14th Oct 2010 Dennis Morris

Last night i had the opportunity of meeting Dennis Morris, And before he started to talk about his journey with us, i asked if i could take his photo, and i was so disappointed that i couldn't remember how to change my shutter speed and my ISO, needn't to say i was very angry with myself is a understatement, i really need to get to grips with this as i never want this to happen again, but Dennis was so amazing,

12th oct 2010 Dennis Morris

Dennis Morris was born in Jamaica and came to live in the U.K in Hackney London at a very young age of 4, Everything was strange and new to him, He never seen a T.V before, Let alone trying to cope with new food and the British weather,

He soon started Colvestone Crescent primary school, He had a strange experience, with him having a Jamaican back ground most of the other kids would be rude to him, so he was put at the back of the class room and left to pleased his self if he joined in or not, But at the age of 11 plus he passed his school exams, Not long after this he went to Upton House Secondary school in Homerton Hackney,

He was happy in his early teens, It was later that the frustration began, He has some friends from school and also the choir he was in, And that's where he met Donald Paterson, Donald was running his own photographers club, That's where Dennis seen the very first photo being printed, Donald saw how enthusiastic he was, and started buying him books and magazines all about photography to read, Photography helped Dennis in his own life, It gave him confidants,hope, He started believing in himself more, At aged just 11, his photo of a PLO Rally in London was published on the front of the Daily Mirror, He was payed just £16, But the biggest break came when he met Bob Marley at a sound check, Bob soon made up a great friendship with Dennis, And invited him to be his official photographer just at the age of 14,

Dennis was soon on tour with Bob and the group, But then why on tour in the U.K it snowed, Bob didn't like the cold weather and cancelled the rest of the tour and headed back to Jamaica,

Thay both meet up again two years later, And that's when Dennis's professional career took off with the death of Bob in 1981, photos of bob that Dennis had taken ended up all over the world in news papers, Dennis was just 17 years old, and his photojoumalistio style caught the eyes of other popular artists like, the sex pistols, Marianna Faithful, Grace Jones, Oasis, and many many more,

Dennis was also in a band himself called Basement 5, He recorded 2 albums with Island records,

Dennis has also traveled the world doing assignment's in photography as far as Tibet,

So what really inspired me with Dennis is that he started from nothing, hes very passionate about photography, and he believes in himself, and hes living proof that if you are really focused and believe in your self you can make it as a photographer if you put your heart and soul into it,

Just like Dennis i will do anything to become a real good photographer !!! 

And that's why I'm really looking forward to meeting him tomorrow night (13th Oct 2010)

12th oct 2010

Hi there all, going to meet Dennis Morris (photographer) tomorrow night and i cant wait  http://www.dennismorris.com/

11th oct 2010 Mario Testino

Wow I've been busy researching famous photographers, and I've come across Mario Testino, His dad is Italian and his mom is Irish, He was born in 1954 in Lima, Peru, He came to London in 1976, Took a flat in an abandoned hospital near Trafalgar square, Its there he started selling portfolios for £25 to wanna be models, He is best known for his highly polished, exoticaly bright ad campaigns -
(Burberry, Gucci, Zara, Michael kors, Dolce & Gabbana, Estee lauder, Valentino and Versace..)
And his exquisitely styled photographs of the couture scene all of which carry a deceptive air of nonchalance, And he has done many portraits of people like, Madonna, Kate Moss, Kim Basinger, Cameron Diaz, Julia Roberts, Meg Ryan, Janet Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Catherine Zeta-Jones, And the late Diana (Princess of wales) and also both of her sons, With Mario still living in London he continues to photograph the Royal family, Mario has also published 9 books of his work and edited one other dedicated to contemporary art and artists from his native Lima, Peru,
But its Mario's portraits that i really like most of all, it shows there all relaxed in front of the camera and Mario, so for him to get this across on the photographs he must of built up some sort of trust and gained there confidence, I just love the fact they all look very relaxed and natural, and getting up very close to shoot them, some nice shadows over part of the faces and eyes, chopping some of the head off but still making it all look very interesting and some black and white photographs giving it more grain and more existing to look at.... I just think hes great... Well done Mario, http://mariotestino.com/

