Black+White Photography Magazine October 2009 Back Issue

Just recently I’ve been thinking a lot about how important it is to be with like-minded people. Apart from anything else, you get such a buzz from it – talking about photography, looking at each other’s work, swapping techy knowledge – somehow it just sparks you off. But you have to find the right people – after all, it isn’t everyone who wants to spend half an hour talking about the possibilities of a particular lens or the quality of a print – I have, on the odd occasion, heard the word geek muttered, but who cares. So I’m delighted to show you this month the work of the Arena group (see page 34). I looked the word Arena up in the dictionary and it said ‘a sphere of intense activity’ which I thought was great, and very apt. These photographers work alone but meet regularly to exchange ideas and critique one another’s photographs, and I think this in itself gives them direction and impetus. They are extraordinarily hard working and the results reflect this. I think it’s a great way of operating which takes discipline and commitment, but is worth all the effort they put in. In fact, it inspired me to suggest to a couple of friends that we do the same, but I’m aware that it would be all too easy to let things drift – having an idea is so much easier than carrying it out. But I’ve always loved the notion of living adventurously, and to do that, you can never say ‘I can’t be bothered’. I’ll let you know how it goes.