are countless other brands on the market also, some with good image quality, some not so good. If you have certain requirements in mind, such as having a viewfinder, a tilting or touch screen, good battery life, genuinely pocketable, large zoom range, it can be hard to find all in the same camera at a reasonable price but you’ll usually be able to reach a compromise. If you prefer to go the interchangeable-lens camera route, there are also options available although they may have older technology or be slightly bigger when you attach a lens. This may or may not be a deal breaker for you. Personally, I don’t mind making some compromises to get a camera that I want to come to love as my daily photography companion, so a more 'vintage' camera appeals to me. As I said, I have done extensive research and what I conclude is that it is a bit of a minefield!! Having said that, I have shortlisted to a few options and will soon opt for the best compromise in features, price and pocketability to suit my needs. Do you need an everyday carry camera? Not everyone will need, want or use an everyday camera. Many will be content to use their larger camera and lenses, do photography at designated times and opt for bigger sensor image quality while being happy to use their smartphone camera to cover those in-between moments. But if you have become dis-satisfied with your phone camera and you would like to take many more photographs than you are currently taking, an everyday carry may be for you. An everyday carry will be of benefit if: You want a ‘real camera’ experience rather than that given by your smartphone. You want to document life as it happens, daily, capturing even tiny details that reveal themselves to you. You enjoy your dedicated photo shoots with your ‘big’ camera, but you want more – more time with your camera, more practise, more images, more fun with your photography. You want to find those images that you currently miss; the little details, the things that go unnoticed, the beauty in everyday things just waiting to be revealed. Postscript The Verdict After many hours of research, deliberating, changing my mind and being unsure about ever finding the everyday camera that would tick all my boxes, I eventually made my decision. I rejected the Ricoh and Leica cameras purely on the grounds of cost, as they would both be great cameras to have. Some of the cameras I looked at were very small and compact and they weren't exactly a substitute for my current set-up. My fear was that I wouldn't see much improvement over my phone camera. I was veering towards the Lumix L15/10 as it seemed to suit my needs, but I couldn't find one for sale, either new or used. I finally settled on the Panasonic Lumix GX7 and the Panasonic 20mm f1.7 pancake lens, both bought used from MPB. The GX7 is an old camera, but for an everyday camera it's the images and the fun of taking pictures that I want to concentrate on, so I don't need or want the latest technology. It is light, it gets good reviews from those who use it, and although no-one claims that it is a perfect camera it sounds like it could be an interesting and fun camera to get to know and use daily. The 20mm f1.7 lens may not be perfect either, but it has character and I like that. Jimmy West says it is, 'light, simple and a little bit soulful'. I like the sound of that. I also like taking advice from those who give a balanced view, stating the pros and cons of the item, and I feel that I can live with this lens's limited flaws. You can watch Jimmy West's assessment of the lens here https://youtu.be/cUhNMQtXbKU?si=CUXf4h5zc2PP74rN Apart from the small size and unique character of the 20mm f1.7 lens, part of the reasoning for my choice was that 20mm on micro four thirds is equivalent to 40mm full frame, a standard view to cope with all types of photography, yet I won’t be confined to that if I want to use my 14-42mm pancake, my 25mm f1.8, or any other focal length in the M43 system. Yes, a compact camera might have given me a good zoom option, but I think that since I already have some micro four thirds’ lenses this might be the most versatile and budget friendly decision. Here are some starter pictures taken in my local park with my new camera and lens. I'm still in learner mode!   As I get to know the camera I will be able to make adjustments to settings but for now I'm in experimentation mode and just enjoying the everyday camera experience.

