Wall Space North: A New Chapter in North East Fine Art Photography

There’s something quietly powerful about the walls of a business. They speak before anyone does. They set the tone for clients, shape the atmosphere for staff, and communicate a company’s values without a single word.

For years, my work as a fine art photographer has focused on capturing the character, texture, and emotional resonance of the North East of England - its coastlines, its industrial heritage, its wild weather, and its quiet moments of beauty. Today, I’m excited to share the next evolution of that work.

Wall Space North is now the dedicated commercial arm of my photographic practice - a trading name created to serve organisations across the region with a more structured, flexible, and business‑ready approach to fine art for interiors.

The new Wall Space North domain URL "https://wallspacenorth.uk" points directly to the corporate landing page of my portfolio website, giving businesses a clear, streamlined route into the services designed specifically for them.

Why Wall Space North?

Businesses across our  North East region are increasingly recognising the value of curated, meaningful visual environments - not just as decoration, but as part of their brand identity, staff wellbeing strategy, and client experience.

Wall Space North exists to meet that need with:

• Gallery‑grade fine art photography rooted in the landscapes and identity of the region (see some of the image locations via this Google Map)
• Flexible commercial licensing for offices, hospitality, public spaces, and corporate environments
• Bespoke commissions for organisations wanting something truly unique
• A new subscription model that makes premium art accessible, adaptable, and operationally simple

This last point is something I’ll be speaking about at the Teesside Expo on 26th March, during the afternoon Pl_tform event — and it’s at the heart of what makes Wall Space North different.

Introducing Art‑as‑a‑Service for North East Companies

Traditional art purchasing can be slow, expensive, and inflexible. Businesses often end up with the same pieces on the wall for years — even when their brand evolves, their spaces change, or their teams need something fresh.

The Art‑as‑a‑Service subscription model is designed to solve that.

🎨 How it works

Companies can subscribe to a curated rotation of fine art photography exclusively created and curated by Andrew Pounder, refreshed at intervals that suit their space and budget. The service includes:

• Regular artwork rotation (annual)
• Access to a growing catalogue of North East fine art by Andrew Pounder
• Options for bespoke commissions within higher tiers (e.g. larger frames/images)
• Licensing included, with clear, compliant documentation
• Discounted buy‑out options if a piece becomes a permanent favourite

It’s a simple, predictable way to keep workspaces inspiring - without the capital cost of buying a full collection outright.

Some Example Catalogue Categories:

Why This Matters for Businesses

Art isn’t just aesthetic. Research consistently shows that visual environments influence:

• Staff wellbeing and productivity
• Client perception and trust
• Brand storytelling and identity
• Workplace culture and creativity

For North East organisations, there’s an added layer:
art that reflects the region reinforces a sense of place, pride, and connection.

Wall Space North brings that regional authenticity into boardrooms, reception areas, meeting spaces, and collaborative environments — with the flexibility modern businesses need.

See More on the Corporate Landing Page

The new corporate landing page provides a clear overview of:

• Subscription tiers
• Commissioning options
• Licensing and compliance
• Example installation recreations
• The philosophy behind Wall Space North
• FAQs related to our corporate services

You can explore it directly via the Wall Space North domain, now fully integrated into the main portfolio site.

Join Me at Teesside Expo - 26th March 2026

I’ll be presenting the full Art‑as‑a‑Service model at the Teesside Expo,  at Middlesbrough F.C. Riverside Stadium during the afternoon Pl_tform Networking session.

If you’re attending, you’ll get:

• A deeper look at the subscription structure
• Examples of how businesses are using fine art strategically
• Insights into the creative and operational process
• Early‑access opportunities for launch‑phase pricing

If you can’t make the event, this blog and the corporate landing page will give you a strong overview — and I’m always happy to discuss options directly.

A Final Thought

Wall Space North is more than a new trading name.
It’s a commitment to helping North East businesses shape environments that feel intentional, inspiring, and connected to the place we call home.

I’m looking forward to sharing more at the Expo - and to working with organisations who want their walls to tell a story worth hearing.

If you would like to chat further about corporate enquiries please get in touch!

