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These images are part of an ongoing documentary series that explores the nature of the School Crossing Guide in our society. At one end the photographs unmask the uniformity and formality of the crossing guide, exposing the familiar human from our street corner. We see that which makes them more: the lollipop man or woman. Their ordinary uniqueness that earns the awe and friendship of a child. They hold the values of community, a role of tradition and a linchpin of society. Their practice is the basic dynamic of a functional, supportive community. To many children, the crossing guide is one of their earliest colleagues.

At the other end, the project explores the reality of these values. The funding and modernisation of traffic management is paving a progress that no longer requires a human occupation. Technology is both advanced and widespread in and out of urban areas. The administration and regulation of the guide is adapting to modern concerns and fears of child safety while the relationship between the child and guide is diminishing. The tightening of legislation on child protection conversely strains the values of community that they uphold. The nature of the work, its hours and pay, give the position a limited appeal to younger generations. The work attracts retired or part time staff whose eventual vacancies struggle to be filled.

Both views comprise the series of diptych images in this project. Ultimately while two perspectives are poised irresolutely, the photographs are guided by the presence of a person: be they uniformed or comfortable and informal. For all the safety research and technological security there remains nothing in which we would solely entrust the innocence of our children to but another human. It is this person who stands at the crossing of the two views this project explores. This same person stands at the crossing every day in every condition.

Thank you for viewing this project.










Friday, 15 April 2011

AOP student awards 2011 selection

I am delighted to announce that a series from Crossings was selected for the Association of Photographers Annual Student of the Year award. The 4 images entered were included at the gallery exhibition in London which i had the pleasure of attending last month. The images were also published in the Student of the year awards book.

There could be no better reward for the hard work that went in to the project.  I am very properly delighted. My images and the other entrants can be viewed here.
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Monday, 2 August 2010

1: Giving back(wards)




Forgive me for starting at the end but there is method to my madness. The most important madness for me is to know that i am not at the end at all, but after starting something i would love to continue and grow. These are easy words of course and time will give me a good telling to for not taking action. The good news is that whatever it takes to strengthen the discourse i have started and go out and take more photos will always be secondary to what is already there, which is my desire to continue. Desire is the curiosity which is in turn the drive. The actual legwork and photography itself, daunting is it might seem, can be broken down and scheduled and organised. The drive is a funny, fickle material. Something that cannot be coordinated so easily. And it is with this thought that i think back to not long ago, when all i had was a desire and an idea...

And it goes without saying that i am very thankful to now have a ten print portfolio of that very idea realised. So it is with the same thanks that i kept up my word to the workers that allowed me to interrupt their day, some for only a collective 3 minutes, others for hours of stories. Please enjoy your prints.
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