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Our small Island always amazes me by the huge amount of activities it offers to those who make a small effort to attend or partake in them.

Last weekend was a great example with another packed diary to choose from.

In the end I found myself photographing Daz Carre as he finished his 24 hour run at Footes Lane in aid of the Rhys Daniels Trust. Daz's achievement was not far short of super-human and was best seen in the context of what people were doing in the London Marathon... that was just a stroll in the park compared to what Daz achieved!

I also photographed The Mouse Outfit on the Fermain Tavern stage at the latest Get Down. That was another brilliant night, thanks to Andre 'oneofakind' De Carteret :-)

Sunday offered plenty of entertainment too.

The Guernsey Powerboat Association organised an open day to showcase the start of their new race season. The line-up of boats was very impressive and there was an air of excited anticipation in the pits. With new headline sponsors Stanley Gibbons Investment on board 2015 will be their best yet.

Between all the chasing around I also photographed the first (I guess of many) Guernsey Velo Club Urban Downhill Mountain-bike races in Castle Cornet held as part of the Heritage Festival in association with Adventure Cycles & Visit Guernsey. 'Conquer the Castle' was raced through the historic passages and gateways of Guernsey's main castle and drew a large crowd of spectators.

Like I said, Guernsey is never short of things to do...
VIEW PICS OF THE CONQUER THE CASTLE MTB EVENT
VIEW PICS OF DAZ CARRE FINISHING HIS 24 HOUR CHARITY RUN
VIEW PICS OF THE GUERNSEY POWERBOAT ASSOCIATIONS OPEN DAY

Roy de Jersey is one of those people who seems to find a couple more hours in each day than the rest of us. He always has several projects on the go and he showed me a few as we walked around his workshop before this photoshoot.

Roy is a big fan of classic bikes, particularly if they can be raced - which he still does, and his engineering skills have kept many old bikes 'alive' and on the road.

Roy also has a special talent when it comes to model-making and recently had this recognised when he won his class in the Guernsey Eisteddfod with this beautifully crafted and detailed model of the Cutty Sark.

I was invited along to capture a few pics of the Cutty Sark and I have to agree with the Eisteddfod Ajudicator's comment that Roy's two years of fine detailed work are near perfect.

Roy already has another model boat started... I should expect another call in about two years time!
VIEW PICS OF ROY DE JERSEY'S CUTTY SARK

If someone was to ask the question 'Why do we need the Fermain Tavern'? Last Friday would have to be the answer!

It was last Friday that the 'Tav' presented another famous band (another one of many). This time it was The Blockheads... yes you all know them from the days when they were Ian Dury's band.

The Blockheads won't mind if I suggest that they have been around a bit. They have certainly amassed a good collection of experiences along the way and perhaps more importantly they have a stockpile of talent that can be brought to any of their live performances. And there are some pretty good songs in their repertoire too ;-)

This is a guaranteed combination to lift a gig into something special... and it did just that on Friday.

So, to get back to my earlier question. The 'full-house' of punters who enjoyed the rare talents of the Blockheads were able to savour all this locally in our 'very own' Fermain Tavern!

That fact alone should tell you why we need the Fermain Tavern... and why we need it to stay as our premier live venue. At a Fermain gig you get the chance to stand just three feet from popular music's new and established icons. How privileged does that make us?

The point is that NO OTHER Guernsey venue will ever replace what we already have here at the 'Tav'. The only other venue that very occasionally puts on a worthy (that's questionable) original band might be Beau Sejour... but really, there is no comparison and nothing remotely regular in their promotions.

But more to the point is the question, 'Where is the atmosphere when you have to stand in a Sports Hall drinking out of plastic cups'?

Please remember what we have in the Fermain Tavern. It is a great venue and needs our support. Paul Staples has done a fantastic job to keep the momentum going for the last few years but now it is time for some-else to take over. We must offer our support so that the 'Tav' continues its fine history of Live Music.

I was able to get right up close to the Blockheads and captured a few pics. They are now online:
VIEW PICS OF THE LEGENDARY BLOCKHEADS

This morning Talbot Valley lived up to its reputation of being one of Guernsey's prettiest places.

I was fortunate to spend a few hours there whilst photographing the Guernsey Velo Club's MTB Downhill racing, Round-2.

