This Wolf

Flickr.

Millions of millions of crafted photos live on Flickr. It is an amazing site but it also means that nearly every tourist site in the world has been taken in thousands of ways.

So as a personal challenge I try to look at a different way of capturing things. A shot that in all the millions of photos might be unique.

So today, or whatever day you might be reading this, try to take a photo of something no else ever will capture. Go close, go lower. Take a picture of something everyone misses.

I’m giving you the sign.

Trains, planes but do pay attention with auto mobiles.

When travelling on trains or planes don’t take entertainment. Be bored. Be really bored. Let your mind think about every little thing it hasn’t had time to get around to. All those times you wanted to let your mind wander but filled it with repeats of TV shows or filling your head with music, podcasts or other distractions.

Switch it all off. Take out a pen or camera and just write down what your brain is wandering into. Capture all the small things. Rejoice in boredom.

You might spark a brand new thought, something drawn out of spending some time in your own head.

One of the best things about being settled back in the city is being able to buy things knowing that I’ll not have to try and pack it into a suitcase.

This splurging on items has even gone as far as picking out posh light bulbs.

If you’re in the market for light bulbs, which you might be, then I recommend Plumen’s light bulbs. (http://plumen.com)

One as they’re fantastically designed long life bulbs. Two as you get to take moody shots like the one I took above. Worth it for the 2nd point alone.

This Wolf Mantra.
Too often I see fantastic creative people that have let themselves slip into a world where they let others define what is and isn’t creative. Often it is work that seems to define what productive creative is, puts artificial limits on how we express ourselves. Sometimes that is defined by client or by budget but very often it is creative people limiting themselves.

We should never let our job limit anything we do, our careers should enhance us, make us feel empowered. We work in a fantastic time, the world is bubbling with ideas and now more than ever the ability to make those ideas happen.

So if you fine yourself limited then step back and reconnect with what you define as creative. Then find the role that allows you to be that.

This is Instant.

I have a weak spot for film. Or more accurately instant film. For me it has all the benefits of digital, the ability to reminisce immediately and see if you’ve got the photos but with the added bonus of a physical presence.

A physical thing is important. It makes it a lot harder to delete or destroy. Not impossible but it means that people have to think about it first. Very often with digital we can delete the moment, we can get rid of a “bad” picture but we loose it forever.

How many moments that could have been captured on film will be lost in digital?

This is Huge.

After a year in Paris, a year of explaining to the French why Tea is proof that the gods not only love us but they’re English, I’ve settled back into London.

It hasn’t been an easy process. That’s not a bad thing, all the best things in life aren’t easy to do. In fact sometimes the happiest I’ve ever been is been knee deep in a problem that’s ripe for fixing.

Now I’m back. I came back to work with a company called Huge Inc. Which is a rather small company in London, although rather…erm…huge…in America.

The London scene is more vibrant than ever, with fantastic creative work coming out. The level of the students work is amazing and even more impressive. There is a hunger back in the city.

I can’t wait to get back involved in helping young creatives and helping them get where they want to be. As always if I can help anyone, I will.

This was my last weekend in Paris. This bridge is the lovers bridge. I left a pad lock on the bridge, not declaring my love for anyone but to the city I was saying good bye to.