As I’ve been here on Substack for a while I think what I’ll do instead is post here and to another platform simultaneously. Substack has facilities I like and the Buymeacoffee has features more particularly focused on visual art, so why not use both? At least for the time being and seeing which shines brightest overall.
Forthcoming projects are Passerby 8, a reissue of Pandemic Constitutional and developing a concept book for an expanded Solivagant with my writing partner, Eoin.
I have the beginnings of a tutorial already in the bag for Passerby 8 and will complete it for launch at the same time as Passerby 8 itself. The video tutorial will feature here on Substack and Buymeacoffee.
In the meantime, a few images for the next wee Passerby photobook.
The 176 bus has been an important part of my London experience since the mid 90s, first while living in Camberwell then Sydenham with a chunk of time in New York somewhere in the middle. I’ve made a lot of pictures over the years on this bus. Maybe I should pull them out and play with them and see what happens.
Though I work 20 hours a week at Apple and have been for the last few months, I am again taking on assignment work across south London the rest of the time. When I can I walk, always with camera to hand, so that I can make pictures when I happen upon scenes like this. But as you can see from the top photo, there are pictures to be made on public transport too.
The assignment work I do these days is commercial and residential property photography, video and technical drawing. These are my strongest skills and I love the work. I have just partnered with a well established service provider and hope to gather serious momentum next year adding 360 degree virtual reality to the mix eventually.
As I have said before, the idea for Passerby evolved from a need to supply my agency, Millennium Images with regular submissions of interesting pictures. And the best way for me to make such pictures is to move about London with purpose rather that aimless wandering. That worked when I was much younger and is not possible these days. Moving around the city doing property assignment work, however, fits perfectly.
I find that being surrounded by so many people at Apple Regent Street during my 20 hours is utterly exhausting, particularly as I am naturally introverted. Many of my more extrovert colleagues are hugely energised by it. I’m a much more contented human when allowed to work alone using my technical skills.
My time thus far at Apple has been brilliant in terms of the amazing people I have met and the things I have learned about business, sales, marketing and branding. Things I have always been weak at for all sorts of reasons.
I will bring these new skills and understanding to my personal work to continue to grow my audience and impart my skills to those who may be interested in photobook making and photography generally.
I apologise for all the faffing about with the last two posts. I’d been wavering a bit. I’d had a good run for a while making and selling Hinterland and then Pandemic Constitutional gathering a solid email list and readership but then I ran out of steam. Couldn’t quite keep up the momentum for fear of falling flat on my face.
I’ve had some amazing conversions with my Apple colleagues who are pushing for me to continue blogging and self publishing. And so I will, of course. I have to. It’s what I’m all about. It’s my way of being in the world. It’s also why Apple hired me in the first place. The goal is to move to Creative Pro at Apple using all the skills I have spoken about above. That process will begin shortly as I approach the end of my probation in Apple Retail. Most of the employees at Apple are part-timers with freelance practices in design, coding, acting, art, photography, filmmaking, dance, sports and more besides. This is encouraged by Apple as it informs much of what they do and I think that shows through in the products it makes and services it offers.
Suffice to say that I will continue posting here about my process for those interested but also as a way to keep track of what I’m doing.
My fantasy would be to find a way to do this full time, the technical property work in support of the self publishing and prints sales. First I need to grow my email list and further explore the market for print sales to individual collectors and interior design professionals. All that I am learning at Apple is helping enormously.
Questions: Do you have a preference for the stapled zine or the lay-flat book format? The gloss or the matt paper? Foldout caption sheet or insert? My preference, at the moment, is matte, lay-flat and foldout. Number 8 will have another innovation and then I’ll likely settle into a groove for a while sticking to 8’s format for the foreseeable future.
Comments, emails, direct messages are all welcome and encouraged. And don’t hold back. If there’s an area I can improve on, do say so. Likes. Dislikes. Suggestions. All of it.
Thank you for your time.
Mayow Park, Sydenham.