Matt's Photo Blog

Final Major Project

2008-04-30T06:07:00.000-07:00

Well my final major project is now on the top of my priorities list, and its certainly changing me. Apart from industrial bouts of OCD, everything is going fine. Heres an image i might use

Birthday

2008-04-14T10:25:00.000-07:00

Its official, i am now 21, and i should be a little smarter and wiser... yeah right. Apart from having a good weekend, i dont actually feel that different, its not like im getting old or anything is it?

Colour Film

2008-03-13T14:19:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, as part of my final Major Project, i will be visiting Perranporth, and i will be mostly using colour film. Not sure if it ll be 35mm or medium format yet, but ill post the results as soon as i have them back. In the meantime, the holiday parks out of season theme is working well, and should keep me going over easter... well worrying over easter anyway.

The Final Projects

2008-03-10T15:49:00.001-07:00

Well the last round of projects have begun at uni, so that means its time for another update. I will be doing a Martin Parr style project, that isnt Martin Parr, at various holiday spots in the southwest, including Weston Super Mare, Perranporth, and other smaller locations. Alongside this i will be tackling a 5000 word minimum dissitation on exactly how stereotypes can effect the photographic act, so as you can tell, im going to be very busy. But heres a question for you all

What is a stereotype?

(No looking at wikipedia for this)

Broken Earth

2008-02-26T04:05:00.001-08:00

As i stated in an earlier post, one of my uni projects this year was to do a book, which i based on humans and nature, called Broken Earth. Now i know the project is over, and ive finished it all, but this statue, found at Bristol Zoo, was a good reminder of the sort of images i put inside. Is Broken Earth 2 on the way? Possibly, but not yet

Waterfall

2008-02-26T03:55:00.000-08:00

Since my images have taken a water theme at the moment, i thought id add this picture. Taken in what many call the golden hour of photography, i wasnt expecting too much from the images, but i do like the results. I have decided to go back again and try again when the weather is right

Underwater

2008-02-26T03:43:00.000-08:00

Here's an image taken from one of the underwater sections of Bristol Zoo. I was aiming to catch a seal, but this was an opportunity that was simply too good to pass up. The day out was good as well, although i wish id taken a film camera too.

Woo And Yay We So Do Like The Zoo!

2008-01-29T06:41:00.000-08:00

Ive been to Bristol Zoo for a day, and i enjoyed it loads. Unfortunately pictures were hard to come by - animals really dont want to do what i want them too.

A New Start

2008-01-19T18:10:00.000-08:00

Well since the new year is underway again, ill be returning to my regular updates. Hope everyone enjoyed the parties of the new year. Work wise ill be continuing on where i left off, with a few changes. Pictures will be uploaded soon, some from the book as you remember i did last year, with a few more showing where ill be going in the coming months, so watch this space

Merry Christmas And A Happy New Year

2007-12-28T18:32:00.000-08:00

Merry christmas to everyone, hope you all have a good one, get everything you want, and enjoy the party spirit. See you all in 2008!

Hello From London

2007-11-27T13:28:00.000-08:00

Well since ive got the chance to, i thought id write a blog from London. The museums here are wonderful and i would gladly recommend it to anyone. Especially the Lee Miller exhibition, that was a few hours well spent by anyones standards.

Ive also been out shooting the nights scenes in London, and yes, i did bring the tripod. Ill post a few images up when i get back to Cornwall and my laptop. Hopefully you all enjoy. I even managed to get to a few new places this year, and even though i couldnt get close enough, i was still happy to go and watch the premiere of the "Golden Compass" film thats out. Maybe next time ill get closer to the action (or have a really long lens)

London 2007

2007-11-22T05:00:00.000-08:00

Well the time has come, from next monday til wednesday i will be in London, touring the art galleries and museums. Hopefully ill be able to do what i did last year and go out to take some night time images as well. Heres one i took in bristol a few weeks ago, as ive practiced. Though i will remember to take a tripod this year

Split Second Photo

2007-11-08T15:00:00.000-08:00

Well since my last post, i have been trying to increase my perception of the area around me. This is one of the images i took. While i havent found a use for it, i felt it deserved to be shown here.

Happy Bonfire Night

2007-11-06T05:26:00.000-08:00

Well as it was fireworks night, i decided it would be a good time to play with the shutter speed settings on my camera. This is the result of some fireworks going off near to me, and next time ill have to equip myself with a longer lens. Hope everyone managed to get out and see a display

A Simple Photo

2007-11-06T05:19:00.000-08:00

Since i am once again playing with low light, i thought id share this, one of the images i took over the summer.

Nature v Man

2007-11-06T05:08:00.000-08:00

Well my books theme has finally been sorted. Its taken a sort of New Topographic tone, which i have always held a fondness for. Over the next week or so, you ll find me in the abandoned areas, holding a camera with great interest

Carnival

2007-11-06T05:03:00.000-08:00

Heres a picture i took one night at a fairground in the southwest. Im actually starting to enjoy night photography once again, so expect to see more from me in the future

A special mention

2007-10-18T05:58:00.000-07:00

This was my first proper attempt at photojournalism. It wasnt a big protest, but it was something. Hopefully this lot did get to keep what they wanted. I havent heard from them since the day, but it was a good day for all. I have to admit i was pleased i was the only photographer there documenting it, and hopefully ill find a time to use them later on

London 07

2007-10-18T05:51:00.000-07:00

Important update : Im going back to london towards the end of november, and will probably end up touring the art galleries, and maybe even doing a nightshoot once again. This london eye photograph came from last year, and hopefully i can do what i did once again.

