deanleivers.bsky.social

A scenic coastal view with a clear blue sky and calm ocean stretching to the horizon. In the foreground, wild grasses and plants with dried seed heads add texture and earthy tones, contrasting with the vibrant blue water.

Three people sit together on a large rock by the seaside, facing the ocean. The person in the center wears a colorful striped sweater and light trousers, holding something in their hands. The person on the left wears a striped long-sleeve shirt and shorts, while the one on the right wears a floral shirt and shorts. Behind them, waves roll in and a distant coastline is visible under a clear sky.

Waves crash energetically against large, dark rocks along a rugged shoreline. Some rocks are speckled with barnacles or marine growth, adding texture. The ocean behind is calm under a clear blue sky, while the splashing water in the foreground captures the dynamic force of the sea.

A close-up of a hand holding two ripe blackberries. The person is wearing a pink dress with a pattern of dark blue and white shapes. The background is a paved surface, possibly a sidewalk or road. The image emphasizes the rich texture and deep color of the berries against the soft tones of the hand and dress.

Final image selection from a week away in beautiful Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 📷

#photography #holiday #digitalphotography #wales #landscapephotography #portraitphotography #seascape

Dense cluster of lush green fern fronds overlapping each other, with intricate leaf patterns and deep shadows.

A bright yellow corner of an umbrella or tent stretches diagonally across the upper right, set against a blue sky with soft, scattered white clouds.

A close-up cluster of green and pink-tipped flower buds, tightly packed together, showing detail and texture of the plant.

A warehouse with an open garage door revealing stacks of orange bags piled on blue pallets. The bags are organized in rows and columns, filling the space from the floor to near the ceiling. The exterior of the building is painted pink, and black pipes run vertically along the wall next to the door. A fluorescent light is visible on the ceiling inside.

More views from Wales. Heart is full! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

#photography #holiday #digitalphotography #wales

A close-up of a dark plaque with gold lettering that reads "TYMAWR," mounted on a teal-painted brick wall. The sign is slightly weathered, and the wall has a textured, geometric pattern.

A blurry view of a coastal landscape taken through a dirty car windshield. The photo shows a bright sky and sunlight reflecting off the ocean, with grassy cliffs in the distance. The windshield has visible smudges and dust particles, partially obscuring the view.

Some bits and bobs I spied in Wales so far. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

#photography #holiday #digitalphotography #wales

A gloved hand is seen handling photographic prints submerged in a shallow plastic tub filled with liquid, outdoors on the grass. Blue patterns are visible on the prints, and there are items such as a glove, a yellow flower, and cardboard sheets nearby.

A scene showing three black-and-white photographic prints laid out on grass alongside a makeshift pinhole camera made from a silver beer can covered in black tape. The prints depict landscape scenes with varying contrasts, likely results from a darkroom photography workshop. A person's shoe is partially visible in the top left corner.

A group of people are sitting along a wall in a dark room illuminated by red light, commonly used in photographic darkrooms. One person is standing at a table with trays and photographic equipment, suggesting a workshop setting.

A close-up of round sugar cookies wrapped in clear plastic with blue ribbons. The cookies have a scalloped edge white icing base with blue airbrushed patterns resembling snowflakes or abstract designs. They are placed on a blue fabric or tissue background.

What a brilliant day yesterday, turning the football changing rooms in Newton Pavillion into a darkroom for a community workshop for Greater Creative's 'Home Truths' project. Participants had a go at making their own Cyanotype prints plus making photographs using a beer can camera! 📷

#photography

A dimly lit room illuminated by a red safelight, commonly used in darkroom photography. The room has trays on the floor for chemical processing, a red light bulb on a stand, and storage items like plastic bags and boxes along the side. There is a photo enlarger or stand in the upper left corner.

A hand holds a homemade pinhole camera made from a recycled beer can labeled "Lost Planet First Lager." The top of the can is covered with black tape, and a rectangular piece of tape likely conceals the pinhole opening used for capturing the image.

A black and white photographic print soaking in a white tray filled with liquid. The image appears to show a landscape or road scene, partially developed, with a round, shiny metal object (possibly a weight or tool) resting beside it.

A black and white photograph, possibly a pinhole camera image, shows a landscape with a horizon line and some trees or distant structures. The image features bright and dark areas with visible light leaks or exposure bands, giving it a hazy, experimental look. Part of another similarly styled photo with vertical light streaks and exposure marks is partially visible underneath. Both photos rest on a white surface, suggesting a darkroom or photographic workspace.

