EMA Cuts Protest, London

Photos/media: Sarah Simmons

London, January 20, 2011. Yesterday hundreds of students gathered at Piccadilly Circus and subsequently marched to Parliament protesting the proposed cuts to the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA). The scheme, worth up to £30 per week for students with a household income less than £30,800, was designed to discourage the rising number of 16-18 year olds from opting out of further education. The government says the scheme is inefficient.

Thessaloniki 4

Greek Embassy, Holland Park, London.  Mainly dressed in black, many hiding their faces and one photographing the attending police, silent protesters show their support for the Thessaloniki 4, who were among a hundred people arrested following a demonstration at an EU summit held in Greece, in 2003.  In 2008 the four were jailed and yesterday marked the day of the beginning of the appeal trial.  One of the four, Simon Chapman, claims police planted petrol bombs and hammers in a sack which they forced him to carry.  This was recorded on video here.

Digging up old snapshots

Spent the evening rummaging through some old wedding snaps for a potential job with a studio in Georgia and this one's a favourite taken a few years back.

Actor Tom B

Actor and good friend Thomas Brandon asked me to shoot a few pics for his folio...this is my favorite of the bunch taken in Brick Lane, London.

First Entry

Having worked largely for tabloid newspapers over the past three years, it is now time to move away from the posed shot - a much needed change. The Dallas Morning News gave me some (much needed and appreciated) feedback on my folio - no more posing! This pic is of my friend and fellow photographer, Rhett Hammerton, finalist for the National Portrait Prize in Australia (nice!) - and is hopefully one of the last posed shots I'll take for my folio (ie, I'll still do plenty for $$ ;)).