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Somewhere between cinema and dinner....

A certain Instagram ad has been nagging me for months now to "swap doomscrolling for microlearning". While I agree with the sentiment, why stop at "micro"? To kickstart this year, here are four book recommendations - not necessarily new titles. I have recently found these titles fascinating as each has definitely kept me from doomscrolling while immensely improving the following life/work skills: 1. The Art of Negotiation. "Never Split The Difference" by Chris Voss I'm currently re-reading this book I originally read 5-6 years ago. A mind-blowing guide by a former FBI hostage negotiator showing how to win any negotiation: from buying a house to a pay rise. From winning new business to winning an argument with your partner. Active listening, haggling, mirroring, tactical empathy, labelling. It's all there. Just incredible stuff. Genuinely, one of my all-time favourites. 2. Understanding what never changes. "Same as Ever" by Morgan Housel In the age of AI, fast-changing technology, and forecasting that is getting harder and harder, this book is based on a very simple premise: what will be the same ten or a hundred years from now? Understand this and your understanding of opportunity or risk improves immensely. 3. Seeing the world in a much more positive light (through data) "Factfulness" by Hans Rosling If, like me, you do the test on page 3 of this book and - based on the results - you realise that your perception of the world is skewed towards "OMG, the glass is almost empty, is there a LEAK?", do two things. One, take a deep breath, most things are actually much better than we think. Two, get this book. 4. Finding a way to live longer "Ikigai" by Héctor Garcia and Francesc Miralles This book feels good in your hands. It's small - just the right size - and simply, but beautifully designed. But it's also very inspiring when you realise its subjects - a bunch of Japanese centenarians - have a set of very simple rules that have allowed them to feel fulfilled and live very long lives. One of them said: "The trick is just to live." And living according to them means cultivating good habits, eating in moderation, maintaining friendships, moving and generally not giving a damn about things you cannot control. Well, January might be a good time to try.

Final post of the year and a highly subjective selection of my images from this year, aka best of 2023 photography favourites. The 'subjective' bit is important, as these are not necessarily my 'best' or 'most popular' or something similar pictures. These are some images I captured and with them, I captured a moment that meant something to me, a view I want to remember or a scene that had a smell only a photograph can help me recall. This year: - was about strong colours and empty spaces - didn't feature many portraits (which I will fix in 2024) - was a bit meh. Like 'em or loathe ‘em. That was my 2023.

Image number 1 of 366, taken on 01/01/2020 Yesterday I posted the final image in my 366 project. It started as an attempt to give my leap year some focus. Little did I know… I was strangely attracted to the idea of taking a picture every day and sharing it on the same day. No diving into archives, no slacking, no images of my TV from the sofa. But also, no specific rules or themes. Just one rule. Make an effort. The project ended up being an accidental diary of a unique year, even though most of the images were not documentary in nature. Here are some of my favourites and a few things I learned in case your 2021 resolution is to start a 365 project. 1. The first few weeks are exciting as every day presents a new opportunity to try something different. The tough bit comes a few months in when you realise you’re in it for the long run. A guiding principle (‘make an effort’) rather than a theme (‘yellow objects’ or ‘neighbourhood landmarks’) worked better for me to keep me focused. 2. The first lockdown was an opportunity to get me out of my comfort zone completely. No street, no portraits, no travel. Home. Mundane objects. Quirky lighting. Home. Home. Home. I cannot count the days when I took some really shit pictures, then forced myself to retake them and PUT IN THE EFFORT to make them shine. 3. Shit pictures will still happen. Or rather, you may not be able to take stunning shots daily, sometimes even for a few days in a row. That’s life, right? Takes a while to accept it. 4. Eclectic vs orderly. I didn’t follow one style. Like each day, every photograph represents something different. For some, following the same consistent approach works better, I didn’t want to limit my options. 5. I did however limit my options when it comes to gear. The first image was taken with my ancient Fuji X100S I had discovered buried in my boxes. I fell back in love with the camera and shot most of the project on its most recent incarnation, the X100V. I only used my DSLR or my phone a few times throughout the year. 6. Share your images (I started a dedicated IG account for the project and a page on my site), but don’t shoot to share or to please. Shoot for pleasure. For yourself. 7. Don’t abandon the project. It’s not easy to keep going 365 (or in my case 366) days, but once you see it as an opportunity to learn, find new ideas, grow, it becomes great. If you approach it as a chore, well, find a different project. 8. Make it physical. I’ll print my 366 images as an album to browse when I feel nostalgic about what turned out to be the weirdest year of my life. And yours probably too. Keep shooting! #Fujix100F #fujix100V #photoessay #photography #sonyalpha #365challenge

I had just left the Fuji cathedral, sorry, Fuji store in Covent Garden after gettint myself acquainted with the gorgeous new Fuji X100V. It’s a stunning piece of kit, perfect for street photography, but not only. If you remember my Venice post from a couple months ago, the Fuji X100F was my camera of choice on that trip and I loved using it there. I’ve been using the X100 series for some 7 years now and I love everything about that camera. So inspired and energised by the ‘encounter’ with the new Fuji, I decided to go for a brisk walk through nearby Chinatown looking for those unique moments of beauty. The lanterns were up, people were out, the sun was about to set. I took these with my Sony A7RII, but I want to go back again once the X100V is out to see if the expectations match the reality. #Soho #London #SOnyA7RII #streetphotography #chinatown

