wear good shoes

Photograph because you love doing it, because you absolutely have to do it, because the chief reward is going to be the process of doing it. Other rewards -- recognition, financial remuneration -- come to so few and are so fleeting. And even if you are somewhat successful, there will almost inevitably be stretches of time when you will be ignored, have little income, or -- often -- both. Certainly there are many other easier ways to make a living in this society. Take photography on as a passion, not a career.

Alex Webb Magnum

hide now

Hide Now by Glyn Maxwell has been shortlisted for the T S Eliot Award. The winner of this prestigious award will be announced in January.

Maxwell's slim book of poetry was reviewed by Adam Newey in the Guardian on Saturday.

We would love Hide Now to win especially as Umi is appearing on the cover!

I received this message from Glyn in the summer - "By the way I love that cover image - my 11-year-old daughter asked me why I didn't use her face, so I said oh they used a professional model... Anyway your daughter did great, I'm delighted to have that cover!" best Glyn

precious lives

My photo essay was published on the guardian.co.uk today and after the terrible stories of child abuse this week it is good to know that there are many that treasure life and strive to save those in dire need.

obama

in praise of uclh's neonatal unit

Yesterday I had the privilege of photographing the last few hours of UCLH's Neonatal unit at the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital on Huntley Street before they moved to their new high-tech home. My children, Umi and Sol, both received treatment in the unit in 2001 and 2003 respectively.

Returning to the hospital brought back so many memories. I recognized - and was remembered - by some of the amazing staff that work tirelessly to save the lives of babies 24/7.

It was an emotional day - to experience again this strange warren of rooms where babies born many weeks early are sustained and protected until they are strong enough to be sent home. I met Mothers who had been by their babies sides for seven months, cradling tiny doll-like limbs, hands, feet and delicately fragile heads, until little by little the babies pull through. And new mothers with their precious scraps of life encased in plastic bubbles that they gently reach to hold and caress like no other treasure. My heart goes out to them.

The Neonatal unit is a world apart - a place between spaces - where miracles really happen right alongside the most unbelievable heartbreak.

book launch - street or studio

Tate Modern are planning a launch for the book on the evening of Friday 7 November as part of November's Late at Tate Britain.

'We'll be there with our friends from Flickr and Blurb, and we'll have some copies of the book for you to look at and a slideshow of the winners'. Tate Modern

The launch is part of the monthly Late at Tate Britain, and there's a bar, DJs, talks and tours, exhibitions and lots more - so come along and join the party!

nearly nothing

In the summer Louise Forrester, curator at the Viewfinder Gallery, invited me to be part of the Nearly Nothing exhibition that rekindled the historic debate as to whether photographers can be considered image makers rather than purely documenters. The exhibition further questioned how much information we need to read an image, whether we need to be able to read an image at all, and what level of accompanying text is required to make such images comprehensible.

It was a good experience to be invited to take part in the exhibition which bought together a group of international artists. I was extremely impressed with how Louise curated and organised the work and I look forward to the possibility of working with her on projects in the future.

Thank you Louise - and good luck with all future ventures.

Nearly Nothing...

By Viewfinder Photogr...

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