Four decades behind the lens. Six years of sharing the journey.
Welcome. I’m Ian — photographer, horn player, and writer living in the Vendée, near the Loire-Atlantique border. This blog has been running since 2019 and shows no sign of stopping.
You’ll find black and white film work, travel essays, orchestra photography, philosophical digressions about why any of us bother pressing the shutter, and the occasional camera review written by someone with strong opinions and a perhaps unreasonable attachment to grain. No algorithms chose what appears here. No agency wrote it. Just forty years of looking, and six of writing it down.
Start anywhere. Stay as long as you like.
Latest from the Field
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Becoming an Uncle – Respect and Community in China
In China, becoming an “uncle” isn’t just about family—it’s about respect, community, and tradition. This article explores the cultural differences in how age and wisdom are valued, reflecting on personal experiences of unexpected reverence, the selfie phenomenon, and the contrast between collectivist and individualist societies. Read more
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China – How a Journey Transforms a Man…
This reflective travelogue explores cultural contrasts and personal transformation during an orchestra tour in China. Blending photography, storytelling, and travel insights, it captures behind-the-scenes moments, the rhythm of daily life, and the evolving perspectives of a seasoned traveler. A journey through music, cultural exchange, and self-discovery unfolds in vivid detail. Read more
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Balancing Film and Digital: A Photographer’s Journey
Balancing film and digital photography is a challenge many photographers face. In this piece, I explore my dilemma before the China Orchestra Tour: should I shoot film or go digital? Weighing nostalgia, practicality, and travel restrictions, I ultimately chose the Fujifilm X100F. Here’s why it was the perfect choice. Read more
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China Homeward Bound – XianJu to Shanghai, Shanghai to Beijing, Beijing to Roissy, Roissy to Nantes, Nantes to St Hilaire.
Join me on a journey from XianJu to Shanghai, Beijing, Roissy, and back to Nantes. From long waits at airports to unexpected meals in China, this article recounts the adventures, challenges, and small moments of respite during an unforgettable trip. A personal travel narrative filled with experiences and reflections. Read more
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China – Shao Xing to Xian Ju
Discover the journey from Shao Xing to Xian Ju in this personal travel narrative. With vivid descriptions of China’s authentic streets, cultural imagery, and reflections on memory and endings, this piece blends humour with emotion. Explore the fleeting moments of a photographer’s last shots before heading home. Read more
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China – Shao Xing
Explore Shao Xing through the lens of a French orchestra tour. From humorous toilet encounters to the serene beauty of a park, this article captures the city’s cultural vibrancy. Discover the perfect blend of tradition and modernity in Shao Xing, offering a unique perspective on travel and local life in China. Read more
Featured Projects
- The UK Chronicles
Light, minimalism, and preparation.
Shot entirely on the Fujifilm X100F during a recent solo journey through Britain — a deliberate exercise in traveling light, seeing deeply, and preparing for the sensory overload of China. - The Film Archives
Memory in monochrome.
A vault unlocked: black and white film photographs from Nantes, Clisson, and beyond — captured long before this blog existed. Grain, patience, and timeless moments. - Photography Philosophy
Why do we do this?
Not a tutorial. Not a gear guide. A quiet exploration of purpose — the “why” behind the viewfinder. For those who photograph not to post, but to feel. - The Orchestra Visit to China
Culture, chaos, and concert halls.
A visual symphony from the road with the orchestra — temples, trains, backstage glances, and the electric silence before the first note.
About the Photographer
I am not an influencer. I am not a brand.
I am a photographer, ever so slightly stubborn, analogue at heart, digital when needed, and fiercely independent. I’ve been developing my own film since the 1980s. I built this blog in 2019, not for followers, but for focus.
I do not outsource my editing. I do not chase trends. I shoot what moves me, and I hope, sometimes, it moves you too.
“Commercial editing offers and unsolicited partnerships will not be published or replied to. This space is sacred; for art, not advertising.”
A Note from a Reader
“j’adore… il y a des jours avec, et les jours sans….”
— A kind visitor, September 2025
Stay in Touch
New work drops weekly — never spammy, always sincere.
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IJM Photography 
j’adore
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il y a des jours avec, et les jours sans….
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