I normally take one of two approaches to photography. Sometimes I go out with no plan; just my camera, a lens or two, and a decision to just photograph whatever catches my eye. That could be an interesting, unusual or particularly striking subject, it could be the way in which light illuminates a building or an alleyway or even a person, or it could be the way in which a pleasing composition suddenly reveals itself to me. This type of photography is often challenging, surprising and exciting as you don’t know what you’ll end up with, if anything. The second approach I take is when I photograph with intention. I know where I want to go and why, and what I hope to find there in terms of photo opportunities. This approach can still be frustrating as my expectations might be high, but it does give me a base from which to start. On some days I will photograph in a familiar location but look more deeply for new images. On some days I will go out with the intention of doing macro photography. On other occasions it will be a visit to a coastal area with a plan in mind for the type of image I want to capture there. Having a theme in mind, an ongoing project, or a simple topic can also provide the intention I need for my photography. My plan may be based on either location or subject matter but when I go out with intention, I will have a broad idea of the type of images I would like to come home with. Yet there can't be clear lines of distinction between randomness and intentionality in photography. Often there is crossover, or it is a balance between the two approaches that works best. I recently put together a set of images where I used a combination of the two approaches. My intention was to produce images based on the title Morning in Vila Real de Santo Antonio. I wanted to showcase mornings in this Portuguese town that I frequently visit. I wanted to show the place, the people, the moments. I wanted to photograph at different locations in the city and at different times of year. Yet, I couldn’t plan what I would see, what each morning would reveal, so I went out each day with no guarantee of what the day would bring, and often the results were random scenes or subjects that I happened to be drawn to. I have chosen 25 images that I have put together as a photo story, or photo essay, that I hope illustrates the theme.

Although I got my first camera at around age ten, I didn’t persevere with photography and over the intervening years I made several attempts to get back to this wonderful pastime, some of them short-lived. I have been taking photography seriously now for almost seven years and have amassed a catalogue of thousands of images. I have charted my progress here in this blog, covering all the different types of photography that I have tried out over the last seven years, and I have noted my successes and failures in each genre. However, even though I realise that photography is a lifelong process of learning, I found over recent months that the joy of photography began to lessen for me. I constantly felt that I wasn’t making any progress and that most of my images were no good. I felt that I had become obsessed with gaining technical perfection. I wanted to follow all the rules so that my images would look good to those who knew about photography, yet when I looked back at most of my images I felt nothing. Then I heard a remark from a photographer on YouTube that went something along these lines: It’s important to photograph what you want to photograph, not to be swayed by the opinions of others or to post images to gain likes. Be the photographer who sees what others don’t see and enjoy the process of doing what you love. This gave me a lot of food for thought and I began to realise that this was the direction I wanted to take. I wanted to make images for myself, to photograph things that attracted me, to find out about the things that interested me and inspired me to take their picture. Now when I go out, I feel like a photographer. Even if I don’t have a camera with me, I am constantly observing, looking at little details, studying light, composing pictures in my head. I experience the joy of being involved in a creative process. I no longer crave technical perfection; rather, I aim for creative development. Now I take images for myself. I take fewer images but I like the ones I keep. Part of myself is invested in them. I have an emotional connection to them that I didn’t have to most of my earlier images – with a few exceptions. Now, I like to look at my own images. I like to see why they appeal to me and understand my connection to them. This gives my photography more purpose, more meaning and more joy. My images may appeal to you, or they may not. But they are real. In some way these subjects or scenes spoke to me and inspired me to spend time over them, considering how best to compose them, how to position them in the frame, and how to edit them to convey most accurately what I saw in the field. Below are some of my recent images that illustrate this new direction. Many of them are not 'pretty' images, and they will not be popular on social media, but I do feel emotionally connected to them and, to me, they have a story to tell. Photographing in this way has renewed the joy in photography for me. The camera or lens is not so important; it’s the photographer’s eye that makes the image. This knowledge gives me great freedom to be myself, to be content with my current photography gear, to photograph the things I want to photograph and to grow creatively as a photographer. A bonus to taking this direction in photography is that I seem to be directed to other photographers with a similar outlook and approach. This video from photographer Aristeidis Sfakianos called, I Stopped Taking Nice Photos - My Photography Improved,  popped up just as I was finishing this post. My attention was drawn to the title, and the content resonates with me and seems to echo what I am saying. You might like to watch it here .

Bray is a popular seaside town in County Wicklow on the east coast of Ireland, about 20km south of Dublin city centre. Bray was planned as a resort town in the 19th century when the Dublin railway was extended, modelled on the resort towns of the English coast such as Brighton. It is characterised by its Victorian Promenade with numerous English-style bandstands and beach huts, extending to Bray Head, a popular headland of the WIcklow mountains. Although Bray is no longer the tourist location that it once was, it is still popular with day trippers, local walkers, families and visitors and it has many attractions to offer. Bray coastline offers many opportunities for coastal photography but on this occasion I concentrated on the seafront, which presented some opportunities for candid photography as well as a view of what Bray has to offer. See below for other locations that I visited for my Capturing Moments series.

