Alamy Commercial Collection

Alamy Image AJB32R (Property Released)
Seány, cute Scotish Terrier Puppy

For months I've been trying to get included into Alamy's commercial collection, the delay largely being my own fault - I removed the pseudonym the day before they first tried to view my collection, so I went straight to the back of the queue. Anyway, I finally managed to get my first 48 images into the collection.

Alamy Image ATA4DK (Royalty Free)
Shadow of a tennis net on a blue tennis court

There has been a lot of bad press around this venture, mainly due to the amount of images which blatantly lack the necessary model and property releases needed for commercial work. I've been careful to make sure all my images meet the following guidelines:

1. If a person features in the image, I have a signed model release for them.
2. There are no logos or trademarks.
3. Property featured is either public property (eg, children's park), is not identifiable, or has a property release. This includes pets, cars, etc which are intrinsic to the shot. There is legal debate about, for example, houses in the distance of a landscape, but I take the view that if the image is not of the house in particular, but contains the house in the distance, then it doesn't need a property release. (*) See Alamy's guidelines for releases.
4. When specifically shooting commercial, pay particular attention to negative space. Advertisers will want to place text on top of your image: something to bear in mind when composing your shots.

Alamy Image B4TD7W (model released)
Youth bowing head in a police holding cell

(*) I'm not a lawyer and am not offering legal advice. If in doubt, consult a qualified professional.

Amsterdam

Of all the cities in the world, Amsterdam is my favourite. The weather isn't great, food is average and it's not particularly cheap. What it does have is probably the nicest and friendliest people in the world. Yes, they all speak English (which is great as Dutch is notoriously difficult to learn), they all great you with a smile, and nothing is too much trouble.

Alamy Image BC3HM6
Row of bicycles in Amsterdam

Another interesting fact is that the Dutch are the tallest people in the world, which is obvious when you walk the streets and despite me being a shade over 6', and Tara being 5'11", we feel decidedly small. (On a personal note, I can't help think that there is also a very high proportion of very attractive, slim and classy Dutch ladies)

Alamy Image BC3H3Y

Newly-weds on a bridge over the Prinsengracht Canal, Amsterdam

Alamy Image BC3H1G
Volkswagen Campervan in Amsterdam

If you've never been before, I strongly recommend Amsterdam. We've been at least 14 times (we've lost count) and never tire of the place. If you're into culture and history, Amsterdam has over 50 official museums and dozens of unofficial ones. Take a tour and see the windmills, cheese factories, tulip fields and clog makers. People watch at the myriad of squares. Or indulge in the seedier side of life by trying the wares at any one of Amsterdam's 150 coffee shops (I particularly recommend Homegrown Fantasy or Grasshopper, both on Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal), "window shop" at the red light district which really comes alive after dark (remember to leave your camera at the hotel!!!), or visit one of the two sex museums (you really need to have a very open mind!)

Abu Dhabi

Last February we were fortunate enough to stay for 4 nights at the world's most expensive hotel, the Emirates Palace Hotel. Gold and Italian marble everywhere - it was the last word in luxury. Prices start at AED 2500 (about £415) per night, but do go up to about £20,000 per night, depending on your room, sorry, suite. We even had our own butler, and a remote control for the room (yes, a remote control that could control every element of the room from temperature to curtains, to the Do-Not-Disturb light, and even call the aforementioned butler).

To give you an idea of the sort of clientelle who would grace their door, we bumped (almost literally) into George Bush Senior, or rather we would have done if we hadn't bumped into his Secret Service minders first.

If you manage to make it, check out their Desert Adventure - a very reasonable £30 gets you an evening of dune-bashing, sand surfing, camel riding, belly dancing, milky-way viewing, and hubbly-bubbly smoking, with a buffet meal included. Bargain.

Alamy Image B05WKG
Steps up to the front of the Emirates Palace Hotel, Abu Dhabi

Alamy Image B3T32P
Marble beach hut at the private 3km beach of the Emirates Palace Hotel

Alamy Image ATA39W
Camel Teeth

Rural Images

One of the advantages (there are many) of living in Northern Ireland is that the countryside is never far away, indeed for 3 days a year the countryside comes to Belfast with the arrival of the Balmoral Show. Farm folk have ways and means that the townies just can't understand. Powerwashing cows, and tractor pulled busses being just two.

Alamy image ATA9NT

Tractor and trailer used as a bus at a country fair.

Alamy Image B0PKP8
Boy power washes cattle at Balmoral Show

Alamy Image BAJ6B9
Row of vintage David Brown tractors

Alamy Image BBHJ5G
Contents of a derelict cottage lying outside

Religion Images

For those who know me, you'll know my religious viewpoint. For everone else, it doesn't matter, other than I've a bit of a fascination for all religions. I try to reflect this in my photography, and religious imagry is a particular passion.

On 25th July, myself and a fellow photographer will be embarking on the gruelling Croagh Patrick pilgrimage, and hopefully producing a collection of work from this. All photography on the day will be done with Olympus XAs running (probably) Fuji Neopan black and white film. None of this digital stuff for us!

Alamy Image B7NY1M
Picture of Pope John (Johannes) XXIII with Rosary Beads

Alamy Image BAEJBE
Gravestone supported by old branch, Saul Church, Downpatrick

Alamy Image BABMPD
Light from stained glass window falls on floor of church

Alamy Image BA0BJS
Handgun on a Qu'ran
(note: I've other images with handguns on bibles etc.... I don't pick on one group!)

Alamy Image B92EK
Wooden Collection plate with coins

Medical Images

One of my favourite subject areas are medical images. I've arranged a couple of shoots over the weekend to build up my portfolio in this area. Tomorrow morning's shoot will be at my local pharmacy: a stock agency has approached me with some specific requirements that I hopefully can meet for them.

In the mean time, here are some from my collection on Alamy:

Alamy image BAYHMA
Teenage boy lies in bed wearing mask, and reading the back of a box of Tamiflu

Alamy image BAYHK9
Tamiflu box and a face mask

Alamy Image B7NX7P
Selection of Gluten Free bread products, available on prescription

Alamy Image B33x94
Hypodermic needles poking out the top of an overflowing sharps box.

The Rebirth of the Smelly Wardrobes

I haven't posted anything here since before Christmas, I'll not go into the details, but being lazy is way up the list of excuses.

Smelly Wardrobes has been a bit like the Royal Variety Performance - a little bit of everything and lacking focus. Well, all that's going to change. SW will now become purely focused on my photography and a way for people to find my images on Alamy and other Stock sites.

I hope you like the new direction. (there's a joke in there)

Hello Aurient.co.uk

It's taken me the best part of a year to get around to it, but over the past few days I've created Aurient Photography. Feel free to have a browse around, and send comments.

As I now have photographs up for sale, both here and on Alamy, I've had a good weed of my Flickr photographs, removing anything from Flickr which I've got on sale elsewhere. This pained me, as I had many, many comments on some, and a few of which had made Flickr Explore. Still, needs must!

Visit Aurient Photography regularly - new content will be added on a regular basis.

Scott Kelby's Photowalk

Last Sunday myself and Adam spent a really enjoyable 3 hours in the company of 5 other keen photographers for the first "Scott Kelby Photowalk". The idea was to get as many people to photograph their surroundings as possible.

Well, I'm delighted to announce that I won the first prize for the Belfast photoshoot, and made it to Scott's winners forum.

Really chuffed!

This Week In Photography

If you know me, you'll know that I'm into photography and podcasts. One of the best combinations of both is This Week In Photography podcast. Visit the website or search for "TWIP" in iTunes. Highly recommended.