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“Tell the truth, or at least don’t lie”

March 4, 2021
Advice
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Readers of this may well recognise this title. It is one of the rules for life that Jordan Peterson wrote about in his popular book “12 rules for life”.

Water always takes the path of least resistance but even so, it’s persistence slowly but surely wears its path down.

I won’t presume to go into more detail as he does in the book, he is far more adept at doing this than I am.

I was thinking about this today though when I had another blog post make me think. All too often we are tempted to take the path of least resistance

As human beings can we ever really know ‘the truth’? I am of an opinion these days that the answer is a resounding ‘No’! Human beings live in a landscape lacking clarity and uncertainty and we tend to continuously make judgements based on our own perspectives. Perspective is the key word here. Everyone has one. So perhaps we should stop looking for truth as a definitive, but rather understand that there is likely more than one truth, after all is a truth from the perspective of a person wrong, just because it differs from someone else’s? ‘The’ truth exists, although in most cases, we are truly unable to see it in its entirety. Perhaps we should accept ‘the’ truth is just ‘our’ truth.

It’s a pretty divisive issue these days, especially around the whole issue of ‘Fake News”, and I don’t think that it’s an easy answer. It does, in fact, open up a whole can of worms, for the unscrupulous to exploit this confusion and label it as ‘their’ truth.

Many people deal with this confusion daily, be it from a cheating partner, a domineering boss, overly competitive colleagues, Politics and Religion or many other sources. This remains an issue that has been around from the beginning of time.

What I personally believe is that Human beings have the capacity (in most cases), for empathy with others. Being able to accept another perspective is not an agreement of their perspective but possibly the start of creating understanding as a basis for development. It’s something that is born of emotional intelligence and demonstrates flexibility, honesty and a willingness to understand from a wider point of view.

One thing I do know about honesty, is that it is not often an easy option. In fact I would say that it is often fraught with danger and this is where I agree with Jordan 100%.

It is with this in mind that I will leave you. Please take a little time to ponder this, and be mindful and empathetic of other points of view rather than blatantly disregarding them. It may just make you a better you, wether you agree or not…

Until next time…

Best laid plans and chomping on a bit or reality

August 7, 2013
Development, Portraits
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With a blog comes great responsibility…….or does it?

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I look here today and realise that it has been almost two weeks since my last post.  Me bad!  Wait though, there is a reason for it.  I have been really busy trying to rush those last bits of work before I go on a break with my family on Friday.  I know, I hate hearing myself say it.  Busy just seems like a lame reason.

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So what have I been doing?  Well the fact of the matter is babies, or new born’s.  A particular genre that really is a skill and there is no substitute for experience.  Well photographically I have committed a cardinal sin, in my eyes out of necessity. These shots have to be done in a very small window of opportunity at a time when a new family scrambles to get used to the tremendous upheaval.  So the plan was to offer a few (small number) new families the chance to get some portraits of their new baby at absolutely no charge.  There will be photographers now swooning at this as the something for nothing situation is what has got this industry into it’s condition.

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In my defence, I had not shot babies this young before, my studio was not equipped for it and I really was not sure what to expect.  All facts that I ensured the parents were made aware of before hand.  You can’t exactly tell a ten day old baby what to do can you?

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A chance to play with new ideas, new colours, new styles was amazing, a recent trip to the UK meant I could pick up some simple supplies like wooden flooring and some really amazing blankets.

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The end results?  Well after all they are subjective and I fully understand that not everyone will like them but the response from the parents has been amazing.  I have another string to my bow and I do feel that my photography has made a step too.

Catching up and cooling off

April 9, 2012
Afghanistan
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Settling back in at home after six months away should not be taken lightly.  In my absence my family have learned to deal with my time away as have I.  This is no less than human nature.  There is a temptation to jump back in with both feet and just try to carry on where we all left off.  I’ve done that before…….

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I have also been keeping busy trying to sort my archive out.  There are lots of images to get organised and some catching up with processing images that kind of fell by the wayside.

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I took some images during my R+R (Rest and Recuperation) back in February.  Although I did have a quick glance, I never properly had a look.  So now back home with my own work station and newly installed Lightroom 4, I can kill two birds with one stone.  It feels so great to have internet access that works.

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These images taken during my time back home on a brief visit home (that is what it feels like), mid tour, were secondary to spending quality time.  I take my camera where ever I can (within reason).

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I had arranged a short intimate break for my wife and I to Berlin, a city I had only briefly visited once and did not make the most of it last time, we wanted to see the city, spend time together and catch up for lost time.

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So I did not take a camera bag full of my lenses, rather one body and a lonely 50mm.  A lens that I have got to know quite well.

R+R is a strange beast, you are back home, its fantastic to see your family, but its also clear that you will soon have to take that trip back to Afghanistan sooner than you think!

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You never properly relax.  It’s a rest, certainly, but you are not really home yet.

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Anyway I wasn’t carting all my gear around focusing on the images, but I grabbed a few on the way!

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These are a small selection.  I hope you like them.  They are a world away from the shots from Afghanistan. Now I am back, I am starting to put that chapter behind me, however life in the military is never really predictable, so you never know, I may end up going back out there again in the future, or somewhere else. I look back at my images and feel the strangest feeling of nostalgia, you never really expect to feel while you are out there.  The people you have met, the things you have seen, experiences few may have.  I am proud, my family are proud.  Everyone is happy that I was fortunate to come home in one unharmed.

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So to conclude, spare a thought for the ones who don’t, their families who have to pick up the pieces. all I can do now is look forward to what the future holds from now.

Thanks for visiting.