Do you ever wonder what it is that draws you to take a certain photograph? I constantly ponder this question when I look at some recent photos and see that I can be drawn to the beauty of a tiny flower in macro photography yet equally drawn to photograph old buildings or random objects that don’t initially appear to have much photographic appeal. So, what is it that  inspires me to take these photographs? Often, I seem to be drawn to finding beauty in the mundane as well as photographing obvious beauty. I like to document everyday life, look for ‘hints of human life’, as photographer Sean Tucker puts it, and document this. I love to notice little things that others pass by. I am drawn to telling stories through photography and to finding these narratives in ordinary, everyday places and things. I think there is so much of interest to reveal from the small things we hardly notice unless we look closely. Anthony Epes talks of finding, ‘Leftovers of a human story that no-one meant to tell,’ and I like to take the opportunity to tell these stories. When I photograph these scenes and subjects they often invoke strong emotions. They might invoke a sense of loneliness and sadness at the reality of life for some people, or maybe a feeling of joy, of celebration, of togetherness as I photograph an empty dining area waiting for a group of happy customers to take their seats and enjoy a meal together. In this instance I can speculate on who might be there, what their conversations will be, whether they will enjoy their evening. A simple potential story inspired by one photograph. Occasionally a scene or potential subject may spark anger at how careless we have become with our beautiful planet, particularly when I see the amount of litter and rubbish that we humans discard. Apart from the emotional, and often sub-conscious, draw of certain subjects and scenes, at times it is a more practical, photographic reason that I am attracted to certain subjects. It might be because they offer an opportunity to use a framing technique or because there is particularly good light. Sometimes shapes, patterns, lines and textures will draw me to a subject, while I am also attracted by a scene with complimentary or contrasting colours. There are also certain subjects, such as boats and lighthouses, that I am drawn to wherever I find them. And then sometimes I can’t put into words what it is that draws me to a subject. This is when I just allow the photograph to speak for itself, I don’t need words or to know why I was drawn to it. Often, it’s these photographs, the ones I can’t explain, that interest me the most. Do you know what draws you to take a photograph? It might be a beautiful scene or something unusual you come across, or it might be something else entirely, something unique to you. I think it’s worth considering what it is that draws you to take a photograph, to discover the hidden inspirations behind the images you create. I believe that knowing the ‘why’ gives you a closer connection to your photography; it gives you a sense of having your own unique view of the world and some understanding of how you interpret and present that view through your photography. Why not take some time to discover what inspires your photography?

I recently made a photography trip to Sandymount, a coastal suburb in Dublin, Ireland. Sandymount Strand has a 2.5km promenade and an extensive beach set along Dublin Bay, while Sandymount village is set back from the coast. One of the most famous landmarks along the Dublin coastline is the former Poolbeg Generating Station, which is home to two chimneys, affectionately known locally as the Poolbeg Stacks. These chimneys are among the tallest structures in Ireland and can be seen all over Dublin city. On the morning I visited the tide was out and I seized the opportunity to get a close-up image of the stacks, as well as trying to get some more unique angles and perspectives. The weather was variable and the bright sunlight quickly gave way to dark, moody skies. I also took some images of buildings facing the promenade and activity on a quiet morning on the popular strand. The Poolbeg Stacks Sandymount Strand Views From the Strand I have some images from other local places in my Capturing Moments series, linked below.

