Another cuppa

This is the second shot in a planned series on roadside cafes (see January 18 entry). They were another great team and Abdullah is a keen photographer himself, so it was nice to share tips.

I had to use a flash to get a decent exposure - hiding it away in the corner of the cafe - but maybe it's a little bit harsh on some of the foreground elements. It's quite difficult getting the right position for the speedlight and strength of light when you have to work quickly.

As I said in my last entry, I have a good feeling about this series and I was very pleased when the chap interviewing me for university yesterday said the same thing. I was even more delighted when he offered me a place on his course!

I haven't got the same feeling about the ill-fated project I mentioned a couple of posts back. The idea was to photograph what are called 'intentional communities', which are groups of people who live together with a common social, religious, political or spiritual vision.

I quite like the idea of comparing and contrasting communities, but it seems as though the only way to get the opportunity is to visit and literally get a foot in the door first. Emails are a waste of time and even when I was put in touch with someone who could help give me an introduction to a community near where I live, that person then told why it would not be convenient to go along and take photos.

I have an idea for a third project, which has really been staring me in the face this past few weeks. I wrote in November about my dear father passing away after a long illness. Since then, I've been given mementos of his life, plus various items he owned. I'd quite like to pay tribute to his memory by capturing some of this photographically.

All these project ideas are with my end-of-term show in mind. I'm very keen to produce truly memorable images, rather than simply fulfill the brief and tick the necessary box. But I need to keep working at it.