Christmas Goose

We had a very yummy Goose for christmas this year. We wanted to do something practical and discrete with the leftovers so we made this pie. It has pastry made from...yep you guessed it goose fat. Yum.

Even nicer when it's cooked.

October

Quite why it has taken me since October to get this into my computer and back out the ethernet cable plugged into it's backside I don't know. It hasn't made a bit of difference to the photograph and I like this snapshot of Rebecca (Harley...she is a photographer - hence the camera..) on a beach nowhere near you. It was pretty windy that day.

Food Inc.

I'm pretty passionate about my food, everyone else's food and the way we go about sourcing it. I think it's important to be responsible as we go through our lives taking photos or doing whatever it is that we do, responsible for our environment and the things we share it with, namely other humans and all those animals which provide a hell of a lot of our food. Even the plants, we should respect them too. They work their asses off for us keeping us all alive with their wonderful nutrients and all that oxygen they provide.

I can't help but get a little depressed sometimes when I realise that there are a lot of people out there who are not really that bothered about the next tree that's getting cut down as long as they have the latest flat screen tv. Not worried about an animal that's literally dying on it's feet to feed us along as they can read all about the poor thing on their shiny new iPad. Not scared to eat food that contains crap more crap and more crap because it tastes sooooo good. And just generally not bothered if we destroy our planet and disrespect every living thing on it as long as they can get everything cheaper, bigger and better.

This notion was revived in me the other day when watched the film - Food Inc. It was so good, so moving, so interesting and sad all at the same time I ended up watching it twice in one day. Ok once was on the train back from London but even then I had to fight back my emotions a little bit. When I arrived back I couldn't help but tell everyone I met to watch it and learn something, so I ended up watching it for the second time. Just as good, just as scary, just as disturbing.

Now I know a lot of people are not into watching documentary films about food nowadays, mainly because a lot of people have told me so. And whether that because they just aren't entertaining enough, aren't filmed in glorious HD or because they don't have Brad Pitt telling you to be nice to the world in them, I'm not sure. I have a feeling though that it's because people just don't want to hear the truth about the way their food is produced because it so bloody disgusting. And if they don't watch it they can ignore it for a bit longer. Well I want to see it all so I can make my choice with the food I buy and be responsible for the animals I eat and the way they have lived their lives.

Anyway my point was to tell you to go and watch the film, but I'll bring it back round to photography seeing as though I'm a photographer and all that. A point brought up in the film was that some US states were considering laws to be passed that would stop photographs being taken of industrial food processes. In Florida this year Senator Jim Norman put this bill forward

"[a] person who photographs, video records, or otherwise produces images or pictorial records, digital or otherwise, at or of a farm or other property where legitimate agriculture operations are being conducted without the written consent of the owner, or an authorized representative of the owner, commits a felony of the first degree."

See more here..

So if that was passed..it wouldn't be good for the transparency of the food system, or for investigative journalists/photographers...jail anyone? Bit scary though really that people go to such lengths to hide the very stuff that we eat three times a day.

Scary. Go Watch it.

If we need to end on a positive note, and I feel like we really should. It's so easy to buy good food that doesn't harm others around you, and you can start with your local humble and very great baker. Thankfully mine is amazing and here is a picture of Harts Bakery in Bristol. It's actually not even around at the moment and I'm making my own bread - it's really easy, really satisfying and only has water, flour and salt in it... not human hair like some bread..really that is a bit gross

Photofilms and Yurts..

As winter approaches at a steady rate of knots and that inner cold sets in, I think it's good to have something to look forward to. Christmas holidays I suppose would do...maybe your new years celebrations....yeh did that last year..how about next years Hinterlands workshop..

If you have no idea what i'm waffling about then I'll get straight to the point. We (that's me, Rebecca Harley and the duckrabbit team) are running our second Hinterlands photofilm workshop on what I think is the best possible course in the UK. A five day residential workshop staying in mongolian yurts with log burners and eating wonderful food, you will break bread with other keen participants whilst learning all there is to know about photofilms. It's a very peaceful relaxing place to learn in but we still pack in lots of stuff to keep you busy. Last year we had cyclist, adventurer and photofilm creator Nick Hand talk about his work and where photofilms have taken his career, and Coventry University pioneer and creator of #phonar, Jonathan Worth talking about how to get ahead by giving your work away.

Last years participants were an awesome bunch and we really really had a great time working with them. This year we have another 15 places...actually 14 because I just took a booking..and I hope we can fill it with a similarly inspiring group.