When we travel to new or different places there can be a temptation to try and photograph iconic landmarks or look for well known 'honeypot' locations. I know that I used to do just that and I felt that, with these particular shots to take home, I had indeed captured the essence of the places I visited. As I continue further into my photography journey, my opinion on iconic landmarks has changed and I no longer line up with dozens of other photographers to capture iconic vistas, beautiful as they may be. I still want to capture the essence of a location, but I like to find other ways to do this. I have previously written some posts on this topic, which are linked below, but in this post I want to explore this theme of 'essence of place' in a deeper way. Over the last year or so my approach to photography has evolved, thanks in part to inspiration from other photographers whom I admire, but also because of a sense that more intimate, personal photography appeals to me more than images of places that I see on a fleeting visit and with which I have not established a connection. 'Connection' has become important in my photography and it was with that in mind that I brought my camera and one lens on a recent trip to Portugal. My trip was taking me to two Portuguese locations, one that I had not previously visited and one with which I was familiar. In the 'new' location I was tempted by the famous sea stacks, the amazing sunsets and sunrises, the stunning cliffs and beautiful beaches. I was still happy to capture these images, but my photography took me further into the locations, to see what the locals see, to observe scenes that may be fleeting, to notice human interaction with the environment and signs of human influence on the environment even when no people were present. One of my main discoveries was that the best time to do this type of photography is early morning. I went out each morning between 7.30am and 9am. The sun was shining and producing lovely long shadows, perfect for my kind of photography. Street cleaners were working getting the town ready for the coming day. Street vendors were setting out their stalls. Workers were starting to make their way to their jobs, although some stopped for a chat along the way, and the early coffee drinkers were already having their first cup of the day. I enjoyed observing the daily routines of the local people, the morning environment, sometimes with signs of the night before, and the sense of a new beginning that the day brings. I tried to get a feel for the place, a sense of what it's like to live there. I observed interactions between people and the everyday happenings that give this place its unique character. My images taken on this trip will stay in my memory, not because I took photographs of famous places or even beautiful scenes, but because they meant something to me. They are a documentation of my mornings, of the place I was staying in, of the people whose space I was sharing for a short while, of the activities that were going on there and of the signs of human existence even without people in the photographs. I recommend trying this type of photography. It gives a more intimate connection with a place than 'honeypot' images, a more unique collection of pictures to bring home and a real sense of connection to your own photography, which for me is a very important aspect of any photography outing. It also has the added advantage of knowing that there is always something new and interesting to photograph, so your photography never becomes stale or boring, and these photographs are literally on your doorstep wherever you are. I hope I have inspired you to try some more intimate, personal photography. There are some photographers whose work may inspire you further. I particularly like this video from Rick Bebbington in which he discusses this approach. You can view it here .

I enjoy watching photography based YouTube videos and, like many others, I am more influenced by certain photographers than by others. Often, I will watch occasional videos by certain photographers depending on the topic, sometimes I will watch videos based on the photography genre and many times I will watch videos by photographers whose whole approach appeals to me. These will be photographers who have built a good relationship with their audience, who obviously put time and effort into producing their content and whose images I enjoy seeing. These are the photographers from whom I get the most inspiration. One such photographer is James Popsys. His style of photography – a mix of landscape, street and general photography – appeals to me, while his humour, his general approach to photography and his way of delivering his content resonates with me.   Five elements of James Popsys’ photography stand out in particular. These are: ·      The relationship between the human-made and the natural environment which is conveyed through his photography. ·      His editing style – his images are usually brightly edited; images that are ‘bright and lively’, to quote himself. ·      His preference for scenes that look as though he has just stumbled across them, rather than the usual ‘iconic images’. ·      His constant advice to photographers to take photos that are ‘about’ things rather than ‘of’ things; to consider the story that the image tells. ·      His dislike of rules in photography. During his videos James gives plenty of good advice and tips for novice photographers in a humorous, personable style. While my editing style may be different to that of an accomplished photographer such as James Popsys, I have taken inspiration from his style of imagery, particularly since I like to take a walk with my camera and shoot subjects that I stumble across. I am also a fan of including human-made subjects alongside natural subjects and of documenting the impact and imprint that we humans leave on the land we inhabit. FINAL THOUGHTS Although the locations and subject matter, as well as the photographic competence, are different, the images above have, to some extent, been inspired by James Popsys. They include scenes I stumbled across during my daily photo walk, scenes or subjects that are ‘about’ something, that attempt to tell a story, and scenes in which human-made and natural elements exist together. If you are interested in this type of photography, or would like some more information on the work of James Popsys, you can find him on YouTube, on instagram @jamespopsys, and on his website www.jamespopsys.com .

