Bread and blanket Just over three years ago, I received an email from a man called George who owned a bakery and employed a team of people whose photographic skills he was keen to enhance. I was used to receiving such messages – I’d been running workshops to teach phone photography for several years. The timing, however, did make it a little unexpected: the country was into its third national Covid lockdown and public gatherings still gave cause for private jitters. George’s business, like so many during that unprecedentedly difficult year, had been on the brink of closure. Six or so months prior to contacting me, George had posted a picture to his website which resulted later that day in the online sale of a loaf of bread. The next days brought more and more sales. George had ‘pivoted’ his business. Within a few months, customers were queuing round the block. Six or seven weeks after receiving George’s initial email, I arrived in Leamington Spa to run a workshop for him and his team. Afterwards, I stayed on to take a few photos utilising a tray I’d found on the runners of a trolley in the front room of the bakery. On the shelf alongside lay a pile of aged ochre- and sienna-stained thick linen blankets. I opened one out into the window space. This blanket or
What an incredibly generous gift, especially as the instinct of others may have been to take your use of the tray and couche as a final extra lesson and use these in his own photography going forward. I've just visited his site, and from there found his instagram page, and it's clear your lessons were taken to heart - their products are beautifully photographed and it's wonderful to know they survived and thrived. That must give you just a great feeling too!
What a beautiful story and gift Matt, thank you for sharing it - it’s been a lovely moment reading it
What an incredibly generous gift, especially as the instinct of others may have been to take your use of the tray and couche as a final extra lesson and use these in his own photography going forward. I've just visited his site, and from there found his instagram page, and it's clear your lessons were taken to heart - their products are beautifully photographed and it's wonderful to know they survived and thrived. That must give you just a great feeling too!
Love it. What a wonderful gift.
This is a gorgeous way to describe why we love those battered old tins and ancient fabrics x
That's a doggy bag that's hard to beat isn't it
Beautifully written, Matt
Lovely memories, Matt