tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26843266228185402782024-03-18T06:12:39.547+00:00The Richard Flint Photography BlogLaunched in February 2007, the Richard Flint Photography blog has a large archive of posts covering classic and contemporary photography, influential photographer profiles, links, reviews and more.Richard Flint Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15041895235746394851noreply@blogger.comBlogger662125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684326622818540278.post-12665088662659504332024-03-17T11:33:00.010+00:002024-03-17T11:36:48.461+00:00Feeding the Photography<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFojRtTjqtyuArfc-MD5g5s_-VfS0sDmO2kk34lPwMZnRzbC0fdymYNrdk_DkWTIKDCnB88YfDtRe_19GhfCMAV1U5DGEMpH_ZH3Mxp1KzYqJzS-DIuI_SQlFH8QKLzkrqm1RUSaCQGtK91vlbc6FQ9d25HSMirnIA-stTZFDDgjydM8SApPodlSgRxyk/s3264/20757956924_5d01a4eb74_o.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFojRtTjqtyuArfc-MD5g5s_-VfS0sDmO2kk34lPwMZnRzbC0fdymYNrdk_DkWTIKDCnB88YfDtRe_19GhfCMAV1U5DGEMpH_ZH3Mxp1KzYqJzS-DIuI_SQlFH8QKLzkrqm1RUSaCQGtK91vlbc6FQ9d25HSMirnIA-stTZFDDgjydM8SApPodlSgRxyk/w640-h480/20757956924_5d01a4eb74_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small Field on the Isle of Skye, Scotland - 2015<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div>The last few weeks have seen me search for new sources of photography news after significantly reducing my use of social media these past couple of years. With the removal of Twitter (X) from my day-to-day life, I suddenly realised that I was feeling rather cut off from photography news. No news. No new photography. No sources of information at all. It suddenly dawned on me that needed to do something about that. </div><div><br /></div><div>A couple of weeks ago I found an old OPML export file in a Dropbox folder, made in late 2013. The file contained a list of all of the websites and blogs that I followed starting after 2007. I have to be honest. I wasn't sure if the file would work or if the RSS feeds listed were still active! As it turned out, around 80% of the feeds were either no longer of interest, no longer active or had just disappeared completely. There was, however, a core of photography blogs that were still active.</div><div><br /></div><div>The process of creating a new feed list has, though, been a great insight into the state of blogging in the world of podcasts and social media feeds. It certainly seems quieter but the dedicated blogger activity is still there. Several veteran blog names stood out on the RSS list, and to my amazement, these feeds were still active over a decade later. They may not post as often as they used to, but then that is probably to be expected. </div><div><br /></div><div>So far the new list seems to be working well. It needs building up a bit but the core feeds I'm interested in are there. If following these feeds also boosts my own blogging, I'll be happy with that too.</div><div><br /></div>Richard Flint Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15041895235746394851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684326622818540278.post-34754263953955483302024-02-24T15:42:00.005+00:002024-02-25T16:11:59.719+00:00New Bert Hardy Exhibition<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4vzE-QB2UvR_4QGTF0PqkWhsvF4iXoUCzSNG9N1-t0ifr8460IQsYgyz9Y8YSaiQyYyq3Ww3S5CiEIlkjnQ6RPX_blJWvBLq8vs12-_30G14Pug2o64N37pCeKd8H6g2lieJBuSVjxmIdqOL_5DmBoiO9DX7VYuuFoXmQQggBTTohmUaZ2O6gymuvxYc/s800/bert-hardy-the-gorbals-boys-1948.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Bert Hardy - The Gorbals Boys, 1948" border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="800" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4vzE-QB2UvR_4QGTF0PqkWhsvF4iXoUCzSNG9N1-t0ifr8460IQsYgyz9Y8YSaiQyYyq3Ww3S5CiEIlkjnQ6RPX_blJWvBLq8vs12-_30G14Pug2o64N37pCeKd8H6g2lieJBuSVjxmIdqOL_5DmBoiO9DX7VYuuFoXmQQggBTTohmUaZ2O6gymuvxYc/w640-h440/bert-hardy-the-gorbals-boys-1948.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span><div style="text-align: center;">Photograph by Bert Hardy - The Gorbals Boys, 1948</div></span><p></p><p>You can't really talk about British documentary photography during the mid-20th century without talking about <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert_Hardy" target="_blank">Bert Hardy</a>. So it's fantastic to see that <a href="https://thephotographersgallery.org.uk/" target="_blank">The Photographers' Gallery</a> in London is having a long overdue retrospective of his work.<br /><br />I first came across Bert Hardy's name during the early 1990s when I managed to buy the fantastic book '<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Photographers-World-War-American/dp/0517086603" target="_blank">Great Photographers of World War II' by Chris Boot</a>. Along with the usual names like George Rodger and Robert Capa, the book also looked at the work and lives of some of the lesser-known combat photographers including Bert Hardy.<br /><br />Hardy had been working for the Picture Post when he got called up and it was where he returned to after the end of the war. He stayed at the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picture_Post" target="_blank">Picture Post</a> until 1957 when the photojournalistic magazine closed due to falling sales caused by the arrival of television and other factors.<br /><br />The photographer moved to being an advertising photographer due to the lack of work opportunities for photojournalists but by 1964 had left the industry completely to become a farmer. His images though have become iconic with the day-to-day life of people in post-war Britain probably among the best images shot during that period.</p><p><b>The Bert Hardy retrospective will be on at <a href="https://thephotographersgallery.org.uk/" target="_blank">The Photographers' Gallery</a> in London from 23 February 2024 - 02 June 2024. <br /><br />Details about the exhibition, opening times, etc can be found <a href="https://thephotographersgallery.org.uk/whats-on/bert-hardy-photojournalism-war-and-peace" target="_blank">HERE</a></b></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="357" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ECSDoR3hahs" width="611" youtube-src-id="ECSDoR3hahs"></iframe></div><br />Richard Flint Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15041895235746394851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684326622818540278.post-91149950663524252152023-11-11T13:03:00.011+00:002023-11-11T13:30:09.824+00:00 Marsco Manoeuvres<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTXDXjPTLWkmKoTXb78UN0UZrp4bHeWhrJ57J293CBqpTKb1cEtCS9DM-FSRlGX_9fi1sdQZAm06XpKL5roRxcf4RLSRkHxy3NSZAZkJvonQFZUMP7FCGC_rVtMKDi-atWzmrdv78pXsfgGutG3W8wnUcPXsqahhFGipmtgOInconwoAMa0fsDahNZfuM/s679/omd_organisation%20_1980.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="679" data-original-width="679" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTXDXjPTLWkmKoTXb78UN0UZrp4bHeWhrJ57J293CBqpTKb1cEtCS9DM-FSRlGX_9fi1sdQZAm06XpKL5roRxcf4RLSRkHxy3NSZAZkJvonQFZUMP7FCGC_rVtMKDi-atWzmrdv78pXsfgGutG3W8wnUcPXsqahhFGipmtgOInconwoAMa0fsDahNZfuM/s16000/omd_organisation%20_1980.jpg" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's been a week or two of veteran bands making a return to the spotlight. Even The Beatles released their <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Opxhh9Oh3rg">final song</a> which I actually thought was a wonderful finale and liked a lot. The band I want to talk about though is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orchestral_Manoeuvres_in_the_Dark" target="_blank">Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark</a> who are currently in the album charts with a new album Bauhaus Staircase. Well, more accurately, I want to talk about the excellent image on the cover of their 1980 album Organisation. An album that I've enjoyed listening to for more than forty years.<br /><br />The album cover (designed by graphic designer <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Saville_(graphic_designer)" target="_blank">Peter Saville</a>) for Organisation remains one of my favourites. Never has an image visually better summed up the album's dark and moody sonic landscape and yet for years, I had no idea where the photograph had been taken. It turned out that I'd actually visited and never known the connection! It is only thanks to the internet that I now know where it is - the photograph was shot by Richard Nutt and is of the cloud-covered peak of Marsco in the Red Cuillin mountains, on the Isle of Skye.<br /><br />A quick search online and sadly Richard Nutt doesn't seem to have much of a presence, although it turns out there are plenty of other Richards producing landscape work - <a href="https://www.richardflintphoto.com/portfolio/scotland/">myself included</a>! Did the photograph have an influence on my photography? I think most definitely although probably at a more subconscious level than other photography sources. I've always had a soft spot for dark moody landscape photography. Maybe this image is where that all started.<br /><br />My next visit to Skye will definitely include a visit to see Marsco... and maybe take a photo in homage to the OMD Organisation cover image. Now there is a creative challenge!<br /><br /></div>Richard Flint Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15041895235746394851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684326622818540278.post-78622458631523787342023-10-15T16:41:00.008+01:002023-10-15T16:49:49.783+01:00Linda's Memorial Garden<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6oQwy4ifjMwmifbAWe9K84yydfOC8kyE2uwGruohPNfEN0_ga4_V7sPFy7o_F3FfCfgH7ErY4YXpn9iNGX8v65_5Kc2bKtLhDJQy8HzST5iR9DapyYBhY_wjHtqiaPoqJ6cTe2vElsuOrzH8Rh7YXwpQ63_nPIBB3gH9vV02gG9bMP2geYweR0KZQJgw/s1600/linda_memorial_garden_campbeltown_scotland.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6oQwy4ifjMwmifbAWe9K84yydfOC8kyE2uwGruohPNfEN0_ga4_V7sPFy7o_F3FfCfgH7ErY4YXpn9iNGX8v65_5Kc2bKtLhDJQy8HzST5iR9DapyYBhY_wjHtqiaPoqJ6cTe2vElsuOrzH8Rh7YXwpQ63_nPIBB3gH9vV02gG9bMP2geYweR0KZQJgw/w640-h426/linda_memorial_garden_campbeltown_scotland.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div>Sometimes we judge things before we actually get to see them. I did that many years ago with the photography by Linda McCartney. I blame naïve youthful ignorance and also the massive Beatle hype bubble that will go on existing until the end of music.</div><div><br /></div><div>I never was a big fan of the Fab Four. Age has made me more tolerant and open to their music but I always preferred other sixties bands. The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Cream and other big rock acts. I've always tended to avoid things that are too popular. I can do pop as long as it isn't too big or hyped.