22/08/2026
Can You Make Good Photographs in Boring Places?
Can you make good photographs in boring places? Why ordinary streets, overlooked details and everyday locations can produce photographs worth taking.
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Black and white photography blogs — from the Chilterns to Andalusia and beyond. Landscape and Street photography, travel, urban observation, and the occasional argument about what any of it actually means. New blogs published regularly.
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20/08/2026
Photography Projects: Before We Wake — When the Light Runs Out
An update on Before We Wake, my black and white urban observation and street photography project documenting local towns and villages between 5am and 6am.
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18/07/2026
Photography Projects: Before We Wake
Before We Wake is an urban photography project exploring villages at first light, documenting everyday places before the world wakes.
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15/07/2026
You Don't Find Your Style. It Finds You.
Can't find your photography style? Discover why the answer isn't choosing a genre, but recognising the patterns already running through your work.
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20/06/2026
The Benefits of Spot Metering in Black and White Photography
Why returning to a classic film discipline—Highlight Spot Metering—is the ultimate way to protect highlight textures in monochrome photography.
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16/06/2026
Leica X2 — The 'Affordable' Leica
Is the Leica X2 worth buying in 2026? I owned one — here's an honest look at what it gets right, what it doesn't, and whether it's worth the price.
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11/06/2026
What is Urban Observation Photography?
Street photography hunts the fleeting moment. Urban observation records the enduring one. Discover a slower, more patient way to document a place.
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09/06/2026
Andalusia — Backstreets, Siesta Light and an Olympus Stylus 1s in my Pocket
Ten days in Andalusia on an Olympus Stylus 1s. Black and white street scenes from Ronda to Casares, focusing on the quiet spots most tourists miss.
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08/06/2026
I'm Not a Street Photographer (And That's Fine)
I went looking for a definition of street photography and ended up questioning my own work. What happens when your photographs refuse to fit a single genre?
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07/06/2026
Street Photography or Urban Observation?
Real streets don't look like a high-contrast Lightroom preset. A look past the internet's obsession with silhouettes and into true observation.
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15/05/2026
Beyond the Countryside — A New Chapter for Walking With Pics
Black and white street and travel photography from beyond the English countryside — same eye, different scene.
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13/05/2026
Compact Cameras — Does Sensor Size Actually Matter for Landscape Photography?
15 compact cameras. Years of real-world use. The honest truth on whether sensor size actually matters—and it's not what you expect.
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06/05/2026
Light Changes Everything — Photography on a Familiar Walk
Why familiar walks still have something to offer — how light transforms ordinary subjects like old gates and abandoned farm machinery into compelling black and white photographs.
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05/05/2026
The Olympus Stylus 1s in 2026 — The Compact That Refuses to Be Irrelevant
Olympus Stylus 1s in 2026 — is it still worth buying? A real-world review covering the f/2.8 zoom, built-in EVF and image quality for under £200.
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04/05/2026
The Rise of Digicams: Escaping the Perfection of AI Images
Why are photographers digging out old digicams and CCD cameras? As AI-generated images flood the internet, imperfect and authentic beats technically perfect..
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27/04/2026
What Good Is a Perfect Shot If You Can't Remember Taking It?
Do you actually remember the shots you've worked hardest to get? A reflection on presence, experience and why chasing the perfect image might be costing you more than you think.
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16/04/2026
Why I Ditched RAW and Never Looked Back
Tired of the photography snobs claiming JPEG is lazy? Real skill is reading the light before the shutter clicks, not fixing it in Lightroom later.
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09/04/2026
Black and White Fine Art Landscape Photography: Timeless Craft or Marketing Gimmick?
Black and white fine art landscape photography — timeless craft or overused marketing term? Exploring the origins of fine art photography, what the label really means, and whether it still deserves its place in the modern photography world.
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08/04/2026
Light, Shadows and a Pair of Fighting Stags.
A morning photowalk on a familiar local route through the Chiltern Hills — exploring light, shadows and texture with the Olympus Stylus 1S. Sometimes the best photography really is right on your doorstep.
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06/04/2026
What Nobody Tells You About Building a Photography Website.
Most photography websites go nowhere — here's why. An honest look at what building a meaningful photography website actually involves, from someone four months in and learning the hard way.
