My obsession with skateboarding began 45 years ago in the late 1970’s. At school, I seemed to be the only kid interested in skateboarding, as everyone else was obsessed with football.

I brought my first pair of Vans ‘Off the Wall’ skateboarding shoes from 'Trade Winds' a skateboarding store in Fulham Broadway, in London. They were the same shoes as those advertised in the Skateboarder Magazine. They were blue and red blue and I just had to have them! 

And so began my life long love affair with Vans, and to this day I cannot remember a time in my life when I did not have at least one pair in by wardrobe.

I first saw 'Dog-Town' skateboarding legend Tony Alva, aka ‘Mad Dog’ at the skatepark named after him, The Mad Dog Bowl (M.D.B) in the Old Kent Road, in South East London. The M.D.B was built inside an abandoned cinema, which meant you could skate all year around, without the great British weather ruining your day.

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  Tony Alva Skating at The Mad Dog Bowl in 1978 Photo Credit: Wynn Miller

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Fast forward 45 Years and I’m a little older and greyer, but still wearing Vans. Over the years I have tried to find a pair of Vans the same as my first pair, in the original red and blue colour, but without success.

As the kids are currently on summer holiday we decided to arrange a trip to Covent Garden. On Thursday evening, the night before the trip and at the end of a very stressful week, I had a strange sense that the next day, I would finally find my holy grail pair of Vans. Upon arrival at Covent Garden tube station, we decided to check out the Vans store first on the off chance that I may finally find what I have been looking for all these years.

Once in store I noticed some amazing old photographs of Tony Alva, from 1978 when he was on a UK tour. Whilst chatting with the friendly staff about the photographs, I mentioned seeing him at the M.D.B. It was then that I noticed a display of the original red and blue Vans that I had been seeking all these years! 

As if things couldn't get better they then informed me that the man himself Tony Alva (T.A) and Mr Vans Steve Van Doren (S.V.D) would be visiting the store later that day for a meet and greet session. I almost could not believe my ears, not only had I finally found my dream shoes, but I would also get to meet my heroes. 

All we had to do was to kill 6 hours before the in store meet and greet.

The hours passed slowly until it was eventually time to join the end of the friendly and well-mannered queue. My amazing wife had agreed to travel into central London to join us for this special event. We finally made it in inside the store, and down to the basement, to join another shorter queue for the meet and greet. Time seemed to stand still and after a brief word with T.A who signed my limited edition T-shirt,  agreed to a photo, and a high 5 handshake with S.V.D, we were back out on the street.

3532826c-f8fe-41ec-be8d-6eee594851bd                                                    Meeting Tony Alva 

We finished the end of a perfect day with a Pizza and a a weary train ride home. Later that night I didn’t sleep too well, as the excitement from the day was still bouncing around inside my brain.

So, the lesson I have learned is everything comes to those who wait (eventually) and meeting your childhood heroes is actually cool, and nothing to be feared.

A big shout out to the amazingly friendly staff at the Covent Garden store including the store manager Bella, for her warm words and the merch!  

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 My home studio homage to Tony Alva and Vans merch. Note the double spread at the bottom of the photograph is my old school art homework book, carefully wrapped with a photograph of Tony Alva, taken at the Mad Dog Bowl 45 years ago in 1978

So I decided to set myself a project to photograph as many different types of transport I could find, in and around Cattolica harbour.

Italy is a country famous for high performance sports cars, so I was disappointed to only see one Ferrari, and a classic Fiat X19. So far he only Lamborghini I have seen was on display at Bologna airport. I did also spot a couple of Ducati motorcycles

It seems that two wheels are as popular as four, with three wheelers also having their place. The classic Vespas and Piaggio scooters are very much part of daily life, as are the newer Piaggio MP3, three wheeled scooters. Bicycles are still very popular, but many are now e-bikes and also e-scooters. Electric golf type buggies are also a popular way of getting around.

The three wheeled Piaggio Ape (pronounced Ah-Peh) is a small commercial pickup, and are very common around the harbour. The dotto train is popular tourist attraction, but does not really count as a regular mode of transport.

Being on the coast, sailing boats and motor launches are common place, so no surprises there. What did surprise me was not seeing a single skateboarder, long-boarder, or anyone paddle boarding in the calm sea.

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   Ferrari F8

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   Classic Fiat X19

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   Piaggio MP3, E-Buggy and Mountain bike

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  Piaggio Ape (Ah-Peh) Commercial vehicle

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   Classic Yamaha RD400

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   Harley Davidson 

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   Honda Goldwing

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    Laid back scooter rider 

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   Inflatable and sailing yachts on the Porto Canale Cattolica

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   Sailing 

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   Dotto train and ghost rider

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Passing through Bologna it was very hot and humid and I did manage to get a bit char-grilled whilst taking the photographs of the rail tracks of Bologna Central station, (below). Thankfully our connecting train to Cattolica, was air conditioned, and departed on time, and our journey took only 1.5 hours. Travelling by train is a great way of seeing the Italian countryside, and I am always impressed by the Italian rail system.

