In celebration of what would have been Patrick Lichfield's 87th birthday, I'd like to share a piece I had published in April 1999. I hope you enjoy. In his own words, Patrick Lichfield has been “getting away with it” for 37 years. As he gets ready to celebrate his 60th birthday in April, Practical Photography discovers that he’s still as outspoken as ever. Interview: David Corfield “We’re on the edge of a whole new era,” Patrick Lichfield reflects. “So I’m rather glad I’v

Photographer and journalist David Corfield reflects on his life with Tess, a Border Collie who has enriched and changed his life, bringing him closer to the things that matter... There are some relationships in life that don’t need explanation, justification, or even words. They simply exist – quietly, loyally, and with a kind of constancy that feels almost otherworldly. My bond with my dog, Tess, is one of those rare relationships. She will be nine years old this coming May,

For more years than I care to admit I've been trying to put a book together, detailing my time with the Audi Sport UK rally team from 1986-1988. As memories fade, and as key people are sadly no longer with us, that weight of responsibility bears down on me. I was only a teenager back then, but I remember it as if it were yesterday... I still think of those years as if they were lit by magnesium – bright, fleeting, and just a little dangerous to stand too close to. Memory ha

Photographer and journalist David Corfield looks back on his lifelong love affair with one of the finest 35mm film cameras ever made, the Olympus OM-1N… There’s something almost magical about the Olympus OM-1N, a camera that transcends just being a tool and becomes a personal companion in your creative journey. I love it because it’s a testament to a bygone era, a time when photography demanded a different kind of patience and skill, and this camera embodies that spirit.

Photographer and writer David Corfield reflects on his trusted Nikon F3, a camera that became companion, tool and witness. He explores craft, patience and the tactile pleasures of film, revealing how an old tool shaped his creative life and enduring vision… It began, as many love affairs do, with a gift. This Nikon F3 came to me not from a shop shelf or an online auction, but from the worn, steady hands of a friend who had already lived a lifetime with it. He had been a pre

For most of my life, I’ve identified as a creative. More specifically, I’ve been a photographer and a writer. Those labels have shaped how I see myself and how other people see me. They’ve opened doors, sparked conversations, and given me a sense of purpose. But they’ve also come with a quiet, persistent lie: that choosing one creative path and sticking to it is the only way to be authentic. The longer I’ve worked in creative industries, the more I’ve realised how dangerous

There is a particular kind of quiet that freelance journalists know well. It isn’t the peaceful kind. It’s the silence that follows an email pitch you spent hours refining. The one you researched, tailored, proofread, and sent with cautious optimism. The one that now sits unanswered in a client’s inbox while days turn into weeks. That silence has a name: professional ghosting, as David Corfield reflects... Freelancing is built on reaching out. Pitching ideas. Introducing your

Winter has a way of amplifying everything. The cold, the dark, the sense that the year ahead is a steep hill to climb rather than an open road. This year, instead of letting the new-year blues idle unchecked, I found myself in the garage with an old friend: my newly acquired Audi S4 Avant. What started as a practical project to get a tired old car back on the road has quietly become one of the best things I’ve done for my mental health... © 2025 David Corfield There’s somethi

James Johnston talks to David Corfield on life with PJ Harvey, the chaos of Nick Cave’s Bad Seeds years, and the unlikely calm of his new career in painting. © 2025 David Corfield James Johnston stands by the tall studio window, the London light spilling across him like paint. Outside, a slate-coloured building looms – the same one immortalized in one of his recent canvases – and he stares at it with the soft concentration of someone who has spent a lifetime studying shapes,

I was recently interviewed for a health and wellbeing project and talked about photography as a therapy as well as navigating the crazy...

For the last 25 years I've been writing about photography and helping readers understand the technology and techniques behind great...

I had the pleasure of interviewing Snowdon many times; but this final encounter with him shortly before his death was one of the more...

© Eamonn McCabe Respected photographer and former picture editor of The Guardian newspaper in the UK, Eamonn McCabe, died suddenly on 2...

An article first published in 2014 (when I was Editor of the Canon Professional Network with Red Dot) along with a film made by the...

The skill involved in visualising and predicting a photograph before you reach for the camera is as key to your success as the craft...

Renowned British photographer John Swannell has worked with some of the greatest photographers, supermodels and celebrities in the world....

The great man needs no introduction, so all I will say is watch the film (and forgive the poor audio which was down to a technical mishap...

My recent article on the World Press Photo Witness page sparked a lot of interest. Are you letting technology get in the way of your...

If, like me, you're a lover of landscape images, then have a read of my interview with the late, and very great, Fay Godwin. I found it...

Despite photojournalism facing uncertain times, as a career choice it has never been more popular. The recent World Press Photo Festival...