If your still wondering what the hell I'm waffling about watch this photofilm with last years participants talking about their experiences.

For more info or to book a place head to www.thehinterlands.co.uk

#phonar

I've just got back from giving a lecture and working with the #phonar class at Coventry University this week where I talked photofilms, transformative storytelling and transmedia. Interesting stuff and thanks to Jonathan Worth's approach to sharing and creative commons (it's his class), you can take part and hear the class too as #phonar is free to join and take part in online. Visit www.phonar.org for more details.

Matt Johnston who run's the course with Jonathan will be uploading the talk to the phonar class soon for you to hear but in the meantime he recorded my five top tips for photofilms..

Stray

Anyone want to look after this beautiful stray cat. Got enough already. He's Freddie and he is super cute.

New Old

I've started working on a new project in a way that's new to me, but old to many others. You see my first camera was digital - a fuji finepix. I don't remember the model but it had 1.3 megapixels and was damn cool. I took it to the states and took as many pictures as I could fit on to it's massive 16Mb flash card. The pictures are long gone on a hardrive that decided it no longer wished to take part in living, but I still remember the camera. So I never had a 'proper' camera and thus had never got my hands covered in developer, fumbled around in the dark and got used to the heady red lights of the darkroom.

Time for a change..

Paul

Paul has a cigarette under the vine. Barratt Street, Summer 2011.

Life Bicycles

When I embarked upon a trip to Alpe d'huez in the French Alps this year for some riding at the ever famous Megavalanche event I was excited. I expected to spend my time split evenly between the local bars, the chairlift and riding down mountains as fast as I possibly could. The reality was that I slept on a cardboard box, got a chest infection, didn't make it to the bar at all and spent less time riding than an average week at home. On the plus side I did race the Megavalanche and it was awesome. Really really hard and really awesome.

When I wasn't helping to make our super demanding chalet dinner or trying to take the tyre off my bike or just generally taking medication to make me feel less like dying I made a video of our travels. Life Bicycles. It's very very serious. Seriously.

Names

I recently attained the title of odd-parent from my long suffering friend Gwyenth (yes - she's Welsh). Odd-parent as in a god parent with a lack of religious responsibility. The day was celebrated in traditional Welsh style with a rainy day, a few ales and a longer walk than expected including the standard pushing a heavy pram through a wet grass field whilst being chased by some angry cattle. My favourite.

Here's to lovely Gracie (that's my new odd-daughter).

River Usk.

Gwyn, Gracie and rain.

That's Gracie with a very well behaved (not very often) Rufus. More pictures on my flickr account here.

Greenman

Went to Greenman festival on the weekend and had a great time apart from realising that I'm older now and that lack of sleep, carrying a box of wine around for sustenance and sleeping in a tent just doesn't help.

Some great bands most notably Coco's Lovers, Laura Marling and The Burns Unit who are now on my shopping list. Check out this video of Coc's lovers playing out of the back of a van powered by bikes - awesome!

Getting there

I'm well on my way to Novo Mesto in the heart of Slovenia to take my seat at the 11th annual Fotopub photography festival. After a brief stop in Brixton to check up on the latest batch of gentrification and a trouble free but solo flight from Gatwick I arrived in Ljubljana with only a few hours to wait for Rebecca to join me. It's a long story but I booked the last seat on a flight out of Gatwick so we travelled at the same time from different airports to the same destination. I won't be booking any separate tickets ever again!

Rebecca and I have prepared a great schedule for the participants of the multimedia workshop at Fotopub and I'm looking forward to meeting our students and getting to work. It's going to be a busy week in Slovenia as the students have five and a half days to learn about photofilms, get out in the field and collect their material and build their finished pieces. The work will then be shown in Novo Mesto next Saturday as part of the Festival.

I've brought quite a bit of kit with me, the usual cameras, lenses and more cameras along with a laptop and additional speakers and a healthy dose of cables and headphones, so I ditched my current book for the trip. I was therefore left with the inflight reading material which is usually enough to drive anyone crazy. Not so as the Adria Airways magazine was pretty goo and even featured a piece on the Fotopub festival, which was nice.

Why Photofilms?

Rebecca and I were asked to give a small interview online the other day to ready ourselves and our participants for the multimedia workshop we are teaching in Slovenia at Fotopub next week. I thought I was prepared for everything that morning, but not perhaps for having the camera turned on us. Borut Peterlin from Fotopub was obviously very persuasive and so the video was switched on. So if you are struggling with the tuesday morning blues and the remnents of the weekends hangover please feel free to enjoy this video.

