Belfast Northern Ireland

I am back in Northern Ireland on a commission to photograph "Peace" Walls. The center of Belfast seems a less oppressive place since I was here photographing in 1995-2000. But leave the town center and the changes dissappear. The outer neighbourhods seem stuck in a time warp. I am not saying that the place has not changed but the physical landscape certainly has changed little.

Belfast is a wonderful place to photograph and my first afternoon was a joy as I photographed Alexandra Park, the only park in Western Europe divided by a wall. I will be here for three days with the Observer writer Sean O'Hagan. Sean is a brilliant writer to work with as a photographer. His understanding of photography is a rarity in the world of journalism.

Sean and I had dinner with Paul Seawright. An amazing photographer and teacher, his work is thought provoking and serious. I listened to Paul and Sean speak at length on the current state of photography peppered with mad stories about photographers. Lots of fun.

Also met the Dutch photographer Rob Hornstra. Rob is working on a 5 year project about Sochi, Russia and the run up to the Winter Olympics in 2014. He is doing a detailed study on the region surrounding Sochi and obviously he is questioning the question of setting the winter olympics in a region scarred by war and political violence. Rob is a fine example of the quality high end of self publishing as well as independent funding. He is a model for any serious photographer wishing to work in a documentary vein in the fast changing digital world we live in.