News / Blog - Events News

Last year saw the first Guernsey Festival. It was a great success and set the standard for this years version.
If you were one of the loyal festival goers for No.1 you will know that there was a great atmosphere in the 'big top' for the headliners and the supporting acts. The line-up ticked lots of boxes with a mix of acts to suit most tastes and a few 'hidden gems' that you would never have found if they weren't presented to you at a Festival.
This year it is more of the same - only bigger and better!
I have spent some time over the last few days on the Festival site and the new lay-out is a big improvement with everything more compact. The atmosphere will be brilliant.
I am official photographer for the Festival and will be uploading loads of pics as the event unfolds.
The amount of effort that has gone into establishing this new Festival deserves your support.... it can only get bigger and better each year.... if you buy a ticket ;-)
Go on, do it. Tickets are available on the day.
Check-out last years Galleries for a feel of this great event:
VIEW LAST YEARS GUERNSEY FESTIVAL

Forgive the cliché....... but if I didn't use this picture of fireworks it would probably have been a 'cork and champagne bottle' shot ;-)

The celebration is to mark this web site flying past 2,000,000 viewings!

May I thank the thousands of people who have spent a few moments exploring the various Galleries and pages that form this TALLPICTURES & GUERNSEYMOTORSPORT web site.
I am fortunate to have many regular viewers who often offer feed-back on my latest pics. I'm always pleased to receive comments and ideas for the next 'shoot'.
It is also nice to see from Google Analytics that about 50% of visits come from new viewers.... the word must be getting out there ;-)

This latest milestone has been passed 7 months after the viewings broke the 1 Million mark. It took almost 12 months to reach that mark so the graph is showing continued upwards progress!
READ ABOUT THE FIRST MILLION VIEWS

So what is the next target? The obvious one is to try to reach 3,000,000 by the web site's second anniversary!
If that target is to be reached there's not going to be much time for me to do the gardening......
Don't tell the missus ;-)

Take a look at the picture Galleries here:
CLICK TO VIEW THE PICTURE GALLERIES

Well actually there was barely even standing room at the Thomas de la Rue for the Teaspoonriverneck Album launch!
Hot, sweaty and lively.... and that wasn't just the band. The 'Spoons' led the faithful masses in an energetic set that featured songs from 'Do it Again'. If closing time hadn't got in the way they still would be doing it!
I have often said that our little Island supports a live music scene that is way above what is 'the norm' for this size of community. When it comes together for a night of live entertainment like last weekend we are certainly spoilt.
Supporting Teaspoonriverneck was the prolific Crowman and 'new on the block' but becoming a favourite of mine, Lifejacket.
I took a few pics, but to be honest I was a bit distracted - we're all allowed a evening off now and then, aren't we?
Take a look at the 'Spoons' pics here:
TEASPOONRIVERNECK ALBUM LAUNCH

The 2012 Liberation Day celebrations in Guernsey came to an end with contrasting styles of music being performed in St Peter Port.
May the 9th sees the town front in St Peter Port being closed to traffic and a variety of entertainment is presented during the day.
Tradition has it that the day will end with music.

This year produced quite a contrast! 'Lib Rock' - as the name suggests is aimed at the 'rockier punters'. I was suprised how many people stayed late into the evening on the Albert Pier as the weather was wet and miserable. But, the music seemed to do the trick and there was a good, friendly atmosphere.
However it was much warmer and dryer in St James! Festiva performed to a lively crowd who enjoyed a Guernsey version of a mini Proms. I could have stayed all evening.... well it was warm and dry ;-)
In the end I jumped between the two events.
I photographed Sons of the Desert & The States at Lib Rock and Festiva at St James.
I have added a few pics here:
VIEW PICS OF THE LIBERATION DAY 2012 MUSICAL PERFORMANCES

Man , did I feel old at Rock of Ages-16!
With just three more birthday cakes to go before my 60th I guess that makes me at least two generations away from the guys in The Doomsday Project!
I have loved and supported live music since I was their age but never found the talent to play.
Oh yes, I've tried. I seem to remember owning a guitar, a keyboard.... oh, and there is still a harmonica in a draw somewhere. In the end I decided that the best part I could play was to be ''the audience''.
This pursuit has given me lots of memories from many, many gigs and festivals.
I say 'thank you' to all the real talent who take to the stages.
And this is why I enjoyed watching, listening and photographing the ''so young'' The Doomsday Project.
With new young, keen talent always waiting in the wings... LIVE MUSIC is in good hands :-)
A new Gallery of pics is now on-line.
UPDATE: New pics of Breaking the Silence have now been added to the RoA-16 Gallery.
VIEW THE ROCK OF AGES-16 GALLERY

