T I M B L O G R A P H Y

Dear Timblography lovers...

2010-06-06T05:05:00.000-07:00

PLEASE ATTEND THIS EVENT. It will be exquisite...

Clinic Presents: Launch

2010-05-29T14:07:00.000-07:00

So once again I had the pleasure of taking the shots for Clinic. This time it was for the launch event for their first publication. I faced the usual challenges of extreme low light, including the desperate desire to avoid the destruction that flash photography has on capturing mood. I haven't shot anything at all in recent months due to essay deadlines, celebrations and general vacuous attempts to earn money in retail, so forgive the rusty execution... However, if these photos serve as nothing else they should act as a message that you seriously NEED to pick up a copy of their book, it's both beautiful in curation and construction.

Get your hands on one HERE.

Here were the details for said event... LAUNCH.

& Here are my shots (extended post) of the highlights.

Final Hand In.

2010-03-27T04:05:00.000-07:00

So this week marks the culmination of my photographic module at Goldsmiths. I'm dangerously close to the end of my degree now and teaching has already ended. Yesterday was final hand in day which included the submission of over £600 worth of coursework and portfolio prints, not to mention the cost and effort that went into getting final exhibition quality A2 prints & framing. The work has yet to be installed (pictures of that event will no doubt follow in due course), but just having my body of work in one place, in all its total glory, involved an overwhelmingly satisfying feeling of achievement. Here are the two most prominent features of my submission: My portfolio book & final exhibition selection.

Dave Goodman

2010-03-21T07:16:00.000-07:00

A quick portrait of Captain-G for Evie's magazine.

Evie Goodman... The Sister.

2010-03-07T14:13:00.000-08:00

I thought long and hard about the setting for her portrait. After weeks of confusion and indecision I took her advice and waited for her sweet 16th... For the most pink-embellished sleepover girls night in, ever. Take a look at the finer details in the background of the shot, some of the pink paraphernalia is ludicrous. By all accounts the girls had many a laugh amongst their night of birthday celebrations (which I assume to be largely Chick flick-esc. and thus do not want to hear about) and equally, I'm sure it was a success (but I did not wish to stick around to find out either to be fair). They were even lucky enough to be graced with my drunken gormless face as I returned from Beluga a beaten man, upon 3 in the morn.

I'm going to return to this post, probably at a later date, to write something a bit more personal about Evie & our tempestuous history as rival siblings, but until then, make what you will of her portrait to add to my collection...

Andrew Parkes: Accounting...

2010-03-03T14:43:00.000-08:00

As per.

I am making a perfect bound, hardback Photo book, which is proving to be expensive, however the end result will be priceless and look the absolute Don. I am therefore collating all those I care for in my life to form the body of work in which my noisy style will emanate from. Deadlines are looming for this project rapidly and so I'm going to pick up the pace.

This time it involves a VERY familiar face to the posts of Timblography, which says a little about the relevance of his inclusion. In fact Parkes is one of the best influences going and easily one of the highest calibre human beings I have ever met. Long live our brilliant polar oppositional dynamic and his OCD, Grandfatheral character aspirations. It is hard to avoid becoming horribly sycophantic when I reflect on the last few years of trauma & tribulation we have experienced as effectively brothers in crime. Alas we could not contrast any more if we tried (bar an undying love for metal of course). One more thing I will add just before I cease this mushy bromance business... Without the fella i'd have no idea how to pay the bills whatsoever. Which is a big deal.

Thurnham.

2010-02-27T10:59:00.000-08:00

Only I know what was running through my mind whilst on this ride. A night of ridiculous events must be balanced with nothingness almost immediately or I begin to melt inside. Isolation is constantly fixated upon my mind when doing this. Clichéd as it may seem, the exposure of these shots are almost certainly an example of pathetic fallacy.

A Seal in Deal? Shotgun.

2010-02-21T12:50:00.000-08:00

The weather was appalling, the standard Sunday depression wasn't up to much either. I tried Bluewater for some retail therapy... Alas that plan fell on its face quick-sharp due to my insane lack of funds. So I bowled on down in the torrential rain to Deal of all places. The rain had thankfully eased off by the time I arrived, & I continued my love affair with Kentish coastline and its architecture, thusly. Lucky for me a cheeky seal popped his head up to say hello as well, which was an unexpected treat to say the least! It's worth mentioning that this style of shoot, I do for myself only. They have little to do with my course and simply serve as an excuse to divulge in escapism. I find the whole process, from travelling to final editing, therapeutic. It's rewarding for me to admire the results instead of desperately trying to make progress on my dissertation in the city week.

Enjoy the moody beauty that is the winter coastline folks....

United Colors Of Benetton Press Assistant.

2010-02-20T05:30:00.000-08:00

This is my cousin, Lucy. She graduated from the London College Fashion, did some hard graft internships and as a result, landed herself with this beauty of an occupation working for a high-end Italian clothing designer. She's in charge of dishing out samples and press releases to try and gain exposure for the brand in top publications. Her office is situated in the heart of posh-town London & I'm talking just a stones throw from Oxford Circus. The whole area is a place I aspire to end up working in one day, with top media establishments and advertising agencies littering every street.

The main room adjacent to your standard computer office was like a photography studio in itself, which proved lovely to shoot in. With a huge samples shipment just in, the office was a wash with the new 2010 range of Benetton clothing that had yet to go on general sale and needed unpacking and sorting for sample distribution. It was all very exciting and it's fair to say I spent a lot of time post shoot, trying all the small-Italian-man gents range on.

My family is relatively small and I only really have one proper cousin. This meant that Lucy & I spent a lot of time growing up together and remain very close. I've recently heard of a few aspirations and future opportunities she's taking a punt at, and am very proud of her.

It's also worth mentioning that being in constant contact with the press, her list of connections to EVERY magazine featured behind her (& many many more), is ludicrous! I am more then expectant to be hooked up by her with a sick internship when my degree comes to a close.

As for the composition of this shot, the obvious point to be made would be how little of the frame she takes up. I just became obsessed with the idea of including as much of the room as possible to give the audience a general feel for her working environment. It's a bit of a non-place, secular to the real world and the bubble perspective of an ultra-wide angle reflects this beautifully I think. I've uploaded a slighter larger version of the portrait to allow for the small details to be seen viewed on screen.

Finally, I hope by now you have realised how much I hate posed smiles in portraits. Lucy is one of theee bubbliest, enthusiastic women you are ever likely to meet, so there's no mood intended with a straight face. Put simply: no matter how glossy, business is business.

Timblography's 100th Post: Clinic Presents Special...

2010-02-13T04:42:00.000-08:00

WARNING LONG POST-

Thursday saw the Clinic Presents: MAGIC night held @ The Amersham Arms New Cross.

They had the whole joint opened up to them this time, which meant biggg capacity which needless to say, they packed out. The night saw a great variety of talent showcased, producing pretty diverse (to say the least) moods throughout the evening. From the ambience of poetic exploration and creative literary expression upstairs in the gallery... To the exceptional intensity of Talons downstairs, at the end of the night. Local Illustration talent was exhibited downstairs in carefully installed, hanging sequences. The calibre of photographic and illustration contributions had also been hugely increased, certain pieces completely blew me away in fact. I'd have never normally come across the artists if it hadn't been for Clinic showcasing them in the private view, which is an achievement of the night in itself. I think it's also worth mentioning that I hope the guys continue to showcase the local, less established artists even as Clinic grows in popularity. All in all sets from Jamie 'N' Commons (resident artist), HREDA, On Histories Of Rosenberg & Talons, were floor filling & high energy.

By all accounts that I'd heard, everyone who came down had a lovely night, leaving everyone with a well rounded night of smiles and boozy goodness.

Please enjoy the nearly 40 images that is my documentation of the night. This post is a Timblography milestone and thus dominates in length as it should. Where conditions were really dark & I avoided flash, my focus is appalling. Still making school boy errors in the dark it seems. Some are better then others though so keep an open mind!

My adoration for the Kent coastline forever continues...

2010-02-07T09:33:00.000-08:00

I think I'm going to head in this direction for a while. The exploring is therapeutic, satisfying & nostalgic.

These trips only exist at the weekend, nearly always falling upon my hungover-ridden sundays. The relaxation and freshness of the coastline scenery offers a porthole (as demonstrated in a beautiful cliche fashion, in the final shot of this post) of the wonder that lays outside my restless, city week and the debaucheries of the previous saturday night.

