Hero illustration for Sit Rep IJM, a personal essay on exhaustion, fury, and family love, IJM Photography

Sit Rep IJM

This is not a recovery story. It’s not inspirational. It doesn’t end with light breaking through clouds. This is a raw, unfiltered Sit Rep—written in the thick of exhaustion, fury, and familial love that persists despite everything. If you’ve ever smiled while screaming inside, resented the people you’d die for, or wondered why “self-care” feels like another chore—you’re not alone. No advice. No solutions. Just one photographer’s voice in the dark.

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Fine art photography print featured in The Collection at IJM Photography, Fujifilm X100F, museum-quality archival print

The Collection

Six luxury fine art prints, made to last — from Hangzhou’s misty paths to Shenzhen’s sizzling night streets. Each printed on archival paper, signed, and shipped with care. A quiet collection for those who see deeply.

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Hero illustration for A New Chapter, announcing the launch of the IJM Photography museum-quality print-on-demand collection

A New Chapter for IJM Photography

IJM Photography now offers a curated collection of museum-quality, print-on-demand photographs—intimate fragments of light, memory, and place. Featuring timeless black and white and rich colour images, each 8×10 inch print is crafted on archival paper, ready to bring quiet beauty to your home. Discover moments captured with care, now shared with you.

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Nikon FE Review: Features and User Experience

My Nikon FE—bought from my HR director—has accompanied me from Nantes’ cobbled streets to Lourdes and the Pyrénées mountains. This 1978 aperture-priority SLR rewards deliberate, unhurried photography. With its tactile dials, viewfinder aperture display, and M90 battery-free mode, it’s the perfect companion for film shooters who value feel over function.

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Black and white photograph of the wall memorial to John Manderston, Lord Provost of Edinburgh, and his spouse Petra Orme, framed by vine leaves, a fallen stone urn at its base.

NORTHUMBRIAN SUMMER PART IV

A heartfelt father’s day in Edinburgh during festival season—magic shows, St. Giles Cathedral, Greyfriars Bobby, and a geek bar surprise. Northburiian Summer, Part IV blends travel, faith, family, and memory in a moving personal essay about parenting, loyalty, and the quiet magic of being present with your children.

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Black and white photograph of Princes Street, Edinburgh, the Scott Monument and National Gallery in the distance, a tram stop and a double-decker bus, a white-haired woman crossing.

NORTHUMBRIAN SUMMER PART III

Father-daughter memoir: Edinburgh 2025. After years splitting time between three kids, a dad gives his 15-year-old daughter solo “Dad time” in Scotland. She rejects H&M’s body-shaming, claims a tartan étole, and chooses a claddagh ring—right hand, heart free. A legacy of belonging. Not travel writing: who we become in places we’re given.

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Black and white photograph of the mouth of Craster harbour between two stone piers, fishing boats moored against the walls and open sea beyond.

NORTHUMBRIAN SUMMER PART II

Lyrical UK travel writing meets documentary photography. Preserving Northumberland’s soul through M&S sandwiches, pub pints, and the sacred “incense at mass” of smoked fish.

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Black and white photograph of a man walking down a stone-built Alnmouth village street, a red telephone box on the right and cars parked along the kerb.

NORTHUMBRIAN SUMMER PART 1

Back in Alnmouth, summer takes a slower shape. A walk with my dad, a hello in the village shop, an espresso and muffin at Scotts. Nothing dramatic, just small rituals that somehow mean everything. This is Part 1 of Alnmouth 2025—a story of home, family, and quiet moments.

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Black and white film photograph of children walking to the Grotto in Lourdes, Pentax ME Super with Kentmere 100, July 2025

Summer 2025 Part IV.  What I Gave Them at the Grotto.

A father reflects on one final family trip to Lourdes in What I Gave Them at the Grotto, a heartfelt essay about faith, fatherhood, and the quiet moments that shape a child’s soul. As his children grow older, he grapples with what it means to pass on belief—not through preaching, but through presence. Set against the sacred landscape of southern France, this personal narrative weaves Mass, memory, and a grainy film photograph into a meditation on legacy, letting go, and the imperfect love that lasts a lifetime.

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Photograph from the summer 2025 road trip to Lourdes, faith and family in the Pyrenées, IJM Photography

Summer 2025, Part II: Faith, Family, and the Road to Lourdes

A family road trip to Lourdes in summer 2025 — film photography, the Pyrenees, faith, and laughter with the Nikon FE, ME Super, and Ilford HP5.

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Photograph from the summer 2025 road trip to Lourdes, IJM Photography

Summer 2025. Part I: Beer, Bad Decisions, and the Road to Lourdes

Beer, family, and a spontaneous road trip to Lourdes — shooting film on the Nikon FE and Pentax ME Super with Ilford HP5 this summer 2025.

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