Underground Quiz Quiz

Highlight: Getting the answers to a couple of questions

Lowlight: Only getting one right.

Fill-in: This was a quiz held by Bishopsgate Institute and half the time I didnt even understadnt he questions. Still,  now I know that the telephone box was based on the same design as John Soane's tombstone and other such trivia.

Tech spec: My LED lights still unfortunately too bright for this event so everyone had to suffer baggy eyes - which someone reflected how we all felt on hearing the super hard questions.

The Royal Collection learning event

Highlight: Getting a bit of cultural education - I learnt loads from what I thought was a highly intellectual event.

Lowlight: It was aimed at primary school kids!

Fill-in: This was a learning event at Windsor Castle where kids are invited to study a portrait right in the room where the children in the picture probably played.

Tech spec: Because the event is held in a public area full of priceless antiques, huge wapping flashes are a no go and the light is extremely dim AND the kids are facing away from the light. So I was extremely grateful for my two LED lights. They are meant only for close up interview work but I whacked the ISO to 3200 (a setting I know most photographers balk at but they aren't up against it like I am) and they did the fill in beautifully.

The Ice Room

Highlight: Working with Emily Ovenden - with a long deadline!

Lowlight: I still ended up doing it all at the last minute.

Fill-in: Emily asked me to designa  cover for her chilling novel The Ice room. It took a few false starts but once I'd settled on an actual idea it came together pretty easily. It was great to illustrate a book i have actually read.

Tech spec: Photoshop, photoshop, photoshop and a good shot of an eye.

Chinese New Year 2013

Highlight: The best acts on stage to date.

Lowlight: Constant drizzle for 8 hours. It was like water torture and I forgot the mac for the Tamrac.

Fill-in: I have been commissioned to photograph this event for over 6 years and done it in the sun, the snow, the cold and the wet, but this had to be the wettest so far. The drizzle just didn't stop and I drank the coffee being handed out by the PR to keep warm even though I can't stand coffee. Mind you, it only stayed warm for about 5 seconds...

Tech spec: When doing outdoor gigs do not forget the waterproofs for the cameras and the bags. My rolling box was completely wet through.

Bernadine Evaristo

Highlight: Finally Meeting Bernadine

Lowlight: Not being able to explore her considerable collection of books.

Fill-in: I met Bernadine at The Poetry Review event at Keats House, although she had contacted me months before to arrange a shoot. So, after months of emails going back and forth it took a good old fashioned face to face chat for us to finally get it together and book a date.

Tech spec: I had bought a pair of LED ring lights and was dying to use them in anger. These are perfect for a really soft light when you don't have a lot of room and want to make use of the ambient light, but dont want to use flash. I fell in love with them on this job as they looked amazing on Bernadine and brought out her best features.

For more info on Bernadine Evaristo:

http://bevaristo.com/

http://www.africanpoetryprize.org/judges