Thank You!

I knew I would use the summer months to focus on my photography career before I head back to Uni in October and what a journey it’s been! A lot of work over the past few weeks has finally come together resulting in a brand-new photography business ‘TJRFOTO’ (You may have seen me advertise it 😉)

 

Over the past few weeks, I built a new portfolio for professional work to sit separate to my my artist gallery, they are: http://www.tjrfoto.co.uk and http://www.tomrobson.com.

 

The idea was to separate my commercial and creative sides which enables me to focus on setting up and running a photography business and already it’s starting to build from small beginnings

 

I’ve been working on product photography for a while bringing to life a digital store front for an Antiques Dealer, I have been the lead photographer for 3 photoshoots (one involving over 20 people) in both indoor and outdoor locations.

 

My first wedding shoot took place a few weeks ago, I was Estelle’s ‘second shooter’ and I’m excited to announce that I’m shooting a wedding tomorrow as the sole photographer. I’m a slightly nervous about it but I think the day will be a great one.

 

There’s more photography work on the horizon. Next week I’m shooting another wedding and during August, I’ll be working alongside other creatives filming awareness videos for three local charities in Leicester. Two book launch parties are in the pipe line and I’ve been asked to help with the design of a book cover. I’ve also been contacted by two families to arrange outdoor family photoshoots while we have this beautiful weather.

 

Although a lot of work has been put into getting set up, I couldn’t have done this without Estelle Estelle Delia Keeber or Piotr Hryniak, thank you both for your support, involvement and leads. To everyone else who has followed this photography journey and you know who you are – a big fat THANK YOU.

 

If you know anyone who needs photography or video services, please consider sharing this or recommending me to them, I’m offering 25% discount until the end of August 2018.More details available at http://www.tjrfoto.co.uk

 

Thank you everyone for your support! 😊

Friday Street

In 2008, Tate Modern opened the world’s first major public museum display of graffiti and street art, inviting six international artists to decorate its facade with enormous, eye-catching murals.

Meanwhile, just down the riverbank at Southwark crown court, eight members of London’s well-known DPM crew were tried for an estimated £1m in graffiti-related damages across the country, and sentenced to a total of 11 years in prison – the biggest prosecution for graffiti that the UK has ever seen.

The Anti-Social Behaviour Act defines graffiti as “painting, writing, soiling, marking or other defacing by whatever means”. Anything from a quickly executed “tag” to a detailed mural could be deemed illegal, and the artist subject to a £5,000 fine or prosecution. Despite this clear-cut definition, there are double standards in the way graffiti is perceived, and the law creates pockets of permission for some artists while penalising others.

Ban it, legalise it or put it behind glass! No matter what city councils or the police do, graffiti remains the scapegoat for all manner of urban ills, from burglary on one extreme to gentrification on the other. There are, however a large majority of us who enjoy bringing the outside home, to decorate our own walls with artistry from the streets.

Presenting ‘Friday Street’

‘Friday Street’ is a collection of urban art from the youth of Leicester. Friday Street is situated on a semi-abandoned Jitty close to the Centre of Leicester. The area has seen multiple arson attacks, gang violence and street robbery. Yet Friday Street itself is an entrance to a beautiful public park, which attracts thousands of visitors on a regular basis.

Legal or not, as graffiti seeps into the fabric of our neighbourhoods, it becomes a natural fact of everyday life, a cultural practice appreciated and legitimised by young urban dwellers.

This “gentrification graffiti” is representative of the cycle of transformation in cities across the world, whereby artists are caught up in contributing to their own displacement.

What might you discover on Friday Street? – Click here to find out!

More?

• Photographs from Leicester Pride
• The Problem With Ren Hang’s Photo Book
• Full Length Photography Documentaries
• Without My Eye
• Why Photography?
• My life is about to change
• Photographers Interview
• Photographer’s Interview Part II
• Photographs which should have been.

Find me online:

• Work: TomRobson.com
• Instagram: tjrfoto
• Twitter: @tjrfoto
• Shop: tjrfoto

Photographs from Leicester Pride 2017

Leicester Pride is attended by more 10,000 people each year with more than 2,000 taking part in the parade through the city, starting at The Curve and ending at Victoria Park.  Leicester Pride celebrates equality and diversity in our community and is a family event with entertainment and attractions suitable for all ages.

Leicester Pride began in 2001 after being awarded a successful bid of £5000 to involve the lesbian and gay community in the production of a Leicester Pride Carnival, to involve the whole community in the carnival itself and to promote better understanding. It was supported by Arts Council England.

There had been major concerns that Pride 2017 which has grown to celebrate and promote the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community in the city and county, would have to be cancelled for due to a lack of funds.

Pride’s troubles were spotted in the media by a DMU student who involved the Student Union Vice-Chancellor Professor Dominic Shellard.  #DMUlocal stepped in with £10,000 to help make a difference within the Leicester community.

