Mark's origins

Before I get too deeply involved in the characters and back story to the series it would be wise of me to tell you how the series came to be.

In June 2011, I was in a friend's house watching TV -- I don't usually watch daytime TV -- when Lorraine Kelly came on. She was doing a walk across the desert and all she was doing was complaining about the heat and sand and sweating too much. At this point I thought, "You ungrateful bitch, you have not said a word about the camera crew who have to lug heavy cameras around so your fans can see you."

Being a former photographer, my thoughts naturally turned to the unseen heroes who never get credit for their work, and from here I created Mark Johnson, former celebrity photographer turned recluse.

If there is a motive behind my stories it is praise for the likes of Tim Page, Mike Herr, Philip Caputo, Sean Flynn, Dana Stone, Martha Gellhorn, Kate Adie and Marie Colvin. These photojournalists often put themselves in danger to bring us news and rarely get the praise they deserve. To me this is photojournalism not (!) sitting in a plush studio taking 'pretties' of celebrities or shooting from distance.