Centro de arte Reino Sofia - the work of Edward Steichen.

So, I've had several cameras over the last few years and I haven't heard of Edwards Steichen until today. The exhibition space in Madrid is well organised as you'd imagine with this being the country that gave Miro, Picasso and Dali to the world. What struck me as unusual today was what a strong template Steichen had provided to form the contemporary exhibition over fifty years ago, which still seems to not only set a standard but also to provide more of a core of what an exhibition space should be about. While I was unaware of famous Beligians, I didn't know too many famous people from Luxembourg - where Steichen was from.

I found it difficult to get to grips with the notion of approaching fine art photography after the brief meeting I had with Rhubarb Rhubarb, and having seen the work of Steichen who over half a century ago had made an impression on virtually every field of photography through from portraiture, advertising photography, still life, war photography and how photography should be exhibited, I could understand why I'd been referred away to do more reading and why I was deemed to be producing nothing more than cliches. Maybe Steichen had done virtually everything in photography before I was born. It appears that he may have done. The shots I took of Birmingham through the trees look dreadfully unoriginal looking at the cover of 'The Early Years'. I guess there's more to originality than I first anticipated. I didn't have the peace of mind to recall the images that I've seen before, now I have a much greater chance. I guess the originality now comes in terms of how the elements are put together.