A selection of images from my work on British Overseas Territories are featured on Time Magazine's LightBox blog, click here to have a look...
One of my images from Tristan Da Cunha is appearing in the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2012 exhibition. Here's a quick preview, but if you'd like to head along to view the entire exhibition it's on until 17th February 2013. Click on the photo to take you through to the National Portrait Gallery website. Marvellous.
The Magenta Flash Forward 2012 travelling exhibition comes to London showcasing the work of photographers from the USA, Canada and the UK. The book launch night is on November 22nd at Photo Fusion, 17a Electric Lane, Brixton. I will be there and all are welcome, so come along!
In fond memory of Dan Cofre
I’ve been meaning to write a few words this week since I discovered that someone I met on the Falklands had tragically lost his life, but not really knowing where to start in a situation like this I am going to put in a little background. The plan for my trip last year had always been to head out to Port Stanley during their summertime, avoiding potentially treacherous weather conditions and therefore losing precious time on the trip. I had decided that between November and March would be fine for the journey, but following a discussion at the Sunday Times Magazine it was to become sooner rather than later. I was asked how quickly I could finish the project as they wanted it to be published as part of the magazine’s 50th anniversary edition in February 2012, so I suddenly had three weeks to plan. One of the books I had read as part of my research was written by a man called John Smith, who moved to the Falklands during the 1970’s and has written and published a detailed account of family life during the war in 1982. Once I had tracked him down we met up for tea and began discussing my project plans, and John subsequently became instrumental during my trip. His family were incredibly welcoming and generous during my stay and his daughter Anya, who also decided to help me out, kindly welcomed me into her home, where I spent lots of time with her family including her husband Migs, and their eldest son Dan. Out of all the people I spent time with on the Falklands I found Dan to be one of those people who was wise beyond his years, and was incredibly switched on about the world for someone in his late teens. Personally at that age I knew nothing, and don’t particularly remember thinking that I did, so I always find it remarkable when you come across someone so sure of their convictions and equally so full of questions. I found spending time in his company to become a great insight into the younger generation of Falkland Islanders, and through Dan’s eyes I saw the value of growing up in such a place. I quickly respected his opinions which in return enriched my journey, and I place a huge value on what I learned during the discussions we had. On October 20th I was at a wedding for a family friend in the West Midlands, and after I returned home in a taxi I pulled out my phone to find Facebook filled with messages to Dan Cofre, saying “rest in peace buddy” and “never forget you friend”. It took me until the next afternoon, having sent out a few messages to islanders, to discover that Dan had taken part in what is known as a Rover Rally, where people take land rovers and other 4x4’s across the Falklands terrain. Tragically Dan was killed after he rolled a jeep whilst driving along the beach, and that was when his life was cut short. I’ve never experienced learning of someone’s death via the medium of Facebook, and having only known Dan for a short while there’s no other way I would have, but watching all the messages flood in from people all over the world you suddenly realise how far the impact spreads. Dan’s personality was indeed infectious, and from the short amount of time I spent with him I would like to say I’m honoured to have met him and shared his sense of humour.
I took the above portrait of Dan in the house where he lived with his mum, dad and brother Reuben. On Friday this week there will be a thanksgiving service at the Cathedral in Stanley, so I will most certainly be raising a glass to you Dan, you Metallica loving douchebag. Rest in peace.
More English than England, for those who like me, don't speak Norwegian. I had this tearsheet sent to me a few weeks ago from the guys at Getty Reportage, from a Norwegian publication who have published seven pages of my Falkland Islands work.
Births, Deaths and Marriages for St. Helena last month. Slightly depressing month I believe...
This was the moment on June 14th 1982, when Falkland Islanders were sheltering inside the local store in Stanley, that a Royal Marine walked in the door in to tell them they were free - and apparently apologised for taking so long.
For those who would have missed the Sunday Times Magazine article the other week I've got hold of the tear sheets for people to have a look.
These images show the inside of a recluse hut from the 1950’s, originally erected on the Antarctic Peninsula for a British survey team sent to find a suitable route and lay supply depots for a dog sledge party planning the first crossing of the Antarctic. The pictures show the the cramped conditions the survey team (up to seven men) lived in during their time here in 1956, with a few indications to how they kept themselves entertained.
The hut has since been relocated to the Falkland Islands, where it sits on display at the museum.
I'm very chuffed to say that after more than four years of photographing a selection of British Overseas Territories, my work will be published in the Sunday Times Magazine this weekend as part of their 50th anniversary edition.
The feature will be accompanied with words by AA Gill, plus further online content detailing the various journeys that I've taken since 2007.
So if you're about on Sunday, please pick up a copy and promptly show everyone you see, I most probably will.
If you happen to be sat reading the Sunday Times Magazine today, the first image to be published from my trip to the Falkland Islands is a 'life in the day' of Micky, the penguin man.
Just about half way through scanning all the negs from the Falklands and thought I would share this photo with everyone. It was taken at Long Island which is a farm about 1 hour from Stanley...
Falklands vs Kirchner.
The Argentinian President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner has been accusing Britain, once again, of stealing her country's resources. With the 30th anniversary of the Falklands War looming the sovereignty issue remains highly contentious, and Kirchner's latest public address on the matter sits in line with the announcement of a South American trading bloc preventing ships that are flying the Falkland Islands flag from docking in Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.
"We are not asking them to come here and recognise that the Malvinas are Argentinian, but what we are saying is for them to comply with the UN, sit down and talk, talk, talk." She added: "Nor should they come at us with the excuse of the dictatorship or the war from 30 years ago, because they were the ones who would speak with the dictators."
Basically, what Kirchner is referring to is a UN resolution requesting both Argentina and Britain to discuss the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands without making any unilateral modifications to the situation until a peaceful resolution is found. This was a UN resolution put in place in 1976, which in 1981 led Britain to begin discussing sovereignty with Argentina. Talks weren't quite going to plan as the Argentinian government (the dictatorship) wanted and ultimately broke the resolution by invading the Falklands in 1982.
Understandably, the minor issue of an invasion doesn't really help Kirchner's plight for talks to resume, and the tactics being used by Argentina (including the above mentioned trading bloc) seem to be complete hypocricy when accusing Britain of contravening the '76 resolution. The British exploration for oil in the seas surrounding the Falkland Islands was discussed and agreed with Argentina in 1995, but it has only been since substantial quantities have been discovered that in 2007 Kirchner deemed the exploration as an 'illegal act'.
It seems that a 'suitable conclusion' to sovereignty discussions will remain out of reach because Argentine politicians refuse to admit the legitimacy of the Falkland Islanders and their resolute desire to remain British, and without accepting this there will never be any meaningful discussions about the future of the Falklands or any sign of an end to the dispute.