tomhandbury

Adventures in food

tomhandbury — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 06:54:22 +0000

This week, it seems, I have felt the urge to try new foods. First I tried dried cranberries. They were yummy. But so they should be with as much sugar as sweets!

The cranberries gave me a taste for the spoils of an adventure, so I tried pickled cockles. They were gritty. I’m not a big fan of eating something that reminds me of beachtime sand in my sandwiches. So, I have some cockles going spare should anyone wish to claim them.

I felt I shouldn’t give up after one bad experience and so I tried celeriac mash. It was yucky. I think that will be the end of my adventures in food for a while.

Sometimes the truth hurts

tomhandbury — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 07:33:13 +0000

Last weekend an old friend gave me his honest opinion. And, if I’m being truthful, it hurt. A sort of surprising,stinging smart, like being slapped across the face. He said he thought that my website was letting down my portraits. While at the time I mostly felt offended, I knew he was right. I probably felt a little less bad as I was already most of the way through changing it anyway as I felt the same way my friend did. But it most certainly spurred me on to complete the new site in double quick time. I hope that it is an improvement, but if it isn’t I’ll have to keep trying.

I know that I am lucky to have the kind of friends that care about me so much that they tell me the truth. Without that I would find it much harder to grow and improve. If you want to take a peek at the new site you can find it at www.tomhandbury.co.uk. But I’m feeling a little delicate at the moment so try to keep any comments positive!

MacBook

tomhandbury — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 07:21:17 +0000

I had an accident at the weekend. I accidentally on purpose bought a new ~~toy~~ serious piece of equipment. A MacBook Pro. Wooohooo! I’ve been needing one for so long I can barely remember. And for the last couple of days it has been glued firmly to my side. Like a puppy, I’ve needed it in my sight and sound at all times. Just so I know it’s ok. You know? It is irritating Fran though, she says I’ve been looking at the MacBook when we’re talking and that mmmm doesn’t count as a response because it means I’m not listening.

Seeking a [hip] new camera bag

tomhandbury — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 07:12:19 +0000

I have a big camera bag. In fact, it’s massive. Which is great for storing all my equipment, but a little cumbersome on a shoot. So I’ve been seeking a new, smaller camera bag for a while. The only thing is, I don’t want to look like a dork and most camera bags have GEEK invisibly scrawled all over them. After trawling the interweb for a while I found a few bags that are up for consideration.

The bag at the top of this post is a beautiful leather bag from Drop it Modern. Not yet available but it definitely tops my list in terms of looks. Below, in order from top to bottom are; The Lomography Sidekick which has a kinda leather look. The Grafea leather camera bag, a little traditional looking, but nice. And finally the stylish Kelly Boy bag.

Mum and her first computer

tomhandbury — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 07:36:35 +0000

Yesterday I found this in my inbox:

My first e mail

hi it’s only me practising my e mail skills no wonder I couldn’t send you one last night was using wrong e mail address silly me. We enjoyed meal as well hope you didn’t have too bad a journey home. Thank you and Fran for the printer that will be our next venture into technology! Hope you have a good week.

Mum

When I read that email I wanted to reach out through the internet and hug her. My Mum is officially online and she has taken to it like a duck to water. Is it weird that I feel proud? Actually, I don’t care if it’s weird, I’m proud anyway. Oh, and when I was helping to set up the laptop she taught me that you can just hold the down arrow key to scroll down a page. I never knew that before.

Whesthill wedding stationers

tomhandbury — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 06:49:01 +0000

Driving down the track to Limestone Way Farm the crunching sound underneath the car was a little disconcerting. I’m fairly sure it was just the icy snow that covered the ground. But if the car packs up anytime soon I’ll know why. Apparently small cars aren’t designed for country tracks. We clambered out of the car and Fran slipped. Apparently sheet ice and ballet pumps don’t mix. But the combination is pretty funny! The trials and tribulations were definitely worth it though.

On Saturday we visited Whesthill wedding stationers who are based near Tideswell in the Peak District. Fran and I spent a very happy few hours in the company of the delightful mum and daughter team (and gorgeous daughter Emily). Leafing through beautiful, thick, colourful invites and paper stock we were in seventh heaven. And the foiling, oh the foiling was just perfect. I was truly impressed by the luxurious finish of the stationery. I can’t wait to work with Whesthill and I’ve certainly got to update my stationery now!

Going back to film and asking for help

tomhandbury — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:55:05 +0000

Last year I went back to film. I’d been shooting digital only for around five years. I felt a little guilty. I imagined that my 5D mkII felt jilted as I hauled out my unwieldy Bronica SQ-Ai and fought with the fiddly process of loading a film. But I longed to see the beauty of a handprinted image from film again. It was the subtlety of black and white film images that first captured my photography heart. I begun a personal project, which has given me the permission to create and to feel alive and a little more like an artist.