It's been really fun getting back to my photography roots this week. Constructing a small darkroom set up and playing with pinhole cameras again. Hopefully the participants on tomorrows workshop will enjoy it too! 📷

#photography #eastmidlands #workshops #darkroom #pinholephotography #cyanotype

Cover image featuring abstract artwork of a faceless, red-hued figure against a dark background with white vertical lines. The text reads: "This Month I've Mostly Been... (July 2025)." To the right of the figure is the book title "The Reluctant Fundamentalist." At the bottom, the URL "deanleivers.substack.com" is visible.

'This month I've mostly been…'

My monthly round up of the books, films and music that have slotted into life between the usual work/life activities!

Find the short read here open.substack.com/pub/deanleiv...

A panoramic collage of a red-brick school building taken from various angles. The image appears to be digitally stitched together from multiple photos, creating a slightly distorted but comprehensive view of the school grounds, including outdoor play areas, ramps, and entrances.

A stack of blue cyanotype prints featuring white leaf silhouettes soaking in a large plastic or ceramic tray filled with water. The prints show clear leaf outlines created through exposure to sunlight.

A yellow rubber duck splashes into clear water with bubbles and ripples around it. Above the duck, bold red text reads "Make Bathtime Fun Again!" In the lower left corner, there is a gold and red "Imperial Leather" logo.

I spent the back end of this school year having a great time working with Year 3 at Priestsic Primary School on the Captivate artist in residence project.

Here's a snippet of some of the work we've made together 📷

#photography #eastmidlands #freelance #ArtistInResidence #Artsmark

A fresh strawberry splashes into a clear glass of water, captured mid-motion with droplets flying outward. The glass sits on a white surface outdoors, with a blurred background of buildings and blue sky.

My mentee really made a splash this week!

Getting to grips with camera settings and making good use of the great weather while we have it 📷🌞

#photography #mentoring #eastmidlands #Derbyshire #freelance

Person kneading dough on a wooden board lined with parchment paper, surrounded by baking essentials including a bottle of olive oil, blue mixing bowl, wooden spoon with dough residue, and an open book.

Image spread: A selection from a recent shoot for Platform Thirty1 📷

The working party for the 'Home Truths' project gathered at Grow Outside to make their own bread and butter.

www.deanleivers.co.uk/journal/7896...

#photography #eventphotography #eastmidlands #Derbyshire #freelance

Close-up of a vibrant flower with pink and yellow petals radiating from a bright orange and red center.

Close-up of shiny green ivy leaves with water droplets resting on the surface, captured in natural daylight.

Cyanotype prints of leaves and ferns placed on a round, weathered outdoor table next to a potted plant with vibrant red flowers. A person's turquoise shoe is partially visible in the lower part of the frame.

My recent relocation has given rise to the opportunity to work with new mentees. Last week saw my first session with a young man who's VERY enthusiastic about photography. Take a look at some of the stunning images he made following our walk around the local area! 📷

#photography #mentoring

A person wearing a bright yellow traditional dress with colorful embroidery and floral patterns stands in front of a teal backdrop decorated with hanging flowers. They hold a small decorated drum (dhol) strapped across their body and yellow cloth in one hand, with a feather in the other, suggesting participation in a cultural or folk performance.

Blog Post: Image spread from recent shoots for The Spark Arts for Children in Leicester 📷

www.deanleivers.co.uk/journal/7881...

#photography #eventphotography #Leicester #eastmidlands #freelance

Ha! We've all done it :)

I loved it, I've got the feeling it'll be in a lot of folks stockings this Christmas!

This Month I've Mostly Been...(June 2025) What a month!

'This month I've mostly been…'

Moving house! So whilst I didn't manage much in the realm of leisure, there were still a few interesting things that grabbed my attention.

Have a read here: open.substack.com/pub/deanleiv...

A young child wearing a red apron is engaged in a sensory play activity, holding up hands covered in colorful foam, standing indoors by a window. Photo credit: Dean Leivers

Children’s hands reaching for pieces of sliced fruit and cucumber on a yellow plate, with a green cutting board and a knife visible on the table. Photo credit: Dean Leivers

A smiling young boy sits at a lunch table with green trays and blue cups, surrounded by other children in a school cafeteria. Photo credit: Dean Leivers

A young girl sits at a table holding markers while a teacher with a Greenfield Primary School lanyard helps her with a drawing activity. Photo credit: Dean Leivers

A recent shoot for Greenfield Primary School saw me spending some time with the Pre-School creating promotional images for their new website. A really fun shoot with lots to photograph, I had lots of interest in the camera equipment too!