</div><div><br /></div><div>In 1998, I came across a <a href="https://www.lindamccartney.com/books/">great photography book</a> called Linda McCartney's Sixties. Looking through I was surprised and impressed by Linda's documentary style of portraiture and the subject matter also appealed. As Linda Eastman, she had photographed some of the biggest acts of the 1960's. She was friends with many of the acts and especially liked Jim Morrison of the Doors. </div><div><br /></div><div>I knew that Linda had a memorial garden in Campbeltown. Both her and Paul had moved to the Mull of Kintyre after the end of the Beatles. The local community accepted them and years later, after Linda's death in 1998 decided to build a memorial garden complete with a bronze statue purchased by Paul.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sadly I only managed a brief visit but the peace and tranquillity of the place could be felt. My stay was unfortunately interrupted by a couple of women chatting and having a cigarette. I'll hopefully return to Campbeltown again at some point and I'll definitely be soaking up that beautiful, colourful and quiet place that is Linda's garden again.</div>Richard Flint Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15041895235746394851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684326622818540278.post-78710623243743476262023-09-05T11:57:00.003+01:002023-09-05T11:57:40.359+01:00Old Haunts<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSvhUtPJZucuy2eKVZSwpf-uQzQBUE0WpDJHxSJxv5TQZKgKV7Wv9j0SbO1KAQv6n0SSq-Kaoj3KQKDYY7wEWxbOtTa5VzZc8x_n5y_v0sFf52WbPdq06mA3vwpDeVixYe90Ob6zLH36wRmwTRrCyB2YJILmR7vacThJLf27liwft5Gd6bJD6jvw3ib3g/s2448/OriginalPhoto-470151210.465850.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="2448" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSvhUtPJZucuy2eKVZSwpf-uQzQBUE0WpDJHxSJxv5TQZKgKV7Wv9j0SbO1KAQv6n0SSq-Kaoj3KQKDYY7wEWxbOtTa5VzZc8x_n5y_v0sFf52WbPdq06mA3vwpDeVixYe90Ob6zLH36wRmwTRrCyB2YJILmR7vacThJLf27liwft5Gd6bJD6jvw3ib3g/w640-h640/OriginalPhoto-470151210.465850.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Claymore Swords - Edinburgh Castle, 2015</div><p></p><p>It's been catch-up time over the past few days regarding the blog. A tweak or two to the design and a new background and the site is ready for another few years.</p><p>Looking back through the old posts was a strange experience. It was like reading an old diary and seeing a glimpse of a previous life. So much has changed for me in the years since this blog started.</p><p>The level of enthusiasm for posting can be seen by the total number of posts for each year. The peak was 2007, closely followed by 2008. I do not intend to get back to those levels, but I would like to post at least once a week if possible.</p><p>Finally, I would like to apologise for an issue I came across this weekend. As I checked through the various areas of the blog I clicked on the comment section and noticed 34 comments awaiting moderation. I'd received no notification or emails to say that a comment was waiting.</p><p>All of the comments have now been published on the website and I would especially like to thank those people who left some feedback about the Billingham bags and Michele Breton posts that I posted some years ago now. I also received some wonderful comments about the blog. Sorry, it took so long to add these to the site. I will check regularly from now on.</p><p>Hopefully, I can get the old blog back to something like its old self from a few years ago.</p>Richard Flint Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15041895235746394851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684326622818540278.post-38447138053889257582023-08-31T16:32:00.005+01:002023-09-03T14:33:00.419+01:00Changing Track<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghD3pgljP37nOjqfEMRWUxkgtdFYBzFrGOpLPuvRiDKh-cxI_iA4wesuvVeiyxVLpDVF-8C6yhqe8dUjQi_e1Edt0lO8EKzbf2hHbeGmdmgd4iwj7ZrOaAuyV93yOHZ6Njx4azxxD-jXCrEIzpGban1JjQ-0D9Kej0lmoMRtdabUxQFj65aOoF2yPKGwk/s2448/OriginalPhoto-470405293.325698.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Maersk shipping container on the west coast mainline network" border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="2448" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghD3pgljP37nOjqfEMRWUxkgtdFYBzFrGOpLPuvRiDKh-cxI_iA4wesuvVeiyxVLpDVF-8C6yhqe8dUjQi_e1Edt0lO8EKzbf2hHbeGmdmgd4iwj7ZrOaAuyV93yOHZ6Njx4azxxD-jXCrEIzpGban1JjQ-0D9Kej0lmoMRtdabUxQFj65aOoF2yPKGwk/w640-h640/OriginalPhoto-470405293.325698.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Maersk shipping container on the WCML rail route - November 2015</div><p></p><p>It's been a long time since i posted on this blog, but what goes around comes around and the blog isn't closed quite yet.</p><p>I've posted on my <a href="https://darkerskies.wordpress.com" target="_blank">Darker Skies blog</a> about the changes to Twitter (or X as it's magnificently called now) and how the blogs will benefit from that decline. I'm fed up of social media and have been for some time. The honeymoon is over for me at least.</p><p>My plan is to use my blogs much more from now on. Last year this blog published NO new posts for the first time since it launched in 2007. That needs to change.</p><p>So keep an eye on the blog for new posts coming over the next few weeks and months. It's time to get back to the blogging :)</p>Richard Flint Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15041895235746394851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684326622818540278.post-72082994955024939592021-06-23T16:20:00.002+01:002021-06-23T16:24:22.229+01:00Wet Film U2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">No not the band but the high altitude aircraft that has been in service for over 60 years with the U.S military.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Probably the most fascinating part of this documentary (around 17.30 mins) regards the cameras and photography used to capture the recon photos. Even with the leaps in digital technology, the U2 cameras shot film in 2019. Probably still do.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">An interesting watch.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="452" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Q4ctWtvb7aA" width="800" youtube-src-id="Q4ctWtvb7aA"></iframe></div>Richard Flint Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15041895235746394851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684326622818540278.post-87299243819021139162020-10-11T13:18:00.005+01:002020-10-13T13:54:40.094+01:00A History Of Cameras In Space<p>Spotted this great video by Scott Manley on YouTube that looks at the history of cameras in space. </p><p>Scott's video does go into some detail about the modifications made to the cameras and the later models by Hasselblad and Nikon specially created for use in space.</p><p>Well worth a watch.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="319" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ph_apgmpYY0" width="560" youtube-src-id="ph_apgmpYY0"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p>Richard Flint Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15041895235746394851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684326622818540278.post-23295986697114302212019-12-31T17:44:00.000+00:002019-12-31T17:44:11.830+00:00Edinburgh Offshoots: December 2019<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Three images from a visit to Edinburgh earlier this month.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgld4hOVa_34bXXYWJORLY8bBX6iNHhS0RzvTfHjaIKwzR1Fgm5bw1bCv88UO2_T1TsHyg3DrL9OT4RQn1CF2XxSYbzooVyLUoUEUBv6xaEFDIA5eObxo12Ri3N9w5TCu2lhUHLM0pH3bE/s1600/DSC_6145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgld4hOVa_34bXXYWJORLY8bBX6iNHhS0RzvTfHjaIKwzR1Fgm5bw1bCv88UO2_T1TsHyg3DrL9OT4RQn1CF2XxSYbzooVyLUoUEUBv6xaEFDIA5eObxo12Ri3N9w5TCu2lhUHLM0pH3bE/s640/DSC_6145.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Big wheel viewed from Princes Street</span></td></tr>
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<br />Richard Flint Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15041895235746394851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684326622818540278.post-86832910625382046302018-08-08T18:43:00.002+01:002018-08-08T20:12:03.467+01:00Review: Billingham 550<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgITJw2062sr4N5IwXoD_bDAd6ICo4eUBPyGScEOSj73ugBqUW4IS8IZmlCBgdugZ7kLFQuAqn3cx-Eu4Kb8pM6O_RFWXKoQa96M6QzyA5bVokysFnvbuggUTxd_21LyGBUdD54x-4UAl0/s1600/billingham-550.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgITJw2062sr4N5IwXoD_bDAd6ICo4eUBPyGScEOSj73ugBqUW4IS8IZmlCBgdugZ7kLFQuAqn3cx-Eu4Kb8pM6O_RFWXKoQa96M6QzyA5bVokysFnvbuggUTxd_21LyGBUdD54x-4UAl0/s640/billingham-550.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Billingham 550 - a veteran of many adventures and nicely worn in after 22 years of use.</td></tr>
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Ten years ago, i posted a review for my <a href="https://richflintphoto.blogspot.com/2008/05/review-billingham-445.html" target="_blank">Billingham 445</a> camera bag on this very blog. The review started "<i>Billingham bags are a popular choice for many photographers looking for a robust way of carrying their expensive equipment around</i>." I could never have imagined that the review would become the blog's most popular post, one of the most commented posts on the blog and is mentioned in the references on the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billingham_Bags" target="_blank">Billingham Wikipedia</a> entry. A popular choice indeed!<br />
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For many years, I've wanted to post a review of my trusty 550, the first Billingham bag i purchased 22 years ago, but for one reason or another i never got around to writing the review. To mark the tenth anniversary of my popular 445 review i thought i would finally write that 550 review... so here it is!<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhJUCHA7XUmm9I9Wq5flw57NTA-3fcmfnxipd2mWstbWFvW9sfsu2OAnYRVGodm-0pJZljE1IynXky9p1wKAToO5rnLJ0URYSok6Ee7btm1fFnWq_6pnZbWwXHB-R8i7hH_ipCQPX7RSo/s1600/billingham-550-carrying-strapt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhJUCHA7XUmm9I9Wq5flw57NTA-3fcmfnxipd2mWstbWFvW9sfsu2OAnYRVGodm-0pJZljE1IynXky9p1wKAToO5rnLJ0URYSok6Ee7btm1fFnWq_6pnZbWwXHB-R8i7hH_ipCQPX7RSo/s320/billingham-550-carrying-strapt.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Worn but functional - the original SP 20 shoulder pad</td></tr>
