event photography – bjc Video

The BJC Blog; Something that Matters

Me again.

Here’s another piece of advice for you; get out there and cover something important.

It’s easy to get lost in the art of your work; composition, colour, texture, commentary and so on. The problem with exploring what you have to say is that it’s insular, and can lead to a creative slump. The best way out of such a slump?

Last month I had the opportunity to cover Big Voice London’s recent weekend event. BVL is an organisation that focuses on bringing education and discourse on the legal system and the law itself to young people who wouldn’t normally get the opportunity to engage with it. Taking groups of students through project-oriented learning, the process brings legal professionals together with eager young people and gives them the chance to look into law as a career, education or even just a solid addition to their social knowledge.

Having spent a day following a number of the seminars, I can honestly say that I learned a lot – not just about the law, but about the problems these young people face and how little the legal world engages with students. It was shocking to hear some of the conversations being had.

Now, the shots I took on the day weren’t impacted by my experience; it was a fairly standard palette of event coverage photos. The change has come since then. It’s important to engage with the world around you, and find new perspectives to see your environment through, because that will inform how you communicate your ideas and beliefs to others, and it will help you understand the ideas and beliefs of others.

As such, I’m working on a couple of personal projects at the moment, projects I’m only doing because my comfortable position has been challenged, and now I’m looking to explore some more themes with my work.

What should you do? Find a local charity that is holding an event, or open day, and offer to shoot it for free. You’ll be helping them, adding to your portfolio and it will help you see more of the world, things you likely wouldn’t see within your own circles of professional and personal work.

BJC

If you want to find out more about the incredible work Big Voice London does, click the link here

The BJC Blog; A Chance to Show Off

Recently, Greenleys and Wolverton Council published their 100th issue of their magazine. The cover featured covers from the past 24 months, including two showcasing photographs by yours truly.

There’s no grand point here; I am just showing off. Although it has not been the last time, the Paws for Thought dog show shoot last year was the first time I saw one of my event images in print, and it felt great. Following that there was the ‘It’s in the Square’ concert and show, the Wolverton Festival and the Lantern Festival in the winter.

Obviously, it’s easier to take great pictures when the acts you are shooting are great; from epics bands like Silver Tongued Bandoliers and Shred Belly, to performance groups like Rashiqa Dance, Kundalini Fire and Concrete Circus, to the superb training on display from the Crossroads Flyball Team. I’m incredibly grateful to have been given the chance to work with these incredibly talented people (and even more I’ve not mentioned).

Here’s to more excellent events in the future!

BJC

Paraffinalia, Campbell Park (19/12/15)

Last weekend saw the return of Festive Road’s Paraffinalia winter fire show at Campbell Park. It was a chilly night, but it was a great show and I got some great pictures from it.

Clash of Drums, Milton Keynes (03/10/15)

Last night saw the epic Clash of Drums travel from Campbell Park to The Point following a day of Rugby World Cup excitement. We followed their journey and got some cracking pictures of the fantastic drumming and fireworks display.

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