Thanks,

Andrew Pounder - andrew@wallspacenorth.uk

One windy evening on the Northeast coast, I stood with my Nikon D810 braced against a pier rail while waves hammered the rocks and clouds broke into silver seams. That night I stopped asking what Fine Art Photography is and started answering it with intent. I was not recording a view. I was shaping a feeling.

If you ask ten photographers, you'll get ten different answers. For me, it's more about curiosity, context, and the freedom to see the world, especially the Northeast of England, through a lens that's intentionally unbound. Fine Art Photography is a made picture, not a found one. It starts with an idea, a mood, a thought I want to share. The camera, lens choice, tripod, and later the post-processing, are tools I use to express that idea with care and purpose. That difference, why I press the shutter, not just what I point it at, is the heart of my work.

Sometimes, fine art is about finding abstraction in the everyday, like the silhouette of a fire escape against the Newcastle sky, or the rain on a steel bench in Seaham. It's about seeing patterns, textures, and stories where others might walk by. 

"You don't take a photograph, you make it." - Ansel Adams

My answer leans on three pillars I live by. I often use High Dynamic Range (HDR) as my main visual language. I work close to home in Northeast England, where lived experience runs through every frame. And I build images that hold emotion first, then craft. As a member of the Royal Photographic Society and author of "Two Tone Toon" hardback photography book (urban monochrome images capturing essential elements of Newcastle upon Tyne), I keep my bar high. 

Keep reading to see how this approach fits together and why I believe a finished print is the true artwork.

Key Takeaways

• I see Fine Art Photography as intent made visible. I create images about ideas and feelings, not only scenes.
• Place matters to me. Northeast England gives me stories, memory, and truth I cannot fake.
• I print to museum standards. Limited Editions, signed and numbered, make each piece a lasting asset.
• My aim is a shared connection. If an image moves someone, the work did its job.
• I created Wall Space North's "Art-as-a-Service" corporate subscription offering as a way of inviting North east England companies, serviced-office managers and hospitality organisations to fille their empty wall space with inspiring local-region imagery.

The Path That Defined My Vision

I spent years with a DSLR around my neck, walking quaysides and countryside paths and capturing sport action shots at Durham CCC's cricket ground, for the simple pleasure of making pictures. The turning point came when I discovered exposure bracketing and blended my first set of frames with free HDR software. The extra tone and shape in the sky matched the way my eyes and heart read the scene. That moment changed my intent. I stopped "taking" photos and started "making" them.

That shift brought a new rhythm. I began with a concept instead of a location list. I asked what I wanted to say about strength, time, or calm, then went looking for places that could carry that message. Planning and patience grew into habits. I learned to wait for tide lines to meet cloud breaks, and for city light to skim steel and stone just so.

• Concept-first planning that aligns subject and meaning
• Field craft tuned to timing, weather, and light
• Careful bracketing to support later tonal control

It also pushed me to find a voice that sounded like me. In a crowded field, technique alone does not stand out. Pairing HDR with a love for monochrome made my look cleaner and more focused. Collections formed naturally; "Two Tone Toon" for graphic urban grit, "Northeast England" for character and weather, and my Cotswolds work for quiet lines and craft detail. A series gives a theme room to breathe, and it helps viewers read the thread that ties the work together.

Professional community added fuel. Joining the Royal Photographic Society and the Arts & Culture Network gave me feedback, discipline, and standards. Seeing "Two Tone Toon" recognised by ARTDOC Photography Magazine affirmed I was on the right path. Passion counts, but passion guided by skill and intent builds art that lasts.

Why High Dynamic Range Often Defines My Artistic Language

HDR, to me, is not a trick. It is a way to bring a scene closer to how I experience it. In simple terms, I capture several exposures of the same view-some for the highlights, some for the shadows-and blend them carefully. The result carries richer detail and a wider tonal range than a single frame can hold.

This matters most in the places I love. On Tyneside, Victorian and steel bridges throw deep shade while the sky blazes between showers. On the coast, white surf and black rock sit side by side, and the wind drives light across water in fast stripes. British weather is changeable and textured. HDR lets me hold both ends of that light without losing subtle mid-tones that give images their mood.

Used well, HDR supports emotion. It helps me draw out texture in cobbles, paint flaking on doors, salt-stained harbour walls, and the sweep of cloud that suggests movement and drama. In my "Two Tone Toon" series, this approach builds strong contrast and shape, yet keeps fine details in brick, glass, and shadow. The aim is not intensity for its own sake. The aim is honest atmosphere.