Mark Guillou needs congratulations - and your support - for his epic Rock of Ages series of gigs. Although 'gigs' doesn't really do justice to these events. They always feature multiple bands with great sound and lighting.
Rock of Ages-16 has just taken place and Mark stayed true to form with his support for the younger bands. I only managed to attend the Saturday night of the 'double-header' but was pleased to see The Doomsday Project kick-off the proceedings. I think they were the youngest band yet but show great potential.
Added to the mix was a great UK based band. This was Evarane and they produced a performance that was a 'masterclass' in live performance for the younger bands.
Full of energy and movement Evarane showed how to take performance to a higher level. The band received the appreciation and support from a satisfied audience.
As a photographer I will always capture stronger images when a performer understands there should be more to their performance than just presenting their tunes. Evarane delivered.
Editing and optimising gig photography is a very time consuming pastime. Whilst the stunning lighting and colours offer the potential for strong, powerful pictures, this also means that many of the images need fine tuning to make the best of this. So far I have completed the shots of Everane and these have been added to a new Rock of Ages-16 picture Gallery. Other bands will follow....
VIEW ROCK OF AGES-16 GALLERIES

Saturday saw the return of the Sand Racers to Vazon beach.
This was the first Sand Racing event in 2012 organised by the Guernsey Motor Cycle & Car Club. The weather was fine and there was a reasonable turn-out of competitors.
This year will see the Club running a major championship race meeting on the beach at Vazon when the Condor Ferries sponsored 'British Sand Ace Championship' will be held on June 23rd.
I know that a top class group of riders (sliders) and sidecar crews are signed up to compete in this prestigeous race meeting.
We are all looking forward to that day.... bring it on!
My picture galleries have been updated with pics of the first race of 2012. Take a look here:
SAND RACING AT VAZON PICTURE GALLERY

Easter in Guernsey is always packed with Sporting events. 2012 is no different.
Over the weekend I'm pointing the lenses at some of the action. Number one on the list was the first Sand Racing meeting of the year at Vazon Beach - pics will follow.
After the racing I visited the Rohais headquarters of the Guernsey Badminton Association to photograph the Ladies Doubles Final and the Mixed Doubles Final of their Annual Easter Open Tournament. These pictures are the first to be added to the Gallery. There was also the Guernsey Lions football at Footes Lane.
Tomorrow Motor Sport features high on the list with the Karting and Autocross Championships.
Easter Monday features the Hill Climb at Les Val des Terres... stay tuned for all the updates...
GUERNSEY BADMINTON ASSOCIATION EASTER OPEN TOURNAMENT

I'm often asked by fellow photographers and clients about the 'kit' I use.
There is no doubt that for many photographers part of the enjoyment in taking a pic is the equipment they get to use. There is also no doubt that some photogs take the choice of their kit to an extreme level! They can become unreasonable, agressive and perhaps blinded in their allegiance to a favourite manufacturer.
Right at this moment there is a (sometimes heated) debate in progress about the two leading Professional brands - Nikon & Canon. Each Company has two 'top-of-the-range' bodies already available or due shortly. The Nikon D4 & D800 and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III & EOS-1DX.
I try and steer clear of this debate - I am heavily committed to the Nikon system (with a large collection of lenses, flashes etc) and don't really have a choice ;-)
  ....... but I do think that my choice of Nikon has been a good one over recent years. The D3 and D3s have been fantastic for my low light gig photography and have perhaps 'given me an edge' over the competition. Always handy, eh ;-)
The next few months will reveal if Canon have got closer in performance... the debate will continue.
  So perhaps it was inevitable (wasn't it?) that a Nikon D4 & D800 would be added to my kit! I am now in the process of getting to know them and they are VERY GOOD! I will bring a few updates on my findings during the next few weeks.
Having said all of the above, I think one of the most important pieces of kit is often overlooked by many photographers. This is their monitor. It is the interface between you and your finished work. It is where every judgement regarding colour and contast is made. However I have been amazed at some of the screens I have seen in use.
My advice to you if you are embarking on the pastime of photography is for you to allocate a decent part of your budget to a quality monitor. There are plenty of web sites offering helpful advice.
  This brings me to the real reason for this post. I have used a dual monitor set-up for many years and when one of them became difficult to calibrate I decided to buy a replacement. After looking at Eizo and NEC I decided to go with the NEC Spectraview REFERENCE 301. This is a 30" High Gamut monitor and it calibrates superbly with the X-rite i1 Display.
I am also loving the 2560 x 1600 pixels in 16:10 format which give plenty of space and an enlarged vertical compared to the more common 16:9 proportions. I highly recommend this superb monitor.
  My new desk layout is shown above... nice!
Whatever monitor you use it is normally possible to improve its colour and tone reproduction using the built-in utility or graphics card program on your system. Give it a try.
This graphic will help you judge if you have a reasonable calibration.

