Virginie and her father talking face to face on a quiet road, Canon AE-1, Ilford HP5 black and white film

Jean Paul Jacob, 1946 – 2026

I have written this article a thousand times in my head. Jean Paul Jacob was my father-in-law, and he taught me a lot of my French by arguing with me. This is the version that finally made it onto the page.

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Woman with crutches standing beneath the inverted glass pyramid of the Carrousel du Louvre, Fujifilm XT2, Paris 2020

A Day in Paris with My Daughter: The Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, and 127 Floors

A day trip to Paris with my daughter Kate in July 2020 — the Louvre, the Pyramide Inversée, and more steps than anticipated. Shot on Fujifilm XT2. Republished six years on.

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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 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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AI-generated illustration of a family portrait with sick father-in-law in a hospital bed, hero image for "Mon beau-père, ce héros", IJM Photography

Mon beau-père, ce héros

A bittersweet final chapter from our trip to Brittany—where a rogue mussel, a warm family lunch, and a hospital visit intertwine. This piece reflects on changing roles, quiet heroism, and the passage of time, with humour, tenderness, and a toast to a man who may be fading, but remains the man.

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