The Richard Flint Photography Blog

The Authenticity War

2026-03-25T16:11:00.007+00:00

This headline, along with the powerful image, got my attention last week. I guess it was meant to. It turned out that the schoolgirl graveyard image was real, although a number of sources incorrectly said it was not. Is it real or AI? has become an increasingly frequent question when viewing an image. I just fear that the lines blend too much so we start not knowing which is fake and which is real!

AI arrived and it seems the development pace of the technology has ramped up a notch or three. The skill level and equipment requirements to create a faked image have dropped substantially leaving us with a great resource that can, and is, heavily abused. Creating a fake narrative has never been easier. What would have taken hours with Photoshop thirty years ago is now done with a click or swipe.

We are at a crossroads when it comes to how images are created and used. There have probably been other images before the one of the schoolgirl graveyard that have raised questions but it does seem that AI images have reached new levels of technical quality.

Just recently some very authentic looking images of US actress Zendaya marrying fellow actor Tom Holland had many people fooled. The quality of the fakes was impressive. The disclaimer "artistic recreation" contained in a caption with the images was missed by many viewers.

We appear to have a perfect storm. What is real seems increasingly irrelevant to media and politicians, emotional content draws more hits than factual, and we are attention spans are narrowing. News moves at lightspeed these days with rolling news behaving much like a social media stream.

So what to do about it? Personally I think the genie is out of the bottle and the only real defence is educating people about how to spot a fake. Maybe we start in schools, but certainly we need the skills for critically viewing media to be taught, so that people can at least try and work out what they are looking at, and why someone wants them to see that information.

Martin Parr 1952- 2025

2025-12-10T11:38:00.019+00:00

New Brighton, England, 1983–85 From The Last Resort © Martin Parr / Magnum Photos

The news of the death of Martin Parr brought back some of my memories of photography discussions had a college and university back in the 1990s. No other photographer seemed to polarise a group of student photographers more than Martin Parr. As the years have gone by it seems that controversial aspect of his work has remained part of his photography's story, even though my own thoughts about Parr's work, especially The Last Resort, have mellowed.

No photographer has, probably, captured an era as well as Parr. The Last Resort images have the style and feel that shout out the eighties. Bold, colourful, stark and uncompassionate, Parr's images perfectly captured the best and worst of the eighties, but have been misunderstood as politically sympathetic to the Thatcher politics of the time. There was, and still is, an element of discomfort when viewing his images with questions continuing to persist about how he regarded his subject matter. The Last Resort, and the controversy around it, did Parr's career little harm and significantly boosted awareness of his photography to a wider audience.

I first came across Martin Parr's name whilst reading a review of The Last Resort book in a photography magazine around the mid 1980s. The other photographer whose book was being reviewed was Chris Killip 'In Flagrante'. Two very different books, from two very different photographers, but both contained work taking a long look at what was happening in the north of England in the 1980s. By the time i arrived in photography education in the early 1990s, Martin Parr was a byword for contemporary colour documentary photography.

My opinion of Parr's work has always been 'on the move'. It's never been as straightforward as viewing other photographers work. Maybe that was part of Parr's appeal. I've always admired some of his photography, mostly his black and white work from the 1970s, but certain colour images, especially those in The Last Resort and The Cost of Living, well I've always had some reservations. I would have loved for Martin to have been a guest lecturer at my college, and to hear the discussion afterwards.

Martin Parr was certainly one the most influential British photographer of the past forty years, but I suspect he may also go down as one of the most misunderstood.

The Whisky Line

2025-10-22T10:29:00.003+01:00

Class 108 DMU leaving Keith Town station, Moray, Scotland

The trip to Scotland in September ended up being a mixed bag of experiences. No fault of Scotland's, it turned out that I would end up in the second week gradually feeling worse and worse as a rather nasty dose of flu took hold. The steady stream of photographs I'd usually take suddenly reduced to a trickle.

One highlight early on in week one, however, was a trip on the Keith and Dufftown Railway, also known as the Whisky Line, a heritage railway in Scotland, running for 11 miles (18 km) from Keith Town, Keith to Dufftown. It is the most northerly heritage railway operating in the British Isles and well worth a visit.

