Newspaper Movie: All the President's Men
It's a classic. With the possible exception of Citizen Kane probably the best-known film on my list.
You've probably seen it, but trust me it warrants another look, and if you've never watched it you're in for a treat.
Newspaper Movie: Absence of Malice
Michael Gallagher (Paul Newman) finds himself a front-page story in the local newspaper the Miami Standard.
The federal prosecutor suspects Gallagher knows who killed a local Union official. He leaks to Megan Carter (Sally Field) that he's investigating Gallagher for the crime, hoping Gallagher will reveal the real killer to clear his name.
Newspaper Movie: The Post
In 1967, Robert McNamara, the US Secretary of Defense, formed the Vietnam Study Task Force to write an "encyclopedic history of the Vietnam War". This report, commonly known as the Pentagon Papers, detailed the systematic lying by US administrations to the American people, starting with Eisenhower, through JFK and Johnson to Nixon.
Set four-years later, The Post portrays the true story of The Washington Post publishing the Pentagon Papers.
Newspaper Movie: State of Play
Yes, Russell Crowe's Cal McCaffrey neatly fits the stereotype of the middle-aged, grouchy, grizzled reporter, but this a stereotype for a reason. If we're honest McCaffrey is just the sort of reporter we love to love, and Russell Crowe does it well, very well.
Newspaper Movie: Spotlight
The film starts in 2001 with the arrival of Martin 'Marty' Baron, the new Editor of The Globe. The film hints that the paper had previously reported on the sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests, but hadn’t followed it up as Baron would have expected. Not having grown up in the shadow of the Catholic Church, the new editor lacks the reverence that holds back the native Bostonians and he prompts the Spotlight team to investigate further.
Newspaper Movie: Page One: Inside The New York Times
Andrew Rossi’s documentary focuses on the Media Desk at The New York Times. Shot in 2010 it covers, amongst other stories, the Wikileaks publication of the Afgan war logs. The standout star for me is David Carr, who steals every scene he’s in. Carr is irascible, smart and at times, very funny. In fact, just how I want my New York journalist to be.
Newspaper Movie: Kill the Messenger
Kill the Messenger is the true story of Gary Webb, an investigative journalist working for the San Jose Mercury News. Webb was passed court papers implicating the CIA in supplying arms to the Contra rebels in Nicaragua.
What is true, however, is it makes a great movie. I rode the highs and lows. Watch it and let me know what you think?
Fuji Back-Button Focusing
If you're using your camera regularly, then the button position becomes a matter of muscle memory. I turn my camera on and off with my forefinger without even being aware of doing it. By the time the camera gets to my eye, it's on and ready to shoot.
Making a Bespoke Journal (with Blurb)
One of the habits I’ve been trying to form during lockdown is to write more frequently in my Journal. My other lockdown preoccupation has been trying to print more of my work. So the opportunity to combine the two and make my own Journal was just too good to pass up.
Film processing with the Cinestill TCS-1000
I intended to write a review of the Cinestill TSC-1000. But as I start writing, I realise my thoughts are more about using a device like the TCS-1000 than the item itself. The TCS-1000 happens to be the device I chose.
AG23
'What is AG23?' I hear you ask. AG23 is a collaboration between Dan Milnor of Blurb Books and Rick Elder of Beyond Clothing. They describe it as a project "to promote understanding through dialogue and art".
In a world that feels more divided than at any time that I can remember anything that promotes understanding can only be a good thing.
Mixing Colours: Video Submission
Roger Eno and Brian Eno invited submissions of single-shot videos to accompany the tracks on their latest album Mixing Colours. I chose 'Iris', a restful piano piece.
I shot my submission very simply on my iPhone, on a small bridge over the Thames and Medway Canal, a couple of miles from my home. This is the point where the countryside ends and the conurbation begins; London is in the distance.
Magcloud Digest: The Enhanced Business Card
I've been referring to this as my 'Enhanced Business Card', it's a Digest format soft-back book printed by Magcloud. If we have a business card, many photographers are using the Moo type with a photograph on the back - I've got some. Moo does a great job, if you want it, every card can feature a different image.
Project Planning for Documentary Photographers
I started to write a post about Project Planning. As I go along, I realise I'm really describing Idea Generation, which feeds into Project Planning. So let's start there. It's important to say there's no right way to do this, and this is my way.
C-19 Stories: The Darnley Pharmacy
The Darnley Pharmacy now dispenses prescriptions from a window. This saves patients needing to enter the shop, reducing the risk to them and the staff.
Magcloud Digest: a review
I wrote, in what seems like a previous life, about having become disillusioned with Instagram as a platform for sharing long-form work and how I'd started to look for alternatives.
Field Notes: Water, Work, Food
My final series of Field Notes designs are based on the work of American graphic designer Lester Beall, specifically his posters for the Rural Electrification Administration.
Field Notes: The trees of Windmill Hill
The trees of Windmill Hill, a series of three. Images Shot in Gravesend, March 2020.
Originally started to improve my Affinity Designer skills; this series is mainly inspired by specific graphic designs, or designers, I admire.
Field Notes: Rodeo
This third design in my Field Notes series leans very heavily on the work of American graphic designer Lester Beall, specifically his photomontage poster for the Rural Electrification Administration.
Field Notes: London Underground
This second design in my Field Notes series is based on an updated version of Harry Beck’s 1931 London underground map.