Documentary Reportage Photographer Cornwall

The faces of Mumbai

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There’s one thing certain about shooting portrait content in Mumbai, you’ll never be short of it. Wherever you look, wherever you turn, there’s another face you’ll notice and yet another one you’ll spot out of the corner of your eye, or perhaps they might even be one staring at you. After all, as a white European, we’re somewhat of a novelty.

Remember this though, don’t assume that everyone likes the idea of have a camera raised and pointed at them. You need to connect with your subject first. I was fortunate enough to have some language skills to help me along the way as well as a local fixer gifted in the art of explaining in detail to the subjects who I was and what I’m was doing in Mumbai.
A freelance documentary film photographer working alongside UK & European media outlets. On this occasion, searching for print based media content to share with us all.

Please note: All of these shots were taken with the subjects consent

what's new for 2025 then

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With the induction of a new year, Im sure I will continue to add more “lives” content to the “a day in the life of a” project as I’m not finished on that front. This is become one of those projects that never really has an end date in mind when I first conceived it.
As long as I keep finding lives to document, I’ll keep working on it.

Writing
Ive a few articles to write for those on line photographic platforms that I submitted content for and Im glad they’ve come back to me for more documentative related copy and imaging. Ive also a first for me on a podcast front. Neale James of Photowalk got in touch and asked If he could interview me regarding the “a day in the life” project. Im not sure how this will go but I thought why not give it a go. Ive never been a lover of hearing my own voice so Im not sure If I will play it back at all. Ive never listened to a podcast before, maybe this is the time to do so - im old school me…..

Travel
With 28% of the planet already covered, I certainly will be travelling more and combining that with work assignments too. Im current in Finland, then in a few weeks later I’ll be in India on a jolly but capturing content for an article for hugo at Grain. See my previous article here if your interested. Its a great on line publication as well as a hard copy read

Commissions
These days I only take on work that Im interested in and thats a great place to be. Im only interested in work that challenges me rather than the easier work routes that some other photographers prefer. Im lucky I guess to be in a position that I only need to can pick and choose what floats my boat. Once again on the commissions front, no pixels here, I only shoot film and I certainly won’t compromise on that front.

Any new kit/purchases?
Nope, Ive got my killer rigs and a fridge fully stocked with film. I love shooting expired E6 stocks the most. There is that phrase through isn’t there, “never say never” but I’ve spent too many years buying and selling kit to find the right set up for me. Now I have that perfect camera/s set up that covers all film formats. RD

he came from nowhere

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There are times, just like in street photography that a shots just comes to you. What I mean by that is that a shot can just randomly present itself when perhaps you least expect it. A classic case of that is the shot below. I was out early one morning shooting street content in downtown Vancouver when I walked past this pile of pallets. As I walked past it I heard this rustling of heavy duty plastic sheeting and then this head popped up. It took me by surprise and the guy also by surprise to see me there looking at him.

My first thought was to say hello and to ask what he was doing there. his reply sadly was “I live here”. Clearly he was homeless. Now Im a believer of chatting to the homeless element of this world and listen to their stories. Of course I offered him and hot drink and something to eat, just common sense for me to do that.

We chatted for a while and I explained to him that I was a documentary film photographer with a love of portrait. You can see where this was leading. I had to ask him the question “may I take your photo” The reply was short and sweet, “yep”. I didnt ask him to pose and dress the shot, just to relax and I kept cahting to him until the shutter finally closed. I never got his name but I enjoyed our chat. Choice of camera and film that day? My Hassy 500CM and a roll of Ektar. A great portrait combo. RD

all muscle....

Id be the first to confess that Im somewhat of a petrolhead. I love many cars that I would class as real car. Classic’s that is, none of that modern day rubbish thats being pumped out that the moment. My main interest I guess has always been British and European models but from time to time, the unexpected muscle car pop’s up that really turns my head. In this case, it was Barry’s 1964 Thunderbird

This car has some great history to it. Before it came to the UK in 1987 it was a Illinois state troopers police car. Uprated for Police use with a tuned block and improved gearing. After that, it become the local Governor wife’s car before being sold on a few years later. So in 87, it was shipped to the UK. It sat here for a while before Barry purchased in 2015 as a rolling shell with everything in boxes

Such a good looking car both inside and out. So after Barry got hold of it, 95% original I might add, he completely rebuilt it himself apart form the paint and electric’s that is. Now if you’re going to shoot a classic, then shoot it how it was done all those years ago, on film. Personally, I believe film gives you a real period look to it, something digi simply cant offer. Other opinions are available but they’re wrong!

