Focal Point

One year on and hungry for more!

Incredible!!

I can not believe that a year has passed already. From that very first day when I was so nervous and green about the media world, when I could only fumble around with the brand new camera I was given and more or less hope for the best. I have come a long way! My confidence, not just with the job but inner self, has peaked dramatically. Who would have thought that someone who used to find it hard to approach his school teachers has been introduced to mayors, ladies, sirs, celebrities, olympic champions. Has shook the hand of Paddy Ashdown, met Michael Caines, photographed famous authors. So much has happened to me in the past year that I sometimes wake up and wonder if it was all a dream, then I see my Canon 30D and think to myself, "yes, I have achieved something and I love it!"

Safe to say, I still enjoy my job! I still get a real buzz out of seeing my pictures in the papers with my name below it. One day is never the same as the next. My previous job involved me counting cash in a four walled, windowless 5x5 metre room all day long. Now when ever I see people I know they all say what a remarkable tan I have, where did I go on holiday? I feel very lucky and extremely happy to be a photographer. 2008 has also been a great year for me as I have recently got engaged to my girlfriend and we are looking ahead to a future as a family.

As far as photography is concerned all I can say is, "I'm hungry for more!"

Band of Brothers

Earl McClung? Donald Malarkey? They sound like names from a Western or some B movie you only ever see once and never remember again! That's what I thought when I heard from Angela (Midweek Herald reporter) that we would be making a trip together to Smeatharpe airfield near Honiton to photograph these chaps. I'd never heard of them before in my life! I later learned that these gentlemen were WW2 American veterans and would be flying over to Bristol and then be driven to the disused air base at Smeatharpe. The airbase was where they had flown out from for the Normandy landings. There would be an old WW2 Dakota plane which they would of parachute jumped from on D-Day. But the main story behind the revisit to Smeatharpe was that these guys had a film based on them called Band of Brothers, these were the real life Band of Brothers!! I am so ignorant! I was amazed to learn that their company had also been the same one that was involved in the rescue of the real Private Ryan which had been brought to prominence by Spielberg's movie.

Angela and I left the office at about 2.30 as the plane was due in for 3.30 and the men about 4ish! Well the plane was only slightly delayed by about 30mins (I was very pleased with my flyby shot I took with the Stars and Stripes and the plane together) but the veterans didn't turn up until past 5.30 (home time!). However, we were all in good spirits and there was a fair size crowd waiting in anticipation for them to step from their people carrier. There was only one other paper covering the event as it was a last minute tip off from the organiser and very hush hush. But there were several war enthusiasts and by the time the men exited the vehicle a small press crowd was assembled. The heroes seemed very spritely and not at all phased by the long journeys they both had. Angela and I were eager to get the event in the bag and get back to HQ to upload the pics and story. Unfortunately we didn't bank on 'son' of Spielberg being there and taking over the show! The heroes were followed by a mini entourage of people including a rather difficult person who was making a documentary on the chaps with a video camera. The man directed the show from start to finish and would not let any of us press anywhere near the veterans until he got his video done. I found it very hard to keep my cool when all the time I kept getting "keep back will you, these cameras pick up the slightest sound, even your camera clicks!" Not only was it frustrating to have to wait a long time for them to arrive we had to suffer this plonker! Also the light was fading as some clowds stole the sun away.

Well I finally got what I wanted, and despite Spielberg directing, I snuck a few shots during his shooting, click click! Angela got her report from the guys and she even got some video for the website. Whilst we were waiting around, Angela met up with a very friendly couple who we got chatting to and learned that Lesley is a pilot and we may be reaching for the clouds in the near future with him! Although it was frustrating to wait around for them it was well worth it. This kind of story only happens once in a blue moon and I felt very priviledged to have met 'one lung McClung' and Donald. Pics: http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/midweekherald/flatfiles/features/2008/bandofbrothers/bandofbrothers.aspx

Royal Visit

I was nervous, a bit anxious and worried but above all very excited to be taking pictures of the first royal visit I've ever seen! Princess Anne was due to arrive to open the new special operations building at the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Headquarters in Clyst St. George today. After getting all the advice from Simon about the do's and don'ts of the visit, such as DO wear a tie and DON'T call out "looky here princess!" unless I wanted to be shown just how fast the emergency services really do respond! I was all set. However, Dina (our new Journal reporter) needed a lift as she was coming along to take some quotes, oh, and taking the trusty video camera for the internet site. So i had to dash over to our Exmouth office first.