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The story of my Billingham 550 starts in 1996 when i decided that i needed a new camera bag. I'd purchased a Jessop's camera bag back in 1991 which had served me well, but i decided that i really needed to upgrade to a better quality of camera bag. At the time, i was a photography student and one or two of my fellow students had Billingham camera bags (mostly <a href="https://billingham.co.uk/products/335" target="_blank">335</a>s) that i could have a close look at. I purchased mine at Jessops (the other customers in the store at the time exchanged impressive tales of how Billingham bags had saved camera kit) after weeks of looking at one in the shop window. The build quality was very impressive and i also liked the classic design - I still do all these years later. I finally decided to go with the 550 due to its size - it is a spacious bag - it could carry everything i needed. In an ironic twist the purchase of my 445 some years later would stem from the sheer size of the 550. More about that later.<br />
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So to the bag. As i said earlier the <a href="https://billingham.co.uk/collections/camera-bags/products/550" target="_blank">550</a> is a huge bag that Billingham describe on their website as "<i>our most luxurious bag - perfect for the photographer or the traveller. Even without the two detachable end pockets, it is still large enough to carry several camera bodies, lenses, flashguns and even some overnight stay essentials". </i>The 550 was the first production bag for Billingham and has influenced the style of the bags that have followed. My bag is the classic khaki canvas with full grain tan leather and brass fixings, now all nicely worn in after many years of use and usually associated with the classic Billingham look, however two other colours are available including black and a rather bold <a href="https://billingham.co.uk/collections/camera-bags/products/550?variant=9539082289195" target="_blank">Imperial Blue Canvas</a>. The light colour of the bag does mean that the dirt can show but the 550 is very easy to clean - mud can easily be removed by just waiting for it to dry and then brushing it off. Soap and warm water usually removes dirt from the bag and you just leave the bag in the sun to dry. Simple.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH61OZUy9pGlS6iMIskP5qbSmQuCrtISx-w2aPZ1BH_3QfIB86nOwy-aALHi92YWY7ZBdc5DABPc0nQTkmjQgcW_-JM0W3wSciayEUAjHBdSM-bowddAG2aS2GdnAGrzF-yD9f_1FliFA/s1600/billingham-550-internal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH61OZUy9pGlS6iMIskP5qbSmQuCrtISx-w2aPZ1BH_3QfIB86nOwy-aALHi92YWY7ZBdc5DABPc0nQTkmjQgcW_-JM0W3wSciayEUAjHBdSM-bowddAG2aS2GdnAGrzF-yD9f_1FliFA/s640/billingham-550-internal.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Internal space is good with plenty of protection. Extra partitions can be purchased if required</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLtH_fxtIiop9LhcD7i49eW9uuRNaSdVWOPWt_frbwQIaRGaoATU9Xrd0AH_Ag_v-iCpMhJXJHLv5xfCO3TnXVsMeJCDGEI5avAtPtMatcmkIbraap7SfnhyphenhyphenqURTqbP0gMsVsstUmX8Ww/s1600/billingham-550-internal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLtH_fxtIiop9LhcD7i49eW9uuRNaSdVWOPWt_frbwQIaRGaoATU9Xrd0AH_Ag_v-iCpMhJXJHLv5xfCO3TnXVsMeJCDGEI5avAtPtMatcmkIbraap7SfnhyphenhyphenqURTqbP0gMsVsstUmX8Ww/s640/billingham-550-internal.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The top zipper is excellent quality and strong . The top rain flap then covers and is fastened with two leather straps</td></tr>
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The internals of the 550 are very spacious and can accommodate a wide variety of camera systems and lenses. The dimensions can be found on the Billingham 550 product page <a href="https://billingham.co.uk/collections/camera-bags/products/550" target="_blank">here</a>. If you like carrying a mix of camera systems then the 550 has plenty of room to carry a medium format camera and a DSLR plus lenses. I regularly carry 6x6 and a DSLR in the same bag. The bag's depth is a serious asset with room for a high hammerhead flash gun like the Metz 75. The depth is also handy for keeping kit away from prying eyes and out of the weather . It also helps with what i call 'working out of the bag' - everything can stay within the bag when working at a location so you don't leave anything behind. With the internal partitions, the layout possibilities are numerous, though it can take a bit of trial and error to find that perfect layout to fit in all your kit. Billingham have a range of additional <a href="https://billingham.co.uk/collections/accessories" target="_blank">superflex dividers</a> available to purchase but I've largely managed with the partitions that came with the bag. Whatever you need to store - the bag will fit it in. Right at the bottom of the 550 is the bag's 500 Superflex <a href="https://billingham.co.uk/collections/accessories/products/bases" target="_blank">base plate</a> that protects gear from vibration, knocks and the damp. It can also be removed if necessary to turn the 550 into a great travel bag, ideal for weekend trips away.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxBNxSVu0Q3Z_fnhRkn3iiQl_1Q0McV4N2l_p4BvJ_UAn4k30CcELZVaFba67aTWt1LF7aVNZgsqclL1oKBi_rX5EOMvGaElLE-2K5wLnMZfP0FJp2ta-S80cHjt-3QBbgpn8GfSAUfBs/s1600/billingham-550-end-pocket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1071" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxBNxSVu0Q3Z_fnhRkn3iiQl_1Q0McV4N2l_p4BvJ_UAn4k30CcELZVaFba67aTWt1LF7aVNZgsqclL1oKBi_rX5EOMvGaElLE-2K5wLnMZfP0FJp2ta-S80cHjt-3QBbgpn8GfSAUfBs/s320/billingham-550-end-pocket.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 550 end pockets - large enough for a SB800 flashgun</td></tr>
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Externally the bag has five pockets, two deep zipped pockets that can fit large items like a flashgun, and two smaller outside pockets with stud fasteners that are perfect for carrying filters, memory cards or other items. Once the top rain cover is fastened up using the brass buckles and leather straps, the pockets are pretty secure. More space is provided by the zipped external back pocket that can be used to store maps, receipts or documents. The 550 also comes with two detachable end pockets which i found useful for storing film and filter hoods. The detachable pockets have limited padding, just like the studded side pockets, so aren't really designed for storing lenses or any delicate objects. The pockets are, however, great as working pockets for placing film, memory cards etc during shoots or for keeping the rain away from items during a sudden downpour. Carrying the bag can be done using the leather hand strap or using the shoulder strap. The SP20 shoulder pad is wide and comfortable with a very grippy rubberised neoprene, making the task of carrying a well packed and balanced bag, a pleasant one.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipvcdCpyTXgr6eui13jrDBuMINfBLmdM40Xc0ngcWGFUtH5_s1v36j3f3ggvMdx97CqXVexJ9au4XAguH3kyZpOxqbziW3HdnwV0jFbnoK_H1vDGZKeE0hwkAHExTYVlETVfFIjVCnX20/s1600/billingham-550-side--pocket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipvcdCpyTXgr6eui13jrDBuMINfBLmdM40Xc0ngcWGFUtH5_s1v36j3f3ggvMdx97CqXVexJ9au4XAguH3kyZpOxqbziW3HdnwV0jFbnoK_H1vDGZKeE0hwkAHExTYVlETVfFIjVCnX20/s640/billingham-550-side--pocket.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The side pockets can carry a good size flash or lens but i tend to use it for film, filters etc</td></tr>
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The external canvas skin of the 550 looks very classy, is incredibly waterproof and is about as durable as you can get. I've been in downpours with my 550 ( one rain soaked day at Sandringham in Norfolk was especially memorable) and often wished that i could get into the bag as well! Gear remains dry and well protected from water, sand, dust and mud. I mentioned in my 445 review that ' <i>These bags are designed to take all sorts of punishment - the most common of which will be water. The water proof nature of the 445 is remarkable. I've been in storms and downpours which have thoroughly tested the bag, with no problems encountered at all</i>'. That statement equally applies to the 550. A few years ago, during a visit to Norfolk, I accidentally dropped my 445 ( i was with it too i might add!) into thick harbour mud. The camera gear remained totally safe inside. The mud just washed off the canvas bag with the aid of a sponge and a bit of soap. Temperature control inside the bag is excellent too. During hot sunshine the inside of the Billingham 550 remains noticeably cooler thanks to the khaki coloured canvas (darker coloured 550s might not fare as well!) and the thick partition inserts. If the bag is kept closed then the contents will remain cool.<br />
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So what about the downsides? Well the bag's physical size can be a bit of a double edged sword. The 550 is of a size that can be quite difficult to carry in confined spaces such as a busy train carriage - especially if the end pockets are attached!. I decided to switch over to the slightly smaller 445, a few years later, partially due to that size issue. Another problem can be the weight. Fully packed the bag can be quite heavy so carrying it over rough ground or long distances is far from ideal for your back!. I found that out when visiting the Highlands of Scotland in 2012 where the backpack type camera bag is the better option. An interesting suggestion from the Billingham website states '<i>Many 550 owners use them as a safe store for all their equipment and use one of our smaller bags to carry just the specific gear they need to take the shot, going back to the 550 to swap lenses or bodies</i>. One final thing to mention regards the difficulty in carrying the bag by hand when the rain flap is open. The only way is to use the shoulder strap, as the buckles need to be fastened to use the leather handle on top of the bag. That said, closing up the bag each time provides extra security and develops into a good habit.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ2E3VPfnnkq4zkuaZW4M4f1s5fwzUVKDAbf19pw8TDFOe2KbOJPXfgLvtqZ9O39pOkuiXYdG6BdwlFLnHHZyKUp7UJyPjejsVn8WyDrWsGeGXXv2WM4fK5AQbj_Fl8Ukv9XOu85dE8F8/s1600/billingham-550-open.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ2E3VPfnnkq4zkuaZW4M4f1s5fwzUVKDAbf19pw8TDFOe2KbOJPXfgLvtqZ9O39pOkuiXYdG6BdwlFLnHHZyKUp7UJyPjejsVn8WyDrWsGeGXXv2WM4fK5AQbj_Fl8Ukv9XOu85dE8F8/s640/billingham-550-open.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 550 has plenty or storage with a variety of pockets to store away accessories.</td></tr>