There was a good turn-out of MTB bikers riding the twisty down-hill course. Each competitor had two timed runs on this sunny morning... and it really was a couple of hours well spent by riders and photog's alike :-)

For me, speaking as a photographer, the light was really useful offering me the chance to use slow shutter speeds, back-lighting, flash and panning techniques.

I definitely ticked a few boxes there then!

I've added a new gallery of pics here:
VIEW PICS OF MTB DOWNHILL SERIES ROUND-2

Can I just say a huge thank-you to everyone who has visited this web-site since the weekend. I'm staggered by the enormous interest in my work :-)

The automatic counter that runs at the bottom of the page has shown well over 50,000 new views which makes my efforts all worthwhile!

I hope you have found pictures that interest you and that you are encouraged to make a return visit every so often. I can guarantee that you will always find new updates.

.... oh, and don't forget that you can buy an occasional pic on-line which will encourage me to keep offering up-to-date coverage of all these events ;-)

Thanks again,
Andrew

There is nothing like a win to get any sportsman excited. This goes for any game.

Some may argue that sport and competition should be partaken for the fun and exercise... that alone should be enough for you!

But I maintain that they just don't get it. What sport is about is playing to win. If there are a few other benefits along the way then they are just a bonus!

The challenges on the way to the win can be fun. The ups and downs are all part of any game. But the end goal (in this case) is what a team and its supporters are looking for and when it comes it's well worth celebrating.

As a Sports photographer my aim is to illustrate the play and hopefully capture some of the story. But my ultimate objective is to freeze that moment of elation and the joy of accomplishment that comes with victory.

The capture of the perfect celebratory shot can be a little like fishing for a record fish or maybe a better 'photographic comparison' would be to think of it like trying to photograph a rare bird. You will almost certainly need lots of patience together with the luck of being in the right place at the right time. And too that mix you hopefully add a little pinch of experience that moves the odds in your favour a little ;-)

So I was pretty pleased with myself when I captured a sequence of shots at the E H Trophy Hockey Semi-finals this weekend. I was able to tell the whole story in pics... from the ball going in the goal to the excited celebrations. In fact I want to jump around as much as the players.

It was a win, win for everyone... and that's what it is all about :-)
CLICK HERE TO VIEW PICS OF SPORT CELEBRATION

The small spectators area overlooking the Squash courts at Beau Sejour was packed for the weekends 2015 Guernsey v Jersey Squash Inter-Insular.

The event ran with reduced numbers of competitors due to some being put off by the high cost of travel. This was a great shame but it didn't reduce the amount of interest in the competition.

This year there was an added attraction as Guernsey's professional International player Chris Simpson found time to represent his Island giving locals a rare chance to see him in action. Chris achieved a career best high with a World Ranking of 20 in 2014 and managed an easy win against Mike Hopkins from Jersey.

The photography is a challenge as the glass back wall of the courts catches reflections of the spectators which, when combined with the dirt and smudges that appear on the glass after a days play, means most pics are spoilt to some extent. It's also very hard to move around in such a packed area... but the best has to be made of what is there!

I've added a gallery of pics featuring some of the games:
VIEW PICS OF THE 2015 SQUASH INTER-INSULAR

Rumpus... now that's a good name for a band!

If I put the name into words we come up with something like this...

Rumpus, Noun: disturbance, noise, uproar, confusion, commotion, disruption, furore, rout, row, tumult, fuss, fracas, brawl, brouhaha, ruction, bagarre, ruckus.

I couldn't of put it better myself. But in this case I have Chambers Thesaurus to thank ;-)

Last weekend saw the return of Rumpus to play at the Fermain Tavern after a gap of perhaps six years. Way back then Rumpus were favourite visitors on the local scene.

So last weekend the scene was set. Could this band generate the same enthusiasm after all that time? Were their 'old' fans going to still come out to support Rumpus?

I knew the answer as soon as I walked into the 'Tav'... and that was even before the band took to the stage. In fact it was RentOClean entertaining the punters. Good set BTW.

But back to the headliners. We all know the famous advertising line 'It does what it says on the tin'. Well in this case we have an example of a band doing what they say in their name... you will have to look back up this blog for the full description.

I hope you need no more comment from me. Was it a great night? Do you really have to ask?
VIEW RUMPUS AT THE FERMAIN TAVERN

Last weekend Steve Lynch returned to Guernsey with his new band The Electric Shakes to play a memorable gig at the Fermain Tavern.