Flyer

2007-10-18T05:38:00.001-07:00

This is also another piece from an art project i did, but i thought it should come on my blog. Created in one afternoon, i actually enjoyed making this

Old Book Cover

2007-10-18T05:27:00.000-07:00

Well since im covering books at the moment, i thought id share the book cover i did as part as an art piece last year. Based on The Collector, by John Fowles, which i actually enjoyed reading, this cover was the result of a few weeks planning and designing.

The Book

2007-10-18T05:18:00.001-07:00

Well the first year 2 project is in... make a photo book. Im quite enjoying this one, although the planning process is intense. While im working on it, heres something for you to look at. This is my first book cover, any opinions?

Im Back

2007-09-04T15:45:00.000-07:00

Well its been a while, had a few incidents, and enjoying my summer break. Will be adding new things to this blog soon, so keep checking in!

The blog has landed

2007-03-31T14:27:00.000-07:00

And so im back. Learning the ancient arts of photography, from film to digital. This week has mostly been spent in the darkroom, discovering just how good film photography is. Its like i never left

Film Photography

2007-03-01T15:23:00.000-08:00

Well its been a while since i posted on here, so heres an update. Ive purchased a film slr, so il be going back into the field of film photography, an area i havent been in for a while now. Pictures will come up when the films are developed and printed etc.

Abandon all hope!

2007-02-09T07:29:00.000-08:00

Ahhhhhhh! its the time of the uni course everyone hates - deadline days. Right now im in the mac room, trying to do four months of work in about 4 minutes. Not really, ive finished one project, with two more within hours of completion. Life is good, except the mac room which seems to be getting hotter every second - and theres hardly anyone in here. Air conditoning appears to have left for the weekend, and soon will i

Deadlines, Deadlines, Deadlines

2007-02-05T05:37:00.000-08:00

Well here comes the rush as the semester ends, with everyone trying to complete the same things, and fight over the same materials. Right now im in the mac room, putting the finishing touches to projects and trying to stay sane. Its reading week soon, and ill be going home for it, and hopefully, i wont encounter the problems of the earlier blog. Will add a few pictures when i get some time

The train of eternal annoyance

2007-01-19T13:19:00.000-08:00

Matthew Hacker, your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to get back to bristol to see the family. Along the way,you will encounter such problems as high wind, train delays, and an annoying tendency to need a drink when you havent any money. The internet you are using to make this blog will crash in five seconds.

Well the good news is.... i made it! Im doing this update from my comp at my house.Despite setting off at 1pm, i didnt get back to bristol until 7.30, in which time i lost my sanity, my sense of direction, and the toilets.

It ll take me the weekend to recover from just the train,and to think, on sunday, i have to do it all again. Now while this thought provides me with as much hope as a bank overdraft, as i find train rides to be completely boring after the first hour, ill find something to do, thats why we have books...

Blogdate

2007-01-17T08:54:00.000-08:00

In the past few days ive been added to the blog list of Andy Hughes, so feel free to wander over to look at his site, available under "Andy Hughes" in my list of links

2007-01-16T02:49:00.000-08:00

I know its blurred, but hey, i love the lighting

Hack in London

2007-01-16T02:23:00.000-08:00

One cold night, hundreds of underground rides, and a lot of pictures. Thats my sightseeing tour of London. I didnt get lost, and had one hell of a good time. These are a few images from the pictures i took that night - enjoy!

Fluke or Fate?

2007-01-12T11:40:00.000-08:00

Now some of you are probably thinking what on earth am i rambling on about, but ive had the strangest day ever. Why is it whenever i go out to buy small things like food or some pens that i end up spending a lot more. Today i should have spent around 2.50 in tesco for odds and ends, but somehow in the space of an hour, and some shops, ive managed to spend 300. But not on regular things. Anyone remember nintendos old game and watches? the little things that take batteries and pre date the game boy? well today i didnt just find one, i found three, all of which came with the original boxes. How could i refuse that? and all for the low price of 90 pounds. But then on the way home, i stop in WHSmith. Usually i buy magazines, but today, what do i find but a nintendo wii, on the shelf ready to be bought - 215 pounds down the drain later im home. Maybe i should actually play the thing now...

Exhibits

2007-01-09T07:16:00.000-08:00

ive had the pleasure of seeing this exhibit on two seperate occasions, and yet even though i had seen it all before, i still had the sense of wonder and amazement. The quality this year was incredible, in all the categories. Hopefully ill have the oppertunity to see it again next year. In the meantime, heres the link to the website

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/temporary-exhibitions/wpy/OnlineGallery/

Web Design

2007-01-09T06:41:00.000-08:00

Well its a tuesday afternoon, and right now im in front of a mac learning how to make a blog. Seems to be working rather well so far, though unfortunately i will have to remember now to update this as regularly as i can.