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In conclusion, the Billingham 550 is a great camera bag. Solid, reliable and comfortable to carry. It is not cheap but then quality never is. Billingham list it on their website for £600 but it can be found for well under £500. The secondhand option is also worth considering with a 550 in good condition going for around £200+. One thing to consider when buying the 550 is it will last a lifetime if looked after. Potentially it could be the only bag you may ever need to buy. I've had over twenty years of use, through college, university and freelance life... and mine is just nicely getting worn in. I expect I'll be using it in another twenty years or more. The bag provides a fantastic amount of storage for a range of camera systems including video and 5x4. The solid robust construction does come at a price, adding extra weight to the bag, but you get peace of mind that the 550 will take whatever you, or the elements, throw at it over many years and comfortably protect all your gear inside. Exactly what a good camera bag should do!<br />
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Like many photographers i have quite a few camera bags, many of which have been bought for a specific task or purpose. I would, however, never get rid of my 445 and 550 as they are the best camera bags i own. If you are looking for a big camera bag then you'd be hard pressed to find a bag with the storage space, superb build quality and protection offered by the 550. I certainly love mine.<br />
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<b>My Billingham 445 bag review from May 2008 can be found</b> <a href="https://richflintphoto.blogspot.com/2008/05/review-billingham-445.html" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a><br />
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<b>The Billingham website can be found at</b> <b><a href="https://billingham.co.uk/">https://billingham.co.uk/</a></b><br />
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<b>The Billingham 550 product page can be found <a href="https://billingham.co.uk/collections/camera-bags/products/550" target="_blank">HERE</a></b>Richard Flint Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15041895235746394851noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684326622818540278.post-26658824537102825432018-02-06T13:01:00.000+00:002018-02-06T13:01:36.111+00:00Performance Related<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5l6e3QwIagM2Tdsy8aAxAufUvDVcvDN654FLGdkmqeVUpp2uvgro_Z69rlwPdUBSHkX8GuTw08NPsD27kbbIyhOBcDyE_K6beogTnb37xeckIOFUo-eHS4virR418dur5pNo9rcUlqCw/s1600/michele-breton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1194" data-original-width="1200" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5l6e3QwIagM2Tdsy8aAxAufUvDVcvDN654FLGdkmqeVUpp2uvgro_Z69rlwPdUBSHkX8GuTw08NPsD27kbbIyhOBcDyE_K6beogTnb37xeckIOFUo-eHS4virR418dur5pNo9rcUlqCw/s400/michele-breton.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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It certainly doesn't seem like four years since i wrote a couple of posts about the film <a href="https://richflintphoto.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/smoke-and-mirrors.html" target="_blank">Performance</a>, a film that still intrigues me... and others it seems. Since then, the posts have become some of the most commented and read on the blog.</div>
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While i was moving through the internet recently i came across some interesting articles and a video about the photographs taken by Cecil Beaton for the film's publicity. Beaton ended up being paid by Sandy Lieberson, Performance's producer, because Warner Brothers would not pay the bill.</div>
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The images were part of an exhibition by Sotheby's in 2016. Sadly the online images only appear to show the 'names' in Performance which is a shame. The excellent portrait above of Michèle Breton certainly looks as though it was taken by Cecil Beaton though at the moment i can't confirm it.</div>
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The links can be found below</div>
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<a href="http://www.sothebys.com/en/news-video/videos/2016/11/documenting-decadence-and-debauchery-performance-by-cecil-beaton.html" target="_blank"><br /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.sothebys.com/en/news-video/videos/2016/11/documenting-decadence-and-debauchery-performance-by-cecil-beaton.html" target="_blank"><br /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.sothebys.com/en/news-video/videos/2016/11/documenting-decadence-and-debauchery-performance-by-cecil-beaton.html" target="_blank">Documenting Decadence and Debauchery – Performance by Cecil Beaton</a> (Short Film)<br />
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<a href="http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/2016/performance-cecil-beaton-ls1605.html" target="_blank">Performance by Cecil Beaton</a>Richard Flint Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15041895235746394851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684326622818540278.post-90552607734340029902017-10-18T18:36:00.000+01:002017-10-18T18:39:49.909+01:00Mentioned in Dispatches<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bBu1K8Q2j14" width="560"></iframe></div>
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It's been a long time since i last saw this BBC2 programme on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Page_(photographer)" target="_blank">Tim Page</a>. I'd be around 13 year of age, off school ill with some bug or another, and that summer i'd just got my first camera - a 126 Hamimex 88x - from a chemist shop on the high street in Conwy, North Wales. The journey had begun. The shop is still there. I still have my first camera too.</div>
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Certain scenes from Mentioned in Dispatches were burned into my head. Page going through his slides and explaining the story behind them is one scene that made me realise that photography was not just about landscapes and holidays, it could inform and educate and i loved the power the images had. The fact that Page was still visibly affected by his head injuries received in 1969 was also something i remembered vividly. There was a cost to taking the images.</div>
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The photography of the Vietnam war still fascinates me now. Tim's star has waned over the years as he dropped down my table of favourite photographers. He was good... <a href="http://time.com/3879815/vietnam-photo-essay-larry-burrows-one-ride-with-yankee-papa-13/" target="_blank">others</a> were better. I've come to prefer the work of other photographers who captured the war without the rock n' roll attitude of Page. The photojournalist, played by Dennis Hopper, in Apocalypse Now was alleged to have been based on Tim Page. I much prefer the quiet professional attitude of <a href="https://www.icp.org/browse/archive/constituents/larry-burrows?all/all/all/all/0" target="_blank">Larry Burrows</a>.</div>
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It is good to see this film again though. Amazing what the mix of a Vietnam war photographer documentary and a chemist shop in North Wales can do.</div>
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Richard Flint Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15041895235746394851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684326622818540278.post-26306408237911002382016-09-15T17:48:00.003+01:002016-09-18T18:17:59.085+01:00The Invention of Photography<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS41KRg4lQu3huc-KHwiiKSe0iT4Ydv6Rmw4b-53lgBnZFjksxA9a-Q03-Y5okd1eKPW4g4X7SYytukatG4EV8FAvACslQtllkhPxpfBQiVX9uI351uHd3aKCJI0dUkegqF6q5BCrB-Eo/s1600/henry-fox-talbot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS41KRg4lQu3huc-KHwiiKSe0iT4Ydv6Rmw4b-53lgBnZFjksxA9a-Q03-Y5okd1eKPW4g4X7SYytukatG4EV8FAvACslQtllkhPxpfBQiVX9uI351uHd3aKCJI0dUkegqF6q5BCrB-Eo/s640/henry-fox-talbot.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">William Henry Fox Talbot, The Open Door, 1843</td></tr>
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If you are looking to brush up on your early photography history then a podcast available on the BBC website might just be of interest.<br />
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Back in July, the BBC Radio 4 show <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qykl" target="_blank">'In Our Time</a>' recorded a 45 minute programme where the topic of the invention of photography was discussed by an expert panel. The lives and work of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Daguerre" target="_blank">Louis Daguerre</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Fox_Talbot" target="_blank">William Henry Fox Talbot</a> are talked about in some depth along with the effect that early photography had on society. The various early photography processes, many of which used toxic ingredients that caused ill health for the pioneer photographers, are also discussed in some detail.<br />
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The podcast description on the website states:-<br />
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<i>'Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the development of photography in the 1830s, when techniques for 'drawing with light' evolved to the stage where, in 1839, both Louis Daguerre and William Henry Fox Talbot made claims for its invention. These followed the development of the camera obscura, and experiments by such as Thomas Wedgwood and Nicéphore Niépce, and led to rapid changes in the 1840s as more people captured images with the daguerreotype and calotype. These new techniques changed the aesthetics of the age and, before long, inspired claims that painting was now dead.'</i><br />
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It wasn't surprising to find out that early photography was a pursuit of wealthy gentlemen. Photography in the 19th century was an extremely expensive and time consuming business. Even having your photograph taken by the early 'pro photographers' was an expensive luxury few could afford - 300 guineas was charged for a portrait (One <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guinea_(coin)" target="_blank">Guinea</a> is £ 1.05p) taking it well beyond the reach of the average person.<br />
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The podcast is available to stream via the BBC site and there is also a MP3 download which means that anyone outside of the UK should be able to access the programme.<br />
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The Invention of Photography pocast can be found at <b><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07j699g">http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07j699g</a></b>Richard Flint Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15041895235746394851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684326622818540278.post-14283497680861234862016-09-12T13:06:00.000+01:002016-09-12T13:06:00.139+01:00Last Letter from Aleppo<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en">