Now we all know that the music business is a tough one to make a name in... but you have to say that The Electric Shakes could be lined up for much bigger things! There is only one thing missing.

The band has a 'mature and finished' feel about their performance. It is clear that the three band members have all 'paid their dues' playing in various bands along the way. Their authority and stage presence can only be amassed the hard way. There are no short-cuts. Actual time spent crafting songs and playing live cannot be cheated on.

So I was impressed with the band that I consider a complete package... ready to make it big?

Well that is the million dollar question. The Electric Shakes are showing all the promise and talent to exploit any opportunities offered to them. But for now all we can offer is our support and keep our fingers crossed that the only missing ingredient comes their way.... LUCK!

I hope you find it lads. You deserve it.

Support was from Lifejacket and To the Woods. Those pics will follow.
VIEW PICS OF THE ELECTRIC SHAKES PLAYING AT THE FERMAIN TAVERN

Motorsport loves its Silverware and there were three tables full taking pride of place at the Guernsey Kart & Motor Club Annual Dinner Dance last weekend.

There was a good turn-out and the opportunity was taken by members to show their appreciation to all the people who work behind the scenes successfully running the many events each year.

The evening built to a climax when the many trophies are presented. My own involvement on the night takes the form of an eight foot wide slideshow that showcases each competitor as they go forward to collect their trophies.

After the tables had been emptied of silverware I managed to grab a few of the winners to capture their picture... this moment deserves to be recorded!

A small gallery of pics is now on-line:
VIEW PICS OF THE TROPHY WINNERS AT THE GK&MC DINNER DANCE

I am reckoning that it is now safe to update one of my picture galleries.

This particular gallery always requires an update at about this time of year. That is because it features work that was sold over the Christmas period to be given as presents.

I always find myself having to be careful not to reveal any 'secrets' in the run-up to the big day. I design, print and deliver these special personalised gifts during the weeks leading up to Christmas and it would not be appreciated if I let the surprise out of the bag to the recipient!

The gallery I am referring to is the one that features my custom designed Montages. These always sell well for gifts as they are a great way to display a few favourite pics.

Unfortunately, it's a fact that when someone just buys a 'normal' print in one of the smaller sizes it often ends up in a draw, forgotten and rarely seeing the light of day :-(

So the best answer is to buy something that deserves a little bit of wall space. Montages tick that box. The final design is customised just for you and will encourage you to keep it on display. I even offer an option to have the Montage framed before delivery. Nice and easy, job done.

Of course the fact that no-one wants the surprise spoilt before the big day means I cannot add the gift Montages to this web-site until all the parties are over. I reckon it is safe now so the updates are now on-line.

Oh, can I just remind you that Christmas 2015 is on the way... don't forget to start your pressie list ;-)
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE UPDATED MONTAGE GALLERY

It's taken a few days but I can now look forward to the New Year. Most of the back-log of recent work is complete, or at least under control.

So it's time to look forward to the New Year and I'm really optimistic as last year was my busiest ever. It was also the most varied I've had so far... and you know what they say variety is the spice of life :-)

My diary is already looking good and the important 'variety' factor is definitely there.

If you make even occasional visits to this blog you will know that I consider it a rare privilege to be able to earn my living doing exactly what I enjoy..... and I have no boss to answer to. (Hope the missus doesn't read this!)

This New Year has already started on a high with my pics being featured in a leading UK Magazine Powerboat & Rib. The bar has been set high with this three page spread featuring the 2014 3A/3B World Powerboat Championships. Can other National publications follow? The target is set!

However there is one certainty. Once again I will be working many more hours than when I had a 'proper job' - and I will enjoy (nearly) every minute.

This just leaves the mandatory New Years resolution: I really must get myself another photoshoot in a helicopter ;-)

Hello 2015, bring it on :-)

2014 was a great year.

Being a photographer is a great job!

The thing I like best is that I get to re-live the most enjoyable moments when I edit my pics.

I've just had a brilliant week catching up with the last of the major edits from 2014. That is the Jersey Live Gallery. As always there were lots of bands lined up on multiple stages so I spent my time dashing between them trying to tick my list of 'must see' acts. This effort wasn't helped by the bar being strategically placed between the stages.

Inevitably I don't recall every detail... but editing the pics has helped me remember ;-)

I think that I will now declare the Jersey Live 2014 picture gallery is complete. There are about twenty-four galleries including three which showcase the atmosphere and behind the scene.