Black cars generally are a bugger to shoot unless you get the right light and on this occasion, early morning Cornish light worked a treat. I did roll of a few frames in black and white but they just didnt work. Portra 400 was my film stock of choice and for me the balance of colour and light worked out nicely

Thanks again for you time Barry and finally allowing me to shoot your Thunderbird. RD

5 frames, one theme - Auschwitz

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Auschwitz is one of those trips I’ve being saying I’ll get round to one day and last month I finally got there. I arrived with an open view on what I wanted to shoot, or should I say what I was allowed to shoot. There are some parts of Auschwitz you simply cannot take images of and we all have to respect that. My vision was simple, 5 documented frames that for me summed up what Auschwitz was all about.

Black and white film for me was the right choice. Kodak’s Double X was perfect for the brief as its a high contrast stock and has a classic period documentary aspect to it, grainy.

Image 1: One of the remaining train wagons from that period that were used to transport the jews to Auschwitz.

Image 2: Clearly there was no escape as electric fences and watch towers surrounded the camp

Image 3: The most basic and impersonal spaces resembling cattle sheds. I leave to judge what they were used for

Image 4: Photographed, documented, the lucky ones were put to work but mainly all of them were put to death

Image 5: The twin fenced walk way that lead you to Dr Josef Mengele’s experimental buildings. Your fate unsure other than the final outcome

My article is not meant in any way to shock you, but more so to remind us all of that terrible Holocaust during WW2. I urge you all to visit the site and experience what I did alongside others. It beggars belief that human life can be regarded as so worthless.

Shooting the shoot

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A couple of seasons ago, I was lucky enough to get a formal invite to a local sporting shoot which I simply could not turn down. This was a shoot like no other. It was so far removed for the general publics perception of Range Rovers, Purdy’s (very expensive shotguns) and people drinking whisky out of lead crystal glasses. This shoot was far from it. Not a single Range Rover in site but plenty of harris tweeds and well dresser shooters ( the guys with the guns). This was and is a budget end local family run shoot. Open to all and invites to all, providing you have some experience of course.

The shoot was headed up by Dan (centre stage in the image below), a local farmers son which has access to woodlands, hidden valleys and acres and open farm land that is so well suited to shoots of this kind. For Dan, putting this shoot together was and is all about budget end shooting. A level where all can afford rather than the high end “Purdy” end of the market. Dan’s shoot is different, the beaters are the shooters and the shooters are the beaters. All of the members takes a turn. The high end shooters just arrive to shoot and leave the beating to others. They see themselves as being beyond that brief sadly…

An integral part of any shoot are the dogs. “Trained to the gun” as they are often referred to. Endless hours of training by their owners to get to a level where they can send them on to hunt out and retrieve the birds. Amazing to watch and their reward is nothing other than working.

The shoot as a rule takes a day and the “peg” selection comes first thing. The “peg” is a ground marker that you will stand at during the shoot. Each member has their own peg. Selection sometimes can be the luck of the draw. In some cases it appears to be pain full - see below

I follow Dan and his members throughout the shoot and captured all that I saw. This kind of “sporting” activity is closely monitored and managed and rightly so. There will always be a high element of danger when the likes of guns/firearms are being used but it was very clear to me from the off that professionalism here was key and everyone understood what was expected of them.

Its rare to be invited to these type of shoots as a photographer, but with my connections I was invited in. I was made to feel very welcome and to some degress put of the shoot myself. Lunch with the shoot was epic by the way. A farmers wife cooking is second to none. Thank you Dan and a thank you to all your members that made me feel welcome that day. RD



Portraits - my spin on them

One of the single most interesting aspects of photography I really enjoy working on over the years is portrait work. It’s a subject Ive really got into and really enjoy that one to one engagement. Each and every time I capture a portrait, I always see elements of improvement. That stems from me never being 100% happy with what Ive shot. I look back and think, I reckon next time I can improve on that. That’s all about learning for me. Something I do every day.
My camera choice here, my Hassy 500 C/M. One of the finest cameras ever made and so good for portrait work

Just one example of my portrait work is this shot of Shelley. Now, there are loads of you out there that believe to get the best out of a portrait shot is to “dress it”. A phrase often known as putting it all together. Im not of the opinion on that front. I believe that you’ll get the best out of your subject by making them relaxed, engage in conversion then open and close your shutter. Only my view, never rock up and shoot straight away. I loved this shot for one simple reason, Shelley just said to me “shall I sit here” and the camera did the rest. Under a minute from his arse on the chair, till the shutter closed


What film stock then? Colour or black and white

Well, I’ll always be a colour man, and thats a fact but some black and white stocks certainly adds their own elements. I love the deep contrast that the likes of Kodaks Double X gives. It also has a period look to it as well as you can see in this example of local artist, Stuart. When is comes to colour, Ektar is my main choice on both 35mm and medium format but I also love Velvia and Provia. Such rich tones….


Camera choices?

