May 2010. Central London skyline.

Needing to access the roof of Centre Point for another commission and managing to charm our way to the very top I found myself on a small walkway just behind the huge Centre Point lettering at the top. Not the most secure location and with the wind blowing us around, my heart was certainly in my mouth, but the opportunity to get shots from this height don’t come along every day. The easiest way to handle the ordeal was to focus 100% on the camera and the shots. I have to say I was glad to get down, but once down wanted to go straight back up!

May 201o: Prospect Cottage and beach shed. Dungerness. Kent.

As much as I love London, sometimes I need to go for a long drive and get away, clear the head and see something different. Dungerness is certainly different and about as far removed from the centre of London as you can get. An endless shingle beach lined with derelict beach sheds and quaint wooden cottages are all overlooked by the ever imposing nuclear power station. Guglielmo Marconi, best known as the ‘man who invented radio, used a structure on the beach for research and development in the transmitting of radio signals – and in 1899 he became the first person to send a message across the English Channel.

The most famous resident was the author Derek Jarman who built the black tarred timber Prospect Cottage which has raised wooden text on one side taken from the John Donne’s poem, The Sun Rising. The shingle cottage-garden famous in it’s own right has been the subject of many books and photographs. An interesting house and well worth a visit. Dungerness is a popular location for photo shoots and tv programmes, the light and scenery are amazing, but a visit to Dungerness wouldn’t be complete without a fish and chip lunch in the Britannia pub.

May 2010: Hells Angels Funeral, Hackney Road. London

There are few things are as visually impressive as a full on Hells Angels funeral and judging by the numbers present at this one, the deceased was a beloved and highly respected member of the original UK chapter, issued in 1969 in London’s East End. Charger who died in an accident on the A1 on his way to a party had been a member for 38 years. Clearly a popular man attracting mourners from all over the world to show their respects. RIP Charger.

April 2010: The O2 from a crane and street art.

Another interesting and eventful weekend.
After completing my first every 5 mile running race I went straight off too a commission photographing the O2 whilst suspended from a bungee crane 200 ft above their car park.
Despite my legs being a little wobbly, it was Interesting to see the place from such a great perspective as the cage span and swung around and around! It is still an amazing structure, and one of my favourite buildings in London. Anthony Gormley’s Quantum Cloud so in keeping with the whole site sits on the rivers edge.
Immediately afterwards I had to photograph the crowd at a Peter Gabriel concert. The client wanted crazy hedonism, but unfortunately no one told the audience who sat in quiet reverence throughout.
On the upside, as I negotiated my way past the layers of security and pass requirements I saw that they are using one of my images to welcome guests to the venue. I just love to see my work presented loud and proud.




Sunday I took my daughter around Hoxton in search of street art for her school project, and was luckily enough to bump into some interesting people, one of who showed us around Cordy House, an amazing building packed full of art by the most prominent street artists around. A huge thank you to Garfield for pumping my daughter with so much enthusiasm. His site can be seen at http://mutatebritain.wordpress.com/ I nicked the images above from his site, it's of my favourite piece, a 3d piece by Chu, totally breathtaking when you see it in real life,

March 2010: AOP Gallery Print Sale Collection Exhibition

As part of an on going plan to exhibit more of my personal work, I submitted a set of images to the Association of Photographers print sales collection. Thrilled to have 5 pieces selected, the exhibition started with a private view on the 11th March. Surrounded by clients and close friends the night went really well and my work was very well received. The only downside... due to a very important shoot the following day I had to avoid the alcohol and ended up drinking a very weird soft drink. The exhibition runs until the 31st March and my pieces are scattered randomly around the gallery.

March 2010: Park Plaza Westminster

One of the huge benefits of doing this job is the places you go see and the interesting people you meet along the way. Another commission for Building Magazine saw me photographing the brand new Park Plaza Hotel, just to the south of Westminster Bridge. Occupying the centre of a notoriously ugly roundabout that contained a building once voted one of Britain’s ugliest, the new hotel couldn’t be more different. The road has been re-routed and the hotel is modern, stylish, beautifully thought through and a photographers dream. My escort for the day was Lisa Maxen from the construction arm of Park Plaza, Gear Construction. Her enthusiasm and knowledge of the project were both amazing and totally contagious. Having tea with her and the architect I quickly realized what a feat of engineering it really is. With a V-shaped atrium giving many rooms a view over Westminster Bridge and a huge column free ballroom underground, the construction methods used were vitally important. More complex than I fully understand, they incorporated the use of a vierendeel truss from the 2nd to 13th floor and cantilevering the building over the road by 7m to give more space. What I did find really interesting as I stared at it in disbelief, is that due to large full height atrium the building is effectively two structures held together by a post-tensioned slab at level 13. A belt, without which the building would just peel apart!!

February 2010: Berenberg bank

The year has started off well, with some great jobs and a large number of quote requests, many from the USA.

This month saw me photographing the work of a good friend and great interior designer Charlotte Moorley of MRD-London. Their latest interior at Berenberg Bank occupies space in a newly built office block on London’s Threadneedle Street, designed by architects Eric Parry. The space MRD created compliments the office block brilliantly, adding well to what is already an interesting space, giving the offices a cool atmosphere and their own personality . The new offices have a clean and dynamic styling, are full of amazing features and furniture, whilst the view from every window is just breathtaking.