I have been fortunate to maintain a good level of fitness thus far, but have upped my game this year: I am now a member of ‘Total Boxer’, a boutique boxing club on the fringes of Crouch End. It was the lure of ‘boxing yoga’ that drew me in, but now I’m hooked (boom boom). There is no intimidation, and it’s an ego free zone, so if you fancy a challenge check them out www.totalboxer.com
The thing I have enjoyed most this year is working on my project, Downtime. I am up to fourteen participants with several lined up in the new year. Talks have started amongst picture editors, so I hope to have something published by mid-late 2015. Please let me know if you know anyone I can add to the collection!
I continue to offer photography tuition to various groups and individuals. This year I delivered a series of bespoke lessons for a couple who wanted to become wedding photographers, and gave my son his first official lesson where he got most excited about the visible spectrum and I had to reach back to my text books for the scientific angle!
Writing is becoming more of a staple of what I do, which I love, but I can now see why it takes people years to write a novel. That is not my arena, but I currently have three pieces on the go. I'll need to acquire some hermit tendencies to get these completed.
I can't let the year go by without mentioning my absolute bewilderment of the catastrophes and events that have impacted the year: as usual, most pain is inflicted on people, by people. Syria, Isis, Ukraine, Boko Haram, Ebola, shallow politicians, food banks, Palestine, ancient paedophiles. With the excess of information shoved in our faces it's hard to read between the lines. I will continue to give up my seat on the tube and donate to my chosen charities, but that leaves me as ineffective as most. Depressing it is, new it is not.
Now I've got you in a happy mood, here are some of my favourites of 2014:
Favourite exhibition Hannah Hoch at the Whitechapel Gallery: Hannah Hoch was an important member of the Berlin Dada movement and a pioneer in collage. David Bailey at The National Portrait Gallery was enjoyable too; I thought the curation was really good and it certainly upped my opinion of the 60's celebrity shooter.
Favourite book When Nietzsche wept by Irvine D. Yalom
Favourite film Dallas Buyer’s club
Best day out 25 years of Rave culture, Finsbury Park.