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This is the last letter of a Syrian photographer and activist who chose to stay in Aleppo. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/aleppo?src=hash">#aleppo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/aleppoceasefire?src=hash">#aleppoceasefire</a> <a href="https://t.co/F25HcGOatz">pic.twitter.com/F25HcGOatz</a></div>
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) <a href="https://twitter.com/Channel4News/status/774176511368671232">September 9, 2016</a></blockquote>
I re-tweeted this <a href="https://twitter.com/Channel4News/status/774176511368671232" target="_blank">video</a> a few days ago on Twitter but it is such a sad, touching and emotive film by Channel 4 news (UK) that i will add it here too.<br />
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Shamel Al-Ahmad, a Syrian photographer and activist who was killed along with his wife, documented the atrocities in his city of Aleppo.<br />
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The experiences and feelings reflected in the letter not only speak for Shamel but also portray what many Syrians have been enduring over the years of war within Syria.Richard Flint Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15041895235746394851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684326622818540278.post-77692409833623367142016-09-09T16:57:00.001+01:002016-09-09T16:58:37.953+01:00Just Resting...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I thought it was time that the blog received some love after being ignored for some time, so I've changed the template and made a few other tweaks as well. I think the site looks lighter, brighter and a lot fresher now - the old darker design had been running on the site for around nine years!<br />
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As for new content, well that is on the way too. I haven't posted in over a year but its time to put that right. The site was never closed... just resting. A new post will be up in the next week or so.<br />
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It will be great to be back :)Richard Flint Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15041895235746394851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684326622818540278.post-54081555863304956192015-08-11T10:30:00.001+01:002015-08-11T10:50:48.260+01:00Gerda Taro – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Unidentified Photographer, Gerda Taro, Guadalajara Front, July 1937</div>
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The excellent photoblog <a href="https://fansinaflashbulb.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">'Fans in a Flashbulb'</a> have posted a great profile on Gerda Taro, the photojournalist who was the love of Robert Capa's life and probably the biggest influence on his life and career.</div>
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Over the years Gerda's photography has been overshadowed by Capa's. but in recent years the interest in her photography and life has grown. The two photographers worked closely together and their work was published widely but sadly Gerda was killed in July 1937 while covering the civil war in Spain. </div>
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<i>'She returns to Madrid a few days later, then travels with Ted Allan to a battle site located between Villanueva de la Cañada and Brunete. There, on July 25, one day before her return to Paris, Taro and Allan find themselves in the midst of a panicked retreat. They jump onto a moving car and are both hit when a Loyalist tank crashes into the car. </i></div>
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<i>Taro dies early the next morning in a field hospital of the 35th Division at El Escorial. She is the first female photographer to be killed while reporting on war.'</i></div>
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Robert Capa never really recovered from the loss.</div>
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The excellent Gerda Taro – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow can be found at:</div>
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<a href="https://fansinaflashbulb.wordpress.com/2015/07/31/female-fotographer-fridays-gerda-taro-yesterday-today-and-tomorrow/">https://fansinaflashbulb.wordpress.com/2015/07/31/female-fotographer-fridays-gerda-taro-yesterday-today-and-tomorrow/</a></div>
<br />Richard Flint Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15041895235746394851noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684326622818540278.post-80967967182999213942015-04-10T11:17:00.001+01:002015-04-10T11:17:58.236+01:00Three Recommended Links<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGSVa6UFfubuGp7NSsjOuvkxtL9Ha98lQtaSUKhlqm_eem2gjUI4bs33D2NCmFgC85jUDjN9cpeBaurwTo9VPFHay_FzgwwZnjyTtVSNgOy8JLEh97wtvndF3sNMdPopfZcGXOlRMmedM/s1600/B-DV4DjIMAE7qXh.jpg" height="358" width="640" /></div>
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The blog has been rather quiet of late, but it's time to start posting again after a brief break away with three recommended photography links discovered while i was away. I'm going to be adding link posts a couple of times a month to the blog from now on as well as adding other new photo posts.<br />
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The first is from the New York Times Lens photoblog and looks into '<a href="http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/17/world-press-photo-manipulation-ethics-of-digital-photojournalism/" target="_blank">Debating the Rules and Ethics of Digital Photojournalism'</a>. The core of the problem is the ease which digital images can be manipulated and changed. Its a discussion that has been long overdue and has yet to be resolved - maybe it never will be resolved. Another great article on the matter is by <a href="https://www.david-campbell.org/2015/02/24/why-does-manipulation-matter/" target="_blank">David Campbell</a>. One aspect i found problematic was the number of photographers who thought of their images as the 'truth'.<br />
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The Atlantic photoblog recently did a three part series (<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2015/03/the-vietnam-war-part-i-early-years-and-escalation/389054/" target="_blank">part 1</a>, <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2015/03/the-vietnam-war-part-ii-losses-and-withdrawal/389192/" target="_blank">part 2</a>, <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2015/04/the-vietnam-war-part-iii-hands-of-a-nation/389309/" target="_blank">Part 3</a>) on the Vietnam War marking fifty years since U.S Marines landed in South Vietnam. Covering such a conflict in three sections is never going to easy especially as the Vietnam war was so extensively photographed, but many of the images i'd never seen before. The final part of series featured a great set of photographs by <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2015/04/the-vietnam-war-part-iii-hands-of-a-nation/389309/" target="_blank">Eddie Adams</a>.<br />
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The final link is a sad but thought provoking photo essay by Lisa Krantz, a photographer at the San Antonio Express-News, entitled <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/behold/2015/04/02/lisa_krantz_a_life_apart_the_toll_of_obesity_photos.html" target="_blank">'One Man’s Lifelong Battle With Obesity'</a>. Krantz spent four years working on the story that she initially thought would be about weight loss but it developed into something far deeper.Richard Flint Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15041895235746394851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684326622818540278.post-38169202736823688362014-10-23T17:04:00.000+01:002014-10-24T16:44:33.472+01:00A Camera at Culloden<div style="text-align: center;">
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Take an historical battle that took place decades before the camera was invented, and reimagine it through a documentary camera crew filming the event. It was an idea that was used to great effect in the docudrama 'Culloden', a film made by the BBC in 1964 and directed by Peter Watkins.</div>
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Culloden deals with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Culloden" target="_blank">battle</a> between the Jacobite army led by Charles Edward Stuart and the British army led by the Duke of Cumberland, the youngest son of King George II. Based upon the book 'Culloden,' by John Prebble, who also acted as an historical advisor, the film covers the events of the battle and the characters involved using a TV documentary style that still looks fresh and dynamic fifty years later. Around 85% of the camera work was hand held and camera angles were planned to make the most of the small cast.<br>
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The interviews with the Government soldiers and clans men are especially well done with the camera focussing close into the worn faces and tired eyes of the characters. A cast of non professional actors did a fine job of portraying the men who took part in the battle, though it has to be said that Bonnie Prince Charlie, portrayed in the film as a weak pathetic character, is seen with a more sympathetically by modern historians.<br>
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Culloden went on to win a BAFTA in 1965, the year that Watkins filmed another of his docudramas <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_War_Game" target="_blank">'The War Game'</a>. The War Game was filmed in a <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-21525108" target="_blank">similar manner</a> to Culloden and looked at a nuclear attack on Britain and the effect on the population of Kent. The film was (and still is) such a terrifying vision of a nuclear attack upon Britain that the BBC banned it for 20 years. It went on to win an Oscar for best documentary film and the Bafta for Best Short Film in 1967. The film was eventually broadcast on 31 July 1985.</div>