My two main choice’s here on the medium format front would be my Hassy 500 c/m and my Pentax 6x7. Both deliver great clarity and both have lenses that are equally matched and super pin sharp. On 35mm, a little mixed there. First choice would be my Konica Hexar closely followed by my Nikon F2. Again, great rigs and a great lenses selection across the board but I like to run with say a 50mm 1.2 and a 105mm 2.5. For me, Nikon produced their best lenses back in the 60’s and that why I run with those now. On the Konica front, any 35mm and 50mm versions. All pin sharp and great to work with

Why film then?

Well thats simple. It offers something that digi never will. Depth, contrast and its real! Everyone has their own opinion on photography and thats the beauty of freedom of speech. Im not saying Im right, all Im saying is thats my choice and I believe I get so much more out of my subjects with a rolls of film rather than a set of pixels - Judge for yourself, RD









I came back - Automotive

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After shooting automotive content over a number of years for several automotive publications and media outlets, I gave it all up. It just became too easy and I got fed up with the mags cropping my imaging, paying me when they wanted too and some of the owners of that automotive content telling me how good their rides were.

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However, more recently Ive become re interested in that area of photography due to the premium quality and varied volume of content I now find myself shooting again. This time it’s different, no more of that digital rubbish as I now only shoot film.

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Sadly, print based media only takes digital content as they are after that pin sharp pixel crap that we as a nation have been programmed to believe it’s best. Here’s the thing though and this is directed to those blinkered magazine editors of the world, medium format film can be super sharp too and being film, it brings something that digi never will, a real texture and organic quality and lovely grain. Stick that in your digital pipe and smoke it.

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Please note: All of the images contained within this post and other posts, and on my site are free from Photoshop, Lightroom and presets. All my imaging is real

Shooting Kodak Vision 250 3 D

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For those of you who are uncertain as to what Kodak Vision 3 is, its a 35mm colour negative film originally made for motion pictures. The film's standard development process is ECN2 and Im told it can also be processed using the C-41 process. Double check that. I chose to go down the ECN2 route which is more costly one and you’ll need to search out someone in the UK who does specialist processing. I used Nik & Trick ( www.ntphotoworks.com), excellent service I might add. You’ll need to wait a little longer than the standard 2/3 days turn around time on this stock though. Factor in say 2/3 weeks to get your shots back.

So, the first set of images here are from the first roll I shot. I had no real subject matter in mind at the time other than to just roll off the film at whatever

Camera: Konica Hexar

Roll 2
On this occasion, i looked for more variety and colour to further test this stock and I found subjects that it suits, and perhaps others that it doesn’t. For me, the portrait shot below is fine in its composition but I can see yellow and slight green ish tones to it.
Given I know the subject well, the skin tones and studio walls colours, are not correct.

Further evidence of those yellow and green ish tones are highlighted here when I shot this image in low light conditions. The film was shot at stock and the light reading was fine, its just Vision3 that gives it these tones especially in low light

So, is it a stock Id shoot again? Hell yes! I like the fact that Vision3 for me seems to offer colours and tones that other stocks don’t as such. It’s never going to be one of my top 5 stocks but I will continue to shoot it

Please note: All of the images contained within this post and other posts, and on my site are free from Photoshop, Lightroom and presets. All my imaging is real

Kiro 400 review

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Id never heard of Kiro 400 film stock before until a friend of mine sent me a roll, free of charge I might add - cheers Jonatas. I reviewed it on line as that what I do with most stocks I’ve not shot before and thought Id give it a go. I did have one narrative in mind at the time but the French buggered that up for me. That was snow! Dam, I still cant forgive those French fops.

Anyhow, Enclosed are a selection of images of different subject matters colour values and different lighting conditions.

Camera of choice: Konica Hexar AF

For me, the colours do stack up and there are some elements of other films stocks to Kiro too. I did read somewhere that Kiro might be a Fuji C200 rebranded stock. Im not convinced of that if im honest.

To summerise then, Kiro 400 is a solid colourful 35mm stock, not of the finest grain of course but it works under variable light and conditions. Would I shoot it again? of course. Remember, shooting film is all about grain and loving the grain, not those dreadful pixels things - #embracethegrain

Please note: All of the images contained within this post and other posts, and on my site are free from Photoshop, Lightroom and presets. All my imaging is real .

Other opinions are available

Penberth Cove - The tiny fishing hamlet

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The tiny fishing hamlet of Penberth Cove lies at the foot of a wooded valley just to the east of Porthcurno. Fishing still remains part of Penberth but only to a few local families nows that still fish this cove and its Atlantic waters.

I spent a few hours one early spring morning capturing all that I saw. All images are shot on film. None of those pixels or photoshop here. Just real images

Camera’s: Asahi Pentax 6x7, Hasselblad 500 CM
Films: Kodak Ektar & Kodak Portra 160

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