On the streets of London

Whilst I'm a country boy at heart, my work & life takes me to London periodically. I always have a camera with me, normally what I call a "posh point & shoot" - my current flavour of the month is the Fujifilm X30 which is a great little travel and day-to-day carry camera.

On a recent visit I have a couple of hours to kill so decided to create a few images on the streets - whilst waiting for someone to walk into frame to complete a shot a bloke starts talking from behind me. A pleasant chap with a great line in conversation.

Meet Paul, through circumstances beyond his control he lives on the streets, not by choice, but as the result of life events.

Paul is a true gentleman & someone who cares - he cares for Bill who is 74 years old and has difficulty walking. When I meet people like this I realise how lucky I am to have a home, family and income.

Take a minute, stop and think - the person on the street is a person too - treat them how you'd like to be treated.

Have a great day, I'm enduring the Sussex summer today, 14ºC and beginning to rain!

East Chiltington Telephone Box & Book Exchange

Visitors to England & London try to get a photograph with one of the iconic red telephone boxes which remain in the city. Sadly, few remain outside of London as we move away from fixed line communication and favour the mobile phone.

Public phone boxes are becoming relics and a reminder of the past - some communities around the UK are finding novel uses for them, in the case of the village of East Chiltington near Lewes the Phone Box is now a book exchange! I did a double take recently on the return drive from a meeting, naturally I had to stop and get a few snaps.

Here you can see what other communities are doing with their Phone Boxes https://business.bt.com/solutions/small-business/communities/adopt-a-kiosk/

The Phone Box was once part of the communication revolution, was championed by the GPO and now has a limited future as less than 3% of the population make calls via public telephones - in the UK alone there are over 6 million mobile contracts in place, and that's without all the pay as you go phones! At http://www.the-telephone-box.co.uk you can see a timeline of the development of humble phone box and how it fitted into the communication revolution.

Chris Foss, Head of Wine, Plumpton College

Plumpton College Wine Centre

The Wine Centre at Plumpton College in East Sussex has come along way from humble beginnings in a disused chicken shed and wine fermenting in demijohns from Boots. Today it ranks amongst the top wine courses in Europe and is the only one where English is the first language.

Chris Foss in the modern winery at Plumpton College

Students and lecturers have the vision and determination of Chris Foss to thank for creating the operation which exists today. Chris was bought up in France on a vineyard in Bordeaux owned by his mother’s family. At university Chris studied microbiology and later qualified as a teacher - after university Chris ran the family vineyard for 6 years, during which time he studied wine making and worked worked in vineyards and wineries in Sauternes (Chateau d’Yquem) and St Emilion, becoming Winemaker for the GFA Leclerc vineyard group. 

Chris speaks fluent French which was distinct advantage in gaining practical experience. In 1988 Chris started the first courses in Wine Production at Plumpton College after three years teaching in secondary education. During the early days the Wine Department only had two rows of vines, now Plumpton boasts a 16 acre vineyard locally, another a few miles to the north in Scaynes Hill and a small research vineyard inside the college grounds.

Since Chris established the Plumpton College Wine Centre it has become a centre of excellence for cool climate wine production and is recognised throughout Europe and the rest of the world for its’ work including establishment of the first dedicated Viticulture and Oenology Research Centre in the UK. Expansion of The Wine Department has enabled the team to develop postgraduate provision in wine and undertake research, in collaboration with colleagues from the University of Brighton, whilst still delivering outstanding education for the students. Research is an important problem solving tool for the expanding English & Welsh wine industries and of international importance for cool climate wine production.

Chris Foss in the Wine Department vineyard at Ditchling.

Chris leads a talented team of international staff delivering courses to around 130 full-time students plus part time and specialist courses each year. In September 2014 Plumpton started the UK’s first MSc course in Viticulture and Oenology, alongside existing popular undergraduate degrees.
Plumpton also offers short and intensive courses for small growers and vineyard employees, tailor-made events and courses for specific business requirements and the full range of Wine & Spirit Education Trust Courses.

Over 500 people a year attend events around England & Wales run by the Department's training arm including  short courses, masterclasses, mentoring, sustainability guidelines, and an on-line information resource at www.wineskills.co.uk

Chris takes great pride in the fact that “Our courses are unique, being the only English language undergraduate and post graduate viticulture and wine courses taught in Europe”.

Plumpton graduates now work all over the world including Australia, Burgundy, England (naturally), California, Canada, Chile, Languedob-Roussillon, New Zealand, Portugal, & Languedob-Roussillon. Late in 2015 Plumpton graduate Steve Farquharson visited with some of his Wooing Tree wines for students to taste - coincidentally the visit from New Zealand coincided with the Rugby World Cup!

