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So take a guess what I did after spending all day photographing Day-2 of the Resolution IT Guernsey Rally?

Well my aching knees were telling me to go home and put my feet up, maybe I'd earnt a glass of Single Malt or two? That would have been the sensible thing to do!

But no, I found myself at Beau Sejour straight after the Rally finished as the Guernsey Amalgamated Boxing Club were presenting 'February Fury', a night of 21 Bouts featuring Guernsey ABC v Home Counties.

By the end of the night I was completely knackered but it was a great way to finish the weekend. Variety is the spice of life but thankfully most weekends aren't so busy!

I've started the mega edit of 'February Fury' and the first Galleries of pics are now online. It will take another day or so before I'm able to complete the full edit as I'm working on a couple of Commercial assignments but if you follow this link you'll be first to see the latest updates:
** UPDATE: PICS OF ALL TWENTY-ONE BOUTS ARE NOW ONLINE **
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE LATEST UPDATES TO THE FEBRUARY FURY GALLERIES

A quickie update as I'm waist deep in picture edits with no time to chat :-)

The 2019 Resolution IT Guernsey Rally edit is done. Yeah.

The Day-1 gallery is now online. This features the Friday evening stages which were raced mostly in the dark and gave photographers a real challenge to achieve any sort of decent result.

My effort at this challenging task is now online.

Also today it was great to see four pages of my Rally pics in the Guernsey Press. Hope you enjoyed the coverage.

Check out the Rally Day 1 pics here:
CLICK TO VIEW DAY-1 OF THE RESOLUTION IT RALLY[/url

It's been enjoyable completing the first Resolution IT 2019 Guernsey Rally edit.

The first pics online are of the Day-2 Stages. They were in St Andrew and St Saviour. There were two closed sections of the public road... actually very narrow lanes.

Each of these was raced in one direction in the morning and then reversed for the afternoon. Of course this produced a completely different Stage.

The enjoyable part of this edit (actually the same can be said about many edits) is that I get to see what I was photographing and it's almost like I'm seeing the scene for the first time!

Weirdly there is something about the concentration and adrenaline whilst photographing fast moving action that gets in the way of actually 'seeing' what is in front of me!

So I can now say categorically (and I've seen the pictures!) that this was one amazing event.

You can see if you agree with me by checking out this first Gallery:
THE RESOLUTION IT RALLY PICS_DAY-2 PICS ARE ONLINE

Will I be accused of being over excited if I state that the 2019 Resolution IT Guernsey Rally was pretty spectacular?

Well, so what if I am! I spent two days following the event including seeing some of the massive amount of organization and the number of people behind the scenes who have to come together to make this event happen... and I was more than impressed.

The Stages were varied and challenged competitors versatility on each day. A large number of spectators took full advantage of the perfect springtime weather... but it is still midwinter!

Big respect to the Guernsey Kart & Motor Club, some great work sorting that out! Or maybe it was all the helpers who came over from Jersey who brought their own sunshine along with them? I don't care if they did. It was the icing on the cake of a great Rally event. Bring it on again next year please.

I'm now working on the edit... and it's a big one! Check out the link below to keep up to date with the latest uploads.

As well as photographing the Rally I also covered 21 BOUTS of boxing at Beau Sejour and just to completely wear me out, there was also a gig to photograph on Friday night after the evening Stages of the Rally.

My whole body is aching... but it's a good kind of ache. The sort you get after having a good work-out. The only problem is my recovery rate at 64 years old isn't what it used to be :-(
CLICK TO VIEW THE RESOLUTION IT 2019 RALLY PICS

Harry Dean Junior and the New Breed played their first gig to a packed theater at Beau Sejour. We were all there to pay tribute to one of our talented and loved 'musical brothers', Ged Kelly who recently died too young.

It was a true tribute to Ged and his family to see so many local musicians play a role during the evening, many others had traveled to Guernsey just to be a part of the evening.

The headliners on the night were Harry Dean Junior and the New Breed. This new band fronted by Chris Dean featured several members who would be familiar to fans of King Rat & the Soul Cats.

That link kind of gives you a clue about what you'll hear from Harry Dean Junior and the New Breed... together with a new set list. A greater recommendation couldn't be made. Make sure to get along to one of their gigs.
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE GED KELLY TRIBUTE CONCERT

There was a double-header of action events for me to photograph this morning. I reckon that this sets the tone for the rest of the year as my diary is already filling up with a multitude of different events.

As I've mentioned many time before, it is the variety of sports, gigs, festivals, commercial shoots and news items that I photograph that makes my job the best.

I get to see and experience so much that Guernsey can offer its residents... just as long as they chose to be involved. I'm going to work as hard as ever to offer the best coverage out there. Make sure you visit this Blog page regularly to find a link to all the latest updates.

Today you can view pics of the GVC MTB XC race at The Guet and Round 7 of the Autocross Club Banger racing championship at Chouet. Follow these links:
CLICK TO VIEW THE GVC MTB XC RACING
CLICK TO VIEW THE LATEST AUTOCROSS RACING

I've just finished uploading pics of two of my favorite ways to get into the festive spirit.

