Photographers, myself included, tend to talk too much about great shoots or great images. This results in clients and collectors forming unrealistic expectations; that it is easy to shoot an unlimited supply of great images.

Neither of these assumptions are true and we have ourselves to blame. The truth is that documentary photographers, such as me, shoot only a few great images a year, if that. And that assumes one shoots regularly.

If, like mine, you’re practice has a substantial focuses on emergent work or research then you can shoot for ages before you produce great work.

It is human nature to avoid talking about our failures. Unfortunately, I am in the business of failure, so I might as well talk about it.

There is a reason I to tend spend so much time in Southern Europe or only venture north when the season changes. I look for a particular quality of light & colour pallet in my images.

Neither of which was present during a November spent on the Streets of London. Adding to this misery is the average Londoner’s penchant to dress for a funeral – all black or blue. I should have known better, but I’m an optimist at heart.

Take my efforts on any given Tuesday. For fun, I show a small number of my dastardly failures – there are many more! And then a few images that are OK.

The difference was the light in Piccadilly Circus around sunset. I timed my arrival to coincide with sunset hoping for a break in the clouds. My optimism was rewarded as the street life around Piccadilly lit-up briefly. Not quite Rome – but enough to bring a smile.

I went from a dismal harvest to over clocking my shutter. Images were coming at me from everywhere. Despite this spark of luminance, the images I captured ranged from average to poor.

Oh well, just another dog day. Maybe the weather improves towards the end of the week!