Here’s some photographs of the day, can you pick yourself out?

More?

• The Problem With Ren Hang’s Photo Book
• Full Length Photography Documentaries
• Without My Eye
• Why Photography?
• My life is about to change
• Photographers Interview
• Photographer’s Interview Part II
• Photographs which should have been.

Find me online:

• Work: TomRobson.com
• Twitter: @tjrfoto
• Instagram: tjrfoto

 

Vigil in Leicester for Manchester

Hundreds of people from all Leicester’s faith groups gathered in the city centre for a tearful but determined display of solidarity with Manchester last night.

Two days after the suicide bomb attack on young fans at an Ariana Grande concert, about 300 people stood together outside the Town Hall in Leicester, where the words “Leicester” and “Manchester” were drawn on the ground in chalk, united by a heart.

More?

• Without My Eye
• Why Photography?
• My life is about to change
• Photographers Interview
• Photographer’s Interview Part II
• Photographs which should have been.

Find me online:

• Portfolio: TomRobson.com
• Twitter: @tjrfoto
• Instagram: tjrfoto

Photography Exhibition: DISTORTED VISION

 

Following from the successes of previous Exhibitions “The Eleventh Hour” and “Finding Focus” this year, Award in Photography Artists present: DISTORTED VISION.

Distorted Vision celebrates the final year of our collaborations together over three years as our qualifications are achieved and we are delighted to invite you to our exhibition which is held from 22^nd to 26^th June 2015 at The Old Library Café & Galleries, 54 Belvoir Street, Leicester, LE1 6QL (map).

The artist’s work on display contains a diverse range of photographic genres including portraiture, self-portraiture, street, documentary, still-life, conceptual, art photography, landscape and post-photography.  The artists also use a wide variety of techniques both in camera and by digital manipulation to produce the work.

Our teacher, Zoe Van-De-Velde has said “There was no intention to just teach students how to use their camera and to ask them to take the standard shots. Their work should, though their creative process be a reflection of them. By this method the students could, over the time of the course become themselves though their images and ultimately forget their tutor’s existence.”

Distorted Vision, presented by the Award in Photography Artists is a free entry, open exhibition featuring creative works by Doug Smith, Estelle Keeber, Gavin Whyman, Krupa Patel, Tom Robson and Zoe Van-De-Velde.

Of my own work, three titles shall be presented, “Left to our own devices”, “Road To Nowhere” and “ID²”

We do hope you are able to attend, should you live or work in this area.  Samples of my work can be seen at my portfolio: www.tomrobson.com.  If you have a project and feel my style is suitable for your needs, please contact me.  Selected artworks are available to purchase and I am available for hire.

Welcome to Leicester!

Photography Exhibition: Finding Focus

Presenting, “Finding Focus” a photography exhibition” held between 20th June to 4th July 2014 at Flint Hall, Belvoir Street, Leicester.

The work is a celebration of the projects and achievements of the Award in Photography Artists as their qualifications are achieved.  The artist’s work on display contains a diverse range of photographic genres including portrait, self portrait, street, documentary, still life, conceptual, art photography and landscape. The artists also use a wide variety of techniques both in camera and through digital manipulation to produce the work.

 

…and the city burns

 

Six Buildings

 

This is My Suburb

Graffiti is sometimes recognised as a dirty form of street art, Indecipherable tags and secret codes are painted onto walls and most passers-by are immune to its messages.  Others are confused or angered by the visual intrusion into their daily commute.

Graffiti is seldom considered street art by many people, I don’t mind it, but I would not call graffiti, street art.  Perhaps because in my neighbourhood there is no street art, only graffiti.  The media centre on street artists, such as Robert Banks, or just Banksy. Banksy’s signature stencils of kissing coppers, flower-chucking terrorists and mischievous rats found on doorways and side streets have become so sought-after that they are being chipped out of walls and sold for ludicrous sums.  Like it or not, graffiti is part of our High Street.  It’s something we see daily, or share, or even participate in.

“This is My Suburb” is a quota of my neighbourhood, and counterpoints with the photographs taken for the “This is Our High Street” series. A set of photographs which display images of recession and decline from our High Street. they photographs highlight the bleakness of our economic downturn by presenting our decaying high street which we all share.

In my neighbourhood, there is no street art. No wonderfully inspired yet illegal murals or beautiful works art, spray painted by artists at after dusk. No political statements nor debates and no messages storming the traditional bastions of high culture.

These are simply photographs of tags and scribbles when collected together, demonstrates how our high street descends into the state of our neighbourhoods.

(This set exhibited at The Eleventh Hour Exhibition. The eight, original prints are available to purchase. Please contact me for information).

The Eleventh Hour Exhibition open now!

Also see:

• The Clown
• Inaccurate