There were a couple of (now traditional) back-to-back School of Popular Music events held recently and there was nowhere to hide from the classic Christmas songs!!

Thankfully lots of other music and song also featured from well over a hundred performers spread over the two nights.

First up was the SoPM Christmas Concert held at the Church on the Rock followed by the SoPM Christmas Gig at The Doghouse a day later.

The Concert showcased the less experienced and younger students with the experienced students being treated to a professional venue with the added benefits of a pro sound desk and lighting at The Doghouse.

I've added two full galleries featuring all the performances:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE SoPM CHRISTMAS EVENTS

The annual tidy-up is still underway and I've found another folder of pics that seem to have missed the edit... but that's sorted now!

These pics are from way back in the summer when a David Bowie tribute act visited Guernsey and played a couple of outdoor concerts within the historic walls of Castle Cornet.

I was sent along by the Guernsey Press to take a few pics and enjoyed re-living my youth to a stream of Bowie hits. I was a great fan of the Starman and hearing so many of his hits during a two hour set reminded me of the time when I wore flares, platform boots and had hair down to the shoulders. Thankfully not too many pics exist of that very questionable period of fashion!

The Bowie Experience did a good job of 'time-travelling' us back to the days of cassettes and no mobile phones. Those were the days :-)

This is a link to my pics:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE BOWIE EXPERIENCE

Guernsey's Baliff, Sir Richard Collas, conducted the opening ceremony of the new Sarah Groves Room, a refurbished children's library, within the Guille-Alles library.

He welcomed the children as he opened the new facility and encouraged them to charge up the stairs to be first into the beautifully designed and constructed room.

Everything has been laid out specifically for children with places to explore and many little nooks and bolt holes for the young ones to hide and find a quiet spot to read.

I photographed the ceremony and a few of my pics can be viewed here:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW PICS OF THE OPENING OF THE SARAH GROVES ROOM

European Tour Professional Golfer Robert Rock visited La Grande Mare Golf Club where he coached the Guernsey Island Junior Golf Team.

Robert had lots of good advise and tips to offer after many years playing at the top level. He first joined the European Tour as an affiliate member back in 2003.

Since then he has played all around the world against the biggest names in the sport. Impressively he can add two of the all-time greats to his list of opponents that he has beaten... Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy no less!

Let's hope a bit of his magic will rub off on our local juniors!

I was sent along to take a few pics. View them here:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF ROBERT ROCK

There was no map needed by me to find my way to The Captains Hotel. In fact once I'd got near I only had to listen out for the live music.

I'd journeyed 'down south' to listen to Jim Delbridge launch his new album 'The Navigator'. When I entered the very packed bar it was clear that Jim's devoted fans had come out in bus loads!

There was a fantastic atmosphere with people just wanting to absorb the new tracks... just as well as it was near impossible to find a way to the bar for a beer!

Once again Jim has produced a mature, well crafted and memorable collection of songs. As always much of Jim's work could stand alone as poetry as he is a great wordsmith.

Seeing the size of the crowd that filled the bar I'm not alone in my enjoyment of his work.

I (somehow) managed to capture a few pics of the evenings performance. Take a look at them here:
CLICK TO VIEW A FEW PICS OF THE NAVIGATOR LAUNCH

If you're not a Guern you probably won't understand what I'm talking about but just believe me this does make sense to us!

My edit of last nights gig at St James is now complete and online. The two new galleries feature pics of The Cor Damme Lars (get it?) and The Recks.

Follow these links to view my pics:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE LATEST PICS OF THE COR DAMME LARS
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE LATEST PICS OF THE RECKS

The Baghdaddies headlined a mid-week gig at St James in Guernsey where they went down a storm with the crowd who managed to raise their spirits despite it being a Wednesday night and miserable weather outside.

This is a great party band... catch 'em if you can!

I popped along to take some pics for the Guernsey Press and was pleased to see my favorite lighting tech behind the desk... Lloyd Helyer.

Now before I upset all the other lighting techs around and jeopardize any of their gigs I photograph in the future (I love all of your work too... I really do!) it is just something in the way Lloyd lights a stage that makes the job of photographing a performance so much easier.

I've noticed this very often. Lloyd's lighting makes my processing of the pics so much quicker and easier... he saves me time, what's not to like!

I should clarify this a bit more... and I accept that I'm seeing this just from a photographers point of view.

From an audience's viewpoint I'm sure they would never have a 'preference' for any good lighting tech.

But back to the photographers viewpoint. I don't know if there are 'technical' terms for this but I notice that Lloyd tends to 'layer' the lighting. He uses colour really well and generally doesn't 'flood' a stage in a single primary colour. There's often an element of subtle white light too. Another factor is that I find I can predict his timing better than some other lighting techs.

All these elements combine together to assist my work... in colour.

But I have to admit that I do have a love for the black& white print. There is a strength and dynamic in that traditional format. Many of my favourite pics are indeed B&W and I will always continue to produce (lots of) B&W work.

However today's lighting and cameras offer the chance to capture colour better than ever before. So when given a beautifully lit and colourful stage it is maybe a sin not to use it to its best effect!