Photo Montages continue to be popular - both as a gift or as your own unique and individual record of a seasons racing or perhaps a live performance of your band.
I received a number of requests for Montages over the Christmas period. Off course they couldn't be added to the Gallery at the time as this would have spoilt the suprises!
So I have now uploaded a few more to the Montage Gallery for you to take a look... it might even tempt you into asking for your very own version!
The way this works is that you can select your favourite pictures - either from this web site or I can meet up with you and you can select the pics from my laptop database. The second option is the recommended one as I will probably have many more pics of you than the web site can display.
Once your choice is made I go ahead and make a design. This is then e-mailed to you for comment and approval before the final print is made using Professional quality pigment inks.
Sounds easy doesn't it... why not give it a try?
VIEW THE PHOTO MONTAGE GALLERY

Rock of Ages-15 introduced a new format with a Friday night devoted to 'unplugged' performances.
It was a 'step into the unknown' for Mark Guillou but the line-up worked really well. The whole thing was relaxed and laid back with plenty of friendly banter.
I'm sure Andy Duchemin could make a career as a stand-up comic if he tire's of the music! He certainly handled the hecklers better than Bill Connolly did ;-)
Once again Mark showcased a number of Guernsey's young musical talent - something this small Island seems to have in 'speakers full'!
Appearing on stage for the first (of many, I guess) unplugged Rock of Ages were Silas the Assassin aka. Andy Duchemin, Peter Mitchell, The Phantom Cosmonaut aka. Tom Girard, Key of G aka. Mark Smith-Jones, Elliott Crossan, Jack Heywood and From Bedrooms to Backseats.
Check-out a few pics here:
VIEW ROCK OF AGES-15 UNPLUGGED

Last weekend saw two farewell gigs by Chris Dean as he has decided to retire from the Guernsey music scene. Chris played with three of his old bands.
Since the early 70's Chris has been involved with more bands than I have room to list here! The one single 'theme' of all these bands was that they all commanded a large fan base of loyal followers.
Chris is a natural, versatile and charismatic front man and will be missed from the local scene... if he manages to stay away?
Whilst I'm sure he fully intends to hang up the guitars, I can't help but feel that he will miss the performing and we will see him on stage again sometime in the not too distant future.
Maybe this is just wishful thinking on my part? Time will tell.
So it is a big 'thank you' to Chris for the many great nights of music we have enjoyed.
I have added a couple of new picture Galleries featuring the farewell gigs...
VIEW THE TEMPUS GALLERY HERE
VIEW THE PULSE GALLERY HERE
VIEW THE DEVOTEES GALLERY HERE

For those guys 'n gals who attended Rock of Ages-14 it was simple.
Turn up, pay a couple of quid (a real bargain by the way), enjoy two great nights of music with a pint or two if you're old enough. Indeed, a fantastic way to spend a weekend!
So where do I go wrong? Well of course I always take my camera and 'shoot away'. Whilst I take very few pictures of each Band - once you multiply this by eight I end up with nearly a week of processing!
But, if you stick with it the job does get done and I'm really pleased to say that the Rock of Ages-14 Gallery is complete.
The final Bands added are Breaking the Silence, Inertia, Distant Shores and 2 Minutes 2 Late.
VIEW THE ROCK OF AGES-14 GALLERIES

The Rock of Ages series continues as number 14 is 'done and dusted'. Once again nobody can complain about lack of choice as Mark Guillou presented no less than eight Bands over two evenings.
Following the successful formula it was new and young Bands that were showcased and supported by a number of more established names.
As you can imagine, shooting eight Bands produces a lot of development work for a photog and I have only just completed the first edit.
These first pics have been added to a new Rock of Ages-14 Gallery and feature So Cold the River, Destria, Dealer's Left & The Deadbeats.
Check-out the Galleries here:
VIEW THE LATEST ROCK OF AGES-14 GALLERY

It is fair to say that the last month has been a bit different from normal. If you have visited this web site or read my news items on Facebook you will know that my missus has been a bit poorly... if that is what you call having open heart surgery!
But things are now looking much more positive for Carol as she takes 'time out' whilst recuperating - and enjoys being waited upon just a bit too much for my liking. Oh well, I suppose I can spoil her for a few weeks (only).
All this means that my work is now returning to normal and I am supplying orders on time again.
I am also planning the coverage that I will give to the many varied events that are planned for 2012. The new year should be one of my busiest.
May I once again thank everyone who has been kind enough to wish Carol and myself 'all the best' during her illness. The support has been wonderful.
See ya round soon I hope.
Andrew & Carol

