Give and Let Live, Putney

Had a wonderful time on Sunday at a small gathering I had at my exhibition. Was really wonderful to see lots of old friends, Doctors and the lovely participants themselves!

Here's a few photos courtesy of Ned.

Rebekah and Paul next to their photo.

Me and my local MP, Justine Greening

Sam and Simon

My consultant when I was on dialysis, Dr Neil Duncan

My Mum and Laura looking through the exhibition book

Jan and Liz

Sarah stands in front of her photo

The exhibition is still up and will be until 14th Feb, so there's still time to get down there. I've had lots of lovely comments in my book which I'll post up sometime soon and some great reviews in various newspapers and online blogs - which is fantastic! Plus all the organ donor leaflets I put up to encourage people to sign up have gone too which is amazing!

June

I recently took some photos for June Collier, the artist's new website. Here's a couple:

Shake it like a polaroid picture!

When I was around 7 or 8 my parents loaded their polaroid camera with a brand new film and gave it to me to document Christmas that year. I took my responsibility very seriously and planned each photo with care making sure I documented the festive season properly. So 15 years on here I am again with a polaroid camera and a ton of film (courtesy of my very lovely older brother) and loving every minute of it!

So much fun, love the retro feel of it and the instant results. Can't believe Polaroid film has been discontinued...gonna have to make sure my stash lasts!

Will be adding my photos to this album in my Flickr page.

(that'll be me in the middle along with Dan and Pippa)

Exhibition is up!

This afternoon I (with a l'il help from my friends) set up Give and Let Live at Putney Library, in South West London. I have exhibited 17 photos there and they are available to view from today till 14th February.

Address: Putney Library, 5/7 Disraeli Road London. Postcode, SW15 2DR.

Nearest tube: East Putney (5 minute walk from library)

Nearest train station: Putney (1 minute walk library)

I'm thrilled with how it looks - the whole set works really well. Do come down and have a look! I'll post some photos up at some point. The exhibition is different from the photos I have posted up on my website.

Breathe Easy Jess

I woke up to hear the very sad news that Jessica Wales who I photographed here and here sadly passed away last night.

A complete fighter from start to finish Jess was on the transplant list for 4 years waiting for a call to give her a double lung transplant. She was given two years to live when she first went on the list but shocked doctors by outliving their exceptations by two years.

During those four years Jess endured nine false alarms for transplant. For those of you who are reading this and aren't in the 'transplant world' this is when a donor pair of lungs is found for you, you receive a phone call that tells you to get down to the hospital straight away and prepare for transplant, your heart races, your spirits life - this could be the day your life is saved - you go through numerous tests at the hospital, sitting around for hours hardly daring to move through nervous excitment and then suddenly a Doctor takes you in to a little room and tells you that the donor organ are too damaged/you are too ill for transplant or another reason that sends you crashing down once again into dispair. This happened to Jess NINE times. How she got through this I will never know.

A couple of days after Christmas Jess received her tenth call - and this time the transplant went ahead. Her friends and family were overjoyed - what a Christmas present! Sadly the call didn't come in time for Jess, her body was too weak to withstand such huge surgery and she passed away peacefully surrounded by her family last night.

She was one in a million - a complete super star. I feel honoured to have met her and photographed her. We should all feel inspired by Jess as her sheer strength and determination was incredible.

Please sign the organ donor register to stop this happening again and again. Today three other people will have died from lack of a transplant. This has to stop. We have to do something about this.

Please take two minutes out of your day and sign up to the UK transplant donor list in honour of Jess.

Breathe easy Jess. You'll be missed. XXX

Finding Sol

An award winning short film that I produced last year. Directed by Stella Scott.

Finding Sol from Stella Scott on Vimeo.

Snow Day.

J in the snow.