The difference a year makes...

One year ago this week, I was sitting in a garden chair in my bedroom, battling two problems. First up was achieving a position of comfort, as my elbows rested uneasily on the arms of the chair, impeding my use of the computer’s trackpad. Secondly, I faced the issue of how best to salvage the photographs I’d taken at the 2008 Norwich Cathedral Christmas Fayre, littered as they were with problems of sharpness, blurring and some ghastly composition, not to mention poorly lit and showing next to no evidence of any interaction between myself and my worthy subjects.

Three hundred and sixty-three (or so) days on, things are a little different. I write to you now from a proper armchair in my bedroom (albeit one which would like to gobble me up), on which my arms rest comfortably, and I have a whole year’s experience in making photographs, which has helped immeasurably to iron out each of the aforementioned problems. I am not claiming perfection – oh-ho, lawks, by no means – but, just as a toddler eventually more-or-less stops wetting himself, after a year’s practice, I can be more-or-less confident in my ability to deliver photographs which are (comparatively) well-composed, sharp and devoid of blurring. Equally importantly, though, is the confidence I have developed in setting up shots with people.

A year ago, I would shoot furtively and hurriedly away, and mutter an incoherent ‘sorry’ and ‘thank you’ to anyone caught in my viewfinder. If I was feeling particularly brash, I would ask someone to pose for the camera, take one photograph, at a push two, and feel houndingly guilty for taking those eight or nine seconds of someone’s time. The resulting shots would show that sense of hurry and lack of composure. Of this attitude, I can only say that it was a necessary stage to pass through on my photographic learning curve, that I have passed through it, and that I am piddling glad that Norwich Cathedral weren’t paying me to photograph for them.

These days, the composure is there with the composition. I cannot claim perfection – whenever I take my camera to work with people, nerves creep over me – but I will say that I have learned to convert that nervousness into concentration, which I think has improved my images tenfold.

As we look into 2010, I resolve to improve my images tenfold again – keep watching this space…

A confession...

Ladies and gentlemen. A confession, if you please.

It grieves me, it galls me, it irks and appalls me, to admit to you that throughout 2009, I have been rather less than responsible with my debit card. Consider that for six months, I have made a consistent saving of £90 a month on my rent, compared with my previous house, and I have spent a good deal less time in the Alexandra Tavern in that period too (which also grieves, galls, irks and appalls me): logic would appear to dictate that I should have saved a not inconsiderable sum of wonga.

Yet there is a gap in this logic, a gap which (coincidentally) corresponds with the gap in my funds. A gaping gap, a gap which leaves me agape, aghast and tearing my hair out. A gap created by such acts of liveliness (and foolishness) as trips to London, St. Andrews, Nairn, Chelmsford, Southwold, Great Yarmouth, Sheringham, Worcester and London again (twice). In addition to learning to drive (a necessity), which wasn’t without expense, I also invested in Photoshop (a necessity) and a new iPod, to replace the one that was stolen in farcical circumstances in July. One or two gabbling sharks I know rage on about the necessity of this last purchase, but this is my argument: you try walking through Anglia Square twice daily or more, without the distraction of a cricket audiobook or Tom Waits...

In short, Lord only knows how much I have plundered into the economy this year, but what is starkly clear is that it must be curbed. My New Year’s resolution for 2010 is to be worth at least £5 by the beginning of the summer. This will necessitate severe cuts in visits to other cities for purposes of beverage consumption, a commitment not to fork out £650 on computer software, further promises to take care of my iPod this time, and to spend my time being productive with regards to my chosen career path. Your support at this difficult time is immeasurably appreciated…