The visit all went very smoothly, of course HRH Anne never looked at the journalists intentionally. I must admit, I felt a sudden need to shout out "hi Anne" but I was good and refrained! I snapped away and got everything I could (which was difficult what with the crowd of journalists I had to jostle with gathered in the cordoned off corner). Dina was great with the video camera, and then I volunteered to have a go while she interviewed Colin Rockey, Group Manager. You can see Dina's and my effort at being videographers at: http://www.exmouthherald.co.uk/exmouthherald/default/default.aspx

Grizzly Run '08

Nearly 1400 runners, a gruelling 19ish miles through rain drenched Devon countryside and the thought of sloshing through a glorious bog followed by a near vertical 100yd field climb. This is 'The Grizzly' cross country run from Seaton to Beer and Branscombe and back again!

By the time I found a parking space on a side road in Seaton it was around 8:50am (on a SUNDAY!!) It was written in our work diary that the run would begin at 9:30 so I thought I'd get there a bit early and grab some group pics. I approached the esplanade from the side road, turned the corner expecting to find crowds lined jostling for a view of the start line. What I found was a guy in a control box performing sound checks on the tannoy and a couple of seasoned spectators who looked like they had marked out there viewing area the previous morning. Not a runner in sight! Rather odd I thought to myself, and then I checked the big welcoming boards which informed me that I was over an hour and a half early!! Well I passed my time with cleaning lenses, checking equipment and praying that the clouds wouldn't open on me! I saw some activity near 'fisherman's gap' (western end of the esplanade). A pick up truck was backing up on to the pedestrian walkway with some sort of statue on the back. When I got closer I realised what it was, a life-size grizzly bear! (must get some team shots with this in it!)

I didn't have to wait too long for runners to start joining me on the seafront. Then it seemed in a space of several minutes runners from all over the land had congregated on Seaton Seafront. In fact there were runners from as far away as Canada and the previous Grizzly winner from Germany who turned up. I got busy. This was going to be a real challenge for me. My editors were after a 2 page pic spread for each of our three main titles. I had to learn and recognise each town's running colours and pick them out from the main pack (bit like a needle in a haystack spread out over the galaxy!). As soon as that gun went and the 1400 strong tough cookies had leapt in to action, I got my opening shots and then jumped over the esplanade sea wall and on to the pebble beach. I found my prey in my cross hairs and shot away and then went back on to the main road again as the pack doubled back on itself.

When I had fired off enough pics on the long lens at Seaton I jumped in to my car and shot off to Branscombe. It took about 10 mins to get to the road closure which I got through by flashing the old Press Pass. I reached my destination at the top of a hill where the marshal was stationed. Terry had told me to expect to walk through a field and on to where the next marshal was positioned (at a ridge on top of a near vertical drop). From here I should go down the hill and meet the next marshal in a woody area which hid the world's worst bog! However, I chickened out and stayed on top of the ridge with the second marshal. My excuse was that there had been so much rain recently that I'd just be sliding down all the way and it would take to long to get back as I wanted to get back to Seaton for the finish. Truth was it was just a bit scary staring down that hill which had a rope to get back up with!

When I had finished at Branscombe I tried to make my way back on to the main road, however, I found that I was cut off by the runners at the top and bottom of the road where they went from one field to another! There was nothing to do apart from sit tight and wait for the herd to pass! When I eventually made it back to Seaton the skies had turned black and I really felt for those runners who had been through so much only to be battered with hailstones! The final stretch to the finish line must have been a killer, like the beginning of the race, the runners had to cross about a half mile of pebbled beach. There must have been a few blisters to pop! The Grizzly runners had a rapturous crows applauding them at the end and were treated to a hose down by the local fire brigade.

Pics: http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/sidmouthherald/flatfiles/features/2008/grizzly/grizzly.aspx

Christmas Day Swim

Now at first I thought I drew the short straw, being the junior photographer, lets make him work Christmas Day!! But in actual fact I really enjoyed the atmosphere at Budleigh and Exmouth beaches at 10.00 in the morning. I had a previsualisation of reaching the pebbled beach only to find a few hardened veterans wading out to sea and not a minced pie in sight! It couldn't have been further away from that. Budleigh had about 50 or so visitors just dying to test the water. Even my Group Editor Phil was brave enough to don a pair of Spedos and race to the water line! In fact, I was so busy snapping away that I didn't realise quite how close to the waves I was...until it was to late! Yes, I got drenched by a big breaker. Phil came to my rescue and took my bag off me while I found my feet again.

Once Budleigh swim was over I jumped in my car and shot over to Exmouth. I had been warned by Simon and Terry to expect a lot of festive waders and to get there early. I thought to myself "yeah right, how could most of Exmouth be daft enough to dress up on Christmas day and take a morning plunge?" I was of course proved quite a few hundred were! I was the only press photographer in shorts and sandals standing in the freezing water up to my knees. Thankfully Andy from a rival paper warned me in the nick of time not to stand where I was standing unless I wanted to be the ant amongst the stamping buffalo herd that roamed that particular spot during this time of year! Apparantly he knows guys lose their Canons to the depths of the ocean by doing just what I was doing!

Thank you to the kind couple who saw my sandals outside my car just as I was about to pull off and flagged me down in time!

