Bye bye 2012 (photo-heavy post)

Firstly HAPPY NEW YEAR to all my friends and readers!!!!

Well then, 2012 has come and gone, and what a year it was.

At the start of the year I was still juggling photography work and cycling round London as a courier. And now, well let's just say I haven't been back on the courier circuit since getting knocked off in February (other than the odd day riding for Control Courier Collective;)

I'v assisted on some cool shoots, 

met David LaChapelle, James Cosmo and Tony Benn,

broken a collar bone and thumb,

had pins in my bones, 

shot stills on the worlds oldest constantly active sound stage,

applied for my first IMDB credit,

started two blogs, 

started a web page,

visited two different beaches (in winter),

got stranded on the motorway,

put together my first exhibition and print sale,

took part in Photomonth 2012 and got featured on the front cover of the program,

and lots of other wonderful and interesting things.

And thats just the work related suff. 

Phewwwwwww.

I didn't manage to get this blog updated as frequently as I wanted during the year but to be honest, I felt it has been a lot more important to focus on getting the work on the books first. The blog is however very important to me and I hope you all enjoy the posts that do find their way on to here.

If you haven't already you can follow me over on twitter for more daily postings and photos from my work life, and general day to day humour @12clicksaway and also on Instagram via the same name.

For the new year there will be a new website. 'THE' website.

Possibly not instantly for the new year but I am designing it as we speak and the domain name has been bought. So, fingers crossed it will arrive soon.

So I though I would give you all some nibbles for the festive period in the form of a bumper size post

As you know I have been specialising more and more in the world of unit stills on films. 

I love the job.

I don't love the alarm at 4am but once I'm up it's a great job. 

I have met so many amazing people, visited so many amazing locations and expanded my portfolio with some beautiful images.

I don't always have time to put a blog post together for each film as there is so much editing to do. In an average day I can shoot 500 frames easily, if not more. 

Also I have to wait for permission to post images of the film from the production team.

So here are some of my personal fav's format he last four films I have worked on

Taxidermessen: Directed by Rupert Van Den Broek

The Whore: Directed by Asim Abbasi

Last Night A Kiler Saved My Life: Directed by Gary Grant

Sea Out: Directed by Jake White

Taxidermessen

Blank slate as filming commences at 'The Last Tuesday Society'

Camera and gaffer team organise the shoot over lunch.

Morning make-up 

'The Last Tuesday Society' is home to many strange residents.

The schedule takes its toll.

Male lead actor, Nick Downes

A glamourous life in the movies.

Dop and Director planning the shot

Dop and steady-cam operator Yiannis Manolopoulos

Director and Dop having a moment.

The stressed 1st AD

 

Got to have some kind of game to play on set. Pin the tape on the Dop is always a winner.

The Whore

Dop and Director deep in thought.

Main actors

Sound man Filipe Pinheiro.

The Dop and Director always have a 'moment'

Mixing up the props.

Hiding in the rain.

The last location of the day way an amazing hotel in Cadogan Gardens SW1 with the most amazing staircase.

Last Night A Killer Saved My Life

Sea Out

Hiding the present from the past is always an important job.

The garden started as just grass and ended up like this.

Movie life.

The production designer, lost in his own mess.

James Cosmo on the estate with a 360 track.

James Cosmo. It's always nice to shoot really friendly actors.

Sunset on the beach at Camber

Checking the gate.

The Dop setting up for the final shots of the day.

Well everyone, I hope you enjoyed that bumper post. 

There where so many other shots that I wanted to show you but I really can't reveal to much about the films that I work on and also if uploaded everything, I would be here alllllllll night.

So here's to 2013. Make of it what you will and go for what you want. 

Good luck to everyone around me that I see going for it. So many of you in the last year have dropped what you where doing and started the path to something new.

Work hard and you can do anything.............

And don't forget to come and follow me on twitter and instagram @12clicksaway for allot more postings.

Seriously Good Food

Time for some food. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm

Now me, I like good food and I'm all down for organic, less processed junk etc etc but you know what? I don't make a million squid and I have a family to support so we eat what good we can. 

