Martin Bailey Photography

14/05/2026

If you are wondering why I've been so quiet, well, I'm proud to announce that I have started a new brand called Fiction Loom under my main company, Martin Bailey Photography K.K., and I have just released version 1.1 of our first product, MXD, which is a software controller for the KORG Minilogue XD synthesizer.

MXD was born from one of our longest and best-selling products, a plugin for the Ableton Live DAW, but with the help of AI and two months of sleep deprivation, we've broken free. MXD is a standalone product and a DAW plugin in VST3 (and AU for Mac users). A single-user license can be used on up to 3 computers, Windows or Mac.

I'm still working through testing MXD on various DAWs, but it works flawlessly on Ableton Live, Reaper, and Logic Pro, and should work on most modern DAWs. MXD comes with an electric teal accent for a futuristic look and a warm orange for those late evenings in the studio with a glass of your favorite tipple.

Oh, and if you use a Native Instruments KONTROL S-Series Mk3 MIDI controller, we have templates to control both the plugin and standalone versions right from your KONTROL keyboard.

We have an early-bird sale on with a 25% discount until June 30, 2026. For anyone who owns my Ableton Live integration plugin, email me proof of purchase, and I'll give you a 40% discount coupon. Check it out here: https://www.fictionloom.com/mxd/

26/02/2026

I've started working on an Astrophotography page on my website on which I write about my adventures in astrophotography, from both the technical and creative sides. It will become the hub for more content as time allows, but for now, I'm happy with how the page is turning out. Check it out if you are interested: http://mbp.ac/astro

Astrophotography In the summer of 2025, I bought a 1000mm f/3.9 10-inch mirror Newtonian Telescope. My previous Newtonian had a mirror less than half that size, and it was 45 years earlier, but I never forgot the amazement and awe of looking up into the heavens, and have always wanted to try astrono...

22/02/2026

The Horse Head Nebula (IC434) shot with an Optolong L-Ultimate Ha + OIII filter. Hydrogen alpha is the red light, and Oxygen III is the greenish-blue light towards the top of the image. Heading into spring now, Orion goes behind a neighbour's roof at around 11 pm, so I only have a few hours' window to capture it. On Friday evening, the clouds cleared in time for me to get 5 x 7-minute exposures, then last night, I had just over two hours before it clouded over again, so this is a total of 25 x 7 minutes for a 2-hour 55-min integration, making this my first multi-night image.

29/01/2026

The Steller's Sea Eagle Butt Shot to beat them all. I shot this over the harbour wall in the Rausu Fishing Port during my first winter wildlife tour of the season.

21/01/2026

A Mature Stellar's Sea Eagle takes the fish as a juvenile Stellar's Sea Eagle watches. These birds have a wingspan of up to 2.5 meters.

21/01/2026

I don't shoot many small birds, but the Harlequin Duck in the right conditions simply demands to be photographed.

20/01/2026

This Ezo Deer was rubbing his horns against the twigs, then finishing them off by polishing them with the fur on his back, as seen in this photo.

20/01/2026

The Stellar's Sea Eagle is one of the most magnificent birds on the planet. Even after more than twenty years, I never get tired of being in their presence.

20/01/2026

Just look at the shape of those feathers as the Short-Eared Owl hovers. These are such amazing birds! Shot on the Notsuke Peninsula in Hokkaido this afternoon.

19/01/2026

The Short-Eared Owl with the disputed Kuril Islands in the Background - Today was amazing! We started photographing the Sea Eagles from a chartered boat in Rausu, and moved over to Notsuke Peninsula in the afternoon, and had several encounters with this amazing owl.

18/01/2026

Lone Whooper Swan in the Mist - Kussharo Lake freezes less often now, but a mist like this makes up for it when it happens.