If you got to the end are still wondering why you should make photofilms? Then maybe you can't be helped. No seriously, it's because it's such a wonderful way to tell a story, that engages not just the audience but the subject so well.

In fact I have a new one sitting here to show you, I Just need the client to give the thumbs up.

le kandahar

I don't go on holiday often, although I'm sure my friends and family would disagree. I do constantly find myself in unfamiliar places but I'm usually working. This week is the exception to the rule (or perhaps not..) as I find myself in the French Alps in a town that the Tour de France has made very popular. The hill climb up to Alp d'huez has photographers stationed on the hill to capture the hundreds of amateurs that ride this section of the tour every day. It's not something I can really get behind as I am here to compete against nearly a thousand people riding the other way down the mountain and not on the road. To cut a long story short bikes require lots of spanners etc.. and this weeks spanner (in the works) is my spot of flu. So I haven't really ridden a bike at all. Instead I am sitting in our chalet working on material for the upcoming Fotopub 2011. I'm working with Rebecca Harley as a mentor at the photography festival that will be putting in it's 11th appearance in the small town of Novo Mesto in Slovenia. We are going to be passing on all of our skills to teach a dozen people on the multimedia workshop how to really wow people with their photofilms. I have a new photofilm that is with the client right now and I will be loading onto this blog as soon as I return to the UK. In the meantime...don't get the flu when it's sunny outside, don't ride up hills and go check out the Fotopub schedule - there really is something for everyone and I hope to see some familiar faces.

I leave you with this nugget. Shall we guess when this resort was built? Who would name their chalet Le Kandahar nowadays..

Multimedia at Fotopub

As the weather repeats it's ever changing rain and sun game in the run up to the Glastonbury festival and you continue on regardless, although getting more use out of your waterproof trousers than you thought necessary in June. Maybe you should be thinking about what to do this summer? A trip abroad.. perhaps Europe.. hmmm been to France sooo many times, maybe further east. How about Slovenia, it's next door to italy, on the adriatic, you could swim in the beautiful lake Bled, visit the stunning Julian Alps, take in the capital Ljubljana, visit Maribor for the world downhill mountain bike racing or perhaps visit the small town of Novo Mesto for this years Fotopub festival.

If you hadn't guessed already I am excited about the Fotopub photo festival happening in Slovenia, 25th-30th July 2011. Not just because it's the 11th year this wonderful events been happening, and because I have heard and seen so many great things about it but also because this year I finally get to go. This years Fotopub has a great lineup of mentors and events with talent such as Ed Ou, Brenda Ann Kenneally, Epsen Rasmussen and more attending and I have been looking at the site with some excitement. So I guess being asked to be a mentor and to teach the multimedia workshop has only one downside - I won't have time to go and the see all these other great talents speak. I'm sure we will be able to catch up over a beer..

It's been a long week what with us not having a kitchen (long story), a photofilm commission on the go, another in the pipeline and with Fotopub asking Rebecca and I to come and teach. It all came about through our wonderful Hinterlands workshop in Devon that we (Rebecca and I that is) ran in collaboration with duckrabbit in May of this year. It went great, so great that duckrabbit felt happy to recommend us to the Fotopub team, and I am really happy they did.

So.. If your twiddling your thumbs at home and are wondering what to do in July - head to Fotopub. And if your interested in multimedia, slideshows, photofilms or whatever you call them then come and signup for the multimedia workshop. It's going to be a great place to produce a short multimedia piece and to have a stunning week all at the same time.

MSF in Kibera

I worked with Médecins Sans Frontières the other day to produce the audio for three photofilms all about people living with HIV in Kenya's Kibera slums. The BBC world news had the piece on their front page today which I am really happy about. The pieces go back to visit three people from the Kibera slums with HIV who's lives have been changed as a result of taking ARV's over the last six years. If your interested in seeing the other pieces they can be found on the MSF site.

It was a challenging and very long day including not much sleep, too much driving, a lack of headlamps in the car and a super long edit so I'm really happy that the BBC decided to use the piece.

Hinterben

I've finally made it home after almost two weeks away being everything Hinterlands. We wanted The Hinterlands to be an amazing way to learn everything there was to know about photofilms in a low impact kinda way with a bunch of like minded people. It ended up being so much more! The talks were so inspiring I would like to thank Nick and Jonathan and everyone else who graced the barns presence.

