Ascendance - Through the lens….
From the Canvas to the Stage, Art Takes Flight at Sadlers Wells Theatre
City Academy proudly presents Ascendance, a breathtaking fusion of dance, music, and art, brought to life in collaboration with Chelsea Arts Club and Kingston University.
At Sadler’s Wells Theatre—a space synonymous with the evolution of contemporary dance Ascendance unfolded not just as a performance, but as a layered collaboration of artistic voices. Featuring creatives across choreography, music, and visual arts, forming something closer to a living ecosystem than a traditional stage show.
Photographing the dress rehearsal in addition to the performance gave me the unique opportunity to move within the performance and capture moments from an alternative perspective.
The choreography itself spanned an unusually wide spectrum of styles. Contemporary alongside Flamenco, the precision of Ballet contrasting with the rhythmic pulse of Salsa and Commercial dance. From my perspective the variance of movement and the live projections required constant adjustment to accommodate the changing light and the depth of field consideration.
The curators—represented through a roster of choreographic voices including Nuria Garcia, Dani K, Maksym Shpachynskyi, Rory Cubbin, Kirill Burlov, Adrian Del Arroyo, and Rachel Hollings—together constructed a programme that felt intentionally plural. Rather than imposing a single aesthetic, each choreographer’s style had space to breathe, while maintaining an overarching cohesion.
A standout presence within this framework was guest artist José Agudo. His movement quality—rooted in contemporary technique yet deeply influenced by theatrical storytelling, there’s a weight to his gestures, a grounded intensity that resists being reduced to a single frame.
Equally vital to the experience—the live music performances and bespoke prerecorded pieces dovetailed perfectly with the choreography and projections, such attention to detail, an additional atmospheric elevation.
Lastly the original immersive visual projections, transformed the stage into something fluid and unstable—a shifting canvas that the dancers moved within and against. Photographing these moments required a careful negotiation: exposing for the performers without losing the texture of the projected art. Through the view finder, at times this could be quite hypnotic and I had to frequently remind myself not only to watch but remember to capture too.
Ascendance wasn’t a single story—it was many, told simultaneously, across bodies, sounds, and surfaces…. So much expression and joy on display it really was a pleasure to photograph.
My special shout out to my good friends Anastasia Beltyukova and J C Wright, responsible for some truly awe inspiring visual projections and original music respectively.
Blue Through the Lens…
Blue Through the Lens: Photographing John Terry’s 26ers in the UK Baller League
Being a Chelsea fan isn’t just a football allegiance—it’s a way of seeing the world. Blue-tinted memories, blue-shirted heroes, blue Mondays after tough results. And for me, as a photographer, that way of seeing quite literally comes through a lens. So when I got the call that I’d be shooting John Terry’s 26ers competing in the UK Baller League, it felt like two worlds colliding in the best possible way.
John Terry - Captain Leader - Legend
Blue Through the Lens: Photographing John Terry’s 26ers in the UK Baller League
Being a Chelsea fan isn’t just a football allegiance—it’s a way of seeing the world. Blue-tinted memories, blue-shirted heroes, blue Mondays after tough results. And for me, as a photographer, that way of seeing quite literally comes through a lens. So when I got the call that I’d be shooting John Terry’s 26ers competing in the UK Baller League, it felt like two worlds colliding in the best possible way.
I’ve photographed grassroots football and academy kids chasing dreams—but this was different. This was JT. Captain. Leader. Legend. A man whose career I’d watched from the stands of Stamford Bridge, now building something new on the touchline of a fast-growing, culture-heavy league that thrives on personality as much as performance.
Arrival: That Familiar Aura
The venue buzzed before a ball was even kicked. Music thumped, cameras rolled, creators milled about—but when John Terry walked in, the temperature changed. Same presence. Same posture. The armband may be gone, but the authority isn’t.
From behind the camera, I caught myself smiling. Not fanboying—focusing—but still, this was the man who lifted trophies in blue while I screamed myself hoarse at the telly. Now I was documenting his next chapter.
The 26ers: More Than a Name
The 26ers warmed up with intent. Sharp passing, constant communication, no wasted movement. You could see Terry’s fingerprints all over them—organisation, accountability, standards. Every huddle, every instruction from the sidelines, felt purposeful.