Johnny B, Revisited.

2010-02-01T13:54:00.000-08:00

After much deliberation, I decided I absolutely hated the Hasselblad format in the end. For the purposes of how I want my portraits to be exhibited as well, I literally had to revert back to my traditional wide-angle conventions. However, this was purely a technical issue, everything I justified in my previous post concerning my late Grandfather's portrait, is still valid.

Social Analyst.

2010-02-01T13:39:00.000-08:00

An expert in her field, yet she'll never be able to ease the dysfunction of the Goodmans! This is my mum's sister Sheena, she loves her pets and is generally devoted to them. She is a highly spec'd social worker and is somewhat of a second mother to me when times are hard. In my opinion she's a strong believer in the 'work hard, play hard' motto, enjoying life at all costs. This includes pointless capitalism that I find I also pride myself on these days. Trust me when I say though, she is constantly striving for more qualifications to add to her already impressive arsenal. Her word count seems to out-gun my BA, which she does on top of her career.

Excuse the lack of depth in this portraits conception, this shot kind of fell together in a beautiful poetry of experimental composition with semiotics of the quirky kind! Every part of this scene tells a small tale about her I feel, so paying attention to the smaller elements amongst the predominant formal aesthetic is very rewarding. Even the Where's Wally puzzle, that only crept up that evening and is literally not a favourite past time... is a symbol of ridiculous spontaneity. I could go on all night raving about my mental Aunty... here's the final choice.

Dazed & Confused

2010-01-27T14:09:00.000-08:00

Any self respecting artist has heard of this publication. It's a massive deal pioneered by the world famous photographer Rankin, & this month the well blogged Clinic Presents found themselves published in it. With a fantastic write up and half page spread, I couldn't be prouder of the the guys. Their events are ever increasing in magnitude and creative flair & I haven't missed a single event they've held thus far. Championing them as much as possible and photographing their nights as often as I can, I was rewarded this month by having one of my shots used by Dazed to showcase the creative collective's success. Read the review for yourself...

Here's my original post of the particular event showcased, including the original photo... CLICK!

On that note I shall end this post by announcing that if you can attend the following event... You will NOT be disappointed, Clinic are going places, take note my obedient children...

John Bolland

2010-01-27T13:50:00.000-08:00

Now them, this post is going to be difficult for me to write from the off. I am of course now extending my portraiture into new realms. I am however going to remain true to only photographing people of great influence in my life. This particular shoot in a cemetery I found fascinating, but also for obvious reasons, obscure and slightly upsetting.

My beef with this shoot was not so much the fact that I am documenting my late Grandfather's resting place, more the location and form that his Gravestone has taken. The assault of emotions one is subjected to when attempting such a task is almost impossible to articulate. Even just witnessing the righthand side of the book-like headstone being vacant, in preparation for his wife to join him, was affecting enough. I experienced both positive and negative feelings when taking this shot, but despite these conflicting thoughts, I did feel it was important to include the formidable force that was Johnny Bolland in my work. He's giant character, traditional dominant ego, and also immense physical stature made him an unforgettable man. Being an incredibly talented sculptor (His masterpieces maintaining pride of place in various family homes) even applying to Goldsmiths back in his day, the contemplation of his new community and the situation he will now eternally rest in... bewildered me somewhat.

The composition of this portrait is worth considering, spatially. Great distance immediately melding into a dense field of headstones that are uncountable and as a collective, meaningless to me. One also struggles to bring logic to the geography of this place. Perhaps it's his dominant aura, fending off the riffraff? I would expect nothing less.

The shots of his surrounding landscape are just as moving. Newer graves graced with a festival of colour and lavished in attention. The older quadrant becoming reminiscent of a Gothic, zombie film location. Absolutely insane to document in the space of about 2 minutes walk. Hard to fathom if you weren't there.

New to Apple Mac?

2010-01-27T13:12:00.000-08:00

I Had the familiar face, Zarino Zappia back in the Studio this week. This time for some moving image.

Employed by Apple, he aims to get some very simple but also very handy Mac tricks & tips across the air waves to benefit all those who are new to the Apple game. They are built right in to the Apple operating system and are going undiscovered & unused despite being awesome shortcuts and generally rudimentary. So his short, sweet, enthusiastic but clear demo videos will be quite a treat. He's producing them entirely himself and plans to release them weekly.

Here's my original post on the man, with relevant links to entertain you with his other creative work, & also to question him on all your Apple related queries.... CLICK.

Biggup the friendliest uber-geek in town. Here is his first finished video.

Mousehunt.

2010-01-17T14:55:00.000-08:00

Gotta Catch 'Em All.

Bromance.

2010-01-17T13:59:00.000-08:00

These two shots are the result of what initially was an idea I had, but ended in just messing about as we were pre-drinking for a night out on the razz and I lost my enthusiasm for operating things rapidly. These two are the only that struck me as worth posting. The first seems to hint at a subtle yet very cute adoration that's going down in camp L.A.D. I very much enjoy it. The other is a portrait that speaks for itself really... The unashamedly feminine traits that ooze out of us modern day, vanity ridden, pretty-boy-floyds. A kind of camp arrogance from straight men, if you will.

In some valid defence, he is well aware of the benefits of making aesthetic effort, trust me.

Mr. Dean...

2010-01-17T13:27:00.000-08:00

Dean is my Uncle, brother to my Dad and of course son of the infamous Don Bennito. He has lead a hard-working, relatively linear lifestyle for the most part but is soon to be married to the love of his life, Lynn. Since his relationship began to flourish I've observed a shift in his priorities. Being partially deaf he has had his fair share of challenges in life to say the least. However it seems he's finally being offered some of the best things life has to offer us. The couple have bought a new home out right, with years of savings and now have the prospect of many happy years in each others company. He's a softie at heart, like the rest of us Goodman blokes.

As background to the setting of my portrait of my uncle; My late Grandmother, Patricia (Dean's mum), was one of the most graceful and elegant woman i've ever had the pleasure of knowing. Her timeless style & taste for only the finest things in life combined with the adoration she had for her family, are now embodied in a form of shrine. It includes her unique passion for Siamese cats, displaying an array of ornate figurines and collectables that symbolise her tastes. I have to say that neither one of us would like to see this furniture nor its set up, disturbed. I guess you could say us Goodmans will always be proud to be in its presence... Put frankly, its a symbol of solidarity and love and we are steadfast proud.

Enjoy.

The Poland Wrench Massacre

2009-12-26T03:37:00.000-08:00

This shoot, I conducted in the mechanic's workshop at the cycle shop I work in. These portraits are more simplistic in their construction. I knew taking photos of such an aesthetically intimidating guy in the place that is effectively his second home, would leave me with interesting images whether I had a good idea or not. Therefore there is no pretentious prologue to these shots this time, yet they are equally as affecting as my previous portrait shoots which of course share many of the same traits of construction. I am referring to my adoration for spatial noise of course.

The first shot is a personal highlight as it reminds me so vividly of a scene from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, just only without the hilarious mask. The mechanic is polish and also boasts nearly all the requirements of an alpha male. He is nothing short of an absolute legend around the shop for his frank and to the point demeanour, whether that's in your face or not. In fact he's so much of an L.A.D it almost scares me with envy. Needless to say he is not allowed anywhere near customers on the shop floor outside of the windowless workshop!

Having said all of that, the last image of the trio I am posting, I stumbled across an hour later when the shoot was long over, catching him in a period of boredom. It totally negates everything I have said and makes him look just over five years old. It's for this reason that I love it... Timblography's Cliche of the week: "Is this more angelic image, the real guy hidden deep behind the steel facade of masculinity?" I am pretty sure I wont be suggesting this to his face though.

Here's what I've been up to lately.

2009-12-19T09:11:00.000-08:00

The Mansion christmas meal. It's all about friends.

We were so lucky to have special guest Friar Tuck.

Clinic on Tour.

