The Summer Impact

The Summer has had a huge impact on my photography, or lack of it should I say. I've found myself working hard to try and pay my rent over the summer, repair some of the damage done to my bank balance. Often working 12hour days in a very busy bar & restaurant, photography has taken second place, and most days I am left so exhausted from work, photography & the editing process is the last thing on my mind, instead I crave relaxation before the next long day.

I've also found myself finding the fast paced press events less enjoyable to work. It all feels too rushed.  I'm not living in a dream world where I think I will be able to survive off documentary work alone. I know I will be forced to take press or commercial jobs if I want to earn some pennies to support documentary work, but I havn't been enjoying press jobs recently, and I dont want photography to become a chore to me. For this reason I still haven't edited my images I took at the start of June at Peugeot & Citroen. Every time I try I just don't know where to begin, get frustrated and get nowhere. I need time, without worries, stress and tiredness from work, and the help of a couple of my close friends to edit the images.

I did dust off my camera when I went up to London last week, I wanted to be able to just enjoy photography again. I'm not fond of London, or cities in general for that matter having grown up in the countryside, but i thought with some fresh surroundings I could really get into shooting away. I struggled, I often felt like a stereotypical tourist walking around with my Nikon and rarely wanted to bring the camera to my eye. 19 frames in 3 hours and I tucked my camera away in my camera bag feeling a little dejected by my own lack of enthusiasm.

'The Long Water, Hampton Court Palace, London, 7th August 2012.'
f.22 1/100
 ©Patrick Campbell

Joshua Campbell - 6 months have passed

On my way over to France for a very exciting shoot, I saw an opportunity to stop off and visit my Nephew.  Last time I took a portrait of him he was 3 weeks, now he is 6 months! 

"Never work with children or animals" - W.C Fields
I've had a challenging habit of working with both over the last year.

Hasselblad

Billy O'S Ollies a gap, 31st May 2012, Tremough Campus, Falmouth, United Kingdom

I attended digital hasselblad induction today, we were asked in groups to produce an image containing 3 items from a list. In our image we needed to include a domestic appliance, a cuddly toy and a hat. Luckily one of the photographers on L1 Press & Editorial Photography is a GNARLY BRO. Job done.

This image was made with the combination of efforts from Myself, Sam Barnes, Billy O'Shaughnessy and Connor Young. Artur Melez Tixiliski was with us earlier in the shoot, but had to bolt for a job. Credit to him and his lighting knowledge.

Self directed assignment

My Self directed assignment took a change after the results of Tuesdays shoot. When going to photograph the Cornish Sea Salt factory I expected to find a busy factory, with lots of workers and lots going on. On arrival I found a small factory, with machines that are monitored every half an hour by one man. I changed the direction of my story to represent this. The image below is my favourite image from my time there, although a few of my peers have suggested I cut it from my final edit of 6 images I don't feel I can. I love how bleak it is, and is a nice representation of how I often felt. Constantly looking out the windows to the beautiful scenery outside.

Binoculars, Cornish Sea Salt Co, Cornwall, 2012

Alec Soth

This Is An Image from Alec Soth's series Niagra. I First saw this Image around October 2011.

This is an Image I took in June 2008 on the island of Boracay, Philippines. Ignore the fact It's out of focus.



Great minds think alike.

(Let me just clarify, in know way am I actually comparing myself to the brilliance that is Alec Soth)

Update

So, I have been a horribly unproductive and lazy man recently, Especially within updating my blog, I feel it has gone to waste a bit. Since being back in Bridport (my home town) for Easter I have been giving myself a bit of a break. Catching up with old friends and family has taken a bit of a front seat. I have done one shoot since I've been back. Although its giving me a little head ache editing the images down.

I think I will do a major update when I am back in my new home of Falmouth and I can fully plunge myself back into photography.

So anyway, as I havnt put an image up for such a long time. Here is an old image from the St Pirans day shoot. Because I was so pleased with my film images I forgot all about my digital ones from that day.

Redruth St Pirans Festivities

Today i travelled to the town of Redruth for their celebrations for St Pirans day (which actually isn't till monday, but they celebrated early). St Piran is the patron saint of Tin-miners and celebrated widely all over cornwall. He is also widely regarded as the patron saint of Cornwall. 

I unfortunately couldn't get over to Redruth in time for the parade to the rugby club, but the Rugby club had much going on inside from 1pm, and then at 3pm it was Redruth vs Hertford rugby match which was a really good game. Redruth won the match 38-24 after initially going behind.

The whole day was quite bizarre as all the different things going on. A military display, some 'street' style dancing, a choir, children running around in martial arts clothing, a lazer tag arena, steam engined tractors, a brass band and all culminated by a good old game of rugby.

Whilst i was there I shot off 4 films for my Relationships project, and some digital images aswell.

Joshua Campbell

This is a portrait of my nephew I took when he was 2 weeks old, He was being held by my mother. Luckily my brothers flat has quite a lot of light that comes into his front room, It was really quite nice and bright that day.

patricksimoncampbell@hotmail.com

Wake Up Rhiannon

I wanted to practice use with a Metz 45 cl-4 flash that I took out of the university stores one evening, Previously that night I had taken some images of other people from my course however these were all just 'test' shots. When I returned back to my flat I decided I would knock on everybody's doors at 3am and capture them when they had just woken up. Rhiannon was the only one silly enough to open her door at this awful hour, and so then became my next mini photo project.

So for all of this Rhiannon, I do apologise, But thank you.

patricksimoncampbell@hotmail.com

Truro City of Lights

I went over to Truro for the lights festival on Wednesday 16th November 2011 with intention of shooting film for a 'community' project I was given. As usual, I took my digital along and switched between film and digital. I managed to get myself between the barriers and amongst the parade with a confident walk past the security and they just assumed I was official press for the event. I learnt a lot about the difficulties of shooting in the dark at speed without a flash, and made me realise how much I have to learn technically with photography. My film shoot came out very dark, and hasn’t worked, but i managed to salvage a few images I like from the digital side of things.
It is said as a photographer, if you enjoy your shoot more, it will show through in your work, unfortunately I really enjoyed this shoot, yet it isn't the best I’ve produced.

Feedback?
patricksimoncampbell@hotmail.com
http://www.trurocityoflights.co.uk/

'First Impressions'

This is a series of images I took for my 'First impressions of Falmouth'. Although I adore Falmouth, and the town, on the first visit in the day I took since moving down, This unsavoury character decided to bother myself, and the other members of Press &  Editorial. I couldn't pass up the opportunity and started snapping away. The first image, with the policeman watching over the man, with the beautiful back drop of the boats, flags and harbour still makes me laugh. At first look, the images look like I have a lot of 'noise' in them, where as in fact it is actually water moisture in the air, from typical autumn Cornwall weather.