Michael often uses a collaborative approach which ensures that the lives of the subjects involved effect the projects’ outcome offering his audiences intimate insights.

from a series about people who ‘ghost’ the now abandoned haygate estate, London

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Steve Mead, interior portrait

Interior portrait shot of Steve Mead, inspired by the work of Chauncey Hare whose book Interior America explores the spaces in which we live and their effect on our lives.

Hare often used harsh lighting, though Michael’s is a subtler mix of daylight and flash, yet the picture pulls us in. If for no other reason than to wonder how anyone can have such a tidy kitchen.

MA – magazine editorial production

FOV -FIELD OF VIEV

FOV-Field of View (MA Group Magazine, Westminster University Photojournalism course 2011/12)

Semester Two of my  MA in photojournalism course at Westminster University .

During this module we will work in groups with fellow course members to produce a finished magazine to a professional standard.

Each group will devise the magazine concept,produce the photographs and text,design the pages and see the project through to print stage.

Specialist design tuition and weekly editorial meetings throughout the module will monitor progress of the publication. The resulting magazine will be an important part of our final portfolio.

Team:

Daniel Norwood, John Saint, Andrea Lestrange, Chiara Tomasoni, Katarzyna Ciechanowska, Janica Candolin, Michael McGuinness

included in lens blog ‘ time capsule’ pictured: A world at 7 Billion

 A little girl observed in the of aisle of a Eurostar train to Paris that had just travelled from St Pancras International station in London, England.

NOVEMBER 13, 2011
MICHAEL MCGUINNESS

This image is included in a Visual Time Capsule, of Lens Blog.

Background to the story:

“Here’s where you come in. We want you to take a photo that will show these children what the world looks like today. We’ll publish a selection of the submissions on Lens. Before you take your picture — only one from each of you — think about what you’d like to tell them about your world. When they turn 20 years old, what will help them envision the world into which they were born?

This is not the only project of its kind. Valerie Belanger has been working on a similar effort, the 7 Billionth Person Project, for more than two years. And The Guardian asks, “What would you say to the world’s 7 billionth person?”

We’ll share your photos with the babies photographed by Ms. Addario. Each of them will receive a keepsake box containing 100 selected images. We’ll look for a range — scenes from different regions, focusing on different subjects, shot in different ways. We’ll ask their parents to show them the collection in 20 years.” from Lens Blog

explored – 55th BFI London Film Festival, 12 – 27 October 2011.

Fresh faced  and armed with my student NUJ press card I went along to Leicester Square  on the  12th October, opening night  of the 55th BFI London Film Festival. On arrival just after 4-00pm I made my way to join the slowly gathering press photographers who were  starting to set up.  I introduced myself as a an MA student studying photojournalism at Westminster University, who had been asked to get some images for the following brief.

• The brief being  to make an image , unexpected or unusual , including people that will in a single image sum up a ‘film premier.

Ashley, and a few other senior members of the press photo group made me feel welcome, even giving me a ladder  to use  as some of them had drawn front row in the press pen. For what ever reason unbeknown to me  Ashley  he went further by allowing me to position myself  & set up on his left just behind him. Being my  first experience in the press pack I just tried to watch and learn as much as I could from those around me – I managed to get a few what I thought were great shots of various stars like Jude Law -

Towards the end when everything had calmed down a couple of press photographers made it clear to me that if I wanted to do this more seriously and more often I would need to think of buying myself a Nikon camera. They reckoned that my current  Canon 5d mark 2 was a good artists camera – they went a step further by showing me their crisp clear images  all in portrait style that their agencies expected .

I left feeling excited and up beat by this experience

explored

It needs to be said

I’m 5 weeks into having started my  MA Photojournalism at Westminster University in London and I’m loving it.

Each week our course tutors set  a series of both photographic and reading assignments to be explored within the context of contemporary photojournalism.

Over the past few weeks I have attended a few excellent talks given by experienced practitioners within the media industry. An amazing talk at the Frontline club was given by a youthful Kate Brooks, about her 1o year period photographing in Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon and Gaza. Her images have appeared in the New York Times Magazine, Time and Newsweek.

Another  fantastic talk was given by  the photographer Simon Roberts  where he encouraged emerging photographers to market themselves and their work in a specific and focussed way within a very competitive market place.

In a couple of weeks time a group from our class is travelling to Paris to attend Paris Photo an annual photographic festival over 4 days.