Final updates include:

Catfish and the Bottlemen
Earth Wind & Fire Experience feat. Al McKay
Luke Friend
The Graveltones
Molotov Jukebox
Newton Faulkner
Frankie Davies
Simon Gasston
The Doors Live
The Little Big Band
Clashmar
Billy Rowan
Hannah Jacques
and Sergeant Pipon

....... it makes you wonder how I ever had time to get a hangover!!
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE COMPLETE JERSEY LIVE 2014 GALLERY

A new year usually means a new start.

However I'm one of those people who finds it hard to move ahead whilst there is still unfinished business.

So if I'm to enjoy 2015 I really needed to make sure that 2014 is well and truly 'put to bed'.

That has meant a full week of catch-up :-(

I've been checking the unfinished business and one biggie is standing in the the way of 2015.... my Jersey Live 2014 edit! It appears that it has been put off more than once! The thing is, I spend about four days on-site and you can end up taking a lot of pics. I expect that I will end up with over twenty new 'Bands' galleries.

But, to move into the New Year I have bitten the bullet and the final edit has begun, yippee :-)

Jersey Live 2014 picture galleries now feature:

Ellie Goulding
Ben Howard
John Newman
Bombay Bycycle Club (they were great)
The Klaxons (so were they)
The Selecter (oh, and so were these)
Mark Knight
and Diversity

Check-out the pics here (many more to come):
TAKE A LOOK AT THE PROGRESS IN THE JERSEY LIVE 2014 GALLERY

Give me ten minutes and I'll come up with a list of my favourite live Bands of 2014.

But give me ten seconds and the one Band that immediately gets added to the list has to be Dead Sea Skulls :-)

I only discovered the Band by accident (so to speak). They were on the bill for the 2014 Vale Earth Festival way back in the summer. I guess I am always a sucker to be impressed at the VEF. It is one of the few gigs every year where I let myself forget about the photography (not strictly true) and hang out with a few beers... Real Ale of course (thanks Errol)!

So I confess that I had enjoyed many, many pints by the time I saw Dead Sea Skulls at the VEF. So maybe my judgement was influenced by the liquid gold? I was about to find out at the fund-raising gig for the VEF held at the Fermain Tavern last Sunday... yes Sunday!

It was with a little apprehension that I arrived at the gig. Could my new-found heroes live up to my beery, hazy memory of their first performance?

As I was only drinking Ginger Beer this time I would be a more critical critic!

Nothing to worry about though. If anything the band was even better. They are a true 'live band' who thrive off the feedback from a close, intimate crowd.

The set they played was truly memorable and I heartily recommend them to anyone.

Support was from Alderney's number one selling Blues man Robert J Hunter, a F'ing good To the Woods (you had to be there to get the joke) and the tight as ever Sugarslam.

2015 will have a lot to live up to :-)

Pics are now on-line:
VIEW PICS OF DEAD SEA SKULLS
VIEW PICS OF SUGARSLAM
VIEW PICS OF TO THE WOODS
VIEW PICS OF ROBERT J HUNTER

There are two roads to choose between in life. You can choose the safe route for a life that offers no high points and few memories.

Or you can take the risk... and follow the road to the Fermain Tavern to celebrate 30 years of high energy performance by The Risk. High points and memories will come aplenty along the way.

So no decision to make then. The Risk it is.

The band marked their three decades anniversary with a gig that did a good job of reproducing the vigour and verve that distinguished their early years. Mark even found himself rolling around the stage on his back. Why change a habit of a lifetime!

However three things have changed over the years... but they can all be counted as positives.

All the benefits gained over time are technological and each plays a part in raising the standards of a live performance.

Firstly, today's stage sound production is fantastic and really enhances the live experience.

Then you have two more improvements that a photographer appreciates.... that'll be me!

The latest LED stage lighting is a huge enhancement. Combine this new illumination with the latest digital cameras and the photographer is able capture pics that were never possible only a decade ago.

So there we have it. The Risk played an impressive set that reminded their supporters what had made them great... and modern tech rewarded the fans for hanging around for three decades!

The support acts were a varied mix of duo Blue Mountains (very good) and Citizen-X who showcased how much things have changed in thirty years of music production.