Sometimes I take advantage of captured bracketed images by only selecting a single frame to post-process, as many times there can be issues with movement blur, or just not the right subject for HDR (e.g. too overpowering or not sharp enough when all bracketed images are blended).  If I am walking without a tripod, taking exposure-bracketed shots lets me choose which ones work best as a single image, without having to think too hard on camera settings first.

Place, Memory, and Emotional Connection in My Work

I choose to work mainly in Northeast England because it is home. I know where the sea throws spray across the lower paths, which alleys catch late sun, and how the wind shapes cloud lines over the piers. That knowledge helps me meet the place with respect and patience. It also gives the pictures a lived-in feel that is hard to make any other way.

When I do get the chance to explore new locations elsewhere in the UK, it is always with an intention to capture the essence of that place with my lens, often involving many hours walking!

Fine art, for me, is not about showing what a scene looks like, it is about what it means. I return to the same streets and headlands and be able to see a new perspective to record. I wait for signs of resilience, signs of heritage, and quiet grace in overlooked corners. I look for stories in worn steps, in ironwork, in tide marks on stone. Familiar ground helps me spot those small signals and build images around them.

Themes repeat, but the tone shifts by series. In "Two Tone Toon," I use stark tones and a graphic edge to speak about strength and pride in the city of Newcastle. In my "Northeast England" work, I often lean into coastal drama and the pull between weather and refuge. In the Cotswolds, my "Shades of the Cotswolds" pieces favour monochrome calm and detail in craft and form. Black and white strips away distraction and leaves shape, light, and feeling.

The goal is always a photograph about something, not just of something, and hoping to convey a story. Solitude at low tide. Heritage in a line of arches. Patience in a stand of winter trees. When that intent comes through, a picture stops being a record and starts being fine art.

The Physical Print: Where My Vision Becomes Reality

A screen is a sketch. The print is the artwork. My process ends when the image sits on paper the way I imagined it in the field. That is why I treat materials and craft with the same care I give to light and composition.

"The negative is the score, the print is the performance." - Ansel Adams

Every Limited Edition issue is small, signed, and numbered. I include a Certificate of Authenticity with title, size, materials, and edition details. Scarcity protects long term value, and clear provenance gives buyers confidence. For collectors, that matters. For hospitality and interior projects, permanence and clarity also matter because artwork must hold up in public spaces and keep its look over time.

Presentation is part of the art. Mounting and framing with archival materials protect the piece and complete the visual intent. This is the line between fine art and simple decoration. Fine Art Photography by Andrew Pounder is built on this craft from first idea to framed print. That is my full answer to what Fine Art Photography means when someone asks about standards, not just style.

If this approach speaks to you, explore my collections and editions. You may find a piece that feels like your story, set in my part of the world.

FAQs

Common questions I hear from collectors, designers, and first time buyers. These answers reflect my practice and the standards I keep across my editions and books.

What makes a photograph fine art rather than just a beautiful picture?

For me, intent makes the difference. Fine art photographs are created for expression and thought, not only for record or sale. I start with an idea or feeling and build the image around it with careful craft. Technical skill supports that purpose so the picture connects on an emotional level and holds meaning.

Why do you focus primarily on Northeast England in your photography?

I live here, and that closeness shapes how I see. The mix of city, river, and coast offers rich subjects, from steel and stone to tide and cloud. Returning often to the same spots builds deeper work. That bond reads in the images and gives them a clear, honest voice.

What is High Dynamic Range photography and why do you use it?

HDR blends several exposures to keep detail in both bright highlights and deep shadows. I use it to match the way I experienced the scene, especially in shifting British light and along the coast. It adds tonal depth and texture without flashiness. In my work, it serves story first, technique second.

Are your prints truly archival, and what does that mean for buyers?

Yes. I print with pigment inks on acid free cotton rag or alpha cellulose papers. Under proper display, these materials are tested to last for a century or more. Collectors value that for long term worth. Hotels and interiors gain stability and clean presentation. First time buyers get lasting beauty at home. Every Limited Edition includes a signed Certificate of Authenticity.

Call To Action!  

