Mesmerising. That's one way to describe Madeleine Peyroux's presence - and voice - in a packed Hall One at the Sage, Gateshead, on 22nd November 2009. Currently touring in support of her excellent 'Bare Bones' album (her first with completely self-written material), I was there to capture some shots:

After almost a year of research and preparation I am so proud to officially announce the launch of Photo Journeys - a selection of workshops and photo holidays from yours truly.

These are photography workshops hopefully like no other. In addition to photographing wonderful locations (Venice, Paris, Northumberland, Durham and Newcastle initially) anyone attending these workshops will literally be taken on a journey - through the art, culture, food and drink of the area we're studying. Technique is one thing - we'll cover it - but soaking in the sounds, smells, movement and vibrancy of a location is another. For example, we won't just take pretty pictures in Venice. We'll eat 'cicchetti', examine the architecture and art, set up in St Mark's Square and shoot professional models with portable studio lighting at midnight.

That's not just a photo workshop - it's a Photo Journey.

The aim is to create workshops and learning experiences you'll remember for the rest of your life. Whether it's in the UK or abroad, for one day or more, you'll have images to take home like nothing you've ever shot and an experience with like-minded enthusiasts that you'll cherish forever.

This is not something I've undertaken lightly. The last 12 months has seen attendees on my workshops shoot TV stars and nationally-published models, learn professional photography techniques and create shots like never before. Our feedback has been overwhelming, with one corporate client declaring it was 'the best workshop we've ever attended'.

With absolutely zero promotion so far, we've already half-filled our Black and White Darkroom workshop in Newcastle.

For more information, check out the website at www.photo-journeys.co.uk, call me on 0191 3845600 or email me. Your own Photo Journey is waiting.

Posted via email from Dylan Baker's posterous

Two magazine articles in a month - following on from the Digital Photographer spread, I’m also featured over 3 pages in this months Digital Camera Essentials magazine.

The article looks at some of the kit I use as a working commercial pro and how some of my images were put together - the reasoning behind them and the lighting, equipment etc used to achieve the looks.

I am now officially getting 'older'.

This is an undeniable fact confirmed by a liking for nostalgia that I've started to exhibit. Those of you in the know will already be aware that I've started using film again (although all my commercial work is still shot digitally). I'm loving it, by the way, and quite enjoy the strange looks I get when people realise the camera I'm using doesn't have a screen on the back.

We're also still converting a former stone barn across from the studio into a permanent darkroom, a project that has been slightly delayed by the atrocious Parcel2Go.com who, after inexplicably 'losing' a 6ft long darkroom sink for 3 weeks on a tour of the UK have now confirmed it is in their possession and utterly destroyed. Clowns.

But perhaps the biggest shocker of all is not photography-related. In a fit of retro-madness I have (shock! horror!) bought a CD player. Yes, you read correct. I have always been a music nut and have finally come to my senses. After years of listening to trashy-sounding MP3s on iPods and the like I have been at odds to understand why they sound so poor. Er, because they're crap?

I have dusted off the CD collection in the loft, hooked up a CD deck to the amp and have been astonished at the sheer aural loveliness. It's like I've fallen in love with music all over again. Seriously, what was I thinking all these years? It may be cool to have 4.9 trillion songs on your phone but what's the point if they sound like they were recorded in a concrete sewer? I'll stick with 14 tracks and 74 minutes on a disc in future, thanks.

I'm going to be photographing the wonderful Madeleine Peyroux this weekend - I think she'd be proud.

Now, if you fancy a chuckle that is photography-related, check out NYC based Bob Scott's spoof reviews of the Canon EOS 1D Mk4 and Nikon D3S below.

There's few things these days that really make my jaw drop but the Lumiere Festival, a four-day event currently taking place here in Durham, is one of them. This is what happens when first-class creatives and artists come together.

There's always naysayers for events like these. It's inevitable. But the sheer spectacle of seeing something like this - a world class festival of light and art - brings together generations and puts smiles on people's faces. It would take the hardest of cynics not to be in awe of 'Crown of Light', the awesome transformation of Durham Cathedral into a moving canvas, let alone some of the other terrific works around the city.

I was lucky enough to be asked to take some pictures and write a blog entry on the Lumiere site (click here) by Artichoke, the production company responsible for this and other great spectacles such as Anthony Gormley's recent work with the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square.

Check out my article here: 'The Best for Photography'

Some of my images from Lumiere are below. One thing I will say - on that cold, slightly wet November opening night in Durham I don't think I've ever seen so many people, of so many ages, walking around with a mixture of happiness, wonder and sheer amazement. In these difficult times, that has to be a good thing.

I'm featured in a 4-page article in this months Digital Photographer magazine (www.dphotographer.co.uk). The article focuses on my creative commercial stock photography and features some great shots of models Katie, Jessica and 'Gladiator' Daniel Singh that you may have all seen on this blog recently.

It's always wonderful to see your work in print - especially in a glossy, big-selling national magazine - but this one is particularly sweet as it completes the change in direction I've been undertaking with my photography and the business in the last year.

Digital Photographer is a terrific magazine, chock-full of great images and techniques and I'm proud to have been featured so prominently in it. If you're near a newsagent, go in and grab a copy.

If you're even remotely interested in photography and in the North East of England you need to had to the Baltic in Newcastle/Gateshead to check out Parrworld. Martin Parr divides opinion to say the least but make up your own mind. Check out the Malcolm McLaren work, Shallow, while you're at it. It's, er, interesting.

While you're down the Quayside wander over to the Side Photographic Gallery, one of Newcastle's best-kept secrets. It's currently hosting Byker Revisited by Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen. I can credit Sirkka-Liisa with starting my interest in medium and large-format photography. Her exhibition (The Coal Coast) at Baltic back in 2003 was my first experience of walking into a room and being in awe at the colour and detail possible in a photograph.

It's been a rough couple of weeks here after some unwelcome visitors decided to smash the studio door down and steal all my biscuits.

Anyway, things are getting back to normal now and we have some new tunes playing here - in particular 'Break Up' by Pete Yorn and Scarlett Johansson. Now I'm a big Yorn fan (I'll never forget discovering 'musicforthemorningafter' while snoozing in a Venice apartment) but Scarlett Johansson? Don't mock - it all works beautifully. And 'Relator' (below) is super-catchy - if you're not humming that tune by the second chorus I have the number of a good doctor.

Some bad news - the studio was broken into last night for the second time in a few months. Please bear with us while we get things back to normal again.