My first trip to May Morning for almost fifty years. I’m glad to see that the festivities are still as much fun as ever, even if the crowds are also so much bigger
May Morning
Category: 2026
Representing a mood – Colour vs. Black and White
I generally prefer colour to black and white photography; I, like most people, see in colour and I want my images to reflect that. Don’t get me wrong though – I very much respect the works of earlier photographers who had no choice but to photograph in black and white. However we don’t have that restriction anymore – so why continue to use monochrome?
Where monochrome can score over colour is in establishing a more sombre mood. To me the image above does work better in black and white, but only because the setting is a cemetery and the scene benefits from being presented in a more muted fashion.
Feelings of melancholy are relatively rare – to me anyway – and colour will always win out. The following may be an extreme example but the colour image is way better than black and white
Declutter or not ?
Judges in photography competitions have to make what seems to be ultra-quick decisions on whether a photograph is better or worse than other photographs. I have never done well in these contests – and I have no problem with the judges concerned – but here I want to discuss one area that often comes up. Judges will frequently suggest that a photograph would have done better if it had been decluttered; that is to say extraneous objects edited out so that the image shows solely the main area of focus.
As an example, it was suggested that this might be better if the fag end was edited out. I can understand a dislike for the entire image but to edit in this manner seems a step too far
Questions around the notion of truth in photography have been around pretty much since the technology was first invented in the 19th century, and my concern is not really around the notion of truth. I have an aesthetic preference for clutter; I like the everyday detritus that is always there. To me it will nearly always make the image stronger.
Another example; Not a great photograph anyway, but would this be improved by editing or cropping to remove the blue bin or the yellow sign ? I much prefer these to be left in, as to me they keep the image grounded and in touch with the real world
Ghosting Myself
AKA Fun with bulb mode
Oxford Railway
February 2026 is when the rail bridge over Botley Road at Oxford Station is being replaced. As one might expect, a good opportunity to photograph scenes that will most likely not be repeated in my lifetime.
