My first commission

Ellen decided that she needed to make a photographic record of her more recent and some not so recent pieces of sculpture. And since I'd been playing with a fancy camera for the past six months, I got the commission.

So we moved furniture and took some pictures down from the wall to create a space for the pieces and for the photography. We were to rely on natural light as I have no idea on how to take photos any other way. We were also to rely on quantity - I took the view that, if you take enough, then the chances are that one of them will turn out to be acceptable.

I took loads ansdwas reminded of just how hard this can be and/or just how far I have to go. But there were enough which were acceptable so the commission was fulfilled.

And one of them had to be my blip. It is one of my favourite pieces - entitled 'Santuary Post'. It came from on old drawing and from a practice of farmers to keep crows away from their crops. Crows were shot with the dead carcases draped over the fence as a warning to others.

We used to think that a crow perched on a fence post had secured sanctuary. I really like the way the metal in the piece reaches out as if to offer safety.

I will not be paid for this commission. But I have acquired some credit which will come in useful. And Ellen has her photos.