2009-12-16T08:12:00.000-08:00

Last night Clinic Presents hosted yet another flawless night of creative debauchery. Teaming up with Bear Gami and a selection of the usual Clinic friends namely the Samizdat poets, Owen Lucas & Jamie 'N' Commons. Impressive alternative musical talent from live bands, Tangled Hair and Tall Ships were also showcased. The whole event was held in Camden in the Lock Tavern and was tighter then usual for space, being the first official night away from the comfort of home territory. Despite this the room was, as always, packed from start to finish with folk relishing in the Zine production workshop and of course the live entertainment. Contrary to the usual gallery set up, work submitted to the Clinic Fear exhibition was sporadically hung around the room, which did well in framing the creative hub I thought. I have to say a personal thank you to the guys for letting me showcase two of my own images at the night. I secretly listened out for reactions and comments and throughly enjoyed what was being whispered. Being judged by your peers is a wonderful experience.

Personal notes of the night I wish to make are: firstly the fact that only extremely dim, orange and red lights were available. No amount of adjustment could bring them out of that hue. However this proved to be an accurate documentation of both the mood & atmosphere the night held. Secondly the indescribable bedlam that was Tall Ships' set. Their Synths, loops and samples intertwining with indie-math rock, and the participation of the entire audience drumming and hitting generally anything they could, resulted in a solidarity of passion that is rare these days in live music. The final crowd shots pay little or no justice to that poetic chaos.

Kigu Playpen

2009-12-15T01:32:00.000-08:00

As a natural progression from my family portraits, I am now starting to mix things up. I plan to maintain my composition style that includes loaded, set-up portraits, often encompassing large amounts of spatial noise. However, from this point on, including more then one person in the shot and reaching further into my relationships then just close family. So I'm starting with my friends and housemates to see what I can find and curate any affects they exert into my portfolio.

These shots of my housemates were taken last night, & although they have been composed carefully by me (with the aid of a very glamourous assistant, who shall we say is taller then the average bear) for the purposes of framing and reflecting etc, they are essentially in a genuine state of relaxation. This is what they do after a hard days graft... The Kigus (animal fleece suits) are comfy and damn warm. The annihilation of online warfare opponents is egotistically rewarding & I toyed with reflections in the screen in an attempt to instil said point. The environment of a well spec'd media-playpen is also an ideal retreat for any person to regress to an age where things were simple and stresses were sparse.

What's not to enjoy?

Sibling Collaboration.

2009-12-13T05:53:00.000-08:00

So this weekend, Studio TimBo was fired up ready for portraits of the immaculate variety. The shoot was to produce portfolio images for make-up artist hopeful and general knower of all things stylish and fashionable, Evie Goodman (my sister). The images are testament to weeks of style planning in work books and research collages. Put together for an enrichment art award in between AS Levels at school. Using herself and her friend Vanessa Norton as models, she personally styled everything, and I mean everything as I am thoroughly useless at this particular activity. A strange experience to have to sit around and do so much idle waiting I have to say. However, the rewards for what I was then presented with to shoot was absolutely worth it.

Whether you like this commercial aesthetic or the respective styles is neither here nor there, the qualities to be recognised here are the transformation and contrasting effects in the styles in each set of portraits. Using Make up tones and application levels to alter structure, definition and contours in the name of feminine beauty. For more details on the inspiration and aims for each look, regarding her project, you can contact her via facebook here.

Shooting this project was extremely rewarding as I'm sure the shots will help to portray and as a whole, the project does great justice to the investment I put into acquiring the Studio TimBo equipment. Once again though, I wish to express my concern for the colour calibration on certain screens. My heart sinks when I see the colour saturation of these images on certain monitors. If you are finding them slightly odd, take into consideration they are all best viewed on Apple Mac screens (Print Calibrated).

Style 1:

Style 2:

Style 3:

Style 4:

These last two were my personal adaptation of style 4. Retracting just slightly from the warmer glows in skin tone and blonde hair in favour of a more porcelain aesthetic. See what you think...

My Mate Dave

2009-12-06T10:14:00.000-08:00

So this weekend I hooked up with one of Kent's finest up-and-coming dubstep DJs. He mixes some of the best oldschool bassy tunes with funky hiphop, triphop and generally anything fresh with big, cutting edge dubstep vibes that melt your ears. Currently the resident DJ for the famous 666 nights held at The Loft nightclub in Maidstone & more recently at CHILL in Canterbury, he has had the opportunity, along with fellow Twisted DJs, to showcase his turntablistic skill & trickery with some pretty heavy names. These include the likes of Zane Lowe, Pendulum, Rusko, Caspa, Erol Alkan, Kissy Sellout, Calvin Harris, Nero, 16 bit & the list goes on.

Now I can't hype this guy up enough, if you like your Bass. He's got some serious, serious talent and is now part of of the dj collective, Midnight Flight. There's djs left, right and centre these days, using mixing software and a whole array of digital aids. I see my fair share of them living around London but My Mate Dave is a straight up vinyl mixer with a pure passion that isn't numbers-through-the-door, based aka a club banger rapist. You've got to love your Dub to be fair. I had to get him to completely shut it all off at one point as I couldn't stop myself, nor him, from screw face rocking which was distracting me from the task at hand. The task being to promo shoot this badman in his own mixing palace. It was a proper laugh and I really enjoyed it to the extent that I felt guilty having to rush off.

You can catch My Mate Dave every Tuesday @ Twisted down at the Loft, Maidstone. Or alternatively every Wednesday down @ CHILL in Canterbury. If you can't make it down in the week, I advise you make the effort to get down to one of the twice monthly 666 'Dubbed Out' nights, which showcase drum&bass and dubstep's most famous talents.

To get a much better feel for him, check out his myspace or for booking information, e-mail him on djishuk@aol.com.

Continuation of Family Portraits: Timblography Senior

2009-12-06T05:41:00.000-08:00

Pre-Rat Race/dawn, at the station in Kent, looking forward to another week in Westminster in I.T Management. Often never gracing the natural lit day for office hours. Fathom the stress if you can, it scares me personally, but I can see it taking a tole in this image when I really look. I can assure you though you he is a rock solid provider for the family on all fronts, which surely must be the conciliation?

I am about 80% certain now that when I curate all of the family portraits I have done into one portfolio, they will be in colour. In a radical change of perspective I've come to realise that all of them are rad in 16bit. So look forward to the post that reveals the final images in their glorious, colour-toned beauty.

Zarino Zappia Promo

2009-12-04T07:07:00.000-08:00

This man of many talents is most famous for his wonderfully helpful and approachable character. Helpful in the sense of... You will definitely need his assistance one day in digital creative wizardry, and he will without fail have a comprehensive answer without you feeling like you've put him out at all. His knowledge of Adobe creative suites and all things Apple Mac are exponential and unfathomable. I am not exaggerating either, I constantly challenge him with technical issues I am having along my creative path, and he never fails to extinguish all my problems with often intensely geeky knowledge. I love it.

There are two parts to this post, they are as follows.

Apple on Campus:

Zarino is Goldsmiths' Apple representative and it's now become his job to promote the, quite frankly, pure advantage & brilliance of owning a Mac while studying at University. He is paid to promote the university discount you are entitled to & thus impart his knowledge on upgrading options and also deciding which package is best suited to you. He is so un-intimidating he could easily become your new best friend & his message is clear, simple and written on his t-shirt.

Join his Facebook group for more information and the chance to discuss all things Apple with him... Apple On Campus

DESIGN BY ZARINO:

As a result of his exceptional creative craft and simply awesome technical knowledge, his work can, with ease, fill you with envy on a, oh-my-days-this-is-utter-aesthetic-perfection, level. He is in the process of producing a brand spanking new website, that will converge all things online creative & social in online platforms, hence the requirement for some promotional portraits. Until that is completed you can have a browse over his temporary website (which is better then about 80% of most people's websites anyway!) to relish in his animation & website creation skill.

http://zarino.co.uk/

For some reason in these pictures when you fullscreen them they tend to go a bit green on iMacs. If you're reading this on a PC, there are exactly as they should be. Alas, here is the man himself for the third and final time...

Clinic Presents: A Workshop... Photos of the night...

2009-11-28T11:21:00.000-08:00

So the night was an obscure event throughout. The entire space was so awesome to be in, so comfortable and well fitted but with the overwhelming irony of the behaviour that once graced those poles before us creative folk moved in. Late starting due to some unpredicted fun setting up any form of lighting the Clinic guys could get there hands on, so the Zine workshop had no real chance to kick off to be fair. This was a shame, however the poetry workshop and readings were delightfully ambient & intimate as always. What was also interesting at this particular Clinic night was the ability for anyone to get involved and give their work an airing if they wished. There was a real vibe of creative sharing and also learning, which I felt was a nice touch to an an already popular event. A brill turn out as to be expected, & a real challenge to photograph.

