February 21st, 2012
I took this “fenscape” during an assignment to photograph the process of constructing footings for wind turbines. It was towards the end of a cold and windswept afternoon – typical of many in these parts – which, of course, is why it’s an ideal location for these cloud-scratching rotating giants.
I think these man-made structures make fantastic subjects to focus on with a camera. The trees in their winter state against the washed orange sky behind the clouds helps to portray a mood of coldness; the cable slung across from side to side of the image is a feature much repeated across the Fens. I wonder what the original workforce – who claimed the once boggy area from the flooding seas – would think of mankind’s new additions to the landscape … and this is yet another reason why I enjoy photography. Taking just one photo, such as the one here, can make us ponder deeper on what we see.
Posted in Agriculture, Architectural Photography, Cambridge, Camera Equipment, Cloud Photography, East of England, Environment, Environmental Photography, Fenland, Industrial Photography, Landscape Photography, Nikon, Nikon D3S, Philip Mynott Photographer, Photographer Cambridge, Professional Photographer Cambridge, Weather, Winter | Comments Off
February 13th, 2012
Snatched this fleeting moment during visit of HRH Prince of Wales to Prince’s Teaching Institute conference at Madingley Hall, near Cambridge. I expect that had I been “multi social network skilling” – like most of the other members of the media present – it is highly probable that I would have missed this moment.
As a professional photographer I’ve always found that seeking the perfect image requires 100% concentration on the subject in question. Which is why, more and more, I find myself questioning the wisdom of journalists and photographers Twittering and Blogging photos and comments during the actual event.
I wouldn’t have thought that your average reader of a local paper could care less if one local media outlet places puerile non-information online before a so-called ‘rival’! One newsgroup even published online an image taken from a mobile phone – the lens of which was misted up by condensation!
It’s as if quality doesn’t matter any more in the world of regional news. Yet these same organisations bemoan falling circulation without questioning their current practice of very poor quality control. Radio is instant, while newsprint should concentrate on great photos and in-depth quality reporting. Unless the current trend of publishing “instant” over quality is reversed, I doubt if there will be a local newspaper industry within two decades.
Posted in Cambridge, East of England, Education Photograph, Nikon, Nikon D3S, Philip Mynott Photographer, Photographer Cambridge, Photography, Portrait photography, Press, Professional Photographer Cambridge, Royal | Comments Off
February 7th, 2012
Here’s a shot I took of father and son Mario and Vincent Castiglione, who run The Maypole pub in Cambridge. Despite the current economic slowdown, this father and son partnership is prospering and set to celebrate 30 years of happily going “around the Maypole”.
I hope that you – the viewer – can see that this photo assignment was full of fun. In my experience, to make a photograph look “fun” it has to be fun for all involved. ”Fun” seems to be an almost taboo word in the world of photography – it’s a long time since a photo containing a genuine smiling subject has won any major photographic prize. It’s almost as if smiles and happiness no longer exist in the world, yet experience has taught me that it is in the most dire of situations that human nature searches for humour as a means of survival so … less street-posed looking cool expressions in photos and more genuine reflections of the human spirit please!
Posted in Cambridge, East of England, Entrepreneurial, Nikon, Nikon D3S, Philip Mynott Photographer, Photo Lesson, Photographer Cambridge, Photography, Portrait photography, Press, Professional Photographer Cambridge, University of Cambridge | Comments Off
January 30th, 2012
One of the rewarding things about being patient at this time of year is that once in a while a sunny cloudless day will come along. One such day popped up on the calendar at the end of last week.
Days like that really lift your spirits if you have a camera in hand and – although I was lucky enough to have a busy work diary – the locations I was working in allowed me to grab a few minutes to add a couple more shots to my Cambridge photo stock library.
I’ve lost count of the times that I’ve photographed the iconic Cambridge landmark of King’s College Chapel, but I always seem to find yet another unvisited angle for me to view it from … and long may it continue.
Yesterday was January photo workshop and despite the chill brought about by the approaching Arctic front there was a warm glow of friendship as the five participants entered the spirit of the day and threw themselves into six hours of photo talk and practical. We were rewarded by a rather moody sunset pushing its way through very heavy and cold winter clouds and scratching its rays finger-like over the silhouetted wildfowl-covered lake … way to go.
Flicking through my junk e-mails, I see a photo mag is asking me to subscribe … no chance seeing that it is owned by the same group whose local newspapers division is currently trying to force both staff and freelance photographers to sign a rights grabbing contract. Really winds me up … the copyright laws are there to ensure that photographers are able to make a fair income – as such, in my opinion they should be respected by all sides.
Posted in Cambridge, Camera Equipment, East of England, Environment, Environmental Photography, Nikon, Nikon D3S, Philip Mynott Photographer, Photo Lesson, Photographer Cambridge, Photography, Professional Photographer Cambridge, Sunlight, University of Cambridge, Weather | Comments Off
January 19th, 2012
In years to come, today may well be recalled as the day that digital photography became of age. The once all-encompassing photographic brand Kodak may well be breathing its last breaths – a giant slayed by the progress of digital. For me there will be a tinge of sadness if Kodak departs from the world of image-making – all of today’s photographers owe a small debt of gratitude to founder George Eastman who made photography affordable for the masses with his creation of the Kodak Brownie.
Prior to its introduction, a trip to the local studio for a formal portrait was the closest that most of our ancestors would have got to a camera. During my apprenticeship it would have been unthinkable that Kodak would ever be in its current predicament.
During the 1980s – a very profitable period for the company – I attended events at the 20-storey Hemel Hempstead office – long abandoned and now transformed into flats – and formed some long-standing friendships among some of the staff, who made up a tiny part of the global 145,000 workforce .
Whilst on the subject of the fast-moving world of digital IT, I’ve returned to Facebook and hope to remain stalkerless this time round .. you can join me there on Philip Mynott Photographer.
Tags: Kodak
Posted in Cambridge, Camera Equipment, Cycling, East of England, Education Photograph, Philip Mynott Photographer, Photographer Cambridge, Photography, Portrait photography, Press, Professional Photographer Cambridge | Comments Off