You may have noticed a slight reorganisation of the photographs on this site. Over a few years I have done a lot of work on close up, wide angle “candid portraits”, I have never thought of this as a project although looking back I think it probably is, certainly they have been photographed with intent. Whilst I feel it will be ongoing, largely because I have and continue to enjoy making these pictures, I have now put them together and am moving on somewhat, not least because it is less practical to pursue in the current climate and I have no intention of changing the method to use anything other than a 24mm or 35mm equivalent lens and be within touching distance of my subject.

I haven’t sub-divided the rest of my “street photography” on this site, they tend to follow the themes of scenes and relationships or occurrences between people, although I try not to constrain myself too much. People always come first rather than light or place, although it’s wonderful when everything comes together.

“It’s exciting to make something extraordinary out of the banal” Jeff Mermelstein

I do look for comedy, or at least things that amuse me or make me smile, maybe something out of place, always being part of a little imagined story in my mind, scenes with actors. And maybe that’s where the close photos relate to my broader photos, sort of headshots of the actors. Perhaps looking deeper, this is the difference between street and true documentary photography - I don’t think a tight definition of street photography is necessary but I don’t see it as journalism, just a little story that may or may not be real.

Certainly it was an interest in more striking characters that got me started, I felt I needed to be close, so the viewer can be where I was. I have stated before it is also important for me that I am unnoticed, so that I don’t change the face or expression, whilst I do love a lot of Bruce Gilden’s work and he is synonymous with “in your face” images of people, this is very different. I prefer a gentler approach, learning more from earlier work by the wonderful but so different Jeff Mermelstein.