Through the Lens, Through the Heart
One sequence stuck with me. A defensive stand—scrappy, chaotic, proper football chaos. A block, a tackle, the ball cleared. I snapped JT mid-celebration, shouting instructions that probably echoed across Stamford Bridge in another life. That frame felt poetic. Past and present colliding at 1/1000th of a second.
It reminded me why I fell in love with football—and photography—in the first place. It’s not just goals, it’s an identity a belief.
Full Circle
As the final whistle went, I lowered my camera and took it all in. Content creators rushed the pitch. Players laughed, argued, embraced. And John Terry? Still directing, still mentoring, still demanding more.
Walking away, camera heavy around my neck, I realised how lucky I was. A Chelsea fan documenting a Chelsea legend building something new. Football evolves, leagues change, platforms grow—but the essence remains.
From Stamford Bridge to the Baller League.
From the stands to the sidelines.
From supporter to storyteller.
Blue. Always.
Love definitely not the drug here! Photos from a raided North London Cannabis farm.
Love definitely not the drug here! Photos from a raided North London Cannabis farm.
Fine dining at the Hornsey Hanoi Hilton....
Some of you may have read the Guardian article a few weeks ago detailing the story of a Vietnamese cannabis farmer. This is a truly tragic tale of enslavement, human trafficking and child abuse (see link at the bottom). The following photos are from a Cannabis factory on the northern borders of Crouch End - post raid. Most of the electrical equipment has been removed, sadly a good deal of it after the arrests – scavenged and poached probably destined for a similar facility. However, what remains is the degradation, squalor and shocking sanitary conditions. The (only) washing/toilet area and makeshift kitchen would easily give Trainspotting a run for its money. Tubing hangs lifeless from the ceiling where machinery was once attached and the stench even though the plants are long gone is overwhelming.
The only functioning washing area and Toilet.....
While the Guardian successfully documents the unimaginable suffering of this child worker’s existence these photographs give you insight in to the conditions he would have been subject to. There is no way of knowing if the workers in this particular facility were there against their will but it’s safe to say if they had options it probably wouldn’t be a chosen profession.
So if you partake regularly or on an occasional basis in such products spare a thought for those with least to gain in this industry. Your product is most likely not fair trade or ethically produced and may well have come from a similar operation.
No Windows.... No Natural light..... and extremely short on hope.....
Guardian article - Trafficked, beaten and enslaved - https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/31/trafficked-beaten-ensaved-life-of-cannabis-farmer-vietnam
Hornsey Police drugs bust tweet https://twitter.com/MPSHornsey/status/951418537142255617
Six Day London - The worlds biggest Cycle Disco!!
Mark Cavendish - Six Day London, 2016
Those that know me - know I love cycling. It's something I always come back to for centring and replenishment, road to clear my head and off road for pure fun. I've been a big fan of "the Tour De France" for many years but until recently my knowledge of track cycling has been limited to say the least. However that all changed when I got an invite to Six Day London in 2015, an event held at the Lee Valley VeloPark, home of London 2012 Olympic track cycling. The event as it says on the tin is a six day race where pairs of riders take turns to lead while the other takes a coasting lap, then slingshots the other rider on the change over. It's chaotic, mesmerising and thoroughly entertaining. This is all done under a blanket of night club lighting while a DJ pumps out floor fillers on race change overs. Other events on the day include Sprint, Derny, 250mm Madison TT and Kerin racing, a great back drop to to take it all in if you've never witnessed it before.
The return invite in 2016 did not disappoint and featured two of the UK's most accomplished riders:- Tour winner "Sir Bradley Wiggins" and 30 time Tour stage winner (!!!) "Mark Cavendish". The biking mod father and the Manx missile. The rumour is one or both are heading back for 2017 (October), Strongly recommend you give it a go and I promise it won't fail to entertain.
PS. Book early.... tickets go fast fast fast....
Bradley Wiggins - Six Day London, 2016
Six Day London, 2016
Bradley Wiggins - Six Day London, 2016
Six Day London 2016
Mark Cavendish