This time I decided against flash in an attempt to capture the actual mood of the scenery. Grain is the result, but I think this only compliments the unfinished, lack-of-commerciality feel, that Clinic has. I apolagise for the length of this post, It was hard enough cutting it down to just these! Some really beautiful portraits were to be had that evening, I assure you...

Clinic Presents: A Workshop...

2009-11-25T10:16:00.000-08:00

In A Table Dancing Club.

This friday the well known creative group, Clinic, present a one-off zine & poetry workshop to be held in a squatted strip club right in the heart of Mayfair. The zine workshop will be lead by illustrator Sean Parker, featuring as much cutting and sticking as your heart could possibly desire with all finished work being hung around from the ceiling. Eventually all the work will be compiled into one final zine which will showcase the work of all involved. The poetry workshop will be lead by the Clinic poets in a friendly and creative atmosphere... a real easy way to improve your work.

The evening will then culminate in readings from Clinic & friends, and of course the ever present musical talent that is Jamie 'N' Commons playing a full set.

On the venue itself: walking straight off the very pavements in which Britain's richest & seediest big wigs tread, you will find an occupied strip club in the heart of Mayfair. Offering the most rare and quite frankly extraordinary opportunity to share your creativity in such the literal antithesis of where we are used to. Plush and sexually charged. Wink.

Here are a few shots I reccy'd earlier today thanks to the kind hospitality of the current residents. I DEFINITELY recommend coming down, it will be a creative hub and generally lovely social environment. It's running from 4-9 and it's also Sean's birthday, come and make him the birthday zine of his dreams.

Check out Clinic's event page for more details: Event Link

The shots below are taken using flash to clearly show you the venue's features and layout etc. However there is only, as always, very ambient and low lighting available to promote the calm and creative aura that goes hand in hand with intimate Clinic events.

Seacatz

2009-11-24T04:28:00.001-08:00

I'm on a boat, take a look at me.

Life by Providence

2009-11-23T11:37:00.000-08:00

The continuation of my family portraits. The fourth member being my uncle, sitting house proud, upon his domestic thrown. I hold him in high regard as totally fearless, not in an aggressive stereotypical sense, but as a character unfazed by any situation.

Richard Trist

2009-11-20T04:28:00.000-08:00

So this Scottish mean machine rang me up last night, telling of a performance piece he was conducting and requesting a good mug shot. His project entails a luring tactic to attract dates where by his assumed persona will attempt to woo a partner all in the name of performance art. So I invited him to come round first thing this morning in his finest attire, which to be fair to him is no small task to decide upon. Some things you should know about Tristy... He's a Giant, a real hench lad & take it from me, the shots that hold a more alpha male quality were not constructed via my direction. It takes little effort for him to dominate a scene in both character & physicality, which in my opinion is what makes him such a successful actor. Having said all that, he's an absolute gentle giant and a real stand up guy. Probably one of the most inoffensive guys I've met at University thus far.

Now then, enough of my sycophantic preaching, here he is....

Maidstone's latest creative hopeful.

2009-11-18T07:01:00.000-08:00

Jack Taylor, or Baby Jack as us natives know him, is the latest super-talented illustrator to come out of my home town in Kent. If Camberwell don't accept him, it will be a travesty. As you can probably tell from my shots of his mug below, he will fit into the East London art scene like a perfectly tailored glove.

He's brand new to the blogosphere and has yet to upload any kid of portfolio but to give you a small feel for his style, here's the beginnings of his blog...

Jack's Blog

Student Accommodation...

2009-11-16T03:51:00.000-08:00

It couldn't be more of a stark comparison to my post immediately below, yet together they demonstrate the ideal dynamic of my week, to weekends.

Make an escape...

2009-11-16T03:43:00.000-08:00

Apple Store Bluewater

2009-11-15T03:53:00.000-08:00

Just doing a bit of self promotion.... A few peeved staff members was worth my genius (bar).

Humunga-dunga

2009-11-14T11:49:00.000-08:00

It speaks for itself. My camera faced a barrage of 100mph salty sea spray, & so did my face. It was epic to view and epically hard to stay on my feet to capture. All in all an exhilarating morning on the southeast coast with a pretty mega result.... Excuse moisture on the Lens and excuse unorthodox exposures, they are mistakes that were a result of my childish excitement.

For readers who are sitting there remarking to themselves, 'don't look like much of a threat from down there', let me reassure you that after the shot is taken it blows up and out into a plume of viscous spray that you can't hide from until you're drenched. The final image in this post is mainly spray, and gives you a feel for the magnitude of this wall that is projected at you at 100mph.

A photograph tames the forces in a still snapshot.

On Location...

2009-11-13T03:11:00.000-08:00

I have carry cases for my strobe stands and flash heads which means that I now have the ability to bring my lighting to you, to shoot. This means beautifully lit shots in respective environments. Just ask!

Kigu!

2009-11-11T12:14:00.000-08:00

Read this... CLICK

Then look at the two contrasting shots below I made of the very photographer who's documenting their brilliance!

He walked through Camberwell & New Cross in broad daylight wearing this beauty & ended up at Studio TimBo. Now that's balls.

"the Kigu revolution has begun"

Check out these shots on the Kigu Crew Blog

HEY! That's My Octopus.

2009-11-11T11:36:00.000-08:00

Student radio producer and broadcaster, Luke Richardson popped along to Studio TimBo last night for a quick photo shoot. The shots I hope will help go toward publicising his, & his fellow presenter Luc Benyon, latest show Hey! That's My Octopus: Facebook Group. It's brand new and generally to quirky to even genre! Check out and tune into the shows to see what you think every Thursday 6-8pm @ Wired Radio.

Below is the glorious man himself and I've got to say... They are the highlight of Studio TimBo portraiture so far. They turned out crackin'.

The Funny Folk Comedy Club

2009-11-11T10:59:00.000-08:00

What can I write here? I mean it does exactly what it says on the tin. It's a fortnightly comedy club held in the Goldsmiths union which since it's start, at the beginning of this academic term, has been attracting some serious names in comedy. From the likes of Norman Lovett (Red Dwarf) to none other then Russell Kane, who is a multi-award winning comedian and has also performed on BBC's popular comedy programme, 'Live at the Apollo'. The man behind all of this magic on a Monday night goes by the name, amongst others, Ian Smith. So I invited him in to Studio TimBo for some head shots/funny faces/general comedy for me as I learn more about my studio. So much fun, thanks Ian.

Join his Facebook group for info on upcoming shows and all star line ups. It's Genuinely the least stressful night; cheap entry, cheap pints, barrel of laughs and no expectations.

These final shots are obscene. They were Ian's idea, executed by myself, & they make me so happy/want to vomit the more I look at them.

Arun Welandawe-Prematilleke

2009-11-11T06:27:00.000-08:00

Or... Aron Wellington Boots-Metallica, as we lovingly call him. The Sri-Lankan king of the cinematic arts, & a seriously talented actor to boot. On top of this he was the second ever model to enter through the doors of Studio TimBo. Enjoy his head shots, enjoy his attire. Enjoy his beautiful face.

Don Bennito

2009-11-08T04:54:00.001-08:00

As you may or may not be able to tell, I am slowly but surely producing a collection of family portraits. I am using my eccentric and sometimes dysfunctional family as the subject for my first attempt at a final year exhibition for my course. I am keeping them all black & white and will have my final selection printed out on a large format. With a bit of luck my fellow photographic colleagues and I, will have organised a place to display our work nearer Christmas time. I have shot my Granny twice now, my mother once and plan to work my way round most of my immediate family in their respective environments. This week was the turn of another one of my Grandparents, from the other side of family. I wont spend ages writing about his charismatic personality etc etc, I'll let my photos try to put it across.

Pre-Mixmag Firework Fun.

2009-11-08T04:02:00.000-08:00

Just before I ventured out on what was to become THE best DJ set to ever grace my ears, boasting an absolutely phenomenal combination of electronic music talent and fresh beats down at the Mixmag tour with Zane Lowe and MANY others... My family hosted a small firework display. The unprecedented, pain riddled, onslaught of bass, in the end completely over shadowed this little get together, however I find myself now working through my awful awful hangover with a few smiles coaxed from the photos I took of what went on before I initiated: Operation Destroy All Bodily Organs.