Hence, if you look at my gallery of The Baghdaddies pics you will see they are nearly all in colour. Lloyds lighting means that I don't have to turn to B&W just to 'save' a pic.

Also on the bill were The Cor Damme Lars and The Recks. Their pics will follow shortly.

I hope you enjoy looking at my Baghdaddies pics. Drop me an email Email me if you have any comments... agreeing or disagreeing with my thoughts.
CLICK TO VIEW MY PICS OF THE BAGHDADDIES

The perfect combination of sun, sea and surf. There was a strong and chilly wind on this autumn afternoon at Vazon Bay in Guernsey but it was still a fabulous place to be.

My pics don't really tell the full story as the lovely quality of the sunlight deceives us into thinking it was warm. But remember this was a November afternoon. Clearly surfers don't feel the cold.

There was some impressive surfing to entertain the spectators who had wrapped up and lined the sea wall.

I've added a picture gallery featuring some of the pics I captured of the enthusiastic surfers. Follow the link to view my pics:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE SURFING AT VAZON BAY

Sadly, but thankfully rarely, the Guernsey Dinner Boxing Club suffered from disruption of their latest event.

The evening's bouts were disrupted by fog at Guernsey's airport which meant that the visiting team of Welsh fighters didn't make it to the island.

To the credit of the Guernsey Dinner Boxing Club and the Guernsey Amalgamated Boxing Club the diners still had eight bouts to enjoy. The competitive element was missing as the bouts were only sparring but everyone seemed to understand the difficulty and it turned out to be another enjoyable night.

Let's hope it is many years before the weather messes things up again.

I enjoyed taking pics as I captured some unusual 'pairings'... Casey De La Mare v Billy Poullain... compete with a bit of wrestling by Casey's corner!

View all the bouts here:
CLICK TO VIEW THE SPARRING BOUTS AT THE DINNER BOXING

The idea behind the SOUND at St James Festival was to showcase the best of the Guernsey Bands and Musicians within the warm, dry main hall and adjoining rooms of the historic venue.

For this first time the event was organized it immediately proved that an indoor festival is the only way to go in late October as the festival goers knew nothing of the torrential rain outside!

There were two full days of live local music spread over three stages with barely time to take a breath between acts. Those who attended enjoyed what must be the best value achievable for just ten pounds a day!

My edit of pics will take a few days but a gallery has already been added featuring some of the acts who played on Saturday.

Keep a lookout on this Blog for future updates.

Click on this link to view the first pics:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FIRST PICS OF SOUND AT ST JAMES

It was a toe-to-toe Slugfest at Beau Sejour last Saturday evening.

I had a good idea what to expect as I'd photographed the 2017 edition and knew that a competitive program of bouts was guaranteed.

This year the visiting team was a Northern Counties Select lineup. The spectators were entertained by fifteen bouts featuring Minimum Weight, Bantamweight, Lightweight, Welterweight, Light-Heavyweight, Heavyweight and Super Heavyweight. That must have covered most options!

By the end of the night the local team had pulled off a hard-fought 8-6 win (the first bout of the night didn't count towards the overall total).

The bout of the night award went to the Lightweight fight between Niall Adams and Liam Riley, well done guys.

I've now uploaded a full gallery of pictures featuring every bout. Follow this link to view the pics:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE 2018 OKTOBER SLUGFEST

A new charity event for 2018 was the Distinguished Gentleman's Ride.

A large group of riders congregated outside the White Rock Cafe before heading off for an Island tour.

The majority of riders had entered into the spirit of the ride by dressing as 'Gentlemen'.

Money raised by the local event was for Men’s Shed and Male Uprising Guernsey.

Before the riders set off, Jack Mourant was named as the best turned out rider, while Colin Robin’s 1959 Triumph Tiger 110 was judged to be the best bike.

I was sent along to St Peter Port to capture a few pics for The Guernsey Press. You can view them here:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW PICS OF THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMEN'S RIDE

The 2018 H.M.S. Charybdis & H.M.S. Limbourne weekend was marked by the formal ceremony and remembrance of those who lost their life.

The Royal Marines Band Plymouth were in attendance and were as popular as ever with the crowd. They played in Market Square on Saturday and provided the formal marching music at the remembrance service at the Foulon Cemetery.

This Gallery features pics of the two main events of the weekend.
CLICK TO VIEW MY PICS OF THE CHARYBDIS WEEKEND

Sadly I only had a few minutes to photograph some of the Dressage riders at their recent Championship event at the BSJA grounds before they took a break for lunch and I had to get to my next assignment.

That was a disappointment as it is a while since I've photographed this sport and I was looking forward to 'getting my eye in' again. One of the things I most like about my photography is that it is so varied with each genre requiring some understanding of what 'action shots' present the sport in the best style.

I would certainly need more than the few minutes that I had this time to get a 'proper feel' and understanding of Dressage but it was still fun.

Hopefully I'll be given more time if I'm sent to photograph the event again.
CLICK TO VIEW A FEW DRESSAGE PICS