​Breaking the Deadpan: A Sunday morning exercise in Kilmarnock

​Tomorrow morning, while most of Ayrshire is still firmly tucked under their duvets, I will be slipping into Kilmarnock. The goal is to be on the streets by 5:30 am. It’s a tactical choice; at that hour, the pesky people and troublesome traffic haven't yet arrived to clutter up my framing. I’m looking for a clean, silent, and entirely empty slate.

Stripping Away the Drama: An introduction to Deadpan Photography

There is a common misconception in photography that to make an image powerful, it has to be dripping with drama. We chase the golden hour, we hunt for explosive contrast, and we angle our lenses to create dynamic, emotional narratives. But lately, I’ve been drawn to a completely opposite philosophy. A genre that looks you dead in the eye, refuses to smile, and demands that you look at the world exactly as it is.

Welcome to the world of deadpan photography.

Convergence of Analogue and Digital: To the limits of a £20 film scanner and the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

The analogue photography revival is not just a trend; it’s a commitment to a deliberate, slower workflow and the unique aesthetic of film. My own journey has been happily centred around the glorious 6x6 medium format negative courtesy of my Agfa Isolette I, a scale-focus folding camera with a superb, classic feel.

The Intentional Backpack: why my minimalist kit is essential for the Scottish Highlands at sixty

There’s a certain weight to experience, and I don’t just mean the cumulative knowledge gained from years behind the camera. I mean the physical weight. The Scottish Highlands and Islands - from the serrated ridges of the Cuillins to the vast, moody expanses of the Outer Hebrides - demand effort. They require you to climb, traverse, and often scramble. For a long time, I approached these landscapes with a hefty bag, convinced that redundancy was security. I carried two DSLR bodies, five lenses, and enough accessories to open a small shop.