Image set on the blog: tinyurl.com/GreenFieldPre

A book cover titled "Wilful Amateur" by Sian Bonnell. The cover image features a serious-looking person in a white outfit with red and blue trim, wearing a large, whimsical red plastic spiral collar around their neck. The background is a minimalist white space. Photo Credit: Sian Bonnell

A person stands in a sparse white room with a cardboard box covering their head and upper body. Their arms are raised above the box, and they are wearing shorts and sandals. The scene is playful and absurd. Photo Credit: Sian Bonnell

A bathroom scene featuring a toilet with a bright pink seat. The floor is covered with dozens of what appear to be painted or artificial slices of food or abstract objects arranged in clusters. Photo Credit: Sian Bonnell

During my final year of my Photography degree at Falmouth University I was lucky enough to be tutored by Sian Bonnell who was not only a great source of critical feedback on my photographic work but also an avid supporter of my wider practice as I made the first steps into working in arts education.

This month I've mostly been... May 2025

'This month I've mostly been…'

Working! but in between work I've found a bit of time for some reading, listening and watching…here are some of my highlights

open.substack.com/pub/deanleiv...

#creativepractitioners #eastmidlands #reflection #blog

A poster hanging on a wall with a wooden frame at the top and bottom. The poster features a grid of twenty small square photographs showing various outdoor and nature scenes, similar to the first image, with the same quote at the bottom: "Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time." The poster is displayed against a plain light-colored wall.

A collage of twenty square photographs arranged in a 4x5 grid, depicting scenes from a countryside walk. Images include a paved path through trees, people walking a dog, a sign for "Aylestone Meadows," an electricity pylon, a red emergency phone, a tree stump, blooming white flowers, a river, a white horse behind a fence, a single cloud in a blue sky, leafy branches over water, reflections in a stream, a sandy patch with a shadow, rippling water, suburban houses with hedges, a wooden fence, wildflowers, lichen on rocks, and a row of trees in a grassy park. Below the collage, the text reads: "Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time."

That's a wrap!

This week saw my final session with a long term mentee before I relocate. He's a big fan of a walk with a camera and always arranged his images in grids, so what better way to remember our time together.

He absolutely loved his final print and wall hanging.

#creativepractitioner

A school bulletin board displays posters and photographs. One photo shows a student in a black hijab and purple sweater working at a desk with papers and colored pencils. Another photo shows a student in glasses holding a utensil at a table. The board also features motivational signs with messages about respect, sharing, and support, as well as a small illustrated sign with positive affirmations.

It's not often I get to see my work in print these days but Mayflower Primary do things different! I recently revisited the school for a different job and it was great to see my images of the children all around the school, and lovely to hear how excited they were to see themselves up on the walls!

A group of children and adults cheer as a man sitting on the ground is doused in bright pink foam, laughing and covered in colorful powder during a festive school color run event.

Children throwing colorful powder at each other during an outdoor color run event, with clouds of purple, white, and pink powder filling the air.

A girl wearing heart-shaped sunglasses runs toward the camera, smiling, during a vibrant outdoor color run surrounded by other children covered in colorful powder.

I had huge fun photographing this years Colour Dash at Greenfield Primary School. My telephoto lens managed to save me from getting covered, unlike the runners!

Small image set over on the blog tinyurl.com/ColourDash2025

#photography #schools #colour #sport #running #event #eventphotography

A feedback quote overlaid on a blurred photo of a workshop. The quote reads: "I loved being creative, the workshop was very inspiring." Below the quote, a label says "Reflective writing workshop feedback." In the background, people are seated and handwritten words like "stigma" and "truth" are visible on a transparent overlay.

Starting the week with a lovely email from a recent workshop attendee with some positive feedback 😍

#creativepractitioner #workshops #eastmidlands #reflection

Today was "Flipbook Friday" in my latest mentoring session for The Mighty Creatives in Leicester!

#mentor #leicester #Workshops #creativepractitioner #schools

A close-up of a white tote bag with colourful text that reads "your sexual health matters" and a website address "www.yoursexualhealthmatters.org.uk" printed in blue at the bottom.

A hand holding a leaflet titled "Sexual Health Promotion 2025" with a colourful design, in a large room where people are sitting at round tables facing a presentation screen and speaker at the front.

A view of a cricket ground from the stands, showing empty grey seats in the foreground, a green pitch with a few people scattered across it, and buildings, trees, and floodlights in the background under a partly cloudy blue sky.

