Capturing the Moment

When is a great show actually a mediocre exhibition? When the bulk of the works on show come from a private exhibition and you’re trying to hang a theme around it, like Capturing The Moment at Tate Modern. Its ends up feeling contrived so I left the exhibition thrilled to have seen some amazing works…

Venice By Day

A friend of mine congratulated me on my Venice photographs and commented that it had been very refreshing not to see the traditional Canaletto views in my images, but when in Venice… It a challenge to visit somewhere so famous and beautiful and still be able to frame images that offer something new. Venice by…

Venice – God is in the Details

Details can often offer insights to a city that more traditional views, though there will be those in the last Venetian post. The images here are details that caught my eye – a stunning ceiling of the Santa Maria dei Miracoli, a street lamp the perfect perch of for pigeons, a dog strutting into shot…

Venice – Peggy Guggenheim Collection

The Peggy Guggenheim Collection is one of the most important museums of twentieth century art in Italy. It is located in Peggy Guggenheim’s former home, Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, on the Grand Canal in Venice. ‘I dedicated myself to my collection. A collection means hard work. It was what I wanted to do and I…

Venice – Museo Fortuny & Joan Fontcuberta

Born in Granada in 1871, Mariano Fortuny was the son of an artist and quickly found a place within the art and social world of Paris, the city in which he completed his studies as a painter. A renaissance man, his interest shifted from painting to stage set design (with works such as those for…

Venice at Night

Venice is such a wonderfully photogenic and atmospheric city, whatever the weather and time of day. From dusk and sunset through to the darkest indigo night skies, it takes on a magical quality. The lagoon setting seems to produce the most wonderful sunsets. Our plane landed at around five which meant that by the time…

Venice – Dinner and the Opera

Venice is perhaps best known for it’s beauty and the canals, but it is also known for it’s wonderful food. Situated in the Laguna di Venezia, the local seafood and produce is wonderful. In a place that is a magnet for tourists the world over, it can sometimes be difficult to find great restaurants or…

Venice – Murano, Burano & Torcello

The first time I visited Venice in the late 90s, it was only for 5 days and we didn’t manage to visit any of the islands apart from Murano. With a week pass for the Vaporetto, Mum and I remedied that this visit. Sadly I still didn’t make it to the Isola di San Michele…

Venice – The Working Day

Venice is an amazing place to visit but these photos are of the men and women who live and work in the city every day, dodging tourists and navigating the challenges of moving everything by canal. The Gondoliers Shopkeepers, Market-stall holders, Florists and the Concierge of our hotel. Working on the Vaporettos and Water Taxis….

Prix Pictet: Human

The theme for Prix Pictet 2023’s prize was ‘Human’, inviting reflections on the experiences, emotions, relationships and challenges that define our collective existence. The twelve shortlisted photographers had their work exhibited at the V&A. As always, the range of subject matter was enormous, but each photographer in their own way makes us question the world…

A World in Common – Contemporary African Photography

I recently had the opportunity to see this wonderful show at the Tate as part of our V&A away day. Drawing on the work of 36 African photographic artists, it looks at how the continent is examined and portrayed through their camera lenses, and is a stark reminder that for the majority of the time…

Third Week – White Linen, Indigo and a Birthday

Week three and we have been dyeing in the garden, even if it was just reviving an old indigo vat, which due to circumstance has lain idle this year. The impromptu garden set up with Cat worked a treat. It’s always a little daunting when planning a ‘play date’ as you never know what your…