For businesses, hotels, restaurants, and anyone welcoming guests to a reception space or meeting room in the Northeast of England:

How do you show your pride in being part of this region? Could the art on your walls help visitors feel that same connection to our landscapes, cityscapes, and local stories? I believe that the right image can turn a reception area or dining room into a celebration of place-a visual welcome that says, "This is the Northeast, and we're proud to be here."

What does Fine Art Photography mean to you? Is it about the subject, the mood, the technique-or something else entirely? And if you could choose one image to represent your connection to the Northeast, what would it be?

Let's start a conversation.

Andrew Pounder

Email: andrew@art-photography.me

About: https://art-photography.uk/about

Instagram: https://instagram.com/artphotome

As you flip through the 250 pages, you’ll find a tapestry of my favorite works, each telling its own story. From the serene flow of a waterfall to the vibrant energy of urban life, every photograph is a testament to my belief in variety. I’ve always felt that art should not be confined to a single genre; instead, it should embrace the richness of experience. This collection is a celebration of that philosophy.

Many of the images are rooted in my native Northeast of England, a region that has profoundly influenced my artistic vision. The lush greenery, historic castles, and bustling cities of Newcastle, Sunderland, and Darlington serve as both backdrop and inspiration. Each photograph captures not just a place, but a feeling—a moment frozen in time that invites you to explore further.

I’m excited to share that the "Signature Collection" is ready to be published! This limited edition piece of art invites you to experience the world through my lens. Whether you’re drawn to the tranquility of nature or the dynamic pulse of city life, there’s something here for everyone.

For those seriously interested, I’ve created a low-resolution flipbook version of the collection, which you can explore to get a taste of what’s inside. If you’d like to stay updated and be added to my mailing list, feel free to reach out to andrew@art-photography.me !

As I seek to connect with potential publishers, sponsors, investors, and collectors, I invite you to join me on this visual journey. Immerse yourself in the beauty of the world, and perhaps find a piece of it that resonates with your own experiences. Let’s celebrate the art of photography together, one image at a time.

A (free) companion online exhibition can be viewed here:

https://art-photography.uk/gallery-2

#FineArtPhotography #PhotographyCollection #ArtBook #Publishers #ArtCollectors #NortheastEngland #LandscapePhotography #Cityscape #NaturePhotography #LimitedEdition #AndrewPounder #VisualArt #PhotographyLovers #ArtCommunity

Below is a taster of some of the book chapter images (Flora & Fauna, Landscapes, Still Life. Northeast Towns, Other Places, Abstract & Macro, Castles & Stately Homes, HDR, Night, Transport, People, Miscellaneous):

Chapters

(12)

 

 

That changed last month (July 2025), thanks to an exclusive opportunity arranged by the Royal Photographic Society Northern Region. A very small group of members was granted rare access to the tunnel for an hour, allowing us to experiment with our cameras and lighting setups in this evocative subterranean space.

For those curious about the tunnel’s fascinating past, from its origins as a coal waggonway to its role as an air-raid shelter during WWII, you can delve deeper here. Sincere thanks to the Ouseburn Trust for facilitating our visit and to our knowledgeable guide for enriching the experience.

Despite limited time and little opportunity for pre-planning, the shoot was thoroughly rewarding. Next time a similarly atmospheric location presents itself, I’ll aim to be more strategically prepared. That said, one inspired last-minute purchase - a compact LED torch mounted on a pocket tripod - proved invaluable. It enabled me to experiment with coloured lighting effects, though time constraints meant I focused primarily on documentary-style imagery. The torch had other intriguing features I didn’t get to explore, but they’re bookmarked for future use.

Technically, I began with my Nikon D810 on a tripod, capturing Warholesque multicolour montages. Later, I switched to my 50mm f/1.4 lens and bumped up the ISO for handheld shots of the tunnel’s textured walls and historical fixtures.

The experience itself was exhilarating; navigating the dimly lit passageways steeped in industrial and wartime history was a visceral reminder of the city’s layered past. While many images ended up underexposed or blurred beyond salvage, I emerged with enough compelling material to contribute to the work-in-progress volume six of the Two Tone Toon ebook series, which will also spotlight additional iconic elements of Newcastle not featured in the first five volumes.