I don't know if you have ever tried to take pictures of fireworks before? But it's ludicrously hard. They are effectively light bombs with no real way of predicting what they will do, on top of which you can't meter for the light intensity, as before they go off, it's pitch black and your camera is very upset with you. So what either happens is, you get a sharp streaks of light and absolutely NO background... Or, such a long exposure that so much light comes pouring through your lens, you cannot even tell what's going on and there is no structure or shape visible. Still never mind ey, this was my attempt. The cliche sparkler shots were fun to make & the Roman candels produced some pretty sick extra-terrestrail effects at the very least.

He IS the big boss as well lulz.

Just Cruisin'

2009-11-05T14:12:00.000-08:00

This shot just turns a light on in my head. It lacks the same serious mood & It begins to show a dimension of fun that can be had during the process of taking photographs that can go undiscovered or be easily missed if the audience finds the subject mundane. What's more, it's greenery and perspective of movement smashes right through the static, greyscale of the images that I posted from the shoot, earlier in my blog. I just like how it's congruent yet at the same time polar oppositional to the shots I originally presented. It's on a different wave length. It's sick.

Bingle Bells, Bingle Bells, Bingle Bells Rock...

2009-11-04T07:54:00.001-08:00

Fellow Maidstonian compatriot and general lad, Ben Ingle, had the pleasure of a visit and brief stay to at our house this week on account of attending an open day at Goldsmiths. For entertainment we witnessed the 2009 Oxford Circus Christmas lights being switched on by Jim Carrey and partook in the world record breaking carol sing-a-long, hence the continuation of my brilliant pun titles. Apart from investing time in convincing him that the institution is perfect for his mind set, he was also kind enough to offer his services as model, for the Studio TimBo debut shoot.

Obviously I am still in a world of experimental pain, just trying to learn which light combinations create what effects etc. However as always with interesting characters it was a worth while portraiture experience. As a result I produced quite a weird range of styles.

I'd like to start with the following shot. If you know Ben, this will either make you choke with laughter or upset you to a horrible degree. Whatever the result, this is the Bingle I created. & I Love it!

The fine combination of alcohol, Sub Focus, and Kettle chips made it more of a laugh then you could possibly imagine. Thus the REAL Bingle came out to play with absolute ease & totally removed all awkward elements of a studio environment.

STUDIO TIMBO

2009-11-02T10:33:00.000-08:00

So I now have a fully fledged photographic studio in my bedroom.

>> Join the facebook group <<

It's fully equipped and versatile for most lighting set ups. Being a student, it's in my room so it's a really comfortable environment that we can stay up all night working in with sound system, wireless & beers etc etc. However with the cheeky bonus of also being professionally facilitated for flawless images.

No time restraints, no booking waiting lists, no really expensive photographer... Just me looking to expand a portfolio.

The following shots were literally created in under 10 seconds of messing around so excuse the lack of style, but I am reasonably excited about it all, so am posting them anyway...

Representation...

2009-11-01T02:33:00.000-08:00

After my recent shoot of my glorious grandmother, I produced one image especially that intrigued some people as to what it was saying. So much so that I consequently printed it large scale a few times. My family in particular seemed to enjoy a level of it that was intended to throw quite a negative light on the immediate family that surround her, in the form of obvious awkward undertones and uncomfortable body language. Nonetheless they enjoyed it to degree that quite upset me, as in my opinion as the creator of the image, it's not a shot to be hung in the dining room and celebrated. It's a little dark and upsetting for me to enjoy a roast dinner in the presence of.

I came to the conclusion that in fact my family are just desperate for a lovely picture of my gran and were overlooking what it portrays, in (with all due respect) blind ignorance to why she ended up positioned the way she did, undirected and instinctive to her feelings.

SO...

Instead of continuing to just moan like pretentious arty fag, I decided to shoot her again. She's an excellent model and anyone that has even met her for 5 minutes, will understand when I call her an absolute nutcase! She's is one of the most melancholy and hilariously happy women if you spare her a few minutes of your attention and she throws witticisms with the best of them! The following facial expressions are a result of her sarcastically bullying me for being a photographer and generally having a good time as I lavish her with attention. The second one is out of focus a touch, but how DARE I not upload such a cheeky expression!

Plastic Fantastic

2009-11-01T02:05:00.001-08:00

There's not a great deal to be said about these shots other then the fact that it was halloween & my sister was, as always, a readily available, dressed up model. Also that I have been playing with tints.

Having said that, It has come to light (excuse that brilliant pun) that for studio work at least, tints are massively overlooked in my thought process. For fashion and promotional shots especially, they contribute to the 'mood' by complimenting the model in a way which sets the content up to appear comfortable and giving the subject a sense of belonging to both the clothes she is wearing & the environment that surrounds her. I also tried to take this notion one step further by adding a softening glow to the extremities of the frame to promote the idea of an angelic and harmless image, too soft to offend.

DAS BOYFRIEND

2009-10-28T13:18:00.000-07:00

I recently conducted a photo shoot for an up-and-coming theatre collective who now go by the name Das Boyfriend. I have witnessed them individually on stage during my university career a number times in various performances, & their talents have impressed me to the extent where I cannot even comprehend how they can adopt such demanding character personas yet execute them so convincingly & with such style and panache. This says a lot about their own characters in my opinion and I was pretty honoured to be asked to shoot them as I have a sneaky suspicion their work as a theatre company will be really exciting to witness and generally successful!

Obviously they chose the shots they wanted from an album I produced for them, however I would like to use this post to showcase my particular pick of the set. I tried a whole range of ideas and set-ups to see what atmosphere I could create/promotional images I could compose & ended with some traditional head shots, taken using the back of a white truck no less. The whole experience was bags of fun and I want to do many more!

Join their FACEBOOK GROUP with respective links to their blog and website under construction...

Clinic Presents...

2009-10-28T10:45:00.000-07:00

Yes folks, another post documenting the talented arts collective that you should have read or heard about somewhere in the southeast London art scene by now. Last night I went along to their 'secret reading' which was held in The Dead Fox Gallery, Friendly Street. The comfortably ambient yet seemingly exciting event, was held there rather then the original secret venue of an old abandoned pub opposite All Saints Church in New Cross, due to unforeseen complications (namely blocked access). The night boasted a whole host of collaborative talent with many friends of Clinic, both poetic and musical, making appearances and performing live.

As a quick summary I can report that the night was as cosy as the definition of the word will allow with an overwhelmingly large turnout piling in to ambient-lit and warm, gallery space. I shall allow my photographs to do most of the talking but I can assure you the nights these guys put on are absolutely worth coming down to as the atmosphere of such an event cannot be replicated by any other genre of night out. A total success with a guaranty of meeting other artistically inclined brilliant characters.

From a photographic perpective it was a challenging night. There were at least 4 of us, probably more who were less excited to act like paparazzi snapping left right and centre, all trying to capture the atmosphere which as always is tricky in low lighting whilst trying maintain the detail of facial expressions etc. I shall also post a link to respective blogs/music hosting sites under each photo that showcases them. At this point I would like to stress that the proportion of shots of Jamie 'N' Commons is relative to the magnitude of how much I personally enjoy his music. His gravelly, belting voice and Folk-Blues songs are consistently brilliant.

>Dom Jaeckle's MySpace<

>Samizdat's Blog<

>Owen's Blog<

>Jamie 'N' Commons's MySpace<

>Clinic's Website<

Lost In Adoration.

2009-10-25T13:58:00.000-07:00

It's too complex to attempt articulation. They're not all sunshine and handbags.

Double-Crossed

2009-10-25T02:13:00.000-07:00

Contact me...

2009-10-24T12:40:00.000-07:00

timblography@gmail.com

A Familiar Face Remastered.

2009-10-22T01:02:00.000-07:00

A general Tyrant against bad times & curator of excellence and solidarity.

Catch this badman in action with the rest of the poetry collective he is part of, hosting a 'secret' event that will be sure to provide you with a lovely evening out. I know I'll certainly be there with my camera, it's going to be exciting I can assure you of that.

>>Click for Event Details<<

Time Consuming...

2009-10-21T14:15:00.001-07:00

But worth it.

I've been bang on the negative-restoring offensive this evening, it takes hours and they still are so far from perfect, however I am reasonably pleased with the results considering they were taken 23 years ago. The techniques involved are extremely useful in my opinion and although these arnt my origonal shots (seeing as I was not even a twinkle in my mothers eye at this time) my work has been put in to restoring them to a viewable state after all these years.

