Hello again

Hello!! It has been some time since I last updated this blog. I have been doing quite a few other things lately and this has meant this blog has been put on the back burner. As I have been posting pictures and updates to facebook I am wondering if I really need this blog? I have been entering my work in a few art competitions and have made it through to judging stages but no further. I have also updated my RedBubble shop and more work on the ArtGallery site. I have made the decision to try my work in the real world aswell as online and it takes a lot more time and money than I had anticipated. If you have any strong feelings about this blog then I may continue it, otherwise I think I will be concentrating on my facebook page for now. Many thanks

RedBubble sales and whatnot

This week I sold my first greetings card on Redbubble...in a year!
I must say that at first I was quite excited about Redbubble and hopes were high, however it has been something of a disappointment. There is so so much work on there that unless you were looking for something so specific then people just slip through the net and remain undiscovered. It also works a little along the lines of Flickr with people commenting and favouring, something I am not so keen on as I am yet to be convinced that other contributors on there actually purchase other peoples work. So it was a huge surprise to find something had sold.
In the next few weeks I am going to take a long hard look at it and see if I can improve how my work is viewed on there or move over to something else.

My larger print work is available on ArtGallery.co.uk and I have had a much better response over there.

Purchases can also be made through my website or get in touch through facebook. This year I am adding my work to other websites and updating my portfolio so facebook is the way to keep in touch with me on a more regular basis.

Tumblr, Blogging and Stuff

I haven't been on Flickr much this year as I have issues with it at the moment. I searched the internet for my own shots and found quite a few were appearing on something called Tumblr...I have no idea what that is...but I don't want my work anywhere else other than where I choose it to be.

When people have asked to Blog or link to my work I have only once said no and that was because it was a foreign website and I didn't know what it said...any other times I have said yes. It annoys me that my work is being shared in this way. It may be because they like my work but on Flickr the images are copywritten and it does not allow anyone to right click and save the picture...Tumblr does though...anyone can right click and save my images for their own use.

I will now have to rethink the watermark on my images and see where I go from there.

Sorry !

Well folks it has been some time since I posted here...or on Flickr. Things have been hectic with life getting in the way of art.
I have a few images in the pipeline and some more plans afoot.

Hoping to be back operating at 100% very soon!

Vote for me :))

I have managed to get down to the last 15 in the Fat Boy Slim album cover competiton, but need more votes to get into the final 6 with a chance of winning.
By voting you too can win a signed album cover and £100 worth of i-tunes vouchers...so please vote for me :))

Thankyou

Vote Here

phlegm: Falling men

phlegm: Falling men: In an abandoned tower.

A belated Happy New Year

Well it has been so long since I wrote a blog post!
I have been so busy putting together a new Website and a Facebook page.

So I am hoping everyone will take a moment to have a look and support me on these new ventures.

This year I intend to get serious about my photography and designs; continuing with my website, selling images, entering art shows, entering contests, and networking with others (thats you folks!). This year looks to be full of more growth and improvements to my photography and art.

I do feel I have a style of my own and I hope this will grow in 2012.

My very best to you and yours in this coming year. xx

facebook and festive bokeh

Well Christmas is almost upon us and Flickr is full of festive bokeh right now...I love the rich glowing reds and greens. Winter snow has fallen some places and the superb crisp winter landscape shots that are appearing make me glad to be indoors and warm!
My Facebook Page is up and running so please come on over to say hi. It's the place for little updates on what I am doing.

I have been taking a few shots this week of the usual christmas tree and decorations but trying to do something a little different with them...adding a touch of magic hopefully :) A little star picture is on flickr today.

Here is a touch of festive bokeh...

With a week off over the holidays I hope to get out and about and take some new shots as it feels like ages since I was outside shooting.

Gemini

This could not be more true to life :

You may be fearing that you have taken on more than you can handle. This could either involve a work or entrepreneurial venture, or it might be related to a relationship. Either way, you may already be envisioning all the worst-case-scenario possibilities, and dreading what's to come. But hold on a minute, Gemini. What makes you feel so certain that things will go wrong? What you are feeling now is kind of like buyer's remorse. You agreed to something that you really wanted, and now you're worried about the cost of it. But the value will far, far outweigh the cost. Stop worrying.

Now and the future

Just to explain a little about where my work is going right now.
I have been shooting local landmarks and nature and creating images that are a layering of multiple images. I have used images of peeling paint, rust and general decay and layered them onto the sights and scenery I see around me. I feel this makes my work different as for me it's about the balance between chaos and order, ugliness and beauty. It's about capturing light, composition, colour and texture. The layering process produces beautiful and innovative art which I feel communicates more than a factual picture.

The image of Blackpool Mirrorball is created this way and I do feel this is where my creativity lies.

In 2012 I hope to continue doing these pieces of work and also to try my hand at some more crafts. I have been interested in fused glass lately having seen what amazing results you can create from it and feel that it is certainly something I would like to try. It has also been a very long time since I drew and painted and again it is something I would like to get back into doing. As always time is an issue.