I love to experiment with photography, and I have tried most genres at this stage. There are two things that I need to keep in mind if I don’t want to allow my photography to get stale. One is to take photographs as much as possible and the other is to stay open to new approaches. In fact, these are interconnected as failing to take on something new could mean that I get bored and stop going out with my camera; while taking on new approaches is a way to guard against staleness in photography, and it keeps me going out with my camera. From time to time I find that I need to re-invigorate my photography by trying something completely different. My latest approach is to embrace something that I heard from a photographer called Greg Howard , on his YouTube channel Distant Media Photography , and that is to keep surprising yourself with your photography. This might sound interesting but what does it mean in practice? If I look at my regular photography outings they involve a lot of woodland photography, macro photography and some street photography. But these easily become repetitive. I love to capture beautiful macro images with interesting bokeh but after a while I realize I have all the images I need for now and I need a break from these types of images. There’s no surprise element; it’s just a matter of trying to perfect a technique. It’s the same with woodland photography. I have so many images with different compositions that I struggle to find anything new. In street photography, a difficult genre at the best of times, I constantly go out and come home with nothing worthwhile. This is where my new approach comes in. It involves just going out with my camera (handheld and just one lens), with no plan, no agenda, and being prepared to be surprised. It means having no pre-conceived ideas about what to photograph; just walking and observing all around me. It means strolling in towns and villages, along country roads, up and down streets and side roads, going to places that are out of the way - hidden corners and parts of the world that are less photographed – and just photographing whatever catches my eye. The idea is to come home with a set of photos that I will be surprised by and among them I hope I’ll find something I really like. Above all, these will be occasions just to enjoy my photography and to capture anything that draws my attention, even if it’s not something that anyone else would photograph. If you would like to re-invigorate your photography, or just try something new, why not give it a try – surprise yourself!

My apologies if this sounds like a click bait title. That is not my intention. I really believe that photography has become a superpower in my life. Read on to find out why. Since the beginning of this year, for various reasons, my photography has taken a bit of a back seat. I went from going out with my camera almost every day, rain or shine, to hardly ever getting out. While the reasons for this we’re genuine and couldn’t be avoided, I did miss my photography. Two weeks ago I decided to take a holiday to re-charge my batteries and get myself back on a familiar footing. I was looking forward to rest, relaxation, good food, sunshine and some sea swimming, but I also took my small Olympus E-M10 and one lens with me, just in case there would be an opportunity for some photography. I did enjoy the rest, relaxation, sea swimming, good food and warm temperatures, but it was the photography which made the holiday so memorable, and which renewed my energy and enthusiasm once more. I spent at least an hour each morning out and about with my camera, taking photographs that I wanted to take, and this is what helped me to leave behind the stress of the last few months. While the regular holiday activities have come to an end, and they have become almost a distant memory now, my re-connection with photography has endured and it is again providing the release from stress that I need on a daily basis. I can pinpoint a few reasons why this has happened and why I can call photography my superpower. ·      My photography experience was totally my own. I had at least an hour to myself each morning before my travelling companions surfaced for the day and I took the photographs that I wanted to take, not the regular snapshots that are usually part of holiday photography.   ·      I used one camera and one lens, and occasionally my phone camera, and was content with that. I didn’t regret the photos I might have missed, I just enjoyed taking the photo opportunities that were presented to me.   ·      Photography encouraged me to travel in a different direction each day, to explore, to discover new places and new things and to enjoy being off the beaten track rather than staying where tourists normally go.   ·      Above all, I looked forward to my morning photography time, I re-connected with my passion, and I experienced the joy of holding a camera and creating images purely for enjoyment, without any pressure. FINAL THOUGHTS I have always believed that photography is a great way to support our physical and mental health and wellbeing, and for this reason I can call photography a superpower in my life. (You might like to read my post How Does Photography Support Positive Living? ) Perhaps the main reason I re-discovered the superpower of photography on this holiday is because, although I left behind the sunshine and the warm sea, the interesting culture and the laid back lifestyle, I took my renewed connection to photography home with me and I know it will give me many hours of pleasure as I continue my photography journey wherever I may be.