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05/04/2026
What Is a Photowalk?
What is a photowalk? Simply put, it's a walk with a camera. It can be solo or in a group, planned or spontaneous, with any camera you choose.
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12/03/2026
Film vs CCD vs CMOS — Can You Tell the Difference?
Think you can spot real film? Take the blind test. A direct black and white comparison between Ilford Delta 400, a Sony CCD, and a CMOS sensor.
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11/03/2026
Woodland Photography in the Chiltern Hills — Part 4
Mark Weekes reflects on what makes the Chiltern woodlands special — their accessibility, variety across every season, and what spending regular time among ancient trees actually does for you. The final part of a four-part woodland photography series.
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11/03/2026
Woodland Photography in the Chiltern Hills — Part 3
Mark Weekes explores Ashridge Estate and the Bisham Woods complex — two of the Chilterns' most spectacular ancient woodlands, from Ashridge's 3,600 veteran trees and famous Dockey Wood bluebells to the atmospheric beech hangers of Quarry Wood above the Thames.
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11/03/2026
Woodland Photography in the Chiltern Hills — Part 2
Mark Weekes explores Penn Wood and Burnham Beeches — two of the Chilterns' most significant ancient woodlands, with veteran trees, spectacular bluebell carpets, rare fungi, and some of the most atmospheric woodland photography conditions in the south of England.
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11/03/2026
Woodland Photography in the Chiltern Hills — Part 1
Mark Weekes explores woodland photography in the Chiltern Hills, starting with Church Wood in Hedgerley and Hodgemoor Wood — two of Buckinghamshire's finest ancient bluebell woods, each with a very different character and story.
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05/03/2026
How to See in Black and White — Tone, Contrast and Light Explained
Draining the colour out of a bad photo isn't black and white photography. Learn how to read tone, contrast, and depth before taking the shot.
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04/03/2026
B&W Photographers I Admire — And Why I Keep a Respectful Distance
A personal list of black and white photographers worth seeking out, and an honest explanation of why influence and admiration are not the same thing.
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03/03/2026
Why I Photograph the British Countryside in Black and White
A UK black and white landscape photographer based in the Chiltern Hills, Buckinghamshire, on why he shoots black and white JPEG, the value of returning to the same places, and what makes the Chilterns worth photographing.
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03/03/2026
Sony A700: Still Good Enough
A decade-old DSLR that still earns its place on every walk. Why the Sony A700 remains more than good enough for black and white photography
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01/03/2026
From Blog to Book — How More Than a Pretty Picture Came About
How a series of photography blog posts became a published book — the story behind More Than a Pretty Picture by Mark Weekes, covering the writing process, self-publishing through Amazon KDP, cover design, and what it feels like to release your first book.
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03/02/2026
My Simple Photography Walk Gear Setup
A reflective look at my simple photography walking gear setup, shaped by years of experience. From minimal camera choices to practical walking essentials, this post explores how carrying less allows more space for walking, seeing, and photographing with intention.
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03/01/2026
More Than a Pretty Picture
What makes a photograph more than a pretty picture? A reflective blog on meaning, emotion, authenticity, and why some images stay with us long after the shutter clicks.
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03/12/2025
Why Do We Do Photography
A personal reflection on why photography matters — from a UK black and white landscape photographer who shoots JPEG only, walks everywhere, and finds meaning in the everyday countryside.
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14/11/2025
Sony A350 Revisited
Reopening an old chapter. Why I bought my first DSLR again for its CCD sensor, lack of modern software gimmicks, and the complete absence of video features.
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06/11/2025
Photography On a Budget
How a £110 Sony A350 from 2008 proves you don't need expensive gear for black and white landscape photography — shooting JPEG, keeping it simple, and getting results that matter.
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31/10/2025
Welcome to Walking with Pics.
An introduction to Walking With Pics — the home of Mark Weekes, UK black and white landscape photographer based in the Chiltern Hills, Buckinghamshire.
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25/10/2025
Why and How I ONLY Shoot Black and White Jpegs
I stopped shooting colour and RAW to rediscover what I love about photography — black & white JPEGs, simplicity, and committing to what I see.
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