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So far our holiday has been gone to plan, with no flight or rail delays, and the hotel in Gabicce Mare is comfortably familiar (we have stayed here before). It's great to be away from the doom and gloom of the UK economy, endless strikes, and the cost of living crisis.

We have also discovered a family of feral cats living around the swimming pool, that only seem to appear at night. The kittens love to play whilst their mum keeps a watchful.

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The Italians really know how to organise their beach fronts, with neatly arranged parasols and beach chairs as far as the eye can see, it may not be to everyone's taste but I love photographing it.

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The resort has a wonderfully family orientated feel, and the sunny blue sky and warm breeze is in stark contrast to our weather back home in London. I've just returned to the hotel, hot and sweaty to download some more pics, including an amazing flotilla of sailboats moored in the harbour, and a cool Ferrari, which I will post in my next blog.

Fast forward three years and I have used the power of positive thinking on many occasions and been surprised by the outcomes. I recently applied this technique to a photography assignment that I had lined up. I had photographed the same event the year before in 2022, and my client was disappointed that a key sponsors photograph had been missed at the networking BBQ. Last year's event was held the day after I had moved house, and I had not been as prepared as I would have liked. This year I was determined things would be different, and I began to mentally photograph the event in my mind at least four weeks before the actual event. I visualised being on top of my brief, successfully engaging with delegates, and that all of my photographs were perfectly exposed and in focus.

The event is hosted annually by the wonderful 5 star Taj Hotel in Buckingham Gate in Central London. It's always a treat to visit the hotel, which has a real sense of occasion. The BBQ in particular is one of the highlights of the day. The main conference room is very impressive, with dark wood panelling covering the walls and an amazing curved and recessed light well to the ceiling. However, as a photographer the conference room poses a real challenge. It's not very well lit, and the lighting is a mixture of exposed chandeliers fitted with halogen bulbs and flush downlighter bulbs. I'm no expert when it comes to white balance, but using the automatic white balance setting on my Nikon DSLR rendered all the images with a browny/yellow tinge. This is where knowing how to operate your camera equipment can really save you a lot of work in post production photo editing.     DSC_9437                                                                                                                                                          

The event went off without a hitch, and I was very pleased with my days photography. I spent the weekend sorting and editing my photographs, before submitting them for my clients approval. I'm please to say that my client was very pleased with this years photographs, and I have the satisfaction of knowing I did a good job. I certainly believe that the power of positive thinking had a part to play in it all!  If you are interested in viewing some more of the photographs from the event, I have added them to the Event and Brand Photography Gallery, under LLAS Event 2023.

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog, and the next time you need a parking space, have an important job interview or an exam, try the power of positive thought and you may be surprised by what happens.

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    The London Landlord Accreditation Scheme Training and Networking Event 2023 DJPX0018

The London Landlord Accreditation Scheme Training and Networking Event 2023

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I took the photo of Buddy below on Cooden Beach in East Sussex, using my Nikon D500 and trusty 300mm lens. I managed to capture him frolicking in the surf. When I look at this picture, I'm always reminded of a shark, as Buddy's fur behind his neck almost looks like gills. Again, it's all about timing, and being in the right place at the right time. It's not easy running along wet sand with a heavy camera and lens, trying to get 'the shot' but I love every minute of it!

_DSC6880 Although I enjoy all kinds of photography, I now mainly specialise in dog photography. There is something magical about capturing a dog's personality and character in the blink of an eye at 1/8000th of a second. When I am in the zone, I instinctively know when I have that ‘special shot’ and, I will do whatever it takes to get it. On one occasion I ended up lying chest down on a wet sandy beach, to get as low as possible to include the sea in the background (see Finn below).

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Dog photography can also be quite a hazardous, I once narrowly missed being kneecapped by two 35kg Labradors, play fighting and charging past me at top speed!  Despite the potential risks, my happy place is being surrounded by a group of dogs having fun, with my camera in hand.

It is important to remember that dogs age much quicker than we do, and sadly do not live that long. Maisy is our third miniature schnauzer, having lost Charlie at 6 years and Eddie at 5 years. Despite being short lived, I have a particular love of the miniature schnauzer breed, (it must be the eyebrows and the beard), Maisy is our bearded lady, and is a crazy as a box of frogs. She loves nothing more than stealing my slipper, and charging around the garden triumphantly daring me to try and retrieve it! When Maisy plays fetch, she never lets the ball go! (see below).