Winter sun. Crisp air. Mid-January blues. And lots of palm trees. Welcome to my favourite combination of low, golden sun and green leaves. Welcome to Kew Gardens in winter. #London #photography #kewgardens #sonyalpha #sonya7RII

In 2020 I’m planning to do what I often considered doing, a project I often was curious about, laughed at, had mixed feelings about and never actually thought I wanted to pursue it. But having seen another photographer’s consistent posts throughout 2019 and some real unplanned gems, I thought that wa sexactly what I needed. So here I am. Starting my first ever 365 photography project in 2020 – a leap year. So technically, it’s a 366 project. Every day I will take and post a picture. Every day, all year round. I think it’s a big challenge – particularly with a busy schedule – but I’m determined to make it work. All pictures will be posted on a new page, I’m hoping to also post weekly summaries on my instagram page. For the first month I’m going to shoot without a theme, to establish the routine. But I’m also hoping to introduce weekly or monthly themes – and if I feel brave enough, I will ask people to select the themes for me. My first 366 picture was taken on New Year’s Day in a forest between Hampshire and West Sussex. But expect more urban shots from now on. And do wish me luck. Here are some other shots from this morning’s walk: #365photographychallenge #366

During my recent trip to Venice I used one of my most favourite – and most underused cameras – the gorgeous Fuji X100F. It was the perfect moment to use it – a short trip mixing urban photography with some portraits and landcsape shots. The type of photography Fuji x100F handles so well. Walking around with the camera is a lovely experience – you forget it’s there, and when you need it it’s so easy to use it at a moment’s notice. For me, the best moments happened not around the over-crowded, over-photographed Venice landmarks. It was the vaporetto – line 2 to be precise – where Fuji X100F’s small dimensions and discreet presence helped me take some of my most favourite pictures that day. Turns out waiting for your next vaporetto from Giudecca to St Mark’s can be really rewarding when it comes to photography. I do hope the successor to the Fuji X100F – allegedly to be released some time in 2020 – is as capable as this little gem. I fell in love with the camera again. #Fujix100F #Fujifilm #streetphotography #Venice

I AM challenges our preconceptions of diversity. It features four young performers – Andrew, Sandra, Steve and Awa – who prove one thing. We are all able to go beyond where others think we can. We all are. You are. I am. Written, Produced and Directed by Michal Dzierza dzierza.com Director of Photography Borja Mucientes borjamucientes.com Original Music Score by Olivier Depardon olivierdepardon.com Edited by Mike Lang Colour Grading by Priory Post Lighting by Shoot Blue Filmed on location at the London Coliseum, Covent Garden, the recording Studio at the Orpheus Centre in Godstone, the Barn Theatre in Oxted and the broadcast studio at Ridge Radio, Caterham. A massive thank you to everyone who has helped make this project happen over the summer of 2019, Moira Lambert and Sir Richard Stilgoe and all the staff at the Orpheus Centre in particular. Thank you to the real stars of the film, their parents and carers, their supporters and friends, some of whom also appear in the film. Many thanks to the staff and volunteers at all the venues we filmed in – without your generosity none of this would be possible. #filmdirector #filmmaking #theorpheuscentre #video

I’ve seen Brixton Market at different times of the day (and night). But it never looks better than when the strong afternoon sun is gently diffused by the patchwork of clear and opaque glass panels in the roof. And this being July – and a hot one at that – means the afternoons at Brixton Market look really quiet and lazy – and beautifully lit. Perhaps not so great for the businesses there, but a treat for a photographer. These are my favourites from a recent visit. #Brixton #BrixtonMarket #London #photography

You know exactly where to find Eliasson’s current exhibition at Tate Modern. You can’t miss the bright orange light on Level 2 of the Blavatnik Building. His airy glass sculptures hang from the ceiling just outside the entrance to his exhibition, leaving those staring at them in awe. Once inside the gallery the same people keep staring at all the shiny, simple, complex, unexpected, multidimensional creations on display. And this short post is also about staring – this time at each other – and the genius behind that idea. The second, quite spacious room offers a range of Olafur Eliasson’s creations: from a large moss-covered wall to a light projection in the shape of a window, constantly used by the gallery guests for those Instagram-worthy selfies. In the same room there’s also a big glass sphere. It’s transparent and built into the wall. It attracts your attention as it’s not immediately obvious what it is and what – if anything- you can see through it. And that’s where Eliasson’s genius becomes obvious. While people queue to peer through the sphere, they are completely oblivious to the fact they themselves are to become art. Because on the other side of the wall – and the sphere – there are other visitors who laugh at the curious, distorted faces looking through the glass sphere. And maybe even taking pictures of them.

A recent trip to Italy was a perfect opportunity to use extensively my two film cameras – the 35mm Olympus OM1 I’m completely in love with, and the mighty Pentax 67. Which I’m also in love with, but I’m not sure it’s as portable as my Olympus. After all, it was designed to be used in a studio setting, and not to be schlepped up and down Rome’s hills and along Puglia’s olive groves. I wanted to use both cameras mostly to take advantage of the beautiful Mediteraanean light. My Pentax was meant for portraits only, while the dinky Olympus served as an all-purpose camera. It didn’t always work that way, but here are soem of my favourites from the trip. Let’s start with people: I used primarily two films: Kodak Portra 400 and Kodak Ektar 100. While the former worked well for portraits and street, the latter proved really excellent for landscapes, particularly on bright, sunny days. Click on images to move between the slides: Most of my film photography however relied on the more versatile Portra 400. Here are a few of my favourites from the trip. Again, click on images to move between the slides: #filmphotography #Kodakportra400 #photography