“Without Blip, I would probably...

...lapse into abject laziness all winter.”


We think now is a great time of year to start blipping for this very reason!  
But who are we quoting?

Male. Late 50s. Usually contrarian. Living in south east Essex. Currently lazing around, having been the primary carer for my son who is now at university.  

Hmmm… Who is it?

He adds, In fact, I once wanted to go to university to study photography but life got in the way and instead I got a job in The City at the age of seventeen. I always retained an interest in photography though but it’s only been in the last three or four years that I’ve really concentrated on it.  I must have got my first proper camera (a Pentax with no light meter or hot shoe) when I was about 11 or 12 years old in the 70s.


It’s English blipper and post-processing maestro, Stevvi, and we’re happy to say that for three of those ‘three or four years’, he’s been sharing his photographs with our community.

Read on and don’t miss Stevvi’s Top 10 choices in the film linked at the end of the profile.


BACKGROUND
How did you become interested in photography?

I really can’t remember. No-one else in my family was ever into it, but I do remember having a 110 film camera with one of those disposable cube flashes when I was quite young.

In terms of my interest in blipping, it was Mark, of marknlizzie fame here on Blip, who recommended it to me so I thought I’d give it a go for a year - and here I still am three years later!

What do you enjoy about the concept?

It can be anything to anyone, from a creative photographic showcase to a bread and butter record of life in all its wonder and banality. There is no one right or wrong way to do it and I think any encouragement for people to explore their more creative side has to be a good thing.

How would you describe your journal?

Messy! Uhmm… I think it’s a wonderful record of my photographic journey for the last three years as I’ve explored and distilled what I enjoy, and don’t so much enjoy, in photographic style and subject matter. I’m sure there are snippets about my life in there but I’m really quite a private person at heart.

Do you have a photographic style?

I don’t think so. As I progress, I don’t think I’ve stayed in the same place long enough to properly develop one yet, although people who know my photos say they can tell them apart from others’.

How important is the journaling side to you?

I’m not one to overly reminisce or look through rose-tinted glasses as I reckon the present and future is much more productive and interesting - so not so much right now. That said, maybe as I get slower, older and closer to death I’ll get more into nostalgia, so it might be nice to have that record there!

I don’t use my journal for keeping in touch with people.  I’m quite solitary in that respect and, as far as I know, 99% of the people I know who look at my journal are those I have met through Blip.

YOUR JOURNAL & PHOTOGRAPHY
You have striking variety in your journal - What are your favourite subjects to photograph?

My favourites, by far, are people and animals, preferably doing something rather than just being static. They are the only things that seem to have been able to consistently hold my interest over time although I do also like anything with a hint of dull and grim (sub)urban drabness. Combine a person and somewhere grotty and you have my ultimate photo! 

Unfortunately, I’m quite shy and not the sort of person who can easily point a lens at strangers so people shots are often difficult for me to take - unless they’re selfies. 

I have taken quite a lot of land/seascapes which are OK but I find, although I love the being out there taking the photos and then processing them once home, the end results never really move me like an animated subject does. I really don’t like taking flowers, texture shots or still life but maybe that will change one day. (Ahem, check out these beauties—but don’t tell him we told you ;) )

Is post-processing part of the enjoyment of your photography - what can you tell us about some of your techniques?

This is a subject close to my heart! Post-processing is a large part of my photography as that is where I try to make the photos truly mine rather than leaving the look and feel of my images to the judgement of a Canon software developer. When I photograph a scene, I try to capture not only what I see but also what it feels like to me, what I experience. An image straight from the camera can never do that so post-processing is very important to me. I see images straight out of the camera in the same light as a microwave dinner… occasionally convenient but I’d really much rather make and cook my own.

Since I started blipping, I have learned loads about post-processing and hope I’m finding some subtlety in what I do now as, looking back, I was incredibly heavy handed. Posting an image daily has given me plenty of practice to learn although I still feel I only just scratch at the surface of it all at times. But that’s the great thing about it… there’s always something new to learn. There’s no magic methods that I have found; I just play about and explore.

What do you look for in a photo to save in your journal?

When I joined Blip, I set out with the goal of taking a ‘decent’ photo each day. Whilst my notion of what makes a decent image is always changing as I learn and develop, that is still my goal. I try to post a wide variety of images, hopefully different from the usual, but originality is almost impossible for me when I post every day, so a lot of it is just standard stuff, but hopefully well taken… and processed!

How has photography changed for you over the years?

I think it’s much easier to achieve one’s vision now than it has been in the past simply due to the relative ease of use and accessibility of digital compared to film. With a modern camera, anyone can achieve a well focused and exposed shot, and phones are amazing in certain situations… yes, everything is much easier, and quicker!

ABOUT BLIPFOTO
Why Blipfoto?

It was there?! No, seriously, more than that… I had recently got back into photography and the challenge of taking a daily photo seemed worthwhile. While there’s no real pressure to adhere to a photo a day, just having made some sort of public commitment has meant I’ve stuck to it. Left to my own devices, without Blipfoto, I would have given up a long time ago. I like that it’s not all about the picture, that life is involved too, and I also like the friendly and unintimidating nature of the place.

How has daily blipping impacted on your life generally?

I have to say that, at times, it can be a real pain in the backside to take that daily photo, but it’s also a pleasure to do 99.9% of the time! A bit like getting out of bed when the room is freezing cold. That photo a day has become a part of my life now and I’d miss it greatly if I ever had to stop.

What’s the biggest challenge with daily blipping?

I tend to get bored with the same thing very quickly and the more photos I take (and see) the more difficult it becomes to find something new and exciting. I’m not the sort of person who can do the same thing, or take the same kind of photo, again and again and be enthused by it. The positive is that this has made me actively seek new experiences and I’ve found local places that I never knew existed.

What does the Blipfoto community mean to you?

I won’t say I’ve made close friends on Blip as that’s not my way but there are people I am interested in and care about greatly. I think I probably just enjoy being nosy most of all though.

What motivates you to keep blipping?

I think it’s simply a love of photography and recognising that without Blip, I would probably lapse into abject laziness all winter, which would be a terrible waste.

What would you say to other blippers or people who are considering signing up?

I think that if anyone has got as far as considering it then I’d definitely recommend they give it a go. It certainly can’t do any harm and there’s potentially so much to be gained.

Stevvi’s Top 10

After an, Oh blimey! That’s difficult as I tend to like my latest shots far more than the older ones but I’ll try to be balanced, we think Stevvi has come up trumps with this selection of his favourite ten blips. 

Enjoy them here in this short film.