Steve Farquharson of Wooing Tree Vineyard in New Zealand 

Wines produced by The Wine Department include Plumpton Estate Cloudy Ridge Red & plus sparkling The Dean Brut NV & The Dean Blush NV, all stocked by the English supermarket Waitrose http://www.waitrosecellar.com/search/plumpton+estate

As Chair of South East Vineyards Association Chris is heavily involved in organising the 2016 ICCWS International Cool Climate Wine Symposium in Brighton after visiting Tasmania in 2012 as part of the successful small delegation of Brits who pitched for the privilege of hosting the prestigious event.

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About the author:
I'm a commercial photographer based in Burgess Hill, West Sussex and have worked with Plumpton College since the 2001 Foot & Mouth Crisis where I created a calendar to raise funds for the college Rag Week. I created the Board Room portrait of past Principle John Brookham. I’ve lived and worked in Sussex all my life and am passionate about the countryside and rural economy. In 2008 I founded Friends of Wolstonbury www.wolstonbury.com a conservation group who maintain a very special part of the South Downs National Park alongside the National Trust.

Plumpton Wine Department Students get into the spirit, or should that wine for the
2001 (Foot & Mouth) Rag Week Calendar.

I have a blog celebrating the Sussex countryside & rural economy www.sussex-photographer.blogspot.co.uk

For commissions and assignments I may be contacted by email ian@packshots.biz or phone +44 (0) 7710 814665 I work from from a studio or on location, whatever is best suited to each particular clients needs.

Rural Photography Studio

Who needs a studio when there's a convenient barn nearby!

I love creating images on location as much as I do in the studio. This is a frame from a recent test shoot using a new light modifier - I'll not go into detail other than this is something I do for a number of photography lighting businesses as I've been a professional since the early 1980s.

If you need people shots, head shots, pack shots and product photography for your business do give me a call or email, details at http://www.packshots.biz/contact/index.htm

I'm based in central Sussex, Burgess Hill to be precise and available throughout Sussex, southern and south east England. I do travel further afield, preferably somewhere with an average temperature above 18ºC!

I've included this shot so you can see how an experienced and trained eye can transform what was a mundane and messy area.

Wishing you all well and success with your preparations for the Christmas Season:)

Tom Walker, Artist

"A little goes a long way" was Tom's response to my question regarding who many pastels he uses in a year!

As my project photographing land-based businesses continues, every now and again there are interesting spin-offs. The artist Tom Walker is one such spin-off. Whilst photographing Monday Group, a gentlemen appeared who I immediately thought, "I need to photograph this man".

Tom Walker in his Sussex Studio

I spoke with a local contact who made the introduction and these images are the result of our first meeting - Tom is a thoughtful man who loves the countryside and is passionate about snooker. In 2009 he completed a series of works inspired by his love of snooker "Snooker, In The Frame" which can be seen at his website along with BBC interviews with Tom at the Snooker World Championships from 2007-2009.

Tom, thank you for your time, it's certainly a privilege to photograph you.

For anyone interested in how I lit these images, please visit my lighting blog Pack's Hacks.

Poppies in Bloom in November

On my way back to the studio from Brighton earlier today and surprised to see poppies peeping through the stubble on the west side of Beacon Road near Falmer. All I had with me was my trusty Fujifilm X30 snap cam & my iPhone for the background atmos track.

There will be many who have lost friends and loved ones in conflicts and wars over the years - We Will Remember Them.

Wooing Tree NZ Otago Winemaker Visits Sussex

Steve Farquharson in the winery at Plumpton College

Steve Farquharson from Wooing Tree Vineyard recently visited the Wine Centre at Plumpton College for a tasting during his trip to Europe selling his fine wines from the Central Otago Region in the New Zealand South Island - strangely the trip coincided with the Rugby World Cup - no wonder he has something to smile about with the All Blacks beating the Wallabies in the final at Twickenham on 31 October 2105.

Steve graduated with a viticulture, winemaking, the wine trade and WSET Diploma in Wine from Plumpton College in the early 2004 after deciding that a career in IT support for a bank call centre wasn't for him. Wooing Tree is a true family business with Steve and his wife Jane who own the business and his sister Jane looking after the cellar door and brother-in-law Geoff the vineyard.

Wooing Tree wines are available in UK (link above). Read more about the Wooing Tree story on their website www.wooingtree.co.nz