Once again, heartfelt thanks to the Ouseburn Trust and our guide for granting access to such a remarkable location.

I'm delighted to begin promoting my almost completed "Shades Of The Cotswolds" fine art photography book, with images from around Cheltenham, Tewkesbury and Bourton-on-the-Water.  With only the index and acknowledgements to tidy-up before the next steps of publishing and marketing, there will be plenty to do in the coming months. 

A sneak-preview draft flipbook can be viewed fro free online here:

https://art-photography.uk/preview

Just like I created for my "Two Tone Toon" book, I have created a companion online exhibition gallery for the Cotswolds book, which can be viewed for free here:

https://art-photography.uk/gallery-4

(and giving it some great social media exposure, this is currently (May-2025) one of the featured ArtPlacer galleries via their  https://discover.artplacer.com/ website)

I'm curently seeking funding and a publisher to get the "Shades Of The Cotswolds" book printed (info@art-photography.me if any interested parties are rading this blog post), but in the meantime, I may make it available for sale as an ebook first, which brings me onto the next achievement!

I have successfully transformed my original "Two Tone Toon" photography book into a five-volume ebook series, currently for sale exclusively online via Google Books.  This series has allowed me to include many more images that couldn't be squeezed into the hardback, and also with captures of Newcastle United's recent city-centre cup winner's parade (volume three).

Preview copies of these volumes can be viewed for free via my website page, which also includes direct links to Google ebooks:

https://art-photography.uk/ebook

As I've been finding new ways to craft my photographs into books, and to make available online, it has enabled the development of some new Canva skills and dabling with flipbook media.  I have learnt more about publishing generally, including workflows, ISBN registrations and submitting copies to the Biritsh Library.   

However, marketing webinar courses have pointed out that in order to achieve long-term commercial success, I must collate a meaningful email list of patrons who are eager to learn more about my photography books and projects.  With that in mind, I invite you to subscribe to my email list too, whch can be done via my website contact page:

https://art-photography.uk/contact

ArtDoc Photography Magazine has included two of my Newcastle Jesmond Dene photographs in their recent online group exhibition The Meditative Lens - Patterns Of Stillness

And finally........I've begun work on collating 2024 images for potentially my third photography book, which will be centred around "Dundee, Arbroath, Broughty Ferry & Tayside".

My first action (partially completed) has been to get myself some dedicated business cards to promote my creative activities and potentially use future "collectible" backcard photo designs as another revenue stream (i.e. limited edition, signed on the front card etc.)

Sell more physical copies of my "Two Tone Toon" book to local and national institutions & libraries - this has thus far been a frustrating endeavour, with surprisingly poor response, but I will persevere!  Anyone who'd like a signed copy of the book can contact me directly via info@art-photography.me for further information and prices - I'm happy to include personalised art prints of any of the book's images as part of any order.

Investigate potential funding for my next book project - I am quietly curating some of my images of Gloucestershire, Berwick and Northeast England coastal subjects, but financial pressures would be eased if I could find an effective way of continuing Fine Art Photography pursuits full-time.  Has anyone had recent success with crowdsourcing art projects, if not already an established name?

Convert "Two Tone Toon" book to ebook format and sell the chapters as self-contained books online, and hopefully expanding the content of these books with additional images and text that I was unable to include in the physical book.  There'll be quite a bit of research required to ensure my copyrighted material and the ebooks themselves are not illegally copied/stolen.

Occasional corporate event photography projects, if opportunities arise, as I enjoyed the challenge last year, but still not keen to go down this avenue too deeply.

Expand my email mailing list of potential patrons and newsletter/blog updates.  This is maybe something my social media followers could sign-up to, if there is a continued interest in my creative journey.  Fine Art Photography Contact Page For Andrew Pounder

Sell more wall art!  https://art-photography.uk/shop

Have a real-world art gallery exhibition of my wall art, alongside a representative gallery willing to share risks and rewards.

Create a new online exhibition gallery with fresh/new photography.

Double my Instagram followers organically, so feel free to forward on my @ArtPhotoMe profile to colleagues, family and friends - the current count is 829 followers, so I will see how things look by comparison at the end of the year.

Finally, 2025 brought a new feline member into the family, as the home has felt quite empty after the loss of my elderly pal, Trotski, early last year.  Kitticus-Maximus is the name I will continue to try and make him respond to, but so far, "CAT!" is having the desired beckoned response.