Salgado's Legacy

2025-05-27T10:53:00.129+01:00

Kuwait oil fields, 1991, by Sebastião Salgado. Photograph: Sebastião Salgado

Sebastião Salgado died last week at the age of 81. Another photography hero gone. His photography was the very high quality benchmark that I have never managed to quite attain but always strived for. Salgado's superb blend of beautiful photography and getting to the heart of the subject matter place him right at the top of documentary photographers. He had critics with the term “aesthete of misery" used against him, and his departure from Magnum in 1994 seemed to cause some animosity too. Often it seemed to be a reaction against his success as a photographer.

I'm not going to cover Sebastião Salgado's life and work here. Other bloggers and news websites have done a far better job than I could ever do at summing up his long career. However, for a student photographer in the 1990s, it was just inspiring to see a documentary photographer producing such epic work. With over 30 books published (two or three are on my bookshelf and I'd have bought more if I'd had the money) it was always a visual treat and an education going through the images on the pages. In many respects Salgado had the successful documentary photographer career that we all wanted.

If you aren't familiar with Sebastião Salgado's work then check out some of the links in this post but especially have a look HERE for a great collection of his iconic images.

The word legend is used far too often these days, but Sebastião was a legend in every sense of the word. Another legend lost.

Formula One at 75

2025-05-15T10:32:00.006+01:00

If you are a Formula One fan then the BBC and Getty Images have put together a great collection of Formula One photography going through 75 years of the sport.

From Juan Manuel Fangio through to Lewis Hamilton, the page is a great introduction to the history of Formula One as well as a fascinating read for any F1 fan.

Check out F1 at 75 by visiting the link below

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/extra/v7yykmbyey/f1-at-75-by-bbc-sport-and-getty-images

The Gathering Clouds

2025-01-15T11:54:00.006+00:00

A dark sky over Old Boat Sheds - Lindisfarne, Northumberland

Last week I got a message to say that my Tumblr blog had reached the grand old age of thirteen years old. I have to admit the number seemed slightly surreal as I looked at it. Then again, this blog will be even older soon with the blog becoming eighteen years old at the end of February. All of my blogs have benefited from relatively calm and save foundations to build on by the blogging platforms. As we've seen recently though, change might come down the line at any time from the large digital overlords in future years. When it comes to the blogs I like to think that I will have the time and options to move them somewhere save if needed. That's what I hope at least.

The same can't be said about social media though. The recent revelations about changes to fact checking at Facebook, Instagram and Threads (USA only at the moment but still worrying) have made me consider my future social media yet again. The last time was when Twitter started changing into the monster that it is now, some eighteen months ago. I made the decision to deactivate the last of my Twitter accounts in November. With some fourteen years of use, over 3000 followers and a once great source of photography news, all a distant memory long before I hit the kill button, I'm just wondering if I'll have to do the same with Instagram and Threads.

In the end, it's about investment. Our time, effort and content. We store our lives on these platforms only for something or someone to move the goalposts years down the line; a change of owner or leadership, economic instability, politics, terms of service etc. Something always changes. Maybe the calculation from Meta etc is that people won't leave these platforms when they are too invested. People live their lives - good and bad - through these social media platforms, not to mention make money as businesses. Too many posts. Too much history. Too established. Leaving is just out of the question!

Personally I am no longer willing to invest that kind of time and effort into another new social media platform. Back in August 2023, I wrote on the Darker Skies blog my thoughts about Twitter and the changes that were taking place there at the time. Nearly two years later and I'm still of the same mind. My conclusion was that the blog or website should be where I focus my efforts rather than invest too much in a platform that will eventually become too toxic to stay. I still agree with that conclusion. For now I just intend to keep a close eye on things, see what happens and make a decision as and when. That's all I can really do.

An Early Start

2025-01-02T16:35:00.002+00:00

Old Boat Shed on Lindisfarne, Northumberland - December 2024

Another year started and hopefully it will be a good one. Two photo book releases are planned, one at the start of the year and then another around November. That's the plan I intend sticking to at least.

The end of the year went quite well. A trip up to Northumberland for a week around the middle of November saw a good bit of of photography taking place. Even though the weather was rather windy, the quality of light more than made up for the gusts. You just had to keep the camera as steady as possible and not wave the lens about too much.

