News / Blog - Sports News

EDIT: What is the first rule of reporting... GET YOUR FACTS RIGHT!!

So I failed there then :-(

Paul isn't racing at the Sand Ace meeting this year... he'll be in Tayac, France for the World Longtrack Championship!

But he did have a good time in Guernsey and he was VERY fast:-)

.....Last Saturday saw one of the UK's top 500cc Slider riders make a visit to the Vazon sands.

Last Saturday saw one of the UK's top 500cc Slider riders make a visit to the Vazon sands.

Paul Cooper was over to familiarise himself with the beach conditions before the prestigious British Sand Ace Championship on July 4th.

The National Sand Ace Championship is about to hold its 10th event on the white Vazon beach and this year the quality of field - both Sliders and Sidecars - is the best ever!

This is testament to the fantastic job the organising committee of the Guernsey Motor Cycle & Car Club do in bringing all the details together to make everything run smoothly.

I'll be covering the event again... that makes it my tenth time also!

I've just added a few pics of the warm-up race to my Galleries and from the way Paul Cooper was 'at home' on the beach I think he is likely to be one of the top runners in the Sand Ace. Make sure you make a diary date for the 4th July... the action will be amazing!
VIEW PICS OF THE JUNE 6th SAND RACING

There was a buzz going around ahead of the fourth Full Boar 'Lock-In' Cage Fighting yesterday. It had been billed as 'Round-4, More Blood, Sweat and Beers'.

Could it live up to the hype and the three previous events?

I was certain that it would after I checked my web-site statistics and found that in the twenty-four hours between the fight weigh-ins and the start of the event there had been over 9,000 picture viewings of the fighters facing up to each other for the first time... its safe to say that the word was out!!
VIEW PICS OF THE 2015 LOCK-IN WEIGH-IN

The fight night is always incredibly busy as I try to capture as much of the action as possible and this year was no different as the pace doesn't ease up for more than a minute.

But I'm privileged to be asked to, literally, take a cage-side seat (actually a ladder!) to give me the closest viewpoint in the building... that means I'm often closer to the combat than the Ref! :-)

I've started the gallery updates with pics of the Muay Thai British Middleweight Title fight between Josh Meadowcroft and Jake Brookfield. All other bouts will follow. Keep checking the gallery.
VIEW PICS OF THE 2015 FULL BOAR LOCK-IN

The Full Boar Motorcycle Club is about to hold Round-4 of its Lock-In Cage Fighting at Beau Sejour.

This event is entering its fourth year and it has earnt a great reputation for the high standard of organisation, fighting and entertainment.

I reckon it is the largest indoor sports event held in Guernsey with up to 850 spectators. This guarantees that the atmosphere is electric!

But the night before always sees the weigh-in of the fighters and the first chance for them to stand toe-to-toe with their opponents. The tension can be felt!

I'll be featuring all the Bouts in my picture gallery... but for now, may I introduce you to the fighters who will enter the ring for the White Collar Boxing, Kick Boxing, Muay Thai and MMA Cage Fighting...
TAKE A LOOK AT THE LOCK-IN ROUND-4 FIGHTERS

I missed adding a Blog on the day it actually happened but tradition has it that I try and mark each time the viewing counter for this web-site breaks through another MILLION recorded views.

The NINE MILLION figure was smassshed a couple of days ago when I was stacked with the Bank Holiday work. Hence the late Blog.

So here we have the latest landmark and it seems to confirm that when the TEN MILLION mark is passed that will herald a new 'twelve month' best of THREE MILLION views in one year! Nice.

You may have noticed that I quite like the word 'MILLION' as I have used it (in Internet swearing CAPITALS) so many times already in this Blog!

Thanks a MILLION (just one more for luck!) for the continued interest in my work and I hope you find the time to visit again soon.

Here is a link to some of the previous MILLION marking Blogs:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW PREVIOUS MILLION MARKING BLOGS

I'm not going to claim that my life as a photographer is full of drama and action, shame :-(

But I do get the chance (or invitation) to go to places and events that I wouldn't normally make the effort to... but I usually end up really pleased that the opportunity was offered to me.