‘When Maisy plays fetch, she never lets the ball go!’
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I am really pleased with the photograph below of Maisy romping through the bluebells in the local woods. Everything was against me when I took this photograph, the evening light was fading fast, and I was struggling to get a descent shutter speed on my camera. I only managed 1/160 of a second at an aperture of f5.6 which is very slow, and my ISO was 1250. I was using a 300mm tele zoom lens, and Maisy was charging towards me at full speed. I managed to fire the shutter at just the right time to catch a shaft of light illuminating Maisy's eyes and face. You can see catch lights in both of Maisy's eyes, which if left unlit would have looked like black boot buttons.

Maisy in the bluebells I care passionately about the quality of my dog photography, and I will only show my best images to my clients. I use professional quality Nikon equipment, which is capable of capturing 10 frames a second, come rain or shine. To get an idea of the quality of my work, take some time to look at my website www.davidjamespage.zenfolio.com and view the Pro dog tog galleries. However, if you are looking for a static studio dog portraits, I am probably not the dog photographer you are looking for!

So if you have ever thought about arranging a FUN photo shoot with your four legged friend, get in touch (unlike some dogs I don’t bite) for a no obligation informal chat. We can discuss your needs and wishes.         

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   Me and Maisy, my best friend



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I recently found myself without a job due to my contract ending unexpectedly. I will not go into detail, but having worked in the same profession for over 40 years it did come as something of a shock. I could simply find another contract and probably start work immediately (due to the current staff shortages in my former area of work). However, I have not really been enjoying my role as an enforcement officer, which can often be stressful and confrontational. Photography on the other hand remains a constant pleasure in my life, and helped me to get through a difficult 2020.

Albert Einstein is often quoted as defining Insanity as 'doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result'. Would it be insane for me to get back into my former role, which is usually a case of 'the same meat, different gravy'. I am now at a bit of a crossroads in my life, being far closer to the end of my working life than at the beginning. My options seem to be carrying on as before and expecting a different outcome (insanity?) or considering just packing it all in and taking early retirement (sounds a bit boring) or I could try to make at least some of my income from doing something I love, photographing other peoples dogs..

I think that I have probably just answered my own question... of course I should at least give professional dog photography a go. Unfortunately, I am pretty lousy at marketing myself, so I will have to try and push through my natural modesty and lack of self belief. Over the past 7 years of photographing dogs, I have perfected the art of active dog photography, (as opposed to studio dog photography, which does not appeal to me in the same way). I therefore consider myself to have ability and credibility to make it as a Pro Dog Tog. I realise that I may still have to make part of my income from contracting, but at least I will be able to enjoy part of my remaining working life.

So, it's exciting times ahead, I just need to get to grips with the marketing side of things, so if you have any tips or suggestions, please feel free to leave me a comment.

Maisy and me

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fullsizeoutput_a15b      'Maisy the Moocher', our miniature schnauzer, frolicing on the beach at Rye Harbour, East Sussex.

We arranged to meet last weekend, and I took my trusty Fuji XE1 with 18-55mm zoom lens. Upon arrival, I set about rearranging the room in order to place the photo shoot adjacent to the bay window, where the sunlight was shining through the diffused net curtains. Sharon set up her tailors dummy, and had a number of tops and products that she wanted me to photograph, as well was some shoes and complete outfits that she was to model for the shoot. Despite not having a lot of available space to work, I was able to create a pleasing background complete with freshly cut flowers. Fortunately the sun shone throughout the shoot, and the light lit the clothing perfectly.  

Whilst this is not my usual subject to photograph, I really enjoyed the experience and it was great to catch up with my good friend. I am really proud of the photographs taken on the day, and they look great on Sharon's online store. 

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We set off on the walk and the dogs started to get stuck in to each other, play fighting and generally doing crazy stuff that dogs do. We came across a stagnant pool of green water, in a dipped circle of concrete (which may at one point have been used as a water supply for livestock). Ruby (a six month old Labrador puppy), dived into the middle of the green slimey stagnant water, and managed to fish out an old beer bottle. She was very proud of her find, and ran around with the foul smelling water pouring out of the bottle... We eventually managed to retrieve the empty bottle and disposed of it safely.

The boys also managed to get wet and have a drink from the water, which would almost certainly make any human being very ill. I'm always amazed by what dogs will attempt to eat and drink! 

It's a shame that we did not get to see the views of Eastbourne, far away Hastings, and Brighton's off shore wind farm, but that will have to wait for another visit. Like all good things, time flies when you're having fun, and soon the walk was heading back towards the car.

The boys and Ruby all had a lot of fun and so had we. I still miss not having my little side-kick Eddie around as it's hard being a dog photographer, without a dog... I'm sure that we will eventually make room for a new dog in our lives and our hearts, but for now I have to get my doggy fix from our friends and neighbours....