The visit Holy Island of Lindisfarne was a nice surprise. A quick drive down revealed that the tide was at its lowest point meaning it was safe to visit without being cut off by the tide. There had been no plans to visit. It just happened. The last time I'd visited Holy Island it was the summer of 1992 and I was 20 years. A student photographer trying to find his creative path.

What would he have thought of the older photographer wandering around the old boat sheds? Horrified probably, though impressed with the camera and lenses. As for advice, I'd just tell him to be more confident. Easy to say, maybe not so easy to be.

The Last Days of Summer

2024-09-30T22:37:00.000+01:00

A home on the Kintyre Coast, Scotland - September 2023

Not long left now. Almost the end of the summer. It's been a summer of consolidation for me this year. Not much in the way of travel but plenty of progress made on a number of projects that I've wanted to tick off my to-do list for years. There are just one or two things left to do before the year ends.

The website has seen the bulk of the work as I catch up with adding projects to the gallery. The Northumberland and Isle of Arran/Kintyre galleries were added last week completing the process of updating that area of the website. It's the first time I've been all caught up in some time.

As we head into Autumn/Fall the next project is to finish a photo zine I've been working on for some time. The photographs and layouts are done so only the text remains. If I can sort that out and get the zine out for before the end of 2024, I'll be happy.

So not too bad, and it means that I'm in a good place to start next year.

The Ragpicker's Dream

2024-07-15T20:07:00.020+01:00

'Spain, Valencia, 1952, Robert and Mary Frank' By Elliott Erwitt

Back in November of last year, I posted about the OMD album cover for their brilliant 1980 album Organisation which featured the wonderful photograph shot by Richard Nutt of the cloud-covered peak of Marsco in the Red Cuillin mountains, on the Isle of Skye.

I'm posting again with another album cover image from Mark Knopfler's 2002 album The Ragpicker's Dream. I've been a fan of this album for several years and recognised the Elliott Erwitt image from a book by the photographer I picked up in Norfolk many years ago.

The photograph still had the power to surprise me though. It's only recently that I've found out the image contains the presence of two great photographers. Elliot Erwitt, behind the camera, and Robert Frank who is dancing in the photograph with his wife Mary.

Three years after this photograph was taken, Swiss photographer Robert Frank went on a journey through the United States that would later form his iconic 'The Americans' book. The project is highly regarded as a classic piece of documentary photography.

Ironically the other book I was looking at before purchasing Elliott Erwitt's in that bookshop in Holt, Norfolk was... yep, Robert Frank's 'The Americans'. Why didn't I get it? Cost. It was very expensive!

Eleven Pictures

2024-06-06T06:30:00.175+01:00

American troops land on Omaha Beach on D-Day. June 6, 1944. Photograph by Robert Capa

Eighty years ago Allied forces waded ashore on the Normandy coast and started the liberation of Europe. Quite a few photographers accompanied the armada across the Channel, but the D-Day photographs that get talked about most usually belong to a certain Robert Capa.

During my years at college studying photography, the images came up quite a few times. Given that the images are iconic I was often surprised by the critical reaction from my fellow students and even the occasional lecturer. It often appears fashionable to criticise iconic or popular images to some extent, but the critics just missed the point. It usually ended in rather a good debate though.

The eleven Capa photographs from Omaha Beach certainly captured the moment. The images were taken during the second wave landing by the 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division. From a personal point of view, I prefer Capa's later images during the Allies' fight through Normandy including the image of prisoners

In recent years there has been further close examination of the images and the story behind the photographs. One thing is certain. The stories surrounding the making of the photographs just make Capa's images more intriguing.

Just a Number

2024-05-27T13:04:00.004+01:00

Lost running shoe - Burnham Overy Staithe, Norfolk - 2016

There is a moment when you suddenly realise that your photography has aged. Those images you printed up in the darkroom, ah it seems like just yesterday, are in fact suddenly 25 years old. The very age you were when to took the photographs. It's a sobering thought.