I'm sorry but it is unlikely that I will be able to fulfill any more orders for prints, canvases, montages or digital files before Christmas.
My wife has been diagnosed with heart failure and was transported to Southampton by Air Ambulance today. I will be with her for the duration of her stay.
If you should place an order without seeing this information I will, of course, give a full refund to you.
Thanks for your understanding.
It is a shame that all this has happened in these circumstances as the trip over was quite an experience.
The Air Ambulance comes with its own Doctor and Nurse, a private plane with two pilots who really were only there to provide a personal service. No duty free's or a loo though!
The Ambulance trip was at commuter time so the Doctor decided that we would use the 'lights'.
This would definitely be the way to travel in different circumstances. I had a front seat in the ambulance as we 'blues & twos' through Southampton - at one point with a police bike escort and police cars on the main junctions holding up the traffic! Like the Queen!
As it turned out there had been what we think was a bad traffic accident on our route so we were waved though right up to the incident which had totally blocked the road. They clearly thought that we were attending that incident!
A quick U-turn later and we were making a detour.
Having seen how 'the waves part' when you have a siren and blue flashing lights I told the driver that I now know what I want for Christmas!
May I thank all of you who have already sent your 'best wishes' to Carol and me. We remain very positive that now the problem has been identified that a successful treament will be made.
Thanks again
Andrew

Anyone with half an interest in the Guernsey music scene will be well aware of the X-Factor prefabricated band that stole the name from the long established and authentic local band 'The Risk'.
I understand that the fight to retain the exclusive rights to use the name continues - but as is so often the case - money and muscle matters and Simon Cowell will probably crush 'the little' guy. Shame on him!
This problem hasn't stopped the REAL Risk from taking to the stage and they gave a demonstration in the art of live performance at the Fermain Tavern on Friday night.
There is no subsitute for experience and when this is combined with the energy that Mark Le Gallez, Colin Leach, Stewart Austin, Andy Coleman and Garrick Jones can still muster (no small feat given their ages!) this latest performance was a lesson how live music should be presented. High octane and dynamic.
Mark added another 'trophy scar' when he cut his ear whilst rolling around the stage... yes it was all there!
Support was from Last of the Light Brigade. One of my favourite young bands.
I have updated the Gallery with pics of this latest outing by The Risk. Check it out here:
THE 'REAL' RISK AT THE FERMAIN TAVERN

With Christmas just around the corner I guess you are all getting stressed - as I am - thinking about what to buy for friends and family!
I have added another Canvas Montage to the Galleries to give you an idea for a unique gift.
Why not consider having a Canvas Montage designed to give as a gift. Each Canvas is unique and can display your favourite pictures. These large Canvases are delivered 'ready to 'hang' and make a great focal point.
Please contact me by phone - 07781 144525 - or e-mail CLICK HERE TO E-MAIL and we can chat about what you would like designed.
VIEW THE SAMPLE CANVASES AND MONTAGES

In fact Mark Guillou's Rock of Ages has now reached number 13! This is quite an achievment and I have lost count of how many Bands that have been given the opportunity to play at one of these events.
Mark puts on a great show. He has invested in a lot of kit - both lighting and sound - and the shows have set the standard for local live performances.
It is also a fact that Mark has encouraged and given many new, young Bands their first taste of a 'big stage'.
I have photographed each Rock of Ages up to number 12 - I had other commitments for number 13 - and I have just updated the Galleries.
If you want to take a look at a few pics from this popular event featuring Beef, Teaspoonriverneck and Whitechapel Murders click on this link:
VIEW THE ROCK OF AGES PICTURE GALLERIES

By a strange coincidence this new Web Site has passed two 'milestones' within a few hours of each other.

It is now ONE YEAR since I started developing a new place to display - and sell ;-) my pictures and this web site has generated quite a bit of interest since then. The new venture has been very enjoyable but has taken a huge amount of time!

The reward for me has been watching the 'web stats' climbing.
The coincidence that I mentioned above was that just as the first year passed the site hit ONE MILLION picture viewings!

WOW, I'm amazed and thank all of you who make a regular 'trip' over here.

However, I don't consider the 'job done' yet as my old web site was recording a MUCH LARGER 'hit rate'... but that had been established for several years. But I have that old target to aim for.
So what is in store for the next twelve months? I guess the answer is more of the same as it must be clear to regular visitors where my interests are.

With the anniversary I thought I would take a look at the details regarding picture views in case there was a clue to help me direct my time (and talent?!).

So, where is the interest? Is it with my well timed Motor Sport action shots? Or is it the beautifully captured Gig photography making use of superb stage lighting?

No - the most viewed picture during the last twelve months is the one displayed above... why do I bother, eh?