The following characters are my Mother and Father in 1986. He was a handsome chap ey, I now know where I get it from. As for the motor, I would sell a Kidney for a similar one, today.

Prints O'Clock

2009-10-21T11:45:00.000-07:00

I've just aquatinted myself with some astounding digital printing facilities @Goldsmiths

Despite my face expressing the contrary, I am really excited. The Bigger the better. As always.

16bit

2009-10-20T11:56:00.000-07:00

The story behind this is actually quite complex and amusing... But it also ruins it's face value appeal.

A plain and simple catastrophe of colour.

Simply Electronics; A review...

2009-10-19T08:20:00.000-07:00

This post is a both an account and an offer of advice to electronic goods consumers currently s***ing themselves as their order from www.simplyelectronics.net, through Amazon or not, has gone terribly wrong. The following advice is comprised of extensive research from reviews of previous customers and personal dealings with them very recently, myself...

Firstly, here are my top tips of advice if you are considering purchasing from them but haven't done so yet as their VERY low prices are extremely appealing and also what to do if you have and are worried...

1.) Use a credit card and DON'T use Paypal. (for legal money recovery reasons this is highly advisable)

2.) If you don't have a credit card, use your debit card but through Google Checkout as they care about their reputation and wont be best pleased if you complaint with issues of foul trading.

3.) If you provide an 'unverified' address with your card, you will almost certainly be asked to fax across to the company a copy of a utility and scan of your card (with certain information blocked out at your discretion) My point in this tip is very clear. If you provide an unverified address, cancel your order and submit a new one WITH a verified address, do not submit those documents as that will make you very susceptible to identity fraud if 'misplaced' during the destruction of those documents which you obviously cannot witness!

4.) If you indeed need to cancel your order or in fact (as many many many have) are simply chasing your purchases that never arrived and aren't making any progress with them after several weeks... Do not ring the customer service helpline as it WILL cost you a decent amount of money whilst waiting on hold for an extensive period of time. If you are lucky enough to get through to someone they have little authority to personally re-assure you for anything or patch you through to someone who can appease your discomfort.

5.) DO however, construct a meaningful, urgent and legally informative e-mail (not a threat but as near as), that maintains a polite demeanour, whilst simultaneously stressing how you are now sick and tired of miscommunication and want your information/update and or goods/refund immediately, to the following e-mail address....

vanessa@simplyelectronics.net

You WILL receive a reply within at least 24 hours and it WILL put you at ease with an explanation as to what has gone wrong and how it can be resolved quickly. I read about her reputation extensively on forums and also saw her actively reply to threads on said forums offering help and information on the most viscous of accusations.

To cut a long story short I ordered a Wide-angle Lens, was sent an e-mail to verify who I was of which, obviously, I didn't want to submit the fore-mentioned documents and consequently cancelled my order. I also began to research the company's reputation (which I should have done prior to my order) and began to vehemently panic. The extent of this company's unhappy customer catalogue is unfathomable. In addition it appears they are dealing with Imported goods from Hong Kong (although I cannot back this up this) which may be a possible reason for slow deliveries if out of stock. I read many a horror story of months without money or items and it dawned on me that I had lost my money with little chance of recovering it as I use Paypal and my debit card which protect the seller to the very end.

HOWEVER fret not my avid and patient readers, as we must not forget Amazon's 97% positive feedback record for the company, it's ludicrously low prices, and of course the one and only Vanessa who single handedly extinguished my embers of fear and angst with efficient, speedy and to the point progress e-mails of my order. She personally saw my transaction through to completion. She is a customer service Queen let down by her company, I'd say.

On a final note, I hope that the following is true...

A.) That you managed to find this post and it's advice useful and informative (in my attempt to aid people that found themselves in a similar position to me late at night)

B.) That you found my post with ease and had a quick glance at my work whilst you were here

and finally C.)

That you consider the point I am stressing here which is, although they have a pretty awful reputation, they aren't actually as bad as made out because no-one blogs or writes on forums with positive experiences, it seems. If you follow my recommended procedure when things go wrong, I believe it would be worth it for the savings of often around the £200 mark. After all, despite all the horror stories I received a full refund less then a full week after clicking the order button which is equal or dare I say better, then most online company's response times. I then went on to purchase my lens (from a real man in the end, admittedly) for a higher price the next day.

Disclaimer: This is obviously my personal opinion and NOT to be taken as fact, just incase you are let down and wish to blame my advice ha!

It's getting colder...

2009-10-18T09:29:00.000-07:00

So I bought my cat a new hat. He gets all the Topshop felines.

Casually flexin' the guns... What a L.A.D.

HRH Susan Christina Bolland

2009-10-18T04:30:00.000-07:00

Greenwich Tunnel Closure

2009-10-17T01:28:00.000-07:00

Much to my dismay I have discovered that from the new year, the Greenwich Foot Tunnel will officially be closed for 10 MONTHS! The reasoning behind this epic annoyance is the same for why the East London tube line was closed down (as soon as I moved into the area of course)...The 2012 London Olympics.

The tunnel is used by around 1.5 million people a year & proves as an important tourist attraction and a vital link for cyclists (trying to save the planet and money, nothing wrong with that) at a rate of 250 bikes per hour at peak times! As greenwich.co.uk reported earlier this year, The Tunnel is to be given a “substantial refurbishment” running until March 2011 and costing a mega £11.5 million.

This means a number of things for me, it either doubles the distance of my commute to Canary Wharf, or will start to cost me £5 travel each time as I cannot ride with ease any longer. More importantly, either way the time it takes me to get there will be nearly tripled! As an esteemed colleague of mine would say, "das baree jokes ya know". My conclusion is that London is going to become more and more of a logistical nightmare the closer to 2012 we get. Of course many would argue it already is, with hundreds of London underground closures crippling tourist journeys every single weekend.

The Great Beacon of Hope

2009-10-16T12:03:00.000-07:00

The Ivory-tower that looks over us and will pull us all out of the Recession. Bonus-in-hand.

I've started so I'll finish.

2009-10-16T11:58:00.000-07:00

I-saw...

2009-10-11T12:03:00.000-07:00

Evidently this is becoming something I am increasingly more intrigued by. Environmental subtlety at the expense of function, and I'm not just talking aesthetically.

Twee

2009-10-04T10:23:00.000-07:00

I discovered this small haven along my journey to higher lands. If you wish to write a novel, & before you joke I know a good few who strive to fulfil that very goal... Do so in a retreat of this calibre, it will only benefit you. It may represent the ideal, in terms of being polar oppositional to personal issues I hold these days, but let's face it, we all wish we could escape it all at some point or another to the land of quaint. Perhaps you hate the cliché, perhaps you despise the quintessential British image, but in your heart you know you'd relish in owning your own miniature Castle on an estate that is void of annoyance.

Atlantis

2009-10-03T08:31:00.000-07:00

Do not ask me what I was doing here, the reason is as ambiguous as the subject matter. Perhaps that's why I was was lucky enough to see it.

National Nature Reserve

2009-10-02T13:22:00.000-07:00

Isn't it beautiful...

Wildlife at the Mansion.

2009-09-24T15:20:00.001-07:00

This week marks the official return of both myself and my Goldsmiths routines, to the Motley Mansion. I sharnt harp on about all I have planned for this coming year's hive of activity that is my final year projects (but do expect it soon of course) however, I have now returned from the depths of summer retail which means the return of persistent photographic blogging from this point onward!

The photography I really care about and wish to showcase is obviously portraiture but as is usually the case, my mind wanders into taking shots of anything I find vaguely amusing or pretty. Having said that, you can forgive me for my 'wildlife' photography, if anything, I am going to relate these shots to my ever building portraiture of our non-human residents. For this post then, I have chosen a couple of photos that stood out in my iPhoto, & include the creatures I apparently live with....

Awww arn't they cute, why does my grumpy housemate, have to bash them to a pulp with frying pans? Don't fret though children, luckily he wasn't in when we rescued this pair...

Idiot

2009-07-19T06:54:00.000-07:00

So there I was grilling some mean bangers on the BBQ when I randomly turned to notice this absurd sight. Either it's idea of a safe habitat is warped or it's a 'pigeon on the edge', thrill-seeking... A Sky dish is an appalling choice of home, at best.

The 'Sports' Car.