Moments stay with you. I wrote on my main website blog about a personal important photography milestone over thirty years ago. The photograph was of the seafront at Colwyn Bay and it marked that moment when the camera and darkroom skills all came into line. I saw the image in my mind's eye and took the photograph using my camera and darkroom abilities. I still have that 10x8 black and white print framed on the wall.

Since then, many photographs have been produced, trailing behind like a ship's wake. I can divide the images into eras. The 1990s were the black-and-white film years, the 2000s were a roughly even mix of black-and-white and colour, and the 2010s were like the previous decade but with digital colour gaining dominance and mobile photography added. The jury is still out about the 2020s.

I think what I'd like to do in this 'era' is return to shooting a little bit of film. Probably not on the scale of twenty years ago, but a few rolls of HP5 or FP4 film through the F3 or F5 would feel good.

As for the photographs getting older, you just have the nostalgic moment and carry on with the journey. After all, the age is just a number!

Feeding the Photography

2024-03-17T11:33:00.012+00:00

Small Field on the Isle of Skye, Scotland - 2015

The last few weeks have seen me search for new sources of photography news after significantly reducing my use of social media these past couple of years. With the removal of Twitter (X) from my day-to-day life, I suddenly realised that I was feeling rather cut off from photography news. No news. No new photography. No sources of information at all. It suddenly dawned on me that needed to do something about that.

A couple of weeks ago I found an old OPML export file in a Dropbox folder, made in late 2013. The file contained a list of all of the websites and blogs that I followed starting after 2007. I have to be honest. I wasn't sure if the file would work or if the RSS feeds listed were still active! As it turned out, around 80% of the feeds were either no longer of interest, no longer active or had just disappeared completely. There was, however, a core of photography blogs that were still active.

The process of creating a new feed list has, though, been a great insight into the state of blogging in the world of podcasts and social media feeds. It certainly seems quieter but the dedicated blogger activity is still there. Several veteran blog names stood out on the RSS list, and to my amazement, these feeds were still active over a decade later. They may not post as often as they used to, but then that is probably to be expected.

So far the new list seems to be working well. It needs building up a bit but the core feeds I'm interested in are there. If following these feeds also boosts my own blogging, I'll be happy with that too.

New Bert Hardy Exhibition

2024-02-24T15:42:00.005+00:00

Photograph by Bert Hardy - The Gorbals Boys, 1948

You can't really talk about British documentary photography during the mid-20th century without talking about Bert Hardy. So it's fantastic to see that The Photographers' Gallery in London is having a long overdue retrospective of his work.

I first came across Bert Hardy's name during the early 1990s when I managed to buy the fantastic book 'Great Photographers of World War II' by Chris Boot. Along with the usual names like George Rodger and Robert Capa, the book also looked at the work and lives of some of the lesser-known combat photographers including Bert Hardy.

Hardy had been working for the Picture Post when he got called up and it was where he returned to after the end of the war. He stayed at the Picture Post until 1957 when the photojournalistic magazine closed due to falling sales caused by the arrival of television and other factors.

The photographer moved to being an advertising photographer due to the lack of work opportunities for photojournalists but by 1964 had left the industry completely to become a farmer. His images though have become iconic with the day-to-day life of people in post-war Britain probably among the best images shot during that period.

The Bert Hardy retrospective will be on at The Photographers' Gallery in London from 23 February 2024 - 02 June 2024.

Details about the exhibition, opening times, etc can be found HERE

Marsco Manoeuvres

2023-11-11T13:03:00.011+00:00

It's been a week or two of veteran bands making a return to the spotlight. Even The Beatles released their final song which I actually thought was a wonderful finale and liked a lot. The band I want to talk about though is Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark who are currently in the album charts with a new album Bauhaus Staircase. Well, more accurately, I want to talk about the excellent image on the cover of their 1980 album Organisation. An album that I've enjoyed listening to for more than forty years.

The album cover (designed by graphic designer Peter Saville) for Organisation remains one of my favourites. Never has an image visually better summed up the album's dark and moody sonic landscape and yet for years, I had no idea where the photograph had been taken. It turned out that I'd actually visited and never known the connection! It is only thanks to the internet that I now know where it is - the photograph was shot by Richard Nutt and is of the cloud-covered peak of Marsco in the Red Cuillin mountains, on the Isle of Skye.

