Christmas Cracker

26th December 2019

Happy boxing day y’all. I hope however you spent Christmas day it was a treat. I usually dread this quiet time and find myself crawling up what walls but I’ve learnt my lesson and kept myself busy. One thing I am doing is gradually hoovering my desktop and shuffling my hard drives… I know rock’n’roll.

The Cracker was the main project this year and revisiting some moments always helps me think how and what I would do if I found myself in that situation again. Although pushing myself to shoot at night and make the images more dynamic they still adopt a documentary approach and I am wondering how I could have created something smarter, more layered. However seeing the young people gaze back at me transports me back to that field or that estate. I can smell the crackling fires and hear the teasing battles in thick Northern tones. I have also been glancing back at my diary entries; often a frustrated vent as I perch on the curb.

24-08-2019

“It’s like fishing. You hang about for hours in the same spot. Often your bait holds no power- (a mere camera from the 1950’s). Then at the end of a boring, draining day when you’re about to freeze you finally catch a fish. Or at least you think you have.
Reeling it in you try not to get too excited; as usually it turns out to be yet another half promise from a teenager who wont show up tomorrow ”

1-09-2019

“After 30 minutes the rain becomes too much and I take cover in the newsagent that sells dog beds. Soon the little girls with ‘real’ prams follow my lead. One has almost white hair and squints at me as we cross the field. They awkwardly struggle to navigate the swinging glass door, peering on tiptoes to see over the prams handlebars.
They parade the aisles, arms high above their heads pushing the empty buggies with determination.
The sun suddenly reappears and we dive out. I sink into the pavement to organise the prints I have for Jake….”

OAO x