This is an image I created that really shows what I am about right now in my photo~art (it is also on Flickr).

facebook and quotes

Well this week I probably read the most perfect quote ever...well in my opinion:

When you have come to the edge of all light that you know and are about to drop off into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing one of two things will happen: There will be something solid to stand on or you will be taught to fly
Patrick Overton

Its just brilliant and so inspirational.

Also this week I have put together a facebook page:
Click Here to See

But other than that I haven't been doing much in the way of taking new pictures, just self editing the ones I have.

Plus for those who don't know, I have a picture hanging in the Local Art Gallery as part of a local show untill January 2012.

Cars and trees

Well this week with a little more time than usual I have been editing some of the classic car shots from the summer...well that's what I thought I was going to do till I realised I took way more shots of trees and flowers rather than the cars! You can see where my interest lay then! But here are a few cars from the day anyway :) One more on Flickr tomorrow too.

Things learnt this week

I went to a craft fair this week, which was like a real life etsy shop that you can touch and feel...brilliant creative people all trying to make a living out of their creative talents and passions. So impressive and just a tiny bit jealous of them too.

It was said on the tv this week that some of the happiest people were those who got along with doing the things they loved and who didnt care about what everyone else thought. Within reason I think this is true, know your strengths, limitations and enjoy what youre doing.

Textures, Mulled Wine & Ebay

This week really has felt like the start of the christmas countdown...the nights are dark and rainy and the mulled wine is warm and rich. The only photography I have been doing is shots of things to put on ebay! So not very inspiring.
I have been revisiting some holiday shots and older images and re-editing them and adding textures, so expect to see more of those appearing soon.
I have come to the last of my Blackpool Illuminations images over on Flickr and have really been pleased with them. They probably haven't had the amount of views that my flower/nature shots have had but I am none the less pleased with them. I am not good with night shots generally so have been happy with what I have shot. The camera movement shots have been particularly good fun even if not technically the way to go about things, and I do intend to try my hand with that again.
So here is the last of the Blackpool movers and shakers set :)

Illuminating...

I had a trip through Blackpool illuminations this week on a rainy November night. Although good, it doesn’t have the wow factor it used to, but there were still many nice sights to photograph.

Also this week I have been fascinated by the 'Intentional Camera Movement' group on Flickr. It is such a simple idea and yet it creates such stunning abstract art. Having looked at Blackpool illuminations for half my life I thought it was a perfect time to try some camera movement just to make things a little different. I must say I really enjoyed the creative aspect of it and was more than pleased with the images I took. I am certainly going to try this again in daylight and see what happens. Unfortunately at the moment when I get home from work it is dark so the only photo opportunities are at the weekend.

A world in B&W

This week I have been really getting into black and white shots. It has been some time but once I started I really saw the beauty in them again. Here is a b&w version of the latest shot on Flickr...I really couldn't decide which version I liked best!

Been a while...

For those people following my blog I have been working on a new website for myself. I am trying to up my game a little and put together images which I hope people would actually buy, and also source a printer, framer and give myself some space to work. It has not been easy to do all these things while creating new images and continuing with both Flickr and this blog so my apologies for not being around much.

I am also someone who lacks confidence and self belief in a big way so to achieve these things that I hope to do really will be a massive achievement for me and many times in the past weeks I have thought to give up... easier at times not to try than to try and fail! But for now I am continuing with paths new to see where they go and fingers crossed.

Textures and Troubles

Having had computer problems all week I am now having phone problems...blackberry ones!

Other than that I have been working hard creating more textured works and also trying to put together my own website. I tried out 2 different website hosts to see which was easier to use and have to say that Photium are proving a lot easier to get my head around. With all these things it is hard to fit them in around daily life and work and I always feel as if I am trying to juggle everything!
I have also been lucky enough to appear in Pioneer Womans Group 2 shortlisted images...I enjoy the edit this projects she does and always impressed with everyones take on the images.

Holidays and virus's

Well I have been absent from my Blog and Flickr for a few days due to a lovely long weekend away in the Lake District which looked stunning in its autumn colours. Some photos will no doubt follow!

Also my computer has been playing up due to a virus ! I am hoping normal service will be resumed shortly!!

Here's the unedited version of a textured shot I put on Flickr last week.

A little hope

Recently I entered one of my images into a competition. I really didn't hold out much hope of getting anywhere so was hugely surprised when I made it into the short list. I then had to wait a week to see if I had made it into the final. I was amazed at how much I wanted it, how much I hoped to make it through...but I didn't.

I know to get to the semi final is a huge achievement as it's quite a major event with hundreds of entries, but it is still bad when your best isn't good enough. I know tomorrow and next week I will bounce back and brush it off but right now at this very moment it truly sucks !

So a dark image for a dark mood...