Richard Flint Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15041895235746394851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684326622818540278.post-87336659966142414922014-07-31T12:01:00.000+01:002014-07-31T12:01:00.311+01:00Chris Killip on Skinningrove<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz9g8Fouqy-sLMWcHRtJbLRLFUkJyt8-e9_a6sVRqUfwqWZVMXkj1V27B5gDsZ9mFTaaHKA2e5OaybdxQfvsqu2qVBnR6gjz5uO38nh-On52E3Y7ddhSCQPRlunsIzMyhPJ9V7Rh7jNQY/s1600/Skinningrove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz9g8Fouqy-sLMWcHRtJbLRLFUkJyt8-e9_a6sVRqUfwqWZVMXkj1V27B5gDsZ9mFTaaHKA2e5OaybdxQfvsqu2qVBnR6gjz5uO38nh-On52E3Y7ddhSCQPRlunsIzMyhPJ9V7Rh7jNQY/s1600/Skinningrove.jpg" height="325" width="580" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photograph by Chris Killip</td></tr>
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If you're looking for a superb photo film to watch that I'd have to recommend the Michael Almereyda film 'Skinningrove' in which photographer Chris Killip talks about his excellent work in the North Yorkshire fishing village during the 1980's.<br />
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The film presents a group of images, much of it unpublished work (several images ended up in Killip's classic 1988 book 'In Flangrante') and also discusses the background to the images. It makes fascinating viewing. Credit must be given to Killip for having such a respectful and natural attitude to his subject matter. As Almereyda states <i>'The photographs embodied something essential about Chris’s relationship to his subjects, to the world.'</i> Sadly not all photographers are this engaged with the people they photograph.<br />
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Especially touching are his reminiscences about the lads who worked on the sea, fishing just of the coast of Skinningrove. Sadly two of the lads featured in the Killip's photographs drowned when the boat capsized.<br />
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The excellent Michael Almereyda film 'Skinningrove' can be viewed <b><a href="http://www.nybooks.com/blogs/gallery/2014/jul/22/chris-killip-skinningrove/?insrc=wbll" target="_blank">HERE</a></b>Richard Flint Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15041895235746394851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684326622818540278.post-68583127637786216462014-06-30T14:38:00.000+01:002014-06-30T14:41:28.692+01:00Tony Ray-Jones Video<div style="text-align: center;">
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This excellent video was linked on Twitter a while ago but i thought I'd mention it again on the blog because it is such a fascinating watch.<br />
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The film looks at the the superb photography <a href="http://richflintphoto.blogspot.com/2009/04/profile-tony-ray-jones.html" target="_blank">Tony Ray-Jones</a> produced for the journal Architectural Review in 1970. Instead of using the journal's staff photographers, leading photojournalists were used on a themed series called <a href="http://www.culture24.org.uk/art/architecture/art76477" target="_blank">Manplan</a>. Tony Ray-Jones worked on the issue that looked at housing.<br />
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I was greatly surprised to learn that Tony Ray-Jones was refused membership of Magnum twice - the second time after a poorly received submission of his Manplan photographs. One comes away from the film with the opinion that the failure was all Magnum's for not recognising such a fantastic photographic talent.<br />
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A good collection of Tony Ray-Jones weblinks can be found <a href="http://www.fine-photographs.co.uk/index.php/tony-ray-jones-links" target="_blank">HERE</a></div>
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Richard Flint Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15041895235746394851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684326622818540278.post-82783309166186386522014-06-02T12:56:00.000+01:002014-06-02T12:56:39.139+01:00Best Selling Image<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7GE6WosMbX6JAbNAquGHDJr_OEo8ZPtwHWMVjUdhkpDGUgsea_fizwtAh-1Mh5NxN4mM7Ibf-S3W6AzLhsjktZkEN-_THpYyP-ytPtqPryU4DEKEXtPDviGZyjF00UxKxUle2IyWkrEM/s1600/speedway-start.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7GE6WosMbX6JAbNAquGHDJr_OEo8ZPtwHWMVjUdhkpDGUgsea_fizwtAh-1Mh5NxN4mM7Ibf-S3W6AzLhsjktZkEN-_THpYyP-ytPtqPryU4DEKEXtPDviGZyjF00UxKxUle2IyWkrEM/s1600/speedway-start.jpg" height="374" width="580" /></a></div>
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Some more prints sold this week and by quite some distance it's the speedway shot above that is my most popular image. It seems to appeal to a lot of people - probably bikers or motor sport fans... or both!</div>
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It was taken quite a few years ago now at a speedway meet in the West Midlands and I've always thought that this image nicely captures the energy of the sport - that sudden surge of power and speed as the motorbike rearing up as it leaps off the line at the start of the race. It's the raw ingredient of all motor sport.</div>
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It's one of my favourite shots too. You could get really close to the action (so close you could probably use an iPhone and fill the frame) and the epic levels of engine noise and bursts of speed from the bikes (with no brakes!) was enough the raise the hairs on your neck. The atmosphere was fantastic.</div>
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As for the camera, well the image was taken with a Nikon F3HP with a motordrive and a 50mm lens. The film was Ilford HP5 which added a grittier feel. More images from the speedway can be found <a href="http://www.richardflintphoto.com/portfolio/speedway/" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a></div>
Richard Flint Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15041895235746394851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684326622818540278.post-4889528073689989542014-04-28T11:42:00.001+01:002014-04-28T17:27:24.926+01:00World War I in Photos<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUlQcbRshZF8othwKJaPEYyaldub6CHraZ6GQSbB4iDhnw-i2_kSg34KnJw4RMWSniZTh-vSrftnjntSl0kPC4ri7DpTukX6vEteJZRpceCpUwFWry-c_Fluma-aQdLSlYYDIUoreapKg/s1600/world-war-one.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUlQcbRshZF8othwKJaPEYyaldub6CHraZ6GQSbB4iDhnw-i2_kSg34KnJw4RMWSniZTh-vSrftnjntSl0kPC4ri7DpTukX6vEteJZRpceCpUwFWry-c_Fluma-aQdLSlYYDIUoreapKg/s400/world-war-one.jpg" height="430" title="Soldiers of an Australian 4th Division field artillery brigade walk on a duckboard track laid across a muddy, shattered battlefield in Chateau Wood, near Hooge, Belgium, on October 29, 1917." width="580" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: left;">The Atlantic photography blog 'In Focus' has just launched a series of posts dedicated to photography from World War I. Released in ten parts, part one has just been added to the blog featuring 45 images.</span>
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Each Sunday, until June 29th, a new set of photographs will be added to their site, collected from various image libraries and archives from around the world. As the Atlantic photo editor Alan Taylor explains in his introduction ‘<i>On this 100-year anniversary, I've gathered photographs of the Great War from dozens of collections, some digitized for the first time, to try to tell the story of the conflict, those caught up in it, and how much it affected the world.’</i></div>
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It promises to be a fascinating series. The introduction and the first 45 images can be found <b><a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/static/infocus/wwi/introduction/" target="_blank">HERE</a></b></div>
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Richard Flint Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15041895235746394851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684326622818540278.post-15476672708045750802014-03-16T17:21:00.000+00:002016-09-18T15:25:10.384+01:00Smoke and Mirrors<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgexXzcUqUWNxv4_DMICM-i7vGCIKkPun5r2Jyh1Os0j9qbVdp_nRLK40d3eXhroktJfnQHcPDjInFVo1x9b2A8917q1sTvwVpKjLWGpuhdCGuu_vkL1nR5tqT4S6182ift-Va0xnYIcUg/s1600/michele-breton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="portrait of Michèle Breton on the set of Performance, 1968" border="0" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgexXzcUqUWNxv4_DMICM-i7vGCIKkPun5r2Jyh1Os0j9qbVdp_nRLK40d3eXhroktJfnQHcPDjInFVo1x9b2A8917q1sTvwVpKjLWGpuhdCGuu_vkL1nR5tqT4S6182ift-Va0xnYIcUg/s1600/michele-breton.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Michèle Breton, 1968</td></tr>
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This beautiful portrait of Michèle Breton caught my eye as i researched the film <a href="http://richflintphoto.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/on-performance.html" target="_blank">Performance</a>. Unfortunately there is no photographer credit (it could possibly be one of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecil_Beaton" target="_blank">Cecil Beaton</a> images taken on set that Warner Bros refused to pay for. Sandy Lieberson, Performance's producer, eventually paid Beaton's fee out of his own pocket ) for this image that acts as the holding image for the preview video on the Warner Bros Performance webpage. Surprisingly the page doesn't feature a photo of big name stars Mick Jagger, James Fox or Anita Pallenburg. No, they decided to go with a fabulous image of seventeen year old Michèle Breton, who played Lucy, dressed in her Carnaby Street finery. It's one of the finest publicity portrait shots from the film, and yet of all of the main stars of the film, Michèle Breton's subsequent life after the filming of Performance finished remains one of the most enigmatic aspects of the film's history.<br />
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Type Michèle Breton's <a href="https://www.google.co.uk/#q=Mich%C3%A8le+Breton" target="_blank">name into Google</a> and you can easily find links, photographs, articles about the film, and more. Michèle's name even comes up in the auto suggestions list, yet a vast amount of the information relates purely to her role as Lucy in the cult 1968 British film. Information about her life afterwards is scant, poorly sourced and most often wildly inaccurate, which has really opened my eyes to how appallingly unreliable the internet can be when there is an information vacuum. The less is known the more it seems people make things up. No sources, evidence or links. Just assumption, rumour and innuendo dressed up as fact. It isn't particularly helped by the fact that Performance is a cult film and is closely connected with the Rolling Stones story. Keith Richards also knew Michèle, briefly mentioning her (page 254 where he also reveals her nickname was Mouche - which means <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mouche" target="_blank">Fly in French</a> - is the nickname a reference to one of her lines in the film?) in his 2010 autobiography called Life. However even books can get things wrong.<br />
