with thanks

I started taking photos as a teenager in the 1990s when my Dad lent me his Olympus (OM20) camera, and taught me how to use it. I instantly fell in love with the excitement of taking an analogue film to town to be processed and going back a week later to see if any of my shots had come out. Life was slower back then, and the wait made successful photos even more satisfying.

The negatives of my first camera films bear photos of my family at birthday and Christmas celebrations and I will forever find solace in looking back through old albums at photos of my grandparents and other cherished relations. Is there any more significant a job for a photo than holding in time the face of someone we loved? I am not sure there is.

In my late teens I took the faithful OM20 inter-railing through Europe down to Morocco, South Africa, and for the four months I lived in India. It was in Mumbai that I bought its distinctive rainbow strap, which I wear with much Pride. Unable to carry both reams of negatives, and the developed photos of my travels, I sent the photos back by snail-mail and kept the negatives in my backpack.

Gradually, my albums became more populated with photos of friends. Friends drinking, friends partying, friends on roof terraces, and friends chilling. Trying to capture the moment became my new focus and there was – and still is – nothing I find much more beautiful in a picture than a person’s face. Giggling or frowning, restful or chaotic, messy or ordered, newborn or wrinkly, suggestive or distant, wired or serene. My personal albums are now full of photos of my wonderful sons, my friends, and my family. I don’t airbrush or photoshop my photos as I never see anything to enhance or to hide. We are perfect just as we are.

After graduating with a BMus from the University of Cardiff, and a PGCE from the University of Cambridge, my other life as a secondary school Music teacher took over for a while and it is still a huge part of my life, and a great source of happiness.

When I started my photography business, I genuinely had no idea if I could make a success of it and I am grateful for the encouragement I received. The process has been entirely organic, and I honestly continue to learn something new on every shoot I do. I am proud of what I have achieved but I absolutely could not have got to the stage I have without the following people to whom I am immensely grateful - my beautiful boys, the de Ts, Andy, Bea, Ben, Carl, Dan, Dani, Pete, Peter, Sam, Ula, and Wendy.