Research Diary
A photography journal from an upbeat-pessimist — documenting beauty in overlooked places, tracing repetition, stillness, and slow collapse. Part research, part wandering, part attempt to make sense of the noise.
Tales from the Loop: In the Shadow of the Monolith
After weeks of anticipation, I finally held my first framed print from Tales from the Loop in my hands. Printed on Hahnemühle Photo Rag and finished with non-reflective art glass, In the Shadow of the Monolith came to life in a way that was both humbling and inspiring. In this post, I share the process of printing, framing, and exhibiting the work — and reflect on how it connects to the broader journey of the project.
Tales from the Loop: Discovering a Theory
In this reflective post, I explore the concept of hypernormalisation through my photographic project, The Loop. Inspired by Alexei Yurchak’s Everything Was Forever, Until It Was No More and Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, I discuss how ritualized walking and image editing reveal shifting perceptions of urban decay, endurance, and social critique in a dystopian landscape.
Tales from the Loop: When Apathy Strikes
After months of daily walks and image-making, I found myself caught between routine and restlessness. In Chapter Four, I explore the creative plateau — how I tried to push through it with experiments in abstraction, large-scale printing, and a surprising encounter with political theory.
Tales from the Loop: Repeating the Walk
Returning to the same route again and again, I began to see the value in repetition—not as limitation, but as revelation. Inspired by Georges Perec’s observational writing, this chapter explores how photographing the mundane transformed my creative process.
Tales from the Loop: Into the Shadows
A winter night walk through Manchester’s overlooked streets marked the turning point for my new series. A cold, concrete loop near the university revealed its darker side — quiet, strange, and full of charged stillness. This was when the images turned black and white, and the project began to find its voice.
Tales from the Loop: Finding Inspiration in Restriction
What began as a simple lens test became the start of a meditative black and white photo series exploring overlooked spaces and quiet moments on the edges of Manchester. Tales from the Loop uncovers the beauty in repetition, liminality, and the act of returning.
The Great Catalog Catastrophe: Lessons from Reorganising My Capture One Library
How a Capture One catalog mishap turned into a valuable experiment in photo editing, organization, and creative growth.