A group of people seated at round tables in a large, well-lit room with a wooden floor, watching a presentation being given at the front where a projection screen displays a slide titled "Stanzas on Stigma." Several tote bags with the words "your sexual health matters" are visible beside some chairs.

I had two brilliant mornings this week working with health professionals at the 'Your Sexual Health Matters' networking event in Derbyshire. Through creative writing prompts we looked at how creative activity can help us to consider stigma around sexual health.

#Derby #Workshops #creativepractice

A wonderful end to the week reconnecting with a mentee who I've not seen for a while after a break in our sessions. He made plans to make a flip book in future weeks, created an idea for his own story book and tried to make me disappear! (you can't get rid of me that easily).

#Mentor #Leicester

After all orders have been dispatched, we have just 6 copies of 'An Uncertain Path' by @iainsarjeant.bsky.social left.
We've added them to the store for £20 each here - anotherplacepress.bigcartel.com/product/an-u... - in case anyone missed a copy before it sold out! Last copies, so be quick...

Open camera bag with bright orange padded compartments containing multiple DSLR cameras, camera accessories, a lens, batteries, and a small electronic timer.

Two people standing by a riverside path; one is holding a digital camera and reviewing a photo on its screen, wearing a grey Trespass puffer jacket.

"When we go out we go prepared!"

More photo walks with a mentee this week for The Mighty Creatives 'Creative Mentoring' programme. We always make sure we've got a selection of his favourite workshop cameras. More info about creative mentoring here - themightycreatives.com/creative-men...

Open camera bag with bright orange padded compartments containing multiple DSLR cameras, camera accessories, a lens, batteries, and a small electronic timer.

Two people standing by a riverside path; one is holding a digital camera and reviewing a photo on its screen, wearing a grey Trespass puffer jacket.

"When we go out we go prepared!"

More photo walks with a mentee this week for The Mighty Creatives 'Creative Mentoring' programme. We always make sure we've got a selection of his favourite workshop cameras. More info about creative mentoring here - themightycreatives.com/creative-men...

Colorful illustrated cover of an 'Arts Award Scrap Book' featuring art supplies like a paintbrush, palette, and pencil surrounded by vibrant doodles including hearts, swirls, and paint splashes. The title is written in bold white letters on an orange paint-stroke banner across the center.

The submissions are in!

As a trained Arts Award adviser I recently I supported 9 young people on their Arts Award journey during Pedestrian's 'Concept' project in Leicester. Not only did they achieve Arts Award but also created a group album of original music, a very busy bunch!

#ArtsAward #ACE

Book cover of "Significant Wow" by Emily Cotterill, featuring an abstract painting of two faceless figures-one in a black dress and the other in a striped shirt and tie-set against a vibrant pink and cream background. The title and author's name appear in white text on a bright pink banner at the bottom.

'This month I've mostly been…'

A new series of regular blog posts that highlight my cultural highlights of the past month.

You can read it on my blog at www.deanleivers.co.uk/journal

Or if you use Substack you can subscribe here deanleivers.substack.com

Feedback text reading 'I really enjoyed the class, great fun and lots of ideas to try at home, thanks!' displayed over a background of several cyanotype prints laid out on grass. Text label reads 'Belgrave Hall workshop feedback'.

Feedback text reading 'Very engaging and super fun with informative history!' displayed over a background of cyanotype prints clipped on a drying line outdoors. Text label reads 'Derbyshire Makes workshop feedback'.

I've had lots of lovely feedback from participants in recent workshops, here's a couple of highlights!

#workshops #feedback #leicester #derbyshire #photography

A person with light hair and a black glove is rinsing blue cyanotype prints in a plastic tub outdoors, on a gravel surface. Numerous cyanotype prints featuring botanical designs are laid out on the grass and pavement to dry, while another person in pink shoes stands nearby.

A black and white photo of a classroom or workshop setup, with several tables arranged in a U-shape, surrounded by chairs. The tables are covered with various materials and equipment, including gloves, measuring cylinders, trays, scissors, books, and boxes. Informational display boards and curtains are visible in the background, suggesting a historical or educational setting.

A close-up view of multiple blue cyanotype prints with white botanical silhouettes spread out on grass and pavement. The prints display a variety of plant shapes, such as leaves, ferns, and flowers, arranged in an overlapping pattern.

What a lovely weekend workshop and my final one at Belgrave Hall as it closes it's doors in May. Such a beautiful space to deliver beginners cyanotype sessions in and a real hidden gem in the city Huge, hanks to the wonderful Jo at Leicester Museums for her support throughout all of my times here.