Cigarette Break Ocassionally I have taken a street photograph that I like, as with the photo above. I think it captures a candid moment and the scene is very natural - a kitchen worker taking a break at a backstreet entrance, surrounded by litter and graffiti. In my opinion, the contrasting elements tell the story of the moment and they lead to the success of the image. But I regret to say that I don't capture images like this very often. While I like doing street photography, I find it to be challenging as I believe it is a very specific, skillful genre. I think that if we are to capture street images that will stand the test of time and that will mean anything in the future they have to have some intrinsic value; either that they tell a story of events and characters in a certain place and time or that they depict a unique moment on the street; something unusual, quirky, humorous or with some kind of emotional impact.    Alternatively, successful street images could have a strong visual element - images that are interesting to look at and that will entice the viewer to linger over them for a while rather than quickly pass over. I realise that these types of images are not always easy to come by, but that anything less will just result in boring pictures that no-one is interested in. Although I will continue in my quest to capture these images in towns and cities that I visit, I feel at a disadvantage by not living in a major city or in one of the iconic street photography venues such as New York, London or Paris. I don’t often get the opportunity to visit such places with time to spend doing street photography. While I will still enjoy the chase of the good street image, and I always enjoy the process of street photography regardless of whether or not I come home with a good image, I find that an occasional switch to the more all-encompassing urban photography genre might give me more success. Why do I think I could have more success at urban photography than street photography? I think there are two main reasons. Firstly, in my opinion urban photography is not quite as restrictive as street photography in that images can consist of anything that exists in an urban environment. Buildings, parts of buildings, unusual features, shape, pattern, colour are all aspects of urban landscapes that you can play around with. This allows for creativity and experimentation - work with light, colour, shape, form and pattern, or abstract photography - resulting in photography that shows an urban landscape in all its diversity. Urban photography seems to be a more forgiving form of photography than street photography. It is not judged as rigidly or as precisely as street photography tends to be. For example, I was recently in a local town on market day. I thought I might come away with some interesting shots. I did see some scenes that I might have felt were worthy of shooting on previous occasions but when I asked myself if it would be of interest to anyone the answer was no. The scenes were of everyday occurrences, possibly worthwhile if documenting this place on market day, but otherwise uninteresting. They did not tell a story, did not reveal a unique moment, nor would they have lasting visual appeal. So, I turned my attention to urban photography and, if nothing else, I enjoyed the experience which made it a more successful outing in my view. Here are some urban images that I hope will illustrate my point: As I think these images illustrate, urban photography offers endless potential and enjoyment, with no pressure to produce any particular type of image.

Macro photography, and indeed near-macro and close-up photography, hold a special fascination for many photographers. But macro is not an easy photography genre to master. It takes a lot of skill and patience to produce a good macro image. So what makes macro photography so fascinating? I would like to suggest a few reasons that come to mind from my own experience and they may resonate with you. I must admit, I am quite new to the exploration of the tiny world with my camera. Despite dabbling with magnifying filters or using a wide aperture to create a close-up image and blurry background, I resisted taking the plunge into 'real' macro photography. The two main reasons for my delay were the cost of macro lenses and the fear that I would not make enough use of these lenses to justify that cost. However, I eventually decided to take the plunge into macro and purchased two less expensive options - a 30mm Olympus macro lens and a Raynox dcr-250 macro attachment - to satisfy my growing fascination with this type of photography. As I wandered through country lanes with my macro lens recently, I thought about why I find macro so fascinating and enjoyable as a photography genre. Here are 5 reasons I came up with: Exploring the tiny world is fascinating, even without capturing images. When we begin to look closely and observe the little things that we seldom notice, it opens our eyes to a whole new miniature world that exists all around us. Much of macro photography is done in nature, and in nature alone there is so much to find, but macro can also be practised anywhere that textures, shapes and colours exist. Most phone cameras will capture decent close-up images and this encourages us to observe more closely and capture what we see. Captured with Google Pixel 7 Pro Macro subjects are always close at hand. Flowers, plants and insects are obvious macro subjects which are often enhanced by beautiful raindrop patterns. Textures are easy to find all around us while all kinds of everyday objects can produce interesting macro results. Macro photography increases our powers of observation. How many of us notice all the little things that exist all around us? Do we stop to admire the tiny flowers that appear in summer? Do we spend time watching the bees as they travel from flower to flower doing their day's work? Do we notice raindrops as they balance on gateposts or glisten on leaves after a shower? Do we really observe the tiny changes that are taking place around us all the time? For most of us the answer is no, until we take a camera and close-up lens and really begin to observe. 4. Macro photography provides us with a challenge. It is not an easy genre to master. Focusing can be tricky and we very often end up with a blurry subject or with a very small portion of the subject in focus. Even the slightest hand movement or a barely noticeable breeze can spoil a macro image. Capturing a pleasing macro photograph is challenging but when we get it right the results are so rewarding. 5. Macro photography is full of surprises! More than with any other type of photography, you just never know what you'll capture with a macro lens! If you haven't already tried macro, why not give it a go?