Definitely a night that memories are made from.
VIEW PICS OF THE RISK HERE
VIEW PICS OF BLUE MOUNTAINS
VIEW PICS OF CITIZEN-X

I wonder what are you getting for Christmas?

....read on to find out what I received in my early Xmas sack!

But first, can I tell you that I am having to keep quite a few secrets at the moment as I know (shhhhh) what dozens of you are about to receive under your Christmas tree. (Hint) I hope you have a little space on the wall above the fireplace ;-)

This festive period has been my busiest yet for picture sales with Framed Montages and Canvases proving to be extremely popular.

Christmas is almost like a 'harvest-time' for me as the twelve months of cultivating interest in my photography pays off. It also illustrates very well just how hard-working and consistent you have to be to nurture a large and loyal following. For this festive season I have been selling pics from across the whole genre of my work... everything from Elevated Panoramic shots to Sports, Racing and Band pics.

I'm very, very lucky that I've established myself as a photographer who specialises in the subjects that I really love... namely Motorsport and Music performance and it is incredible how many people also share the same love. I know there are many other photographers who pursue these same interests and regularly visit my galleries to comment on and critique my work. Maybe even pick up a few tips? ;-)

But what really amazes me is how many people are simply interested in viewing my picture galleries. The total number of picture views is amazing and I thank all the regular visitors.

So now I had better reveal what I have just received as an early Christmas present. The pressie takes the form of my web-site total views smashing through another mile-stone number.

The total views of this web-site have just topped 8,000,000, EIGHT MILLION, WOW!

This new record comes after just four years from the very first upload. The 'year one' views were recorded at 1,000,000 and have consistently grown up to today's annual count of around 2,500,000!

As the new year approaches I remain encouraged by the interest in my work and my New Years resolution is to work even harder at what I love.... oh, and to drink much more Real Ale!

.....consistent, reliable and predictable, that's me :-)

Thanks for your continued support. Have a very Happy Christmas and a fun New Year!

You can read about some of the previous 'mile-stones' here:
CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT SOME OF THE PREVIOUS MILE-STONES

Andrew

If you need something done then I think you should always go straight to the experts.

So if it's a party you need organised... forget Ghostbusters... call Chaos Events :-)

Once again the Greenman turned the Fermain Tavern into 'party heaven' last Saturday when they organised the aptly named 'Light to Dark'.

The bands that made up the evenings line-up covered a wide spread of colourful shades... from lighter to heavy.

True to their ethos of always finding a great cause to support the Greenman had singled out the deserved Jonah Gillingham for a little pre-Christmas aid and my fiver donation was my best outlay of the week.

I couldn't resist taking a few pics of the Bands as the lighting by Lloyd and Lasers by Gareth were amazing!

If I had to make a choice, I think the Band that really stood out on the night were BLAKALASKA who were truely amazing... aided by great sound and lighting, thanks guys :-)

My Band shots are now online. Follow the links to see pics of BLAKALASKA, Demise of Sanity and Buffalo Huddleston:
VIEW PICS OF BLAKALASKA
VIEW PICS OF DEMISE OF SANITY
VIEW PICS OF BUFFALO HUDDLESTON

The Guernsey Donkey can be a bit stubborn when you try to get it to move.

However if the carrot is big enough and it starts down the road there will be no stopping it!

I have a feeling that the Facebook campaign under the heading of 'Enough is Enough GSY' is building that unstoppable momentum :-)

The turnout for the demonstration on North Beach against the threatened new General Sales Tax, Paid Parking and increased Refuse Collection costs was fantastic.

But the trigger for the organised protest was the threat of the introduction of a mixed bag (and poorly judged) range of Vehicle Width and CO2 emission taxes. Maybe this was the final straw that broke the Donkey's back?

The Donkey's came out in force... and we're a stubborn lot :-)

I took a few pictures of the protesters. They are now on-line:
VIEW PICTURES OF THE ENOUGH IS ENOUGH PROTEST

A few more updates today from the Vale Earth Fair.

I hadn't realised how busy I've been since the VEF (way back in August) but having found a couple of missed folders with VEF pics in I'm now sorting through the last of the Festival shots and there is just a glimmer at the end of the tunnel :-)

Today's picture updates feature Robert J Hunter and his band, Citizen X and one of my favourite live acts, Static Alice.

Check-out the updates here:
VIEW PICS OF STATIC ALICE & ROBERT J HUNTER PLAYING AT VALE EARTH FAIR