10th oct 2010....The BIG Draw

This was The BIG Draw last night in Lichfield (9th Oct)..graffiti on the side of Dr Johnson birth place...using light...But last night i learned a very good lesson...in the dark u need to use a tripod...but i did forget to take mine....from now on each time i go out and shoot i will think to myself " the camera is sceard of the dark and need to feel safe so make it feel safe by using the tripod" yes this might sound a little crazy but its true as the camera need a slow shutter speed so more light can get in...and doing this with out a tripod is crazy as i got lots of camera shake...but over all a great night for shooting and having fun..I would just like to thank Andy for this great night http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/profile.php?id=714534114

9th oct 2010....My son Connor

Hi there...Here is a few shots of my son Connor at seven valley rail way...Fab day out...

9th oct 2010

Hi there all...I've just been playing around in the garden with my best friend Anna who hates having her photo taken...but we both though why the sun is out make the most of it...and giving me more practice at doing portraits...all i used was a reflector..i think the ISO was 200 but i will check all the setting on my camera later and up date...would be very grateful for any feed back.. positive or negative..how do i cope when i come across...Rabbits eyes in car lights ?

7th october

hi there im all new to this blogger thing so be kind haha..well may be nows the time to tell you all alittle about myself..well im Donna live in Lichfield with my son connor..I've always wanted to take up photography but keeped putting it off...comeing up with things like i've got no time..i'm always busy with my son or helping out the family or my friends..But then last year i thought enough was enough if i really want to do it i just have to go for it so i did as i didnt want to be calling myself MISS AUTO for ever and a day haha...so off i went to enroll at lichfield college...The toutor richard pickup was great...and i could'nt wait to start...so there i was not knowing anyone and not knowing how to use the camera...thinking to myself may be i'm the only one here who dont know anything...but i was soon put at ease and started to make some real good friends...we was all in the same boat...we all wanted to learn photography...when Richard started talking about aperture's ISO F stop shutter speed...i have no idea what he was talking about...then week in week out he started making us all understand..i think it took me from the sep-dec for the penny to drop...at that very point i then started to enjoy playing with my camera...we started off with tree study...(i never want to see another tree again) ha ha..then we done Depth of field...then shutter speed..then Lenes "urban sprawl"  then ISO.. then composition...and exposure..and focus...and rule of thirds...but when that penny droped it really did start all making sence to me....yes it all took a long time but i got there in the end...for our portfolio we had to take a number of shots of an area of photography we wanted to do...ive always have had a passion for portraits...i just love being with people....so i got intouch with my local brownies group to ask if i could do a photo-shoot there...after lots of paper work they said yes and there moms and dads was happy for me to do it...as thay could buy the photos from the leader for a very small amount and the money made went into there brownie fund...the kids was great...real stars...great at posing.. we had great fun all round that night....i used some of that shoot for my end portfolio..and Richard was over the moon..and i passed my level 1 with flying colours...year 1 ended in june 2010 but then Richard put on a workshop only for 3 weeks....i soon put my name down...as i soon got the bug " the more i done the more i wanted to do more" then in Aug Rebecca parker "photographer" put together a photo-shoot useing 2 real models...at Darwin house in Lichfield..well i was like a kid in a sweet shop ha ha...i soon got into it...asking them 2 pose this way that way etc etc...before i new it the time was up...but i came from there like i was on clode 9..."some of that shoot ive put on here" but i still wanted more and more....i wanted to do level 2 so bad but Lichfield college was'nt doing it due to staff cuts...then i found out from my friend Debbie that Burton college was doing it....Wow i was soon on the phone...hopeing and praying there where still places left...and thats when i had a little chat with my new tutor Steve...he told me to go in that night and to see what the course was all about...and im so glad i did...as  i've just enrolled at burton college and i'm doing level 2 certificate in specialist photography and presentation,

 mandatory unit 211,
optional unit 207,

i will keep you all up-dated and start puting more photos and write ups on here...
but for now take care
Donna X