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Marianne Faithfull's 1994 autobiography called <a href="http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=wLGpJ_8I6WYC&pg=PA155&dq=performance+michele+breton&hl=en&sa=X&ei=kQMiU6T1IIuUhQf4woHgBg&ved=0CEwQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=performance%20michele%20breton&f=false" target="_blank">Faithfull: An Autobiography</a> is a perfect example of how an assumption or rumour can be made to appear as fact. So much so that it is still often quoted. A paragraph on page 155 mentions Breton which reads <i>'Michèle Breton didn't fare so well either. She became a heroin dealer in Marseilles shortly after the film and is, I think, probably dead by now' </i> The last line is the interesting section, where Faithfull uses the '<i>and is, </i><b style="font-style: italic;"><u>I think, probably</u></b><i> dead by now'. </i>It's hardly a definitive statement of fact, which was fortunate as things turned out, although you can't really blame Marianne for thinking that way. The drug casualty rate after the late sixties was horrific as addiction took tight hold and reaped its deadly toll. Faithfull herself suffered many lost years of drug addiction, well documented in her book, but there does also seem to be an fatalistic attitude amongst writers, especially those who lived through the sixties, who just assume survival isn't a likely outcome. Many didn't survive - Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Gram Parsons, were just a few of the names who succumbed during the early seventies - but others, like Marianne Faithfull, did eventually recover. They did survive.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid4Vl4GGX7QrLfyo6FtRsFqvcw4BJUghgw9YwBU9nJxRKhH5fHvGa0BPfysghqurmNiU_KYPfwQzgv7oTdcp2_wr-kO6WP8Q4I5e3aBCF4viXqy1JqxJ8P4MB0Suo1QrV0tU_nVvFDZxk/s1600/michele-breton-james-fox-performance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid4Vl4GGX7QrLfyo6FtRsFqvcw4BJUghgw9YwBU9nJxRKhH5fHvGa0BPfysghqurmNiU_KYPfwQzgv7oTdcp2_wr-kO6WP8Q4I5e3aBCF4viXqy1JqxJ8P4MB0Suo1QrV0tU_nVvFDZxk/s1600/michele-breton-james-fox-performance.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">James Fox </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small; text-align: start;">and </span><span style="font-size: x-small; text-align: start;">Michèle Breton</span><span style="font-size: x-small; text-align: start;"> in Performance</span></td></tr>
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In late 1999, Mick Brown, a freelance journalist and broadcaster, released '<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Performance-Ultimate-Bloomsbury-Movie-Guide/dp/0747542236/ref=pd_sim_b_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=15DX768YEMD95M7Y4NRP" target="_blank">Mick Brown on Performance</a>', a book that remains an essential A-Z guide for anyone interested in the movie. In the book Michèle Breton is finally tracked down to Berlin where she casts some light on her life. Oddly Brown starts with an error, stating that Breton's only film role was in Performance. This isn't correct. The French actress appears (aged 16) in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Luc_Godard" target="_blank">Jean-Luc Godard's</a> well regarded black comedy film <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weekend_(1967_film)" target="_blank">Weekend</a> made in 1967. Michèle makes an uncredited appearance as a hippie revolutionary <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHweRWh5qcs" target="_blank">in the movie</a>, approximately an hour and twenty four minutes into the film, dressed in a white top, red jacket and skirt with knee length boots, carrying a wicker basket. Very thin, with short curly hair, slightly longer than she had it in Performance, it's unmistakably her. On screen for a total of about one and a half minutes - one scene even includes her dancing - there is a very good close-up shot where Michèle is easily identifiable, assisting a blood soaked cook. She is also listed on <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0107894/" target="_blank">IMDB</a> as playing Atena in three episodes of the epic 1968 Italian produced TV series <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064750/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_2" target="_blank">Odissea</a> though unfortunately i have been unable to find any footage of her as Atena from the series to confirm this.<br />
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Regardless of that small error, Brown's book is very revealing about Breton's life. Born and raised up in a small town in Brittany, Michèle, just aged sixteen, was given 100 Francs by her parents, put on a train to Paris and told by her parents that they never wanted to see her again! Drifting to St Tropez in 1967, she ended up meeting <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Cammell" target="_blank">Donald Cammell</a> who would later cast her in the role of Lucy. After Performance had been completed in late 1968, Cammell drove her back to Paris, let her stay two or three days and then said that he didn't want to see her any more. For five years she drifted around France ( according to writer Robert Greenfield, <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/making-exile-on-main-st-20060921" target="_blank">Michèle visits Nellcôte</a> where the Stones were recording 'Exile on Main St' in 1971. Srangely Greenfield lists Michèle as '<i>missing in action and presumed to be gone as well</i>' at the end of his 2006 article without giving any details about his search for her or why he presumes she's dead!) and Spain, being busted for drugs on the island of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formentera" target="_blank">Formentera</a>, from where she flees back to Paris on the run from the police. It was then that she decided to head east, following the hippie drug trail, arriving in Kabul, Afghanistan, regarded at the time as the <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/08/19/afghan.untold/index.html?iref=24hours" target="_blank">Paris of central Asia</a>, sometime in the mid seventies. For a year she stayed there shooting morphine, even selling her passport and possessions at one extreme low point, before finally deciding to quit during an LSD trip. After three months in hospital in India, she returns to Kabul, then Europe via Italy before settling down in Berlin in 1982 where Mick Brown finds her thirteen years later.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Michèle Breton as Lucy</td></tr>
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Michèle Breton's story really is quite an impressive tale of survival, both during the making of Performance and in the life she led afterwards, described by Mick Brown as '<i>a life of drug-addiction, destitution and mental breakdown</i>'. Reading through you want to know more about the remarkable and painful journey that she made. The making of the Performance appears to have been especially tough and bitter experience for the then very young, understandably delicate and insecure actress. Only James Fox gets a positive mention for his behaviour ('<i>he was very gentle to me</i>') on set, the rest being on 'a <i>heavy ego-trip</i>'. To a large extent that gentle relationship with Fox comes across in the film too. Stoned most of the time on set, Breton herself later stated ' <i>I was very young and very disturbed. I didn't know what i was doing and they used me'. </i>Was she exploited? The evidence certainly points that way especially when you consider how quickly she was discarded by Donald Cammell (with whom she had been in a ménage à trois, along with Cammell's then girlfriend Deborah Dixon, since 1967), shortly after filming had finished. Her relationship with Cammell had lasted over a year. <a href="http://richflintphoto.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/on-performance.html" target="_blank">Keith Richards' damning assessment</a> of Donald Cammell's character in his book Life (pages 253-255) would appear to be a pretty accurate one.<br />
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Mick Brown's book shows Breton alive and in Berlin up to the release of the book in late 1999, and yet the rumours of her death and suicide still persist. Robert Greenfield hints, in a Faithfull like fashion, at this in his 2006 Rolling Stone article and even the <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/film/2004/may/01/hayfilmfestival2005.guardianhayfestival" target="_blank">Guardian in 2004</a> clearly state that '<i>Pallenberg and Breton succumbed to heroin,</i><i style="font-weight: bold;"> Breton fatally so.' </i>No obituary source is mentioned - the journalist Michael Holden probably just used Faithfull's brief mention of Breton as evidence. Holden's Performance article is further undermined by further errors including the death of cast member John Bindon, who the article says was stabbed to death in a nightclub, but who actually died of liver cancer in his flat in 1993. Poor research seems the likely culprit but misinformation like this spreads online, especially from 'trusted' sources like the Guardian. It's one of the reason why i wanted to create this post and state <b>the known</b> facts about Michèle Breton from a reliable source - Mick Brown's on Performance. So far THE only reliable source I've found.<br />
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An extensive search online (as of the time of writing - March 2014) relating to the possible suicide, overdose or death of Michèle Breton (since the Mick Brown interviews took place) has revealed absolutely nothing. So where next? Hopefully a read of Paul Buck's 2012 book 'Performance: biography of a sixties classic' may bring things up to recent times. If Michèle Breton is still alive, and i have absolutely no evidence yet to suggest otherwise, she will be 63 years of age. She told Mick Brown in 1995 '<i>I've done nothing with my life. Where did it start going wrong? I can't remember. It's something like destiny'. </i> I just hope that in the time since Michèle's last interview, the years have been kinder and more generous towards her.<br />
<br />Richard Flint Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15041895235746394851noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684326622818540278.post-77826114449501366042014-03-09T11:50:00.000+00:002014-03-09T12:47:17.767+00:00On Performance<div style="text-align: center;">