A quick search online and sadly Richard Nutt doesn't seem to have much of a presence, although it turns out there are plenty of other Richards producing landscape work - myself included! Did the photograph have an influence on my photography? I think most definitely although probably at a more subconscious level than other photography sources. I've always had a soft spot for dark moody landscape photography. Maybe this image is where that all started.

My next visit to Skye will definitely include a visit to see Marsco... and maybe take a photo in homage to the OMD Organisation cover image. Now there is a creative challenge!

Linda's Memorial Garden

2023-10-15T16:41:00.008+01:00

Sometimes we judge things before we actually get to see them. I did that many years ago with the photography by Linda McCartney. I blame naïve youthful ignorance and also the massive Beatle hype bubble that will go on existing until the end of music.

I never was a big fan of the Fab Four. Age has made me more tolerant and open to their music but I always preferred other sixties bands. The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Cream and other big rock acts. I've always tended to avoid things that are too popular. I can do pop as long as it isn't too big or hyped.

In 1998, I came across a great photography book called Linda McCartney's Sixties. Looking through I was surprised and impressed by Linda's documentary style of portraiture and the subject matter also appealed. As Linda Eastman, she had photographed some of the biggest acts of the 1960's. She was friends with many of the acts and especially liked Jim Morrison of the Doors.

I knew that Linda had a memorial garden in Campbeltown. Both her and Paul had moved to the Mull of Kintyre after the end of the Beatles. The local community accepted them and years later, after Linda's death in 1998 decided to build a memorial garden complete with a bronze statue purchased by Paul.

Sadly I only managed a brief visit but the peace and tranquillity of the place could be felt. My stay was unfortunately interrupted by a couple of women chatting and having a cigarette. I'll hopefully return to Campbeltown again at some point and I'll definitely be soaking up that beautiful, colourful and quiet place that is Linda's garden again.

Old Haunts

2023-09-05T11:57:00.003+01:00

Claymore Swords - Edinburgh Castle, 2015

It's been catch-up time over the past few days regarding the blog. A tweak or two to the design and a new background and the site is ready for another few years.

Looking back through the old posts was a strange experience. It was like reading an old diary and seeing a glimpse of a previous life. So much has changed for me in the years since this blog started.

The level of enthusiasm for posting can be seen by the total number of posts for each year. The peak was 2007, closely followed by 2008. I do not intend to get back to those levels, but I would like to post at least once a week if possible.

Finally, I would like to apologise for an issue I came across this weekend. As I checked through the various areas of the blog I clicked on the comment section and noticed 34 comments awaiting moderation. I'd received no notification or emails to say that a comment was waiting.

All of the comments have now been published on the website and I would especially like to thank those people who left some feedback about the Billingham bags and Michele Breton posts that I posted some years ago now. I also received some wonderful comments about the blog. Sorry, it took so long to add these to the site. I will check regularly from now on.

Hopefully, I can get the old blog back to something like its old self from a few years ago.

Changing Track

2023-08-31T16:32:00.005+01:00

Maersk shipping container on the WCML rail route - November 2015

It's been a long time since i posted on this blog, but what goes around comes around and the blog isn't closed quite yet.

I've posted on my Darker Skies blog about the changes to Twitter (or X as it's magnificently called now) and how the blogs will benefit from that decline. I'm fed up of social media and have been for some time. The honeymoon is over for me at least.

My plan is to use my blogs much more from now on. Last year this blog published NO new posts for the first time since it launched in 2007. That needs to change.

So keep an eye on the blog for new posts coming over the next few weeks and months. It's time to get back to the blogging :)

Wet Film U2

2021-06-23T16:20:00.002+01:00

No not the band but the high altitude aircraft that has been in service for over 60 years with the U.S military.

Probably the most fascinating part of this documentary (around 17.30 mins) regards the cameras and photography used to capture the recon photos. Even with the leaps in digital technology, the U2 cameras shot film in 2019. Probably still do.

An interesting watch.

A History Of Cameras In Space

2020-10-11T13:18:00.005+01:00

Spotted this great video by Scott Manley on YouTube that looks at the history of cameras in space.

Scott's video does go into some detail about the modifications made to the cameras and the later models by Hasselblad and Nikon specially created for use in space.

