To improve my Affinity Designer skills, I've been working on a series of designs for Field Notes covers. They're mainly inspired by specific graphic designs or designers I admire.

Today is day five, I think (I've already lost track), of our social distancing here in the UK. When we emerge from under the shadow of this lockdown, it will be a massive challenge for some creatives to restart their careers. It probably doesn't take me to tell you to make the most of this time, and be as prepared as possible.

They're undoubtedly cute in their own way. However, Little Miss Giggles here is 63 grams of unrecyclable plastic. A 2018 article in the LA Times said that worldwide McDonald's served 1.2 billion Happy Meals a year.

One of the discoveries in the archaeological strata of paper perched on top of my now nonfunctioning office printer was this issue of a Chilean magazine called Cyclo. They published some of the images from my time documenting the Full Gas track cycling winter series in their launch issue.

It's one of those moments when the world snaps into focus. I'm standing in the National Gallery looking Van Gogh's, a wheatfield with cypresses. As I look closely on the left-hand side, I notice the paint doesn't go to the edge. You can see the canvas, now darkened with age, showing through.

Over the last few months, I've become increasingly disillusioned with Instagram as a platform for sharing long-form work. It works well as a visual diary, where what you're posting refers to the moment it's published.

I'm not working today. I didn't want to be off; not that I particularly want to be working either; however, we all want to feel in charge of our own schedule. When you work for someone else, you lose some of that control.

Thoughts after returning from attending the 70th Missouri Photo Workshop.

I've been writing in these notebooks for over four years. Most of what I write is the usual notebook fare. What train I need to get tomorrow or a list of things that I should be doing, but aren't. Ironically, one of those things is to write more frequently.

A composite image of Milkbar in London’s Soho. My favourite West End coffee shop. Shot on the Fujifilm X100F using the Astia film simulation, my current favourite for colour.

Another in my series documenting Gravesend pubs that have recently closed. I’ve generally been trying to photograph the pubs at night, that seems the time when a pub should look most alive, highlighting those that are no longer. But a found myself walking past The Old Sun camera in hand, and it seemed too good an opportunity to miss. I might still come back one evening.

The New Inn can be traced back to 1780. The pub with the shops adjoining had previously been the home of the Holker family where, in April 1734, Dr Holker entertained the Prince and Princess of Orange (daughter of George II) after their marriage when they were weather-bound on their return to Holland.

On Thursday last, four well-dressed men arrived at the Globe Tavern, Gravesend, by a London Steam Packet. At their request they were accommodated with a bedroom and a sumptuous dinner, for which they paid and left for London the same afternoon. After they were gone, Mr. Lott, the proprietor, discovered that his bedroom had been broken into, and the bureau plundered of a pocket book containing £160.

The Call Boy was built in 1953, replacing the demolished Assembly Rooms pub that was on this site before it. In 2008 the brewery Shepherd Neame closed The Call Boy along with many other pubs in the area.

There have, at some time, been sixteen pubs in Gravesend with the suffix ‘Shades’ to their name. Manor Shades was the last when it closed on 31st December 2012. There were also ‘Shades’ pubs across south-east London and Kent.

The Railway Tavern opened in 1881 and was tied to the Meux’s Brewery, it still features the original Meux glazed tiles. After 129 years of trading, it closed in 2010 and then reopened in 2011 as D-Ream. D-Ream lasted just over a year, closing in October 2012.

The Terrace Tavern and Hotel was present in records from 1837. It was tied to the Russell’s Brewery of Gravesend and the exterior of the still features the beautiful green tiles advertising Russell’s ‘Shrimp Brand’ beers, dating from around 1913. At one time the pub had its own football team, indoor cricket team, darts and pool teams; a real community hub.

The building that was once the City of London is in a great location high above the river Thames. The original pub was founded here in 1839. Unfortunately, that building was destroyed by fire in 1893. The rebuilt City of London traded until 2002, in 2009 it was converted to a b&b.

In 2012 when The Pilot Tavern closed the Gravesend Messenger reported: Its former landlady Susan Newman remained there and rather than tear it down is now hoping to bring the building, which is in dire need of some repair, back to its former glory.

The Bricklayers Arms opened in 1851 and closed in 1910. It reopened as The Station Hotel in 1914 which closed in 2002. Reopening later as Bar24 and then The Bridge Bar, which finally closed in 2017.