Goodbye 2000s #1

All that faff over the new millenium and here we are, ten years later, saying goodbye to another decade. With a desire to put the last few years behind me and embrace whatever happens next, I've decided to share some of my favourite photos here. Some will make the cut because they are aesthetically pleasing, interestingly composed or beautifully executed (for me at least) and some will make the cut because my favourite people are in them.

This lot are all strangers, but still they are my favourites.

Taken at Riverside Live '08. I was intrigued by her expression and body language. I have no idea who or what she was looking for and I still spend way too much time wondering about that. I wish that I'd asked her. She could have been waiting for a pizza or a lover, watching the skateboarders or the distant clouds, or simply trying to decide if she should have another drink. I'll never know, and she's probably forgotten. It'll be one of those tiny forgettable moments in her life, but will have me wondering for the rest of mine.

Taken back in July 2007. The guy on the left insisted I take his photo as soon as he saw my camera. His friends kept walking, somewhat embarrassed by his flamboyant posing. I get a lot of people asking me to take their photos, especially when I'm out at gigs, and they always ask for a card or what website they'll be appearing on. There is an assumption that photos will be made available online, especially when people are captured out clubbing. It's a fairly new sort of an assumption, strange, interesting and slightly alarming. I found it refreshing and fascinating that this guy insisted on having his photo taken but showed absolutely no interest in seeing it. As he walked away, he said "Does my bum look big in this?" I made the mistake of looking. He laughed.

Taken at Sweeps Festival, Rochester, 2008. If this geezer was in a Guy Ritchie film, I'm sure we'd all be scared shitless, but he looks so at home in his pink glittery hat, with his lovely black handbag, giant teddy and dolphin balloon. This shot typifies that family man/gangster character which is so prevalent in those 'ard man films, not that I'm making any assumptions about this actual man - I'm sure he's very lovely, and he does look gorgeous in pink. I'd like to thank his family for abandoning him with all the fairground paraphernalia, an act which led to one of my favourite candid shots of 2008.

More coming soon...