Well worth a watch.

Edinburgh Offshoots: December 2019

2019-12-31T17:44:00.000+00:00

Three images from a visit to Edinburgh earlier this month.

Wedding photos on Calton Hill

Looking down from the Esplanade

The Big wheel viewed from Princes Street

Review: Billingham 550

2018-08-08T18:43:00.002+01:00

My Billingham 550 - a veteran of many adventures and nicely worn in after 22 years of use.

Ten years ago, i posted a review for my Billingham 445 camera bag on this very blog. The review started "Billingham bags are a popular choice for many photographers looking for a robust way of carrying their expensive equipment around." I could never have imagined that the review would become the blog's most popular post, one of the most commented posts on the blog and is mentioned in the references on the Billingham Wikipedia entry. A popular choice indeed!

For many years, I've wanted to post a review of my trusty 550, the first Billingham bag i purchased 22 years ago, but for one reason or another i never got around to writing the review. To mark the tenth anniversary of my popular 445 review i thought i would finally write that 550 review... so here it is!

Worn but functional - the original SP 20 shoulder pad

The story of my Billingham 550 starts in 1996 when i decided that i needed a new camera bag. I'd purchased a Jessop's camera bag back in 1991 which had served me well, but i decided that i really needed to upgrade to a better quality of camera bag. At the time, i was a photography student and one or two of my fellow students had Billingham camera bags (mostly 335s) that i could have a close look at. I purchased mine at Jessops (the other customers in the store at the time exchanged impressive tales of how Billingham bags had saved camera kit) after weeks of looking at one in the shop window. The build quality was very impressive and i also liked the classic design - I still do all these years later. I finally decided to go with the 550 due to its size - it is a spacious bag - it could carry everything i needed. In an ironic twist the purchase of my 445 some years later would stem from the sheer size of the 550. More about that later.

So to the bag. As i said earlier the 550 is a huge bag that Billingham describe on their website as "our most luxurious bag - perfect for the photographer or the traveller. Even without the two detachable end pockets, it is still large enough to carry several camera bodies, lenses, flashguns and even some overnight stay essentials". The 550 was the first production bag for Billingham and has influenced the style of the bags that have followed. My bag is the classic khaki canvas with full grain tan leather and brass fixings, now all nicely worn in after many years of use and usually associated with the classic Billingham look, however two other colours are available including black and a rather bold Imperial Blue Canvas. The light colour of the bag does mean that the dirt can show but the 550 is very easy to clean - mud can easily be removed by just waiting for it to dry and then brushing it off. Soap and warm water usually removes dirt from the bag and you just leave the bag in the sun to dry. Simple.

Internal space is good with plenty of protection. Extra partitions can be purchased if required

The top zipper is excellent quality and strong . The top rain flap then covers and is fastened with two leather straps

The internals of the 550 are very spacious and can accommodate a wide variety of camera systems and lenses. The dimensions can be found on the Billingham 550 product page here. If you like carrying a mix of camera systems then the 550 has plenty of room to carry a medium format camera and a DSLR plus lenses. I regularly carry 6x6 and a DSLR in the same bag. The bag's depth is a serious asset with room for a high hammerhead flash gun like the Metz 75. The depth is also handy for keeping kit away from prying eyes and out of the weather . It also helps with what i call 'working out of the bag' - everything can stay within the bag when working at a location so you don't leave anything behind. With the internal partitions, the layout possibilities are numerous, though it can take a bit of trial and error to find that perfect layout to fit in all your kit. Billingham have a range of additional superflex dividers available to purchase but I've largely managed with the partitions that came with the bag. Whatever you need to store - the bag will fit it in. Right at the bottom of the 550 is the bag's 500 Superflex base plate that protects gear from vibration, knocks and the damp. It can also be removed if necessary to turn the 550 into a great travel bag, ideal for weekend trips away.