As I expected, there was a world of difference between the leisurely post-processing of individual fine-art images and the time and image intensive environment and heavy responsibilities that go with capturing the essence of an event in a way that others can use for marketing and social media purposes.

I think this is a primary reason I've kept away from full-time commercial photography, such as for weddings, portraits and products. Way too much accountability for my shoulders to carry if I have an off day, or equipment settings render poor results that can't be retaken. Qudos to those who are able to be successful in this line of work.

Anyway, I think the clients were happy with my results, and I couldn't help myself by bringing in some dynamic/risky shots into the mix, to satisfy my more creative urges. Some shots were taken as non-event personal purposes for some experimental art photography processing when I had time later.

One major insight I accepted for the first time, was that for event photography, I could see the reason for using Lightroom as the default processing tool instead of Photoshop. Using my clunky Photoshop skills, I had to first select which images to process, then crop, denoise, sharpen (in small batches), export on a large scale and with clients wanting to see the results asap. Something that would be much easier to do with Lightroom flows if involved in many such projects.

I'd be happy to try the occasional event photography project again, if offered the opportunity on a more commercial basis, but am mostly content in pursuing new fine-art photography projects and converting my "Two Tone Toon" printed media book about Newcastle, into smaller chapter-based ebooks for future sales online.


Some of my observations & lessons learned:
If possible, acquire some prior details about the venue and take into considerations such elements as the event's time of day, available lighting - e.g. will there be natural light, or hard artificial room lighting; both of which will influence default ISO and aperture settings as well as prioritising selection of lens - take note of potential primary viewpoints, e.g. for tripod and areas to avoid, to save time at the event itself

Ask the event host what kind of results they are looking for, e.g. mingling/networking candid shots, formal presentations detail (and do all presentation slides, if applicable, need to be captured "live"?). I found it helpful to review examples of similar past events to get an idea of how high the bar would be set for my own efforts!

From past experiences at formal corporate events, I would almost always be annoyed at the official photographer's intrusive style of capturing presenters as they spoke, and being a distraction as they moved from one part of the room to another in line-of-sight of the stage. I tried my best to blend into the background and not be a part of attendees' own shots of the event

Difficult choices on what lenses to bring - with only being in possession of one full-frame professional camera, I had to be careful not to waste time continuously switching to the best lens for the perfect scene-by-scene view (e.g. zoom in? wide-angle? nifty-fifty for best light capture?). If I had the luxury of a sherpa to help carry equipment, I'd probably have fallen into the trap of missing good shots with the lens currently on the camera, by swapping with one that could potentially take a "great" shot, and then possibly missing that one too

Ensure that event attendees are informed that event photography will be taking place and to shout up if they do not want to be included in images that will be made publicly available - if id/lanyards are used, ask organisers to issue a different coloured badge/lanyard to those not wishing to be photographed. This was implemented in one of the events, for security of id purposes

Be selective in which images to include for post-processing and not try to bring my own personality too much to the forefront, nor depict subjects in unflattering poses - I had to ensure that children at the evening event weren't captured

When taking candid shots, keep the shutter down for at least three images, to have a better chance of a usable photograph without eyes closed or doughnut making its way into a chasmic mouth

Indoors, if the camera lens/quality allows, make the ISO 400+ and worry about chromatic noise/aberrations in post-processing. I didn't mess about with any flash photography, but these might have been good for closer shots

If using a wide aperture (for better collection of light in darker surroundings), take time to focus on one subject area, and accept everything else around it will be more blurred (so use that advantageously to enhance the focal object, and you might also get lucky with peripheral bokeh)

Upfront, ask about timescales expected for final images, as these may be urgently needed to take advantage of marketing and social media "buzz". In the case of one of the conferences, I tried to first create a small summary batch of images that were ready for the next day or so, whilst working through the rest in a more strategic manner over the following few days

I am toying with the idea of a similar format for a book about the historic Northumberland town of Berwick Upon Tweed, as I have a good number of images taken from over recent years, and there may be regional art grants available to help fund further trips in 2025.

However, this year (2024) has given plenty of excursions away from Newcastle and opportunities for alternatives, including a possible ebook around Dundee and Tayside, London maybe, landscape/seascapes, and around Edinburgh. 

