I have a bromance.

There, I've said it. First time ever, a proper bromance. Not your usual 'I wish I was the ever handsome David Beckham' bromance. Or the 'If only Hugh Jackman was my bestie' one.

No, this is for the incredible Ashley Hickson-Lovence, Dr Ashley Hickson-Lovence, Poet, Novelist and thoroughly good egg. 

He brought the Bournemouth Writing Festival 2025 to an incredible close with his stunning headlining performance at the Pavilion Dance. A more moving, emotionally charged and fitting reminder of (1) being alive and (2) being in love, you could not wish to experience.

Now, I'm a jobbing photographer, down in the dirt. I've seen and done most things over the 45 years I've been doing this daftness, some would say I'm a hairy arsed kinda photographer. I'd disagree, spotty at times maybe.

So when this sweaty, tired, see-it-all-before person is just compelled to climb the stage immediately after this astonishing performance, shake the genius' hand and tell him just that it was astonishing, I guess it means something somewhere. He told me that it meant a lot to him, and I believed him totally. 

This was 14 hours into day 3 of a festival that just gets better and better and better each and every year. 

Dog number two woke me at 6am with a Bonio flavoured lick and I grabbed her and pulled her tightly to me, there's a lot of tough stuff going on at the moment and she is super sensitive to this. Then, a little later, to the car park at the top of the hill, you know, the cheap one? I plan my route down into the town, avoiding even the slightest incline as I'm just shot. My lost soulmate will be volunteering today, so it'll be intensely emotional at seeing her again, she was the one I was going to see out my days with. I just don't know what my reaction is going to be.

I feel unsettled because of this, but I've been unsettled before (photographing a 6 year old child's funeral, the head of a procession in the pouring rain while the town turned out, is more than unsettling), so I switch off and just get the job done. Emotions can come later.

That was the idea anyway.

Baily and I had planned day threes schedule at the end of day two, so we are ahead of the game and she is already down in the town snapping at the genre breakfasts. It's 9am.

We have two new Bournemouth and Poole College photography students with us today. Lacey and Megan, so I'm free to brief them. How relaxing a start to this sunny and sweltering day, I muse. I would have mused under the shade of a willow like a new romantic, but that was way down in the gardens and thus, too far away for my tired, tired legs.

Dom tells me in passing that 300 or 3000 or 3 million Boy and Girl Scouts are going through the Lower Gardens and that it would be great to get some photos. The BWF is ALL about community and linking it to the century old organisation is a perfect match. I mentally think of a few shots we can get to form that link and jot down the 10.30 start time on my schedule board. 

Suddenly, three headshots have been added to the day, totalling six. This year, they have been popped into groups 11 til 12, 2 til 3 and 4 til 5. Each could have four sessions. This worked such a treat as it meant that I could concentrate on covering other events throughout the town rather than overloading Baily.

Often, where event photography fails is that there is not enough, or any, planning. And while I like freestyling, it doesn't work in this highly fast moving environment. Not when you have vowed to photograph EVERYTHING.

Lacey and Megan tell me they are nervous during the briefing, I calm them, give them the presentation and the schedule clipboards, show them a few images from the previous two days so as they get a feel for the quality we are after. Then they follow me into the first session, just to observe. 

They seem to relax.These girls give off an air of competence and a willing to absorb information, I have no worries that they'll love the experience. 

Next we rush next door, into the Garden Room, it's now 1015. Slowly they get their kit ready as, like Jess and Aysha yesterday, they'll start taking photo at this session (no time like the present eh?)

But. 

The first of the 30 million scouts are already coming through. We have to rush and I get the girls to go first whilst I take a few snaps in this session. My brain is always planning, always, and while we have to photograph the scouts, my brain says 'what if I get waylaid' without taking ANY at this sessions. We would have failed, and I don't like failing.

Now, down the stairs, barging, rushing, spinning around the top of the stairs using the handrail as a kind of anchoring point. 

Out into the sunshine, arrgghh bright!

I locate the girls and run to the bandstand, the huge BWF banner festooned bandstand. The photo is in my mind. Scattering only around 500,000 scouts, I reach the place I need to be, the girls are not far behind, Lacey drops to her knee and lifts her camera to her eye, nice, I like it. Megan decides to lift hers overhead. I like that too.

I point to the BWF banner, that is the priority, and they just get it. Which is just great.

Fifteen minutes later and I hand the girls over to Hattie who is running the Literary Walk. And that frees me to go back to the Garden Room to stock up on images there.

Baily and I flit around the town for the day, she covers the two book launches and I dip into the studio for headshots. 

I do bump into my ex of three weeks, my total soulmate. I can't look at her, I'm emotionally scrambled, I get on with the job but regret not saying hi. Tennyson said 'It is better to have loved and lost, than to never have loved at all.' Sorry Alfred. You are wrong.  

The day whizzes by again, there is so much incredible stuff going on and so many amazing people (a word used so easily these days. Amazing that is, not People, that would be stupid).

Then, after twelve hours on the go, it's time for the BU students to bring the roof down. I could write superlatives such as incredible, amazing (not people), astonishing and so on, but that wouldn't nearly describe their performances. Utterly mesmerising MAY just capture a little if it. I walk up the hill, trudge really, I'm emotional. Partly I suspect, that I'd just seen young people pouring out their emotions and showing the world their talent, partly because I've seen genius at work but mainly because I'm alone...again.

And so, full circle, another brilliant festival sure, back next year, sure.

And here's to a new bromance.

Jon

PS, I guess we nailed it:

'Hi  Jon and Dom, 

I just wanted to say a big thank you for including my students this weekend. They have all fed back to me about what a positive experience it was for them. 

Jon – Praise for you has been absolutely glowing. All the students fed back how inclusive you were and how you gave them really excellent guidance and tips. Thank you for easing them in and helping them feel comfortable with the process. My students are often quite anxious and you made it a really positive experience for them. I have attached our logo’s. The Black one’s are the preferred option, however sometimes the white ones can be used if the logo starts getting lost on certain backgrounds.'

Gary Mant, Bournemouth and Poole College

Hey Jon the Superstarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!! Love it mate, you give me so much joy and energy :0)
 

Dominic Wong, My Mate

 

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