Guess what this picture is?

This image above has some significance to me. It was the first ever shot that I took as a paid photographer – I’d done some unpaid stuff for work experience jobs at college, but this was the first time I’d been let loose on my own. It was taken at the Gosforth Park Hotel in the summer of 2005 for Living North’s YI section at the back of the mag. I was paid the princely sum of £25 ( and I believe that the fee hasn’t changed since then). It was a Childline charity raiser ball for the glitterati of Tyneside, and the guest of honour was Samantha Janus of Eastenders fame, and her husband (who was in that dire police drama Liverpool One). I had a press call scheduled before the event started, and then it was just a case of going round capturing candids of all the guests. I had my old Nikon D1X, a horrible Sigma mid range zoom, and an ancient SB-28 flashgun. 

When the hacks turned up, they were all (as usual) miserable, pushy, & badly dressed, while I thought I was pretty dapper for the evening. They just pushed me aside in their arrogant haste, and started barking instructions. I’ve always wondered why they’re so abrupt, and often moribund considering the brilliantly diverse job they have. Anyways, I did my hour, drove the hour home, and spent the entire night doing levels and curves on all the shots. (No Lightroom back then). Worked out at around £3 per hour in the end (minus petrol costs, disc, postage etc) and it always took months to get paid (after several emails and calls etc.) I did a good few more jobs after that, and gave them the Heave-Ho after a bit. I did cut my teeth in those types of jobs however, so I’m grateful to the Northern based lifestyle magazine which shall remain nameless for giving me the opportunity to get involved.