David Wagstaff-Myers Photography

"It's not just about capturing what something looks like. It’s about capturing what it *feels* like.” An Inspiring Day with Patrick Legard of Legard Furniture Today, I had the privilege of joining Patrick Legard, the artisan behind Legard Furniture, for an inspiring photoshoot to showcase his stunning handmade wooden furniture. Patrick isn’t just a furniture maker; he’s a storyteller. Each piece he creates tells a tale of patience, precision, and passion.   As a photographer, capturing that story is just as important as photographing the piece itself. This blog offers a behind-the-scenes look at the day’s journey, from setting up the perfect shot to capturing the soul of Patrick’s creations. The Setup: Welcome to the Workshop Every photoshoot has energy, but walking into Patrick’s workshop was special. The space hummed with quiet creativity. The air was tinged with the fresh scent of sawdust and varnish, and large windows framed streams of natural light that danced across t...

  If you’ve ever stared at what you *think* is a competition-worthy image and wondered, “Is this actually any good, or am I just emotionally attached and slightly delusional?”, then this blog is for you. In this post, I’m lifting the lid on what really goes on in a judge’s head when your prints hit the panel: the mindset you need, the mistakes we see over and over again, and the tiny details that can quietly kill an otherwise beautiful image. We’ll talk blown highlights, grubby greys, over-sharpening, dodgy mounts, vignettes turned up to eleven, and why blindly following the latest photo trend might actually sink your chances. We’ll also get into mentors, titles, paper choice, time pressure (my personal kryptonite), and why the only real failure in competitions is simply not entering at all. If you’re thinking about qualifications, print competitions, or you just want to finish your images to a higher standard, grab a drink, have a read, and then go and do something brave with ...