I rarely eat fancy when I'm out and about because I would rather wait till I get home than spend an arm and a leg of something nice.

Thats just the way it is. I appreciate good things, but if you can't afford to then DONT. Or find a balance.

Now that brings me to Thai & Lao Street Food

Firstly, yes this amazing couple are my friends. 

Secondly yes, they paid me for my work in numerous meal's. Mmmmmmmm, I can still taste them.

But!

That detracts nothing from the fact that this place is amazing. 

All the food is freshly cooked on the spot in front of you super quick. Minimal oil, super fresh and clean ingredients and a completely customisable menu.

It's like multiple choice, tick the boxes you want and they cook it.

NOW, here is the best bit. IT'S CHEAP!!!

Check out their menu's 

And not because its junk, but because it's a family business and the chef's would rather charge people a decent price for their food and have happy returning customers. No £6 milkshakes here folks. These guys have been feeding the Bricklane area for at least a decade and are most definitely here to stay!

They are now upstairs at BoxPark in Shorditch. You can find them on Facebook and Twitter and you need to go eat there.

Incase you're wondering, I shot all the new images for the web site and all the menu/dishes in the box.

On the set of "Hellfire"

Well then folk's, it's time for another blog post.

Well actually I supposed it was way past time for another blog post but such is life. Its not that I haven;t had stuff to blog. Just not the time to do it.

So hopefully this will be the first of a little flurry.

Starting with..................dundundundahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

HELLFIRE!!!!

Yes, THE Helfire. The ones certain military forces like to fire upon mostly innocent victims.


This was a short film Directed (and I think written?? Have to check) by the very talented Andrew Lowry.
I first worked with him on the film 'All you need to know about Whales' where his role was as 1st AD.
Amazing in that role and able to have a laugh and also get people into gear. This time round, just as amazing in the directors chair.


This was an independently funded film shot over three days on location. The location being a very small room in the MET University, packed full of laptops and flatscreen monitors. It got very hot and very smelly :)
It was supposed to replicate the control/observation room of a pair of Predator Drone pilots (is that the right term, pilots?) The green and red screens that you see in the shots will be overlaid with drone readout's in post production.

The production team describe it as:
"a satirical short film set in the murky world of the United States' drone assassination programme."

It was a great little film to work on with an amazing crew, great actors and and a good few giggles along the way.

The film is currently in post-production and should be finished soon.

You can find the Facebook page for it HERE


Here, as always, are some of my favourite shots in no particular order.

On set, there is always time for a laugh.......or a boogie.

The director and actor view the playback.

These were the laptops, each one running a display feed to one of the monitors.

Shooting the illustrator

So, once again I thought it was about time I got you folks a new post.

I have been super busy as always. Shooting on some nice film sets, a couple of small commissions and lots of editing, admin and promotion. Also busy moving the 'Step Into My Office' exhibition (which is now hanging at Look Mum No Hands).

But that is no reason to not post!!!!!

So lets start with this.


Last month (I think? I'm getting so lost in my dates) I took some head shots and portraits for a lovely lady called Tanja Wilmot.
She was actually at the Zumba class that I shot a few posts back and liked the work I had done there.

She is an amazing illustrator and needed some shots for her blog and web page.

Go and check out her work here as it really is beautiful
http://tanjawilmotillustration.blogspot.co.uk/


To continue the nature theme from her work, we did a natural light shoot in St.Mary's Secret Garden in Hackney. We wanted the nature side of things with a little bit of an urban touch.

Here are a couple of my favourites.

Please do go and check out her illustration work. It's very impressive

http://tanjawilmotillustration.blogspot.co.uk/

Messenger Appreciation Day

Well then, today is messenger appreciation day.

A day to celebrate your local couriers and thank them for the hard work they do for you on a daily basis. Although being couriers we usually have to look out for ourselves and appreciate each other.

So to do my part I bring you my favourite shots from Robin and Tanja's wedding that I shot (along with fellow courier Selim) last week.

Robin has been a courier for many years and he and Tanja met at the Cycle Messenger World Championships in Copenhagen back in 2002. A hard working courier, father and now husband.

We appreciate you

Enjoy