We (Rebecca and I) partnered up with duckrabbit for this workshop and were so happy to have a group of fifteen students who by the end of five days didn't want to leave. A cook who didn't want to leave and a few that didn't even leave.

What an amazing experience!

I'll just sort through the 1111 jpegs, 2 films, 1 timeplapse and several 3d photographs to see what might interest anyone.

Ben gets his portrait taken by Rebecca

Our workshop is finished...for now

Wow! I can't quite believe that our Hinterlands workshop is over. It's been so long in the making and has just flown by. I really enjoyed meeting all of the participants and am so happy tht they enjoyed themselves and went away inspired and with new skills to add to their talents.

So much to remember from the past few days...the food, the wind, photofilms, gliders, dougie, the fire, extension leads, breakfast outside, early mornings, late nights, the groups, that fax, honesty bar, lovely cider, chorizo, jonathan worth, nick hand, beautiful photographs and my word....alive!

Leo & Briony....2/3rds of team steam getting their piece ready.

The participants, their subjects and the local community watch the weeks photofilms
The Hinterlands around the campfire
The remaining few...Rebecca, Fjona, Alice, Benjamin....Pete in the background and me (behind the lens)

The Hinterlands...continues

As I type this The Hinterlands students are getting to grips with the finer side of editing down the material they gathered out in the field on yesterdays case studies. It was a great day with a lot of happy smiling faces and a few surprises thrown in.

They have a lot of hard work to get on with now so I better go and help out..

Captivated by Georgina's talk.

Our schedule for the evening.
Is this Wasma?

Finding our way home from the pub.
The classroom.

An ominous forecast.

The Hinterlands..day one

Fifteen people arrived yesterday in the Devon countryside from around the UK and parts of Europe to participate in The Hinterlands workshop. We spent the evening getting to know each other, talking about photographs, audio and everything in between. It's on to the training today and we started with some lovely bright sunshine and a yummy breakfast out in the open.

The field kitchen
3d?

Glued to the screen

Sweden to Devon

From Sweden to Devon in the last week and not a photograph to show for it. There are photographs (why of course..) but they haven't been processed yet. Although even when they manage to reach the processed pile on the desk downstairs they will then join the infamous scanning pile - it's not to be reckoned with - ask tom.

It's been a busy time recently - and especially in the lsat few days as I have been running around putting the finishing touches to The Hinterlands workshop which kicks off in the Devon countryside tomorrow! If you want to know how to make photofilms it is the place to be - and if you like the great outdoors more than the not so great indoors then it is the course for you. Unfortunately (for you - not us) it is all sold out this year...(not next year..) I'm doing a little paperwork now but looking forward to meeting all of the wonderful people coming along tomorrow. See you all in Devon!

The photograph is a 'bride not to be' in Bristol on the day of the Royal Wedding. So many wedding dresses. I always think when I see people wearing wedding dresses for fancy dress - where do they get them from..?

mull it over

I was asked to do a small interview recently which appeared on the mull it over blog yesterday. It's nice to be asked - cheers Jonathan.

The pictured featured is from my upcoming series which doesn't really have a title. I could make one up but I would be sitting here far to long weighing up the possibles..

Holiday weekend

Claire, Royal Wedding Celebrations - Castle Park, Bristol

It's been a busy weekend, holidays, workdays, royal wedding day, moving office, cooking, cleaning, lost cat, found cat, bit of building, more work, more play, choose camera kit, pack camera kit, download, upload and now a bit of catering for a Sunday afternoon..

Went along to Instant Coffee's last night which is a slideshow event held in Bristol. It was great to see some other peoples work and more importantly meet a few other local photographers and the curator and current exhibitor from Fox Talbot museum in Lacock.

I have loads of stuff to post. I just need to scan it first

Tyntesfield

I helped my partner Rebecca with a wedding last weekend at Tyntesfield, a beautiful property on the outskirts of Bristol. A beautiful few days of celebration in The Old Saw Mill with weather straight out of the summer.

Guests outside The Old Saw Mill as the sun drops into the trees.

Mum

In keeping with my 'People I know' series here is a portrait of my mother. If you know my family then you will know this is a rare moment when she wasn't talking to me (or I to her for that matter).

I will forever remember photographing her as she always giggles as soon as I even pick up the camera.

Mum - your the best. Thanks for all the talking, knitting, sewing, dare i say cooking, lending, lifts (lots of lifts) and for always being there.x

Power

Power Lines

I have been experimenting with a new format recently. This is from an x-pan I have loaned from a friend with a roll of velvia in it. A great camera to shoot with - I love it's simplicity.

