I have just been sorting through some of my images, recent and from a few years ago and it came as quite a shock all of the differant people I have met and photographed. They have come from all kinds of backgrounds, have had differant beliefs and religions, some have had, dare I say easier life than some but most of all a vast majority have been very kind, helpful and very interesting to listen too.

You see a lot of celebrities nowaday’s, or should I say, well known people, whether from sport or business portrayed as being full of themselves, arrogant, unkind and do not have time for us so called “common” people. What I have found is how untrue this is (with the ones that I have met anyway), yes I have met a few who would not give you the time of day but they have been far out numbered by the good.

Below are just a few examples and I would just like to say a few words about them;

First of all I had the pleasure, a while ago now, to cover and attend some of the “Grand Order of the Water Rats” luncheons,(a great organisation), It was down in London where I had the pleasure of meeting, and getting to know the likes of Lional Blair, Roy Hudd, Francois Pascal (Mind Your Language 70’s sit-com) and June Whitfield all of them, always, had time for me and were always pleasant and obliging, June Whitfield sticks out as she got to know me and made a point in coming up to me to just say hello and to see how I was doing.

Here are just a few others that stuck in my mind for one reason or another.

I went in to Leicester for the Diwalhi celebrations a while back and I was amazed to see a vast array of religions, ethnic groups and ages, all out having a great time, as I wondered the streets I struck up a few conversations with some of the people celebrating, all with differant views and ideas and all having a great time. At points in the night you just felt like putting the camera down just so you can talk and listen to all of the varied stories I was being told. One, a young woman selling childrens gifts and toys was a joy to talk too, I also had a great chat to a young man and his wife who came in to the city to celebrate and enjoy the night even though it was not his religion, he worked in the media and they were both obliging to let me take photos of them, his wife was wearing a Niqab which I think made a striking image ( below), I truly thank them for there kindness and honesty.

Pictured below the young woman I mentioned earlier and some reveller's having a great time of which were so obliging and patient with me.

Another one that sticks out in my mind was a shoot for a media company with a good friend of mine, Mr John Robertson, It was of “Princess Kaz” (seen below) a dominatrix who made her living in the porn industry in the Handsworth area of Birmingham but as always first impressions were completely blown out of the water when as we got talking to her we found out that she had attended university and also had a degree in law, we found that she was pleasant, articulate and a pleasure to talk too a total contrast to what your first impression’s mayor would have been.

Earlier this year I was at the Diamond League Athletics finishing up with the Para games on the Sunday. This was a humbling day to say the least, I was in total awe on how these athletes overcame their disabilities and became at the top of there chosen sport, one that stuck out was the blind runner who ran with the aid of a fully sighted person strapped to her wrist (below) she won her event. Talking to some of the competitors afterwards was so uplifting and at the same time heart wrenching, it really puts some of your own problems into perspective.

Here are a couple of images from that day with Hannah Cockcroft (right) and Melissa Nicholls(left) after winning the 100m T33/34 Final (Below) and Terezinha Guilhermina crossing the line with her guide in the T11 200mtr final, An Inspiration to us all.

There are so many I could go on to talk about, as I am a big Motorsport fan spent a lot of the time watching either Carlos Sainz heading through the Kielder Forest on a cold November morning, watching Alain Prost doing his thing around some of the greatest race tracks of the world, and not forgetting the late, great Ayrton Senna alway’s on the limit pushing his car and body to the max. I have great memories of these guy’s but also there son’s and nephews are now coming through the ranks, with Nicholas Prost racing in the WEC, photographed here at the Young driver test at Silverstone along with Carlos Sainz Jnr also at the same test. While Ayrton Senna’s nephew Bruno, pictured here next to his Aston Martin in which he compete’s in the World Endurance Championship.

I know I have only mentioned a few, but as I was searching through my images these just happened to stick out, there was a lot more but I can only waffle on for so long, photography is not all about the image but there is a lot to be said for the person behind the image, there story. They may be famous, have famous parents or just be like me “the man in the street”, but the one thing we have in common is we all have a story to tell no matter how big or small.

Sometimes, all we want, is someone to take time out and listen.