2009-07-19T06:40:00.000-07:00

My dear old Grandmother decided to take it upon herself to buy the family a sunday run around. Lovingly named the 'Sports' car (so so flawed), much to my fathers delight she chose a more classic style motor, much to my disappointment as well, of course. It's very loud, produces choking fumes and is absurdly uncomfortable. That said, they don't make cars as pretty these days & it certainly serves well as a symbol of middle class tradition sitting on our drive. A stark contrast to our more modern, vacuous euro-boxes.

More Confessions

2009-06-29T02:59:00.001-07:00

On saturday night I brought all my gear along to The Loft, Maidstone, to get some sick shots of the crowd, there to witness CASPA & TC's onslaught of bass lines. The ingredients for the night involved not only two of my favourite bass artists, but a warm summers evening, a large percentage of my old friends (back from uni) and of course the infamous cheap drink deals. What ensued therefore was one of the best nights out I've had (/endured due to extreme heat and ear melting bass intensity) in many weeks.

Of course there were a few drawbacks... Too hot to enjoy concentrating, too drunk to understand how my camera actually functions without fully auto settings, and a malfunctioning flash, as I had attached the hot-shoe cable on backwards (not the lack of battery power as I had assumed at the time.)

The lesson I effectively learnt here: work is work so don't go looking for a good time when you want results, it will only end in tears. I am understandably disappointed in my self but refuse to regret my decision as it was such a sick night. Massive props to Benno for his performance that night, as well.

This is basically all I achieved before I Immediately threw in the towel. How lucky Mr. Hoad is, although he needs to work on his tan lines...

Norman, have you stolen an Apple? Ohh ma'am.

2009-06-28T05:39:00.000-07:00

I would like to draw your attention to the eccentricity of my best mate,

It's Ross's Birthday on Tuesday, but I shall be working so I went out last night with him. The following occurred on the way home with our good buddy namely, Mandrews. So many laughs, I love drunken walks home & I love Ross. Happy Birthday, mate.

(Note please, the same joke, just further up the road, only on a squashed shorter bike this time.)

(I have absolutely no idea what sparked the following scene, I can only assume they wanted to create something 'artistic'. It definitely worked. So Well. Brilliantly in fact.)

Nightmare.

2009-06-28T05:30:00.000-07:00

So I finally get a photo shoot arranged and to make sure the scene I have chosen is perfect I make the trek up to it for a reccy shot in the same lighting conditions, the night before. Bare in mind that for the previous week and a half the weather has been flawless, I was expecting nothing less then epic results.

After about 9 or 10 days of beautiful sunshine, the time for my shoot draws near and sure enough the heavens open with hale stones. So from roughly 75 odd degrees to straight down icey-apocalypse, at possibly the worst time conceivable. I obviously Sin to much.

Alas here is the best of my reccy shots. It was suitably idyllic and the sole reason why I love Kent.

SURPRISE

2009-06-28T05:23:00.000-07:00

Startling the older generation...

Warning: It upsets them.

Millie Molly Mandy

2009-06-28T05:15:00.000-07:00

Today is the 28th June. This means one thing, it's Triple M's Birthmas and everyone who has ever had the pleasure of meeting her knows what a gentle and friendly soul she is. She may not qualify as a real dog, but she certainly makes a fine companion of a pet none the less. However, her secondary (but most important) occupation is surveyor and protector of the Goodman estate, as demonstrated below...

Goldsmiths Drama Society Continued...

2009-06-21T10:46:00.000-07:00

The following 3 shots were taken from the same drama society event, however during previous plays...

Black Swans

2009-06-21T04:03:00.000-07:00

Yet again, the Goldsmiths Drama Society are taking self-written pieces to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Amongst the three plays heading up to Scotland in late August, is a performance from a contingent called the Black Swans. Secular from their respective course timetables, they have rehearsed and executed a poignant piece that tackles emotions and struggles synonymous with the current economic climate.

I went along to one of their final rehearsals which interestingly was one of their first performances to a sizable audience, to see if I could get some promotional shots of the scenes. This was a reasonable task as the thought of blasting my flashgun into the eyes of already nervous actors, was not favorable, especially considering how intimate the venue was. Over coming many a failed test shot due to poor metering and way-over exposed facial features, & using an absurdly high iso, Do not ask me why when enlarged the photos saturate so much however I managed (I hope) to achieve acceptable images that give you an idea of the tension with in the performance.

Their play was in fact lucky enough to be picked from roughly 3000 others, to be mentioned in the official press release which as you'll see, many a big name is also included in, too. The press release can be found here (roughly fourth paragraph down):

Edinburgh Fringe Festival

This shot turned out to be my personal highlight.

JBN's BACK

2009-06-20T13:38:00.001-07:00

This week marks the return (FOR GOOD) of one of my bestest, buddy 'ole pals. His lengthy stay in the eccentric, eastern European, wonderland that is the Great Estonia, despite being resident UEA student, has come to an end. As exciting & culturally beneficial as the trip was, we are all glad he's home on British Soil now, for good. His laavly other-half, Manning, & him have thus immediately come to visit. Slapping on the glad-rags and consuming mint Liquor from the Czech republic, (mouthwash) in preparation to smash up London Town, the resulting shots were taken with a big smile on my face.

OWWWWW!

2009-06-16T02:54:00.000-07:00

I've just returned from DOWNLOAD festival 09, which consisted of 5 days of filthy Rock N' Roll-fueled fun in blisteringly beautiful sunshine. I can honestly say contained with in this small portion of days were the very best hours and also some of the very worst hours of my entire life. Fighting for my life in epic scale, moshing, crowds & surviving on a foul meal of sausage and chips for £7 each night, were tough, but being no more then an arm's reach from my hero, Nikki Sixx whilst screaming my heart out made it all worth while. To be quite frank, I could type here all day and all night on euphoric emotions and feelings I experienced during this festival & give you my opinions on the performances of most of my favourite bands, for even longer.

Rather then bore you though, perhaps these shots will give you a rough idea of just how awesome the atmosphere really was.... Ignore the quality though, SLR's were banned :(

See the Line-up that justified my excitement:

here: http://www.downloadfestival.co.uk/lineup/index.aspx

Confession

2009-06-06T12:48:00.000-07:00

I am still playing, I'm dossing.

Instead of feverishly arranging models and shoot locations (although I am trying, just rather half-heartedly), I am currently still just exploring my new camera's capabilities and dramatic lighting tricks. I have little excuse for such behavior, other then just working a lot more recently to cover the time off I have coming up for festivals. However, the results of experimenting have pleased me somewhat. As I discovered in the third shot of this post, when you give this new sensor technology the right intensity of lighting, from the right angles, it draws out some disgusting detail. Disgusting in the good way of course.

My shots this time, come in the form of a selection of portraits of my good buddy, Jonathan Titmuss (best known for his Tom Cruise-Esc acting, famous cousin and being a bloody nice guy 100% of the time), has anybody who knows Jon ever been pissed off by him? Other then that cheeky homeless man who wanted money in New Cross and thus received brutal punishment for trying to take Jon's, obviously.

Subconsciously though, a sinister mood seems to be my main criteria for a result.

Immaculate.

2009-05-31T13:07:00.000-07:00

So it became time again (nothing to do with pay day, I swear), to retain my status as the High-top extraordinaire. My previously purchased pair were part of a special edition package Nike produced to represent lovers of 'Heavy Metal'. The combination of 80's metal typography, clean black leather with shiny gold tick & added gold studding on the ankle, made these Terminators the sickest design I'd ever laid my eyes upon. Alas now they have been out classed with the sister pair in the Heavy Metal package, the Vandals, which I promptly purchased on friday. I also took this opportunity to test out my new fixed lens and shot these magnificent bad boys in all there glory on my bed, at f1.4. Enjoy and be jealous...

FRAHW YRANAC

2009-05-27T16:10:00.000-07:00

It's all a matter of perspective...

Testing. Testing.

2009-05-27T01:43:00.000-07:00

First shot with the beauty dish.

Many more to come.

Clinic Poetry

2009-05-26T14:54:00.000-07:00

My good friends and fellow Goldsmithians have come together to form a poetry collective named Clinic. Consisting of Andrew Parkes, Rachael Victoria Allen and Sam Buchan-Watts, the 3 very talented writers explore their past experiences & challenging interactions, through portrayal of emotions expressed in poetic flare. As a collective they have had several readings now and impress all who dare to listen... here are some shots of Clinic at their lastest reading in the New Cross Inn.