Pic spread: http://www.exmouthjournal.co.uk/exmouthjournal/flatfiles/features/2007/exmouthswim/exmouthswim.aspx

Tar Barrel Night!!

..........ummm.......WHY ME???!

I guess I was a little more prepared to take on the madness which unravels on November the 5th in Ottery St. Mary than most people would be. For those of you who don't know, 5th Nov is known locally as 'Tar Barrel Night'. Why? well, chiefly because mad people descend on to the streets and do a rather unusual pub crawl! Giant oak barrels which have been lined with tar are lit and carried above the heads of these fearless country folk as they prepare to charge through crowds of 6000+ people! Singed hair and eyebows, blackened clothes and very hot mittened hands are all part and parcel of the very prestigeous title of 'barrel roller'.

So given what I have described above you can probably see why I had some reservations about taking very expensive camera equipment in to the 'heat' of the action! But having lived in Ottery for most of my life I kind of knew what to expect (fireworks, very large drunk crowds, a giant bonfire, oh not to mention these crazy guys with flaming barrels on their back followed by their posy who would sooner give you a hefty shove than let you ask them to smile at the birdy!)

All in all it was a great experience, as everybody tried to get out of the inner circle where the bonkers barrelers were, I was trying to get in! I know I need to improve some of my techniques for next year's barrels (such as getting lower down to see the guys faces as they tend to run hunched and also to watch my focussing which can be very tricky in pitch black nightime!) bring it on 2008!

See a pic spread here: http://www.sidmouthherald.co.uk/sidmouthherald/flatfiles/features/2007/tarbarrels/tarbarrels.aspx

Getting stuck in!

Well my first month has just flown by! my chief photographer Simon and Terry the other photographer, have both been showing me the ropes. I've mostly been shadowing Terry, picking up the techniques and learning some new tricks!

Carnival season is very much upon us and i have already snapped two carnival events (Axminster and Sidmouth), and have another booked for Saturday the 13th! I've visited fire stations, solicitors, councillors, football and rugby matches, snapped duck races, pubs, rstaurants, Royal Marines, oh and been to a beer festival...for pictures of course!

My First Day

The start of my dream career! I’ve been waiting for this day to arrive for the past six years. With the memory of the weekend leaving do still buzzing in my head I make my way to my very first photo shoot as a professional photographer (still can’t get my head around that! You sure that’s me?!).

Ordinarily I would be shadowing another photographer for the first week or two but as one is on holiday I’m on my own, Agghh!

I pull up outside the flats, should be simple enough as it’s just a new born baby shot, how hard can it be?! My heart is in my throat right now as I climb the concrete steps to the first floor. My brain is taunting me with the constant remarks like “You’re going to mess it up! The first and last picture you’ll ever take with the paper!” The couple’s Alsatian barks at me as I approach the front door, and reach for the bell. Then it dawned on me, this is for real! No more dreaming about being a pro or wondering what I’m going to do with my life, I’m there! My future as a photographer lies behind that door. My finger presses the bell of destiny and the lady appears from behind the door calming the dog as she draws near to me. “Baby? Nah, you want next door love!” she informs me. Well, I am still learning you know!

Despite the mental jibes I manage to get a half decent picture and silently snigger at that voice in my head which doubted me (did I just refer to myself in the third person then?!).

My first day goes well and the team are very welcoming and friendly. There is so much to learn and practice, it all seems pretty overwhelming. One day at a time I guess!

Life through the lens

My interest in the media world stems from an unforgettable education at the King’s School Sixth Form in Ottery St. Mary. Mr Chacksfield, my then Media Studies A’level teacher, has to be the most influential and captivating character I have ever come across and I owe much thanks to his brilliant teaching and infectious enthusiasm.

I have never forgotten those trips that our class took to the cinema to study the various giants of the movie directing world. What captured my attention was the technical aspects in the filming, i.e. how did they get that angle? What lighting did they use there? Why did they use that composition instead of this? But most of all the hidden meanings the directors inject in to their films before our very eyes without our awareness. I could go on and on about this fascinating subject but I think I should talk about photography as that is where my interest has naturally progressed.

For me photography did not begin until after sixth form in the autumn of 2001. Ironically my passion for such an exciting career has its routes in the most distressing time of my life when my father passed away due to cancer. Dad left me his Pentax SLR camera, along with a plethora of strange looking objects used for imagery which I am now much more familiar with! I had never held a monster of a camera such as this before let alone knew how to work it. But I was determined to have a go so I read up on the subject, starting with the manual, always a good place to begin!

Six years later, after many courses and practical experience, I am now here, working for Archant Publishing as a photographer. I know I would have done my father proud, even though he really wanted me to go to university, I can’t help thinking that he left me that Pentax with a grander scheme in mind. However, I still haven’t got a decent photo from that camera since the shutter never worked properly!