Yesterday I revisited the RAW images I took around Cheltenham, Bourton-on-the-Water and Tewkesbury in early June, and started processing a couple of them.  Before I knew it, I was onto my 10th image, ready to upload to @artphotome on Instagram (feel free to give me a follow!).  This made me realise that maybe there is a suitable enough excuse to return in the Spring next year and fill out potential book content and gallery interest for a dedicated monochrome photography book about  "Gloucestershire Cotswolds Tewkesbury Cheltenham". This could include Gloucester and other local-interest subjects that I either didn't capture (or well enough) or would otherwise be silly to exclude (e.g. the Racecourse and Festivals).  At the very least, I think I can make a start on the companion online exhibition gallery almost immediately.

Watch this space!

N.B. The Feature image is the Neptune Fountain in front of the Municipal Offices in Cheltenham, and the other image is inside Tewkesbury Abbey

Thanks to Snap Collective these ambitions have begun to take shape.  I made initial enquiries to several prospective publishing houses, but was turned away for various reasons, including the subject matter being too "niche", or not the kind of content they would publish.  Snap Collective were much more approachable, and after an initial discussion with one of their editors, they agreed that this was a project they'd be happy to help me with, and with a shared commercial risk.

Because the initial print-run will be small, my target is for at least 25 confirmed pre-orders before the book can go into print, and also because of the boutique nature of the publishing, there will be a fairly long wait (15 week approximately) between pre-order confirmation and receiving of the book, so patience will be required!   Due to the limited print-run, the book will be at an upper budget price range, with a discount during the first two-weeks of official launch. However, there will be 190 A4 landscape pages of my photographs, so this will not be a small book, which can be enjoyed as a snapshot impression of this northern city well into the future.

In the meantime, I have ideas for including the names of the first 25 buyers to be permanently added on the book's acknowledgement page (optional opt-in), as well as providing signed A5 prints as a token of gratitude, whilst awaiting for arrival of the book itself.

I've almost reached the stage for uploading a high-resolution final version of the content to be ready for the next "pre-order" public launch step.  Before then, I still have plenty of work to do.  This includes asking some of the potentially impacted organisations for permission to use images for a commercial purpose, generating social media interest (I've begun to include #TwoToneToon and #PhotographyBook tags in my @ArtPhotoMe Instagram posts), contacting magazine editors, and identifying potential target audience buyers (these will include libraries, museums, regionally local organisations).

My ultimate aim is to create an online exhibition of some of the book's content in parallel, and to make these available as individual #WallArt items.  If enough interest is generated, I will aim to create ebooks of each of the chapters, for sale online as a companion to the physical book. 

Some examples of how the book is taking shape can be found on my portfolio website

If you are interested in being updated on progress of this project, or potential commercial purchases, please feel free to either send an email to info@art-photography.me, where you will be added to my mailing list (I don't send many newsletters, so no deluge of spam coming your way), or contact via DM on social media.

AndrewP

This year I have decided to only submit entries to competitions that are either free, or I have been given a voucher to enter for free.  As luck would have it, my lighthouse spiral staircase has been picked for further exposure in the LensCulture Critic's Choice competition 2024, so fingers-crossed that it makes continued progress once the call for entries has closed in April.

This and other fine art photography images of Northeast England subjects are available to purchase as Wall Art via my online store

Its been a few weeks since my last evening walkabout (around Darlington), so immediately made the schoolboy error of not removing the UV filter from my 50mm lens first - any screw-in lens filter will potentially cause ghosting of lights captured by the camera, and sometimes this is very difficult to remove in post-processing.

Once I corrected that mistake, I double-checked that ISO was at least 800 (sometimes I go beyond 1000, as I know photoshop post-processing correction in RAW will help clean the noise pretty well), aperture-priority set, and f-stop as open as possible to keep handheld wobbles under control by letting more light in.

The featured imaged was taken in the city centre, and I did like the resulting colour version.  However, I felt that removing all colour apart from the neon sign and its reflection on the damp pavement aided the more dramatic story of the young lady staring directly out to the street. 

I've added a couple more recent night shots to my website's store, so feel free to take a look via:

https://art-photography.uk/shop