The 550 end pockets - large enough for a SB800 flashgun

Externally the bag has five pockets, two deep zipped pockets that can fit large items like a flashgun, and two smaller outside pockets with stud fasteners that are perfect for carrying filters, memory cards or other items. Once the top rain cover is fastened up using the brass buckles and leather straps, the pockets are pretty secure. More space is provided by the zipped external back pocket that can be used to store maps, receipts or documents. The 550 also comes with two detachable end pockets which i found useful for storing film and filter hoods. The detachable pockets have limited padding, just like the studded side pockets, so aren't really designed for storing lenses or any delicate objects. The pockets are, however, great as working pockets for placing film, memory cards etc during shoots or for keeping the rain away from items during a sudden downpour. Carrying the bag can be done using the leather hand strap or using the shoulder strap. The SP20 shoulder pad is wide and comfortable with a very grippy rubberised neoprene, making the task of carrying a well packed and balanced bag, a pleasant one.

The side pockets can carry a good size flash or lens but i tend to use it for film, filters etc

The external canvas skin of the 550 looks very classy, is incredibly waterproof and is about as durable as you can get. I've been in downpours with my 550 ( one rain soaked day at Sandringham in Norfolk was especially memorable) and often wished that i could get into the bag as well! Gear remains dry and well protected from water, sand, dust and mud. I mentioned in my 445 review that ' These bags are designed to take all sorts of punishment - the most common of which will be water. The water proof nature of the 445 is remarkable. I've been in storms and downpours which have thoroughly tested the bag, with no problems encountered at all'. That statement equally applies to the 550. A few years ago, during a visit to Norfolk, I accidentally dropped my 445 ( i was with it too i might add!) into thick harbour mud. The camera gear remained totally safe inside. The mud just washed off the canvas bag with the aid of a sponge and a bit of soap. Temperature control inside the bag is excellent too. During hot sunshine the inside of the Billingham 550 remains noticeably cooler thanks to the khaki coloured canvas (darker coloured 550s might not fare as well!) and the thick partition inserts. If the bag is kept closed then the contents will remain cool.

So what about the downsides? Well the bag's physical size can be a bit of a double edged sword. The 550 is of a size that can be quite difficult to carry in confined spaces such as a busy train carriage - especially if the end pockets are attached!. I decided to switch over to the slightly smaller 445, a few years later, partially due to that size issue. Another problem can be the weight. Fully packed the bag can be quite heavy so carrying it over rough ground or long distances is far from ideal for your back!. I found that out when visiting the Highlands of Scotland in 2012 where the backpack type camera bag is the better option. An interesting suggestion from the Billingham website states 'Many 550 owners use them as a safe store for all their equipment and use one of our smaller bags to carry just the specific gear they need to take the shot, going back to the 550 to swap lenses or bodies. One final thing to mention regards the difficulty in carrying the bag by hand when the rain flap is open. The only way is to use the shoulder strap, as the buckles need to be fastened to use the leather handle on top of the bag. That said, closing up the bag each time provides extra security and develops into a good habit.

The 550 has plenty or storage with a variety of pockets to store away accessories.

In conclusion, the Billingham 550 is a great camera bag. Solid, reliable and comfortable to carry. It is not cheap but then quality never is. Billingham list it on their website for £600 but it can be found for well under £500. The secondhand option is also worth considering with a 550 in good condition going for around £200+. One thing to consider when buying the 550 is it will last a lifetime if looked after. Potentially it could be the only bag you may ever need to buy. I've had over twenty years of use, through college, university and freelance life... and mine is just nicely getting worn in. I expect I'll be using it in another twenty years or more. The bag provides a fantastic amount of storage for a range of camera systems including video and 5x4. The solid robust construction does come at a price, adding extra weight to the bag, but you get peace of mind that the 550 will take whatever you, or the elements, throw at it over many years and comfortably protect all your gear inside. Exactly what a good camera bag should do!

Like many photographers i have quite a few camera bags, many of which have been bought for a specific task or purpose. I would, however, never get rid of my 445 and 550 as they are the best camera bags i own. If you are looking for a big camera bag then you'd be hard pressed to find a bag with the storage space, superb build quality and protection offered by the 550. I certainly love mine.

My Billingham 445 bag review from May 2008 can be found HERE

The Billingham website can be found at https://billingham.co.uk/

The Billingham 550 product page can be found HERE

Performance Related

2018-02-06T13:01:00.000+00:00

It certainly doesn't seem like four years since i wrote a couple of posts about the film Performance, a film that still intrigues me... and others it seems. Since then, the posts have become some of the most commented and read on the blog.

