Olan Mills update
A couple of days ago, Photocritic broke the story about Olan Mills going under. It was a weird one, because I don’t generally run corporate news stories like that. However, the story struck a chord with me, because I know what it is like to be struck down without a job as a photographer, and how much trouble it can cause.
I know that this type of thing is a nightmare for those concerned: Sure, the people who were waiting for prints are ripped off, and are left without presents and money, but the real victims of this one are the studio staff and day-to-day employees of the chain. Strangely, it appears as if our article was the only one considering much of this aspect (except for the Mirror, who ran the tabloid-a-licious headline “1,000 workers sacked by recorded phone message“). Other news media also picked up the story, including local press (2, 3), but other than that it has been oddly quiet.
Except from right here, of course. Lots of Olan Mills employees found the Photocritic article. Among the stories, there are some truly moving stories of the adversities the staffers and lower management of Olan Mills, along with a dose of fear about what is going to happen in the future.
Not exactly the kind of Christmas story you want to read, but it’s worth having a look…
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My day job, if it can be called that, is being a writer. I've got one book out there so far and it's awesome, so go ahead and buy a copy! It's available from 
In front of you, five hyperactive men with guitars, drums, and microphones. Behind you, five thousand fans. In your hands, a camera... You're going to need more than just a little bit of good luck to pull this one off. That's where this book comes in.
Take a Canon EOS 450D. Attach a Canon 50mm f/1.4 lens. Hit the streets of London. See what happens.
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