BUSY IN BROMLEY: A BIT OF A PHOTOGRAPHER’S LIFE

Since we moved to Bromley, my life as a photographer seems to have shifted up two or three gears. Weddings seem to be flowing in steadily, family work keeps coming, the Salvation Army continues to use me frequently and my kitchen and interior work is in demand. This is all good.

Last weekend, though, things got a wee bit out of hand. I understand why many professional photographers pay other people to do their editing – so that they can keep up with the demands for actual shooting. That said, thus far, my determination to control the quality of the images I deliver, and to be able to maintain my house style from shoot through to delivery, has kept me working at post-processing just as hard as I work on my clients’ locations.

Here is the story of one intensive five day period…

Friday saw Sarah and I leaving home for Bromley South at 06:20 to catch the train for London… Leeds… Keighley. It was wonderful to walk along Cavendish Street – an iconic parade of shops in the heart of the town – pop our heads round the corner and go into my daughter, Bec’s, shop for the first time. The first day was wonderfully full on, and we were roped in to help while things settled down a bit. I did some washing up, as befits my station in life, but I managed to snap a few pics of the Three Little Birds Bakery on their first day.

One of the things I love about Bec’s project and passion for this shop is the commitment it shows to what is hardly a fashionable town. “Why Keighley?!” has been the repeated question – but a lively wedding cake shop in this twon centre might just be the business which catalyses other high end and specialist retailers into moving here. Certainly the buzz with other shops was lovely – these photos include a visual shout-out to Sam’s sandwiches and Istanbul Shawarma on the same street – you can’t eat JUST cake for lunch! See too the lovely flowers by Audrey Asquith Florist – a shop with whom Bec often works when wedding cakes need real blooms.

We weren’t in Keighley very long. Sarah and I jumped back on the train for London mid-afternoon. I managed to get the photos edited for the gallery above before we went our separate ways at Kings Cross. I had been asked to photograph a dinner to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Sir Simon Hughes’ bye-election victory in Bermondsey. As you would expect, the great and good of the Lib-Dems were there, but also members of other political parties and community groups.

I can remember that bye-election, and I love working with Simon Hughes, so the evening was a good one from my point of view. Here is a sprinkling of shots from the night.

Sir Simon in full flow

Members of the National Liberal Club – the lighting at the tables was serously random!

Baroness Jenny Randerson with Caroline Pidgeon (who should also be in the Lords for her services to London, in my view) 

Sir Ed Davey was on entertaining form

Saturday and Bromley to Victoria again for the farewell to the General and Welcome to the High Council of the Salvation Army. This is a very significant event for Salvationists, closing the chapter one General and seeing the Commissioners at the start of their task of finding another. It was the big day of the weekend, photographically. And a pressure day too – Westminster Central Hall was chosen for the event because it would be an excellent venue for a group photo of the High Council, so we had to get it right.

I have photographed General Peddle many times over recent years, mainly at the ICO at Sunbury Court, but also recently for his official retirement portrait. (See last month’s article.) A photographer’s view is perhaps a unique one. I will miss Brian and Rosalie for simply being unfailingly warm, kind and patient during interminable shoots with individual delegates. I am well-placed to say that!

General Peddle Preaching at the Welcome Meeting

The Group Photo as  finally delivered – taken with a Lumix G9 in high-resolution mode. Three exposures – a few delegates had their heads spliced in. Then considerable tidying up in photoshop – the stage was quite cluttered.  Website limitations prevent me showing the full resolution or clarity. 

See below for a collection of images from the day. Westminster Central Hall is an easy venue in terms of lighting, at least on the stage, though a dull purple dominmates the hall floor. Effectively the techniques are as you would see in gig photography – though with possibly less risk of getting your kit stolen!

A restful day on Sunday and then its Bromley to Southwark two days running, to shoot Salvation Army appeal material. I never show the photographs in advance of their use and publication by the Army in its Christmas appeals, but as it happens I was (oddly but very happily) working with Robert and Keith again, five years on from our previous work. Both men are absolute characters; one of them is “the most famous person you have never heard of.” So here are some older pics in which they featured.

All charities use models extensively for this kind of work. If you think hard about it, you can see why. What always strikes me is the impact on the models of spending a little time on the streets – it is salutary for them and for me.

It’s May – so it must be Christmas in Southwark!

We have been in Bromley for a month and a half. In that time I have done seven shoots of one kind or another in Southwark, and another couple in central London. Thankfully, as I write I am now up to date with editing and everything has been delieverd to my clients – bar their invoices! Just time to post this picture of the moon from Whit Sunday – taken in our back garden – and I will be off to Chatham on the train for a very special birthday party shoot.

Will I get back into the rhythm of a weekly blog? Let’s see!