Taking film images is one thing. But processing and printing is quite another. Developing film requires darkness. Not the kind of inky darkness that a night in the countryside yields. The complete kind of darkness you only experience underground. It is all encompassing and unnerving. The first time I went back into the darkroom I struggled. I spent a good fifteen minutes wrestling to get the film onto the spool before, finally, emerging triumphant to a slightly puzzled look on the face of my long time friend Marcus. Why didn’t you just knock? I would have come and helped you, no problem. And in those few words I realised that sometimes it is best to ask for help.

North Yorkshire portrait shoot: Ian, Clare and Sophia

tomhandbury — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:42:01 +0000

If you look carefully, sat high up in the trees, there is an owl. Yeah, but it’s not a REAL owl is it? Though Ian thought it was. He should have gone to Specsavers. Ian, Clare and Sophia are the kind of family that lovingly rib each other about comical mistakes from the past to fill up on relived joy and laughter.

Ian is a protective father who was there to catch Sophia when jumping from rocks, clambering over stiles and warmed her whenever she felt cold. Yes, Sophia is active in that neverending way we lose as we get older. Her energy is boundless and her joy for life is palpable. Sophia’s classic green coat, pink trousers and Joules wellies were well chosen by Clare and worked beautifully with her own, and Ian’s, wardrobe choices.

Clare and her Basset Hounds, George and Isaac, have a special bond that sees a smile creep across her face whenever they are near. They are playful, inquisitive and amongst the best treat catchers I have ever seen!

Despite the aching chill that the freezing day gave our fingers, we had a great time. The walk we went on was bracingly beautiful and the warmth of the AGA was all the more welcome on our return. Clare, Ian and Sophia’s family home is cosy and beautifully decorated and the Victoria sponge Clare made from my birthday was delicious. Even though Sophia thought it was a Victorian sponge. Another comical mistake to add to the collection.

Seriously though, having a cake made for me was amazing. I really do have the best clients I could ever wish for. Here are a few of my favourites from the day . . .

Turning thirty-one

tomhandbury — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 07:37:21 +0000

Yesterday I turned thirty-one. Fran likes to revel in the fact that I’m nine months older than she is, but the best she came up with yesterday morning was hardly a blow. You won’t be able to go on club 18-30 holidays anymore! I can’t say that I’ve ever so much as thought about going on one.

What was a bit more disappointing though was the lack of sledge-worthy snow. All week we’d been promised like HUGE amounts of snow. I’m sure that’s what ALL the weather people were saying. But we only got a measly inch or so. Nowhere near enough for our wooden sledge. Fran’s mum suggested I just go outside and sit on it. It wasn’t as much fun as you might imagine.

But I did get some ace photography and music related presents (and IOUs). A 35mm f2 lens is winging it’s way to me. And I got a street photography book, as well as a very old light meter in its original box with instructions, two CDs, and an etching by June Russell.

Business reads

tomhandbury — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:34:49 +0000

As promised, Tom has let me get back to talking about the business books I have read and cliff noted for him. Right about this time of year I am so tired I feel in serious danger of falling asleep at any given time, including at the wheel. Not good. I am rushedoffmyfeetcrazybusy at work and so I value my downtime with a book even more. That’s if I can keep my brain engaged long enough to read. Sometimes I can only manage a magazine. Or, heaven forbid, some trash TV that my Dad would tut and roll his eyes at. So here’s the lowdown:

Trade-Off by Kevin Maney

Wow-wee, this book was a great read. The basic premise is that the businesses that really succeed have achieved either super-convenience or super-fidelity. We choose between products and services that either offer us high convenience with reduced fidelity and vice-versa. High fidelity businesses occupy a niche and they should be the best in a specific area and pursue fidelity relentlessly. A helpful lens to assess your business through.

The E Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber

Apparently this book has been around for a long time. And I can totally see why. The advice for the small business owner is invaluable and the book is super easy to read, a winning combination. It makes sense and has helped to put what we do into perspective.

Permission Marketing and Purple Cow by Seth Godin

I have come across references to Seth Godin in numerous places and so just around Christmas I ordered a bumper pack of his books including ‘Permission Marketing’ and ‘Purple Cow’. Marketing is one of the things that are really crucial to the success of a photography business and this book has put a new perspective on how marketing can be effective. Purple Cow was a quick and easy read that focusses on the need for your business to stand out from the crowd. Just like a purple cow would.

Happy reading!