Vintage Fair Photoshoot

Fresh from completing my degree studies with the culmination of 'A Dozen Eggs', I got the opportunity to join the Vintage Hair Lounge team at a recent Vintage Fair, to take images of the fantastic work that the girls do. The hairstyles are absolutely amazing and it was wonderful to witness the confidence that it gave the ladies visiting the lounge; I overheard one of them say, 'I feel like a movie star' - and she really did!

Vintage fairs are popping up all over the UK, and for good reason; not only do people look incredible immersed in their 1940s, 50s and 60s gear (everything from cars to clothes to a myriad of period accessories), but they are also looking for some good old-fashioned, nostalgic goodness to take their minds off modern austerity (or at least to put things into perspective a little). People REALLY get into this, dressing up in their retro finery, and having some historic fun in a friendly, fascinating setting. I'm hooked - and I can't wait to get to the next event and start adding to my 'Vintage' images.

A Dozen Eggs - Book Now Published

HaVe Photography are pleased to announce the publication of their 3rd book, A Dozen Eggs, looking at the lives of a family of 12 siblings from Salford. The book is published as part of Harry Pearce's final degree show, which includes a 'one-off' Artist Book. An installation, displaying all the images from the book, as well as other imagery and paraphernalia within a family 'living room' setting is planned for the Autumn (details to be advertised in due course). Click on the link above to view the book online.

New and Fresh Ideas

It's been a crazy year, and fresh from completing my Master's degree I have hit my photography with renewed vigour. As well as completing another wedding, I have been working on 4 major projects ('A Dozen Eggs', 'One For The Album', 'Searching For Alexander', and 'Dog Days: Greece'), all of which I will update on in the next few postings. A photographic journey through Greece in September - which gave some unrivalled image-making opportunities - helped to see the completion of 2 projects, which I hope to publish by the end of the year. It will be a fabulous culmination to a year of exceptional hard work, and with the exciting prospect of the completion of 'A Dozen Eggs' and an exhibition of the project scheduled for the summer, 2012 is going to be one to remember. There are lots of new and fresh ideas bouncing around my brain - many of which will be exploring mixed-media (more on these in future posts). For now, a couple of images from my latest reportage-wedding shoot (more of which can be seen on my website at HaVe Photography).

Providing Paradise - New Book Publication

HaVe Photography are extremely excited to have published their second 'Portfolio Edition' book, through the online publisher 'Blurb'. Exploring the dedication and hard work of those who work behind-the-scenes in the Maldives island resort of 'Royal Island', it shows just how 'paradise' is brought from concept to reality. To view the images within the book, click this link.

A Dozen Eggs - Image Update - Margaret

Margaret is 'Egg Number 6' within the Major Project. This photo-shoot was arranged for the Friday morning before the children went back to school. In discussion with Margaret, we decided that the Friday morning offered two possibilities: (1) because she was off work, it would allow me to photograph her daily life (which, in essence, is looking after the house and children), and (2) it was a 'special' moment for her, as her son (Alex - who was due to attend secondary school the next week) was going to try on his school uniform for the first time. I took a variety of shots (in a close-up, reportage style), but the shot below was my favourite, capturing not only the wonderful relationship she has with her son, but also her great sense of fun.

A Dozen Eggs - Image Update - Angela

This was an interesting shoot in that it was very spontaneous; it had not been pre-arranged, but I had my camera with me because I was taking my Mother out for the day at a National Trust garden and I wanted to get some shots of her. Angela decided that she would come along, which I was extremely pleased about as I thought it would be nice to spend some time together (and get some shots of her as well). Angela does amateur dramatics, and therefore plays to the camera a lot; in fact, trying to get her to be completely herself whilst a camera is around is quite difficult. Although I captured a few 'candid' shots (which could only be captured if she really didn't realise I was lining up a shot), I like the image below because of the texture and detail within the image. It is posed (naturally - by Angela - as opposed to any intervention on my part), but this is all part of Angela's character, which I was pleased to document.

A Dozen Eggs - Image Update - Graham

To represent Graham (Egg Number 3) within the Major Project, we decided that rather than any specific 'moment', it should be more of a general portrait session. Graham leads a simple, almost 'introvertive' lifestyle; when he is not working as a fork-lift truck driver, he is found in 'his chair' watching TV or reading a classic car magazine. His main hobby (aside from reading about classic cars or watching F1) is fixing bicycles, which he does from his shed, or on the bench, in the back garden. Other members of the family, when asked how to sum up Graham, have all said, "sitting in his chair, putting the world to rights". This seemed the logical perspective for this shoot. The image below represents Graham as everybody knows him. The image is full of texture and detail, and (as Roland Barthes comments) has a series of punctums for members of the family viewing it - from the graduation picture, to the photograph of the dog, to the yellow plate on the bookshelf - details of familiar items, bought and gifted by others who are the focus of this project.