So – does the world need another shot of coffee beans? Probably not. However, in a world that’s hungry for coffee bean shots I’d like to think this one stands out from a host of others if only because it’s a brass bowl instead of a cup. I have a theory that to be seen in a crowd you need pink hair or a leopardskin coat…..well, that’s unless the crowd is doing that, then probably waders and a barbour hat will do it.

How I love these little brass bowls that I bought on ebay for £3 for three. I reckon they’ve already done me proud and I’ve by no means finished with them yet.

That little tip from my photography course last year (you remember the one – use the studio lights to get the exposure right then a long exposure to use the tungsten modelling light to give a gentle warmth to the shot) – well I think it’s just about the best little lesson I’ve ever come across.

In my experimentation and exploration of my chosen subject, I need to work out whether it’s best to take a common subject then take a bit of a different approach or just to look for gaps, where there is either nothing or nothing that’s any good. I’ve done a bit of both and am now watching progress so I can try to interpret the results and therefore maximise the opportunity.

Bloody hell – there I go again – it’s my thirtieth anniversary in market research in 2008 and it shows. Set up a test of your ideas, measure the outcomes then modify behaviour/actions accordingly. That’s what I spend my life telling clients to do and so I must make sure that I practice what I preach or that I walk the walk, not just talk the talk. So, she falls into a quagmire of cliché and hackneyed phrases yet again, only this time it’s both visually and orally!

Last year I was on the beach at Perranporth watching my dear friend surf!