Read and enjoy all their poetry published on the Clinic blog...

@ clinicpoetry.blogspot.com

Please excuse the poor quality of resolution in these shots.

Self P.

2009-05-04T03:05:00.001-07:00

Below is a shot I took of one of my photo shoots. Serving as a self promotional shot for my attempt at portraiture of the self [intentionally cryptic of course], I have made the image as striking as possible using a fish-eye lens in combination with a super contrasty, cool-tone effect.

The original film print is stuck to the front of my bedroom door functioning as a collection of signifiers synonymous with me, hence a replacement for a sign gracing my name.

Summer's here: Proof

2009-05-03T08:54:00.000-07:00

Temps are up (touch wood) and the sunshine is prevailing. One of the advantages of having a tree just outside from your window is the occasional treat when you're sick of the derelict architectural view. This critter was surprisingly uplifting at the start of the day. One of many I assume I'll enjoy over the coming months...

Destination Unknown.

2009-04-25T02:18:00.000-07:00

My latest promotion based shoot has a cosmic twist. My aim was essentially to construct an extra-terrestrial context for both my model and a dress previously used on a Vogue catwalk. Consumed in a beam of light, framed in the shroud of darkness, I wished to maintain my voyeuristic style whilst still attempting a subtle flattery. This resulted in quite dramatic shots, which included polysemic expressions and ambiguous body language, synonymous with alternative fashion imagery.

http://coldwarclassics.tk

2009-04-22T12:35:00.000-07:00

With a few more radio shows being uploaded on to the blog & a new show timetable approaching, the Cold War Classics team comprising of Stevie-Ruby-Red -Robinson, Ian Jamesy James and myself will be firing up our Saturn-5 rockets again V-soon. So head over to the CWC page, download a show or two and listen out for updates on what's coming up!

Guilty As Charged

2009-04-22T04:45:00.000-07:00

Being in the right place at the right is the biggest cliché in photography rule book 101, but on this eventful New Years Eve a certain lover of 'Bishops Finger' aka L.A.D. Numero Uno, proved it to be a decent rule to follow. The offender in question seemingly needed to be taught a lesson for apparent rude behavior. I contemplated to myself whether this post would detract merit from my other posts due to its vulgarity... I consequently refrained from being an idiot and uploaded this brilliance for the world to admire.

Hmmm

2009-04-20T08:55:00.001-07:00

Of course, there are finer sides to London. I'll allow some shots I took of the architecture I came across on a trip to Senate House Library, speak for itself...

Stunning.

New Crossian Delight

2009-04-20T03:58:00.001-07:00

After having recently been mugged at gun point, held from behind with a revolver to my throat, I have become reasonably detached to my address in New Cross. Coming from a quaint little village called Bearsted in Kent, the excitement value of living in what I can only describe as a Ghetto, has worn off completely. Obviously my personal circumstances are rare and I am now part of the crime 'statistics' that are hard to accept as genuine threats, however I thought I'd post up some shots I've taken recently.

From constant sirens to vehicle arson, occasional visits from Riot Police vans along our road and of course large drugs raids all occurring right outside my window on a regular basis... One becomes tired of unrest and social squalor. Of course even on a quiet day, residents are subjected to intimidation by the oversized roaming beasts, aka pet Pit-bull and Staffordshire Bull Terriers that are a drug dealer necessity thus almost hilariously common on our street. So perhaps from my slightly over dramatic tone, you can imagine my displeasure when woken up this morning by what I can only describe only as a construction site at the very foot of our front steps!

Note please how in the last of my shots (above), just the exit to our particular house has been completely gated off, so I am assuming I am not allowed to leave my own home in case I get in the way of the completely unexplained and 'essential' works taking place whether I like it waking me up at 8 or not. We must have upset a Lewisham councilor.

"You don't need the Sun, you have your own cone-shaped sunburst machine"

2009-04-18T09:19:00.000-07:00

Originally named "Peepin' Tim", courtesy of my good friend Toby Neilson, this post basically involves experimenting with a new piece of Speedlite kit I bought myself to celebrate my new working life. It's an absurd device that resembles an oversized ice cream cone on the end of my flashgun. To cut a long story short it constricts and directs a blanket flash into a spot, creating a voyeur style of photography (hence the original pun based post title). The resulting shots are a mixture of video gaming/youtube rinsing to create the obvious aura of mischief, with a well timed trigger-finger so as to not miss out on the golden opportunities.

Fisheye: Chase&Status@Goldsmiths Union

2009-04-15T05:10:00.000-07:00

When Drum&Bass/Dubstep superstars, Chase & Status came to my University's Union bar, I have to be honest...I didn't know what to expect. It's an understatement to say our union is often empty (the downside to running a bar that isn't really particularly cheap in a city of infinite event variety). So I took along my camera and relatively cheap fish eye filter so see what crowd shots I could nab.

Absolute props to the Goldsmiths Bass Society who run regular events throughout Southeast london, it was an unmitigated success. A concoction of live Brass Horns from The 'Goldbones' lads performing live acoustic renditions of Dubstep bangers, complimented by a packed out venue and flawless set by C&S meant that I can humbly say it was without doubt the best event held at Goldsmiths Union since my enrollment. Only good times were had by all.

Below is a very small sample of what I captured that night, crowd shots being the highlight of my set, what an atmosphere.

Fancy dress nights are my worst nightmare.

2009-04-13T15:23:00.000-07:00

An old fancy dress favourite is of course, the cowboy. For me this is somewhat problematic as I genuinely adore the old Western aesthetic. Partially 80's metal influenced and partially epic hollywood wardrobe jealousy, I forged a love for cuban heels and full length, leather cowboy boots. My only defense when quizzed on the stereotype is the pride I can take in knowing my particular boot of choice is 100% python and very definitely worth the elaborate price tag to obtain exclusivity. I shan't bore you with the details of the rest of my boot collection, but just incase you're intrigued, here's a disgustingly fetishized shot of my boot line up to pay homage.

Personality

2009-04-13T06:18:00.000-07:00

It's in my opinion that people come into their own when under a particular amount of influence. It's far from sober whilst simultaneously being along way off the desired level of drunkenness for the night ahead. This state results in a zero amount of embarrassment through a combination of looking Ab.Fab. & also maintaining enough self awareness to result in capturing pure ace times, with no crashing or discomfort for miles around. Pre-drinking photo shoots therefore become both a necessity and the most rewarding to reflect upon.

Spread the Timblography word...

2009-04-13T05:57:00.000-07:00

If you are sitting there thinking to yourself, how can I help Timbo out and partake in a good samaritan deed for today... Well my esteemed colleagues, you can pass this image around your own blogs + social networking sites, & freely exchange the Timblography URL across the land to coax in as much publicity as possible. I will certainly be obliged to return the kind favor.

Tongue in Cheek?

2009-04-10T12:57:00.000-07:00

A regular face in my photography, I know. However back on B&W medium format film and a new spin on glamour photography. She's so dolled up, between her cheeky expressions and innocent appeal, she almost allows a prop as dirty and sweaty as kickboxing mitts to pass as glamourous.

Admittedly, it's somewhat debatable whether my intentions came across well in this pair of images. Personally, the highlight of this shoot was the gloss produced on the leather. One could attempt to glamorise 'violent' natured sports with a similar technique, perhaps an idea for a future shoot in publicising an event....

Reflections are your friend

2009-04-10T10:05:00.000-07:00

Whether an utter fluke or a genuine intention, creating reflections seem to be worth considering occasionally. For example, when desperately trying to document a small petrol bombing in my very street (relatively common place in delightful neighborhood's such as mine in New Cross), I simultaneously managed to capture the shear delight at seeing such an event, on my friend Becky's face all in the same shot.

Another example occured when attempting to document the passing of time with weather and lighting conditions. I instead ended up managing to produce a reflection of my hand posing in what seemed an obscure position at the time, but appearing as though I am cradling a small bunch of flowers when developed. Who'd have thought I would be able to hold such a grand tree in one hand.

Highlighting

2009-04-10T07:05:00.000-07:00

When you mix an angelic blonde model with an extraordinarily high, Victorian ceiling to bounce light from, what results is, a mesmerising highlight of my model's face that can only accentuate beauty. I really enjoy this technique and plan to use it much more often in my portraiture.