023 - Vitali

Massimo Vitali

“My photography comes from absolute matter-of-fact situations but also from a deep curiosity that I possess for people, for what they do and how they think.”

This photo is one that I keep going back to, every time I do I find something new. Another character, another moment. Capturing moments is something photographer's do, that's something regularly said, but Massimo Vitali is managing to capture hundreds of moments, countless interaction's between the characters in his images. Yet the way he composes the image is such that all of the moments come together, forming a greater depth to the image. You can view it from a distance and it's an amazing photograph, or you can get right up close and get lost in it. I say this in the nicest possible way, but his work reminds me of a where's wally poster. This screenshot does no justice to the detail, you have to visit his site and explore. Some of the images have a magnifying glass, these are the ones you'll get lost in.

http://www.massimovitali.com/

022 - Photographer

David Guttenfelder

This isn't the kind of work I normally look at, but it's increasingly becoming the work that interest me the most. I know it's not new work but today I came across David Guttenfelder's Iphone images, which are truly amazing. Some of his more traditional work is below.

(AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)

(AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)

(AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)

021 - Photo

Project complete.

Finishing the project is the easy bit, being happy with it is a totally different challenge.

I just think it lacks the quality/advertising feel than the other one. Deadlines forced a fairly rushed idea/shoot, it's just disheartening when I produce something of not a high enough quality, but the time limit stops me from being able to re-shoot or even come up with a decent idea.

020 - I hate afro.

I hate afro.

Well, maybe not hate. But there is no chance of me cutting one out again.

019 - Shoot

I don't think I can say much else!

Perfect blue skies today so off to shoot the location part of this project.

018 - Photographer

Thomas Prior

Blackrock Tower, a brilliant series from Thomas Prior.

http://www.thomasprior.com/photo.php?nCatID=27&nPID=334

017 - Photographer

Michael Levin

I've been loving shooting 5x4 recently, and this guy is incredible.

©Michael Levin

©Michael Levin

His website seriously needs to be checked out!

016 - Photo

I've taken a photo

Something which, for a photography student, shouldn't be surprising. Yet when the act of taking a photo reminds me of so much, it's become hard to even consider shooting. Now it feels like a turning point has been reached, all the inspiration and ideas I've had are starting to come forward, blocked only by deadlines and finance. Which just happen to be major considerations.

The limiting factor of in-productiveness is that as the work approaches and passes the deadline, another project is set. The last month where I've had 5 simultaneous projects hasn't been the best, but arguably it's been the most important. I finished the essay unit successfully, and now awaiting the marks for a digital imaging unit. It could be that the threat of having to leave uni is one that forced me into working, working hard at that or maybe I have reached that point when the past becomes something which, instead of holding me back, is now pushing me forward. So watch out, I've got catching up to do.

Chairman

015 - New York

New York

In 2 hours I will be leaving my little house in Bournemouth and flying to New York. My first time out of Europe and I'm going to spend it with Platon, Phillip Toledano and Chris Verne. Which more than makes up for the fact I'll be arriving at my hotel at 0130 GMT.

As well as that, I'll be doing a shoot for Criminal Clothing. I can only hope I can get some time to go off, explore and get some shots. It's been a long time since I have.

See you all in a week.

014 - Published

YEAH cover shoot

This morning YEAH released an image of latest magazine which I shot the cover for.

As soon as I saw my photo like this I suddenly went from not liking the project to it being one of my favourite pieces of work. Which I suppose reinforces the point that the output of photography is vital to the way it's read. A point that had been brought up a lot recently at uni in essays and presentations, but what I have missed is that the context will change the visual power of the image. I think a major aspect of the original shoot that I didn't like was the large portion of negative space at the top of the image. It's only been cropped a little, but now that the title is there I think it add's to the image. Or, at least covers the part that detracts from the image!

But I'm proud. It's been a new genre, a new style and a new context. I think it's gone well

Magazine is out on the 15th Feb. Can't wait!

013 - Shoot

YEAH cover shoot

Today I was in the studio for, well, my first ever portrait shoot. Up until now I haven't shy'd away from the studio, but I've avoided photographing people. I suppose that's part of the reason I came to Bournemouth, to learn new things, expand my abilities. When YEAH Magazine asked me to shoot the front and back cover for the next issue, with a theme of 'Girls and Boys', I jumped at it.

I first got some great inspiration from Edward Weston's classic nudes, as well as Andreas Bitesnich, who I discovered through this page of amazing images. The idea began as having two models (a girl and boy) shot nude, one facing away from the camera, and one towards. Then reversing the directions for the back cover. However, with a last minute drop out from a model I had to change things around. Unable to find a nude model in 6 hours I pulled in the housemates. But as they were uncomfortable with being photographed naked I had to rethink the shoot. So I decided to try and create a bed scene within the studio, quickly realising the difficulty of lighting 2 models on a white floor with white linen. The differences between the front and back cover transferred to having one model turned over/asleep whilst the other was awake.