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What do you get when you cross a film about London villains and the sixties counter-culture? You get the film <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Performance_(film)" target="_blank">Performance </a>which, for some reason or another, has got its hooks well and truly into me recently. The 1968 film with its unique visuals and dark sixties counter-culture atmosphere seems to have hit a nerve, or maybe saying that it haunts you is a better way of putting it. From the books and website posts listed online, it seems <a href="http://www.bookforum.com/inprint/018_01/7307" target="_blank">it haunts other people</a> too. What i find more perplexing in my case is why? What does this film contain that makes it so compelling? It could be the excellent cinematography of Nicolas Roeg whose work I've admired for many years, but it appears to be more than that, Yes, there is the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFh96ssGisM" target="_blank">superb soundtrack</a>, great story, an interesting cast, a fascinating production history but there is something else there. Something unseen like a dark creative undercurrent or vibe that runs through the whole film. It's a puzzle or riddle. The film seems to leave you with more questions than answers. Without doubt, it is one of the best films of the sixties.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">James Fox as the gangster Chas</td></tr>
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For those of you who haven't seen the movie, i would recommend a viewing, although it is definitely one of those love or hate experiences. As Rolling Stone magazine once wisely advised you should not watch this film while on an acid trip. Actually it's pretty intense with just a cup of tea as a stimulant! Performance is really a film of two distinct halves, dealing with two very different cultures that clash in the middle of the movie. <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/dec/02/actor-james-fox" target="_blank">James Fox</a> play Chas who is an extortioner for a South London crime boss called Harry Flowers. Chas is very good at his job but is a loose cannon in a <a href="http://www.criminalelement.com/blogs/2013/07/gangster-cinema-british-style-1970-performance-donald-cammell-james-fox-mick-jagger-scott-adlerberg" target="_blank">criminal organisation</a> that sees its role more as business acquisitions and mergers management rather than as a criminal enterprise. With Chas starting to become unruly, something has to give and eventually Chas ends up mixing business with pleasure and kills a new business 'associate' protected by Harry Flowers' firm. The line has been crossed and with the firm popping up on the radar of the police, inland revenue and others, Harry Flowers decides that the only option is to remove the problem. Find and kill Chas. To escape the wrath of his boss Chas needs to hide and through an overheard conversation, he ends up entering the gloomy, decaying, late sixties bohemian counter-culture world of 25 <a href="http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/2009/01/donald-cammells-performance-at-powis-square/" target="_blank">Powis Square</a>, Notting Hill - the home of the fading, eccentric and reclusive rock star Turner (played by Mick Jagger) who has "lost his demon".</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anita Pallenburg and Mick Jagger in Performance</td></tr>
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At first glance, it appears to be the perfect hideaway and yet the poorly lit, decaying house exudes a deathly atmosphere which seems to saturate the film and the characters. Michèle Breton, who played Lucy, commented in a 1995 interview that when she watched the film in 1987<i> "I was feeling kind of sick looking at this. It was a feeling of death."</i> Even the décor retains an creepy evil presence right the way through the film although that could just be my aversion to sixties psychedelic art. There's definitely bad karma at number 25 and things are not going to work out for the better. Curtains remain firmly closed, rooms remain sombre and the colours somewhat muted, daylight seems to be shunned with Turner preferring artificial light. Patches of daylight amongst the darkness do appear occasionally and provide the same deathly aura of Colonel Kurtz's Cambodian jungle base in Apocalypse Now. Turner and his two female companions Pherber (Anita Pallenberg) and Lucy (Michèle Breton) appear to want to block the outside world out including the light and exist in their own little world influenced by music, art, literature and plenty of drugs. Then the world arrives at their door in the shape of Chas but it soon becomes clear that the violent and unpredictable villain is well out of his depth. The rest of the film deals with the consequences.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anita Pallenburg and Michèle Breton in Performance</td></tr>
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Performance was unusual in that it had two directors working on set. Nicolas Roeg was brought in to provide the visual style and technical skill, but it was Donald Cammell who would really shape the film; writing and developing his original story, selecting and coaching the actors, developing the project to the point where the lines between <a href="http://sabotagetimes.com/reportage/nice-one-mad-cyril/" target="_blank">film set and real life</a> would blur to become almost indefinable. The production was described by Marianne Faithfull, Jagger's girlfriend at the time, as '<i>a psycho-sexual lab’ and a 'seething cauldron of diabolical ingredients: drugs, incestuous sexual relationships, role reversals, art and life all whipped together into a bitch’s brew’.</i> It has to be said that the more you read about Donald Cammell, the harder it becomes to like him as an person. Keith Richards, Pallenburg's then boyfriend, never forgave the director for what went on during the filming, describing Cammell in his 2010 autobiography 'Life' as <i>'the most destructive little turd I've ever met. Also a Svengali, utterly predatory, a very successful manipulator of women. . . . Putting people down was almost an addiction for him."</i> Cammell's talents successfully created the exact authentic psychological and sexual atmosphere needed to create the film, however the emotional toll on the actors appears to have been considerable. Lost years of drug addiction awaited for the two female leads, James Fox left acting for ten years and joined a Christian sect in Leeds, Jagger's relationship with Keith Richards was damaged causing major problems for the film soundtrack and the Rolling Stones. Even Donald Cammell didn't escape completely unscathed, going onto a frustrating and ultimately unsatisfying career in Hollywood, directing just three more films before fatally shooting himself in 1996.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Memo to Turner featuring the great slide guitar work of Ry Cooder</span></div>
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In the end Warner Brothers hated the film when it was delivered to them. The executives thought they were getting a Mick Jagger film that would appeal to sixties youth like the Beatles 'A Hard Days Night'. Instead they got a drug and sex riddled Performance and they despised everything in it. It took nearly two years, numerous edits and a change of executives at the studio before the film would finally get a release in August 1970. It received a mixed reception on release but has, over the years, gained recognition as a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0C5OZFKbzDc" target="_blank">classic British film</a> and as Marianne Faithfull observed, the film '<i>preserves a whole era under glass. </i>Even Mick Jagger's official website recommends it as THE Jagger film to watch.<i> </i>Thankfully due to this classic status, and it has to be said an intriguing production history and cast, there is plenty of research material out there for interested film buffs like myself, with at least four books detailing the history, production and references within the film - the most recent book being released as recently as 2012. So I'm going to start with 'Mick Brown's on Performance' which, according to the reviews on Amazon, details everything that you'd ever want to know. If I learn anything revelatory, and find my demon, I'll let you know.<br />
<br />Richard Flint Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15041895235746394851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2684326622818540278.post-8786401556513845562014-01-24T09:08:00.000+00:002014-06-30T14:47:47.911+01:00Street Knights<div style="text-align: center;">
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Street Knights is a great documentary about <a href="https://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_1952866613"></span>chess <span id="goog_1952866614"></span></a>on the streets of New York. These guys play for money and the amounts they have earned is surprisingly high. It's a side of the game that isn't really shown that much and yet these guys are pro players as much as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garry_Kasparov" target="_blank">Kasparovs</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnus_Carlsen" target="_blank">Carlsons</a> of this world. The individuals shown in this film are street grand masters who know themselves, their park and their game well. Look out for the photographer who doesn't ask permission before attempting to take a few photographs.</div>
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Baron's film captures not only the characters who play in Washington park but it also show the game of chess in a different light, away from the usual clubs and professional tournaments. The chess often appears to be played in a blitz style - fast decisions and moves made against a short time limit. The conversations with the players also reveal a lot about them and their love for the game. Often they are almost poetic as they talk about the chess pieces and what they represent. </div>
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Matt Baron's use of black and white is not only apt, considering the game involved, it nicely removes any colourful distractions from the frame leaving the viewer to concentrate purely on the chess and paint a portrait of the players. Although money is often a key motivating factor with games, the lessons with the young players are especially touching as they encourage the young kids to play and win. </div>
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Sadly the positive aspects of these park chess players didn't stop the park being closed. I just hope that it was opened up again or they found another place to play.</div>
Richard Flint Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15041895235746394851noreply@blogger.com0