While i was moving through the internet recently i came across some interesting articles and a video about the photographs taken by Cecil Beaton for the film's publicity. Beaton ended up being paid by Sandy Lieberson, Performance's producer, because Warner Brothers would not pay the bill.

The images were part of an exhibition by Sotheby's in 2016. Sadly the online images only appear to show the 'names' in Performance which is a shame. The excellent portrait above of Michèle Breton certainly looks as though it was taken by Cecil Beaton though at the moment i can't confirm it.

The links can be found below

Documenting Decadence and Debauchery – Performance by Cecil Beaton (Short Film)

Performance by Cecil Beaton

Mentioned in Dispatches

2017-10-18T18:36:00.000+01:00

It's been a long time since i last saw this BBC2 programme on Tim Page. I'd be around 13 year of age, off school ill with some bug or another, and that summer i'd just got my first camera - a 126 Hamimex 88x - from a chemist shop on the high street in Conwy, North Wales. The journey had begun. The shop is still there. I still have my first camera too.

Certain scenes from Mentioned in Dispatches were burned into my head. Page going through his slides and explaining the story behind them is one scene that made me realise that photography was not just about landscapes and holidays, it could inform and educate and i loved the power the images had. The fact that Page was still visibly affected by his head injuries received in 1969 was also something i remembered vividly. There was a cost to taking the images.

The photography of the Vietnam war still fascinates me now. Tim's star has waned over the years as he dropped down my table of favourite photographers. He was good... others were better. I've come to prefer the work of other photographers who captured the war without the rock n' roll attitude of Page. The photojournalist, played by Dennis Hopper, in Apocalypse Now was alleged to have been based on Tim Page. I much prefer the quiet professional attitude of Larry Burrows.

It is good to see this film again though. Amazing what the mix of a Vietnam war photographer documentary and a chemist shop in North Wales can do.

The Invention of Photography

2016-09-15T17:48:00.003+01:00

William Henry Fox Talbot, The Open Door, 1843

If you are looking to brush up on your early photography history then a podcast available on the BBC website might just be of interest.

Back in July, the BBC Radio 4 show 'In Our Time' recorded a 45 minute programme where the topic of the invention of photography was discussed by an expert panel. The lives and work of Louis Daguerre and William Henry Fox Talbot are talked about in some depth along with the effect that early photography had on society. The various early photography processes, many of which used toxic ingredients that caused ill health for the pioneer photographers, are also discussed in some detail.

The podcast description on the website states:-

'Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the development of photography in the 1830s, when techniques for 'drawing with light' evolved to the stage where, in 1839, both Louis Daguerre and William Henry Fox Talbot made claims for its invention. These followed the development of the camera obscura, and experiments by such as Thomas Wedgwood and Nicéphore Niépce, and led to rapid changes in the 1840s as more people captured images with the daguerreotype and calotype. These new techniques changed the aesthetics of the age and, before long, inspired claims that painting was now dead.'

It wasn't surprising to find out that early photography was a pursuit of wealthy gentlemen. Photography in the 19th century was an extremely expensive and time consuming business. Even having your photograph taken by the early 'pro photographers' was an expensive luxury few could afford - 300 guineas was charged for a portrait (One Guinea is £ 1.05p) taking it well beyond the reach of the average person.

The podcast is available to stream via the BBC site and there is also a MP3 download which means that anyone outside of the UK should be able to access the programme.

The Invention of Photography pocast can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07j699g

Last Letter from Aleppo

2016-09-12T13:06:00.000+01:00

This is the last letter of a Syrian photographer and activist who chose to stay in Aleppo. #aleppo #aleppoceasefire pic.twitter.com/F25HcGOatz
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) September 9, 2016

I re-tweeted this video a few days ago on Twitter but it is such a sad, touching and emotive film by Channel 4 news (UK) that i will add it here too.

Shamel Al-Ahmad, a Syrian photographer and activist who was killed along with his wife, documented the atrocities in his city of Aleppo.

The experiences and feelings reflected in the letter not only speak for Shamel but also portray what many Syrians have been enduring over the years of war within Syria.