09/08/2026
# # # A Personal Note About My Photography Journey & PCN Magazine
I’ve been thinking for quite some time about whether to write this, but I feel now is probably the right moment.
Some of you may have noticed that PCN Magazine hasn’t been quite as active as it once was, that I haven’t been sharing as much photography, and that I’ve been a little quieter within the creative community.
There are reasons for that.
Photography has been a huge part of my life for many years. It has taken me places I never expected to go, introduced me to incredible people, given me opportunities I could only have dreamed about, and allowed me to capture moments that otherwise would simply disappear.
But somewhere along the way, I’ve found myself questioning where photography fits into my life now.
I still love creating. I still have ideas. In fact, probably too many! I want to photograph live music, portraits, sport, fashion, documentary work and so many other things. I still see images in my head and think about how I would create them.
But the passion and excitement I once had hasn't always been there.
There are a number of reasons for that, and I don't really want to go into all of them publicly. Like many people, I've had a few things to deal with personally, and sometimes you simply need to step back, take a breath and give yourself some space to work out where you are going.
There is also a very real financial side to photography that I think we need to talk about.
Photography is an expensive profession and an expensive passion. Cameras, lenses, computers, software, insurance, travel and everything else involved in producing professional work all cost money.
And the photograph itself is only part of the job.
There is the travelling, preparation, time spent shooting, and then the hours afterwards selecting, editing, processing, exporting, delivering and sometimes promoting the finished work.
That is time away from family, friends, other work and simply having a life.
Photographers are artists and creatives, and I believe our work should be valued accordingly.
I completely understand that budgets are tight and that not everyone can afford professional photography. But there is also a growing expectation that photography should be free — that access, publicity, a photo pass, a credit or a social media mention somehow makes up for the actual cost of producing the work.
Sometimes it doesn't.
And when creatives repeatedly give their work away for little or nothing, it becomes harder for everyone to make a sustainable living from what they do.
That is something I've been thinking about a lot.
PCN Magazine is part of that conversation too.
What began as Patchchord News on 6 September 2016 has now grown into what became PCN Magazine. Ten years is a long time, and when I look back at the journey, the people I've met, the artists I've photographed, the stories I've published and the experiences I've had, I'm incredibly proud of it.
There have been periods when PCN has been a passion and periods when it has felt like a second job.
And right now, I'm somewhere in between.
The 10-year anniversary is approaching, and I'm currently working through my TRNSMT photography, experimenting with new layouts and ideas and trying to work out what the next chapter might look like.
I'm not going to pretend I have all the answers.
I also don't want this post to be interpreted as me saying that PCN or my photography is finished.
It isn't.
But I do need to be honest with myself about what I want, what I can realistically give, and what makes me want to pick up the camera and create again.
Sometimes stepping away isn't giving up.
Sometimes it is how you find your way back.
So if I've been quieter, if I've taken longer to publish things, if I haven't interacted as much with fellow photographers and creatives, please don't take it personally.
I haven't stopped caring.
I'm simply trying to find my creative headspace again.
I've spent a lot of years photographing other people's journeys.
Perhaps it's time I took a little time to work out where I want my own photography journey to go next.
To everyone who has supported PCN, Patchchord News and my photography over the years — whether you've read something, shared something, commissioned me, given me access, stood in front of my camera, worked alongside me, followed my work, bought a magazine, or simply said "that's a great shot" — thank you.
Genuinely.
Without you, there would never have been a journey to reflect upon.
I'm still here.
I'm still creating.
I'm still looking.
I just don't know exactly what the next chapter looks like yet.
And maybe that's okay.
Here's to the next chapter. 📷
Martin
Martin Bone Photographer
PCN Magazine
Kerr Mercer TRNSMT Festival PCN Magazine coming soon 2026 photography/art - Martin Bone