Boo the builder

Fed up of sitting back to back in the office space I share with my partner we have been forced to partake in a bit of work at our home. I would normally do this myself although I was told more than once that we had to get someone else to help as I haven't finished my last building project yet. I haven't moved in yet but our lovely builder boo and his right hand man mike have gone now and all we are left with are these photographs and our lovely new room.

Blossom

Thanks to everybody who came to listen to me talk at Bristol University the other evening. I really enjoyed it. Good questions - only one 'what camera do you use?'.

I talked a little about my current project which I have been working on for the last six months. It was the first time I had shown any images from the project so I was a little apprehensive beforehand. I will post some here soon but for now blossom.

Its just so beautiful

Innovative Interactivity (II)

If you interested in all things multimedia you probably already read Tracy Boyers Innovative Interactivity blog. If you don't then you probably should and you would have probably read her write up on our workshop which is taking place in Devon this May. I may have already mentioned it but The Hinterlands is going to be an amazing event - great home cooked food, staying in beautiful authentic yurts in the peaceful countryside alongside some kickass training to get your photofilm knowledge rolling. We also have the wonderful Nick Hand coming along to tell us about his work and why he thinks photofilms are a great medium - plus he is an all round great guy.

This is a short piece of Nicks - part of his slow coast series..

Bush

Frozen Bush, 2011.

I'm speaking to the University of Bristol photographic society this evening. They have titled my talk 'Film is not dead'.. I never said it was and I don't think it ever will be..but that doesn't mean the cost is coming down - and that's the issue for a lot of people. I enjoy shooting across formats and they both have their distinct advantages.

There is nothing quite like getting a film back though..

Then there are (photo)film(s).. I will also be talking about them. They're not dead. They haven't even gotten started yet.

A thin sliver of moon

I saw this whilst on the way home from a commission the other day. Beautiful light and a thin sliver of moon - what a treat.

If you enjoy looking at my work then please don't forget to head over to my website at mikelusmore.com. I have been making a few changes with it recently so you might enjoy whittling some time away over there..

Pancakes

I can't say I have been waiting with baited breath for pancake day this year, or last for that matter. I'm grown up now and realise that I can have pancakes any day I wish.

Alex James on the other hand wanted to test out some weird and wonderful recipes for his food column in Britain's biggest tabloid. Rolo's and white chocolate buttons got the man excited.

Christmas Photofilm

Spring hasn't quite sprung (despite what the papers tell you) and winter still has its firm grip on the temperature here in the UK. So if your feeling like it's cold enough to be christmas and your missing all that festive cheer. Maybe this will lift your spirits..

This was a collaboration with Rebecca Harley and we both photographed, recorded and produced it together. We took it to the singing group for a preview the other night in a small house next to the river Wye in Chepstow. As we huddled round at the end of singing practice and watched it together it was so nice to see the smiles on peoples faces as they watched.

What a lovely reward..

Sweety

I'm just catching my breath after a lot of photofilm editing, a one-to-one preview of the film along with handing in an application for a residency at Ffotogallery. I'm just mulling on my computer now tidying up loose ends so I thought I would post this portrait from a commission on forced marriage I undertook the other day.

Sweety, 2011.

Want to stay in a yurt?

I'm really happy to be posting a photofilm I have been working on in collaboration with rebecca. We just finished putting the final touches to it for a small firm in Devon which provide Yurt accommodation on their smallholding in Devon.

We are also using these wonderful yurts as the location for The Hinterlands workshop which I am involved in putting on with duckrabbits Ben & David. So if you like our photofilm and you think you might like to stay a yurt maybe you should come on down in May and take part.. We still have places so head to www.thehinterlands.co.uk or click on the banner below..

Christmas Day

I got this film back a few weeks ago from around christmas time and edited this frame up as part of a set to show the other day. It's just as it came out of the camera/scanner.

I love it and that's pretty much it really.

It's my old school just as the light was fading on christmas day. Before this lovely walk I had drilled through the electrics (accidentally obviously) and cut the power to the whole house and after this we barbecued some steaks for christmas dinner (with all the trimmings obviously). Yum.

Made in Wales

I was sending word to howies today about our photofilm workshop (that would surely be ffotofim in Welsh..check it out here..) and I thought about these pics that I did of their wonderful printshop down in west Wales. I'm obsessed with doing things in a real and honest way and their printshop is just that. Every t-shirt is screen printed by hand by Tidy (Mike) and Tom.

Lovely t-shirts and lovely people all the way from Wales.