It was actually a really good, fun shoot. I got lucky with my housemates actually turning out to be pretty great in front of the camera. Now I have the next 20 hours to edit the shots and get them over to YEAH HQ. But here's a behind the scenes look of my feet and the lovely Camilla:

http://yeah-magazine.blogspot.com/

http://www.bitesnich.com/

008 - Exciting times

Exciting Times

Things have been crazily busy recently. But things have been exciting

YEAH

It's been a while since I've posted but news like this can't wait. Ben Errey over at YEAH Magazine has asked me to shoot the next cover, with the theme of Boys & Girls. Exciting times! It's been a while since I've done anything that isn't uni work so I'm particularly looking forward to this. So I just need to get the studio booked, sort out some models and I'm sorted.

Youth-led Media Summit

Thanks again to Ben Errey, he introduced me to the Youth-led Media Summit, which sounds, so good, there's loads of different workshops all day, Dazed & Confused are even offering an internship! So excited about this, so roll on next Tuesday! I spoke to Warsan who's the Project Officer for this, and she is so lovely! Even know I'm pretty late at getting involved with the summit she's been amazing and has sorted it all, even my travel expenses!

007 - Video

007 - Video

I really miss adventures. This was from summer 2008 on a wild camping trip to the lake district. But it's not only the little adventures I miss, I miss the little missions late at night in town, climbing scaffolding, buildings and anything we could find. These things were always my inspiration for work, my photography went hand in hand with exploration. Since I've been in Bournemouth I haven't been out with a camera. something I plan to change as soon as I can

006 - Film

Beaufort

I recently watched this film and the first thing that struck me is how little happened in it, yet it said so much. It had an incredible atmosphere and the whole film was punctuated by perpetual yet somehow always unexpected mortar fire, always accom

panied by the dull voice of a bored lookout; "incoming, incoming".

Certain scenes struck me on a purely visual basis:

These stills are taken from inside the complex maze that is the bunker. A character, Ziv, is trying to find his way around the bunker and the cinematography is perfect for this moment.

I just think it's a fantastic location and they did it justice.

It's a location I would've loved to have access to back when I shot these in January:

It's a series I want to go back and re-visit, expand it beyond just the one location. I've scouted a few locations that would be good, hopefully once the workload of uni goes down I'll be able to give it some more time.

005 - Photographer

Alexander Gronsky

I have known about Alexander Gronsky for about 20 minutes. Thanks to Jörg Colberg's Conscientious blog.

There isn't anything in his work shy of incredible. A master of composition with the ability to control a figure in the landscape.

What strikes me most is that the images Gronsky creates, are kind of images I've always aimed to create. If I had discovered him a year or two ago, then how much would he have influenced me? I'm not denying that I find him inspirational, he has instantly become one of my favourite artists.

So thank-you Jörg.

http://www.alexandergronsky.com/

http://www.photographer.ru/

http://jmcolberg.com/weblog/

004 - Magazine

YEAH.

YEAH MAGAZINE IS A NEW THEME BASED, QUARTERLY, INDEPENDENT MAGAZINE. YEAH HAS BEEN PRODUCED TO BE AN AVENUE FOR CREATIVE PEOPLE TO GET THEIR WORK SEEN. EACH ISSUE WILL SEE A NEW THEME, GIVING THE MAGAZINE MORE DIVERSITY EACH TIME IT’S PUBLISHED. YEAH IS NOT JUST GOING TO BE A FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY MAG. WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE TIED DOWN, WE CAN GO ANYWHERE. IT IS ALL DESIGNED TO GET YOUR WORK SEEN!

YEAH. is great. I love it. From concept to quality, it delivers. The 4th issue came out last Sunday and from the personalised cover letter to the stew of creativity inside this 38 page quarterly mag. What I love is that every page has a personal touch from a different artist, be it photographer, illustrator, writer, stylist... the list goes on. YEAH is getting better with every issue yet maintains the sense that it is put together by creative people, for creative people.

I can only hope that YEAH continues growing, progressing and improving.

http://yeah-magazine.blogspot.com/

http://www.yeah-magazine.com/

002 - Photographer

Stuart Freeman

I first met Stuart back in 2004 when I did my work experience at Contrast Photography in Basingstoke, and I assisted at Contrast the next few summers. He's the 2006/08 commercial & advertising and a great person to work with. After being made redundant in October 2008 he started Hype Photography and opened his studio March this year.

His work is definitely worth checking out:

http://sfreeman.co.uk/

http://www.hypephotography.co.uk

001 - Blog

I am starting a blog.

Currently studying Commercial Photography at AUCB Bournemouth.

I am an adventure seeking photographer, student, climber.

This is a blog of me trying to get better at all of these things.

It's a menu of things that inspire me, a list of the good (and the bad) times and a diary of me trying to succeed at life.

Let's see how it goes.

Max