Bentley and Royce (below) are a lot of fun to spend time with.

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Ruby managed to find an old beer bottle at the bottom of a stagnant pool of water:

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She made sure she emptied every last drop of the green foul smelling liquid before we safely disposed of the bottle...

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We met some other great dogs on the walk including Derrick the Beagle, who enjoyed running around with Ruby...

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Ruby chasing after an un-named dog who just appeared from nowhere....

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Ruby and the boys managed to find time to snaffle some ripe blackberries for a quick snack...

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Ruby making the most of the walk, looking around for her next playmate...

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Heading back to the car after a fun walk on the beautiful South Downs..

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Eddie was my muse, and a major inspiration for getting into dog photography. He was such a fun little dog, and he helped our family get through the lockdown, by making us laugh and he was always up for a cuddle and a belly rub! As a photographer I am lucky that I have so many great photographs of Eddie to remind me what a fun dog he was. Loosing Eddie made me realise how important it is to keep a photographic record of who or what it is you really care about. For many people photographs of their dogs are stored on mobile phones and never get printed. If the phone break, gets lost or stolen these memories are lost forever. 

Our family is devastated by the loss of Eddie, and I have lost my best friend and companion. The house is too quiet without him, and I miss the sound of him shaking his collar, and his musty popcorn smell, and even his doggy breath. We will eventually get another dog, that will probably be another Schnauzer (it's the beard and eyebrows that does it for me), but we will never forget our black and silver furry friend,

Rest in Peace little man! 

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He was very photogenic, and always knew how to strike a pose!

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He was also a very handsome boy, and seemed to enjoy having his photograph taken. 

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No other dog has a bottom quite like a Schnauzer's!

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I really miss the little guy, but he will always be my boy!

Eddie was always ready for a belly rub, and lots of fussing

Eddie was never a big fan of getting his hair cut!

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Eddie was a pleasure to photograph, and I always seemed to be able to get great shots of him, like this one of him being chased by Alfie the Cockapoo.  

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As a family we had only recently decided to relocate from London to East Sussex, and moved in December 2019. Suddenly I found trying to come to terms with a new home in an unfamiliar area, a new job, and a deadly virus and a global Pandemic. Inevitably the stress of it all became to much for me, and I became quite depressed for a couple of months. My collection of cameras was left unused to gather dust, as I had no desire to take any pictures, and did not want to pick up my camera. In between trying to work from home, I found myself drawn to sitting in front of the television watching Sky news, watching the terrible pandemic unfold before my very eyes. Clearly this was not exactly uplifting viewing, and it did not do my mental health a lot of good. As a family with two children, we had to try and master home schooling, as well as home working, which is not easy when you are both Environmental Health Officers for local authorities, whose main job function is to undertake inspections of poor housing and in my wife's case restaurants take aways and care homes. The days became weeks as the relentless lockdown drove the world to the brink of madness, with the only light relief being the Thursday night clap for the NHS and key workers.

Gradually, little by little the situation started to improve, and the sacrifices we all made during the lockdown began to show some positive results. I also started to feel a bit better, and once again began to think about my unused cameras and photography. 

I have always been interested in dog photography, since starting a Facebook page called Barks in the Parks Dog Community. We slowly started to get to know our new neighbours, and their dogs and I decided that it was time to once again pick up a camera and point it at man's best friend. I became hooked once again, and started thinking about new places to photograph dogs. Having relocated to Bexhill on Sea, the beach seemed to be a good starting point. We arranged to meet a friend and her dog Gus, a black miniature schnauzer, and I was able to capture some fun shots of him enjoying the beach.  DSC_5262  

One of our new neighbours is the proud owner of two young Labradors, Bentley and Royce (Bentley below Left, and Royce below right). They are two of the most chilled out dogs I have ever met, and both are therapy dogs at a local hospital. I began to rediscover my enthusiasm for dog photography, and started to share their photographs on facebook once again. During this time I started to think about restarting a website, and decided the easiest option was to contact Zenfolio, as I have previously had one of their websites and I liked their inbuilt blog facility.   

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Coronavirus and the global Pandemic is still hanging around like an unwanted smell, or a house guest who has overstayed their welcome. We are all hoping that there will not be a second wave of Covid 19 cases, as the lockdown is eased further. It has been a huge relief to be able to go out taking pictures once again, without feeling like I'm breaking the law. I truly believe that my mental health would have nose dived without photography acting as my therapist. It's hard to feel depressed when you have two big soppy Labradors sticking their big noses into your camera lens. Let's all hope and pray that this is the beginning of the end of Coronavirus, and that better times are just around the corner for us all.