A true Gem of a photograph from Focus on Imaging

I was asked to review portfolios on the Manfotto stand at Focus on imaging this year there were many many good photographs but one stood out to me as being so special and so different that I decided to blog about it.

As readers of this blog will know I like photography that has an edge and communicates something beyond the obvious.

Coltrane Koh bought his folio along for review and this was his opening shot.

It is, I think you will agree, an absolute cracking shot.

A quirky, sensitive, and beautifully lit self portrait with humour in spades.

Coltrane's expression tells such a story.

I will let him describe it in his own words.......

'It is a portrait of my dog, Lucky and myself.

The inspiration for this photo came from two places.

Firstly, my admiration of those old oil portrait paintings in mansion houses.

And secondly, my thought that dog buster collars look just like Elizabethan neck ruffs.

So, 
I combined both ideas and created something (I hoped) is a bit different, and a bit humorous'

A tripple 'A' star plus photo which could yet be my favourite of the year and it is only March.

Lets hope 'Lucky' made a full recovery and is no longer wearing the 'Cone of shame' (Do watch 'Up' if you have not seen it)

Olympic Golden Greats Exhibition Dates

Anyone who knows me will know how important personal projects are to me.

This one more than others as it is my very first joint one, with my partner Lucinda Marland.

Our society is so obsessed by by youth, and we wanted to celebrate the achievements of the often overlooked senior citizens.

So we set out to photograph every British senior citizen who has an Olympic Gold Medal, that is anyone who will be 60 and over this year.

It has been a wonderful experience and we have leaned so much from these remarkable individuals.

The show has been sponsored by Manfrotto to whom I'm eternally grateful.

Please come along and visit the show.

It is running from the 9th-20th March in the John Lewis store stadium suite overlooking the site of London 2012.

It is a spectacular location.

Here is a panorama of the location shot by Lan Bui on an iPhone....

If you would like to know more about the project I will be talking about it at Focus on imaging on the Manfrotto stand.

You can also meet me at the Phase One stand where I will be talking about the benefits of medium format.