Progressive Street

 My photography journey started sometime in 1976 when I joined the photography club at high school. I had no camera, but that wasn’t an issue – I borrowed one from the school until I’d saved enough money to buy my own, a second hand Zorki 4K. Back then I wasn’t aware of street photography, it was just photography, and making frames of people going about their business in my home town seemed the most natural thing in the world. I was hooked and spent many hours on foot and in the darkroom perfecting my skills. In addition to making photographs, I also developed a parallel obsession with looking at and studying photographs, particularly documentary, something that continues to this day.

Photography took a back seat for a few years in mid life, and then the interest rekindled about 20 years ago. I dabbled in other genres, but always had a keen interest in street and documentary, so a few years ago I made the conscious decision to concentrate on that and immersed myself in the wonderful world that is street and documentary photography, and I haven’t looked back since.

2025: freelance at Zuma Press news agency.

2024

click on

Glasgow Trade Unions ‘Do We Sit Back, Or Do We Fight Back’ Exhibition

Glasgow Trade Unions have ended their two weeklong programme of events celebrating May Day with an exhibition called ‘Do We Sit Back, Or Do We fight Back’, in which I am very honoured to have a selection of my work featured alongside two other Glasgow based photographers, Sean Baillie and Chris Moses.

The exhibition launch took place on the evening of Friday 12th May and was sold out. After refreshments in the outside courtyard the audience made their way into the exhibition space at The Deep End Gallery, Govanhill, for a short introduction from each of us, after which they were free to wander, view the selection of prints and also watch some video footage depicting scenes and stories from the previous year’s industrial action strikes and rallies in Glasgow. My own images were largely taken from the project that has already been featured in the Progressive Street Demonstrations Around The World blog and Issue 38 of the ProgressivE-zine.

It would be an understatement to say that it was a thrilling experience for me. I was very pleased to be able to talk about my work and answer questions, particularly from those who feature in my images. The exhibition runs until Sunday 14th May 16:00.