This was the case yesterday when I was phoned (late in the day) by the Guernsey Press and asked if I could cover the Under 16's Football League Championship play-off at Blanche Pierre Lane. The game was between Vale Rec and Sylvans.

OK I said :-)

I arrived just four minutes after kick-off but already vehicles were being turned away as the car-park was full... obviously this game had attracted a fair bit of interest.

I parked around the corner and made haste to get to the game but I had already missed a Sylvans goal.

As the game progressed it was Sylvans who continued to show the best form and by the second half they had more of the play than the 2-1 score-line suggests.

When I left the grounds I was satisfied having enjoyed an entertaining evening... one that I wouldn't have made the effort to see if it wasn't for my profession.

I've said it many times before, I love my job.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW PICS OF THE U16's FOOTBALL PLAY-OFF

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

I photographed the final game in Guernsey Rugby Club's season in the National 3 London & South East league at Footes Lane last Saturday. The visiting side was Westcombe Park and they were to contribute to a hard-fought game.

It was a tense affair at the start due to Guernsey needing a good result to keep them up in this league next year. As the game progressed into the second half it was Guernsey who got their game together and by the final whistle the score was 42- 28 in the local sides favour... job done!

Whilst there wasn't a particulaly big crowd the conditions were bright (good for photography) however there was quite a strong and chilly wind which might have put a few of the supporters off.

I was down on the side-line and managed to capture some of the action.
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF GUERNSEY v WESTCOMBE PARK

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

It's a case of the faster the better when it comes to Downhill MTB racing.

Add to the pot some slippery conditions and it is just about perfect for challenging racing... MTB racers like it fast and slippery!

So it was all smiles for the first round of the Guernsey Velo Club's Downhill series in Petit Bot valley this morning.

Perhaps it was the spectators and photgraphers who actually had the hardest job... just trying to stay on our feet on the muddy slopes.

But it was worth the effort as the action was really entertaining with a couple of impressive 'off's' for good measure.

I've already added some pics to a new Gallery. Take a look here:
CLICK TO VIEW ROUND-1 OF THE 2015 DOWNHILL SERIES

SHOCK AND HORROR AS A LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHER STATES THAT (JUST MAYBE) A PHOTO CAN'T TELL THE WHOLE STORY!

It has taken me a lifetime of photography for it to suddenly dawn on me that (perhaps) a photograph doesn't show the whole picture.

There, now I've said it, I'll have to come to terms with this. I'm sure I will get over it... given enough real ale.

This hard fact hit home yesterday whilst editing the afternoon's photo-shoot. That job had to be one of the most miserable I've completed for a few years.

The occasion was the final round of the Guernsey Autocross Club's Winter Championship taking place on Chouet beach. And man did it live up to the title!

The beach was cold. Now that alone wouldn't be a problem. But when combined with strong wind and driving rain then we have an issue.

I'm a belts and braces sort of guy so I don't trust my favoured cameras to withstand such horrendous conditions without a little help. Whilst the manuals of Nikon 'pro' cameras and lenses state that they are:

'Protected by a tough, weather-sealed full metal body, the reliable and durable D4S sustains peak performance in the most demanding environmental conditions imaginable.'

The manual also says:

'Keep dry: This product is not waterproof, and may malfunction if immersed in water or exposed to high levels of humidity. Rusting of the internal mechanism can cause irreparable damage.'

So with this knowledge, when the weather is so bad, I always take the extra precaution of using purpose-made covers over my kit. (Remember, Nikon have left themselves plenty of room to wriggle if the kit is damaged by water).

OK, you should now have an image of a miserable photographer, back against the driving rain, camera kit in hand operated only by touch and memory as the covers steam up, and wishing I had windscreen wipers for my spectacles!

But I hear you ask, 'How does that relate to the headline above?'

Well it's just that I had hoped for a little more of the 'pain and discomfort' to be visible in pics. I wanted the viewer so see how I suffer for my art. To understand how I go the extra mile to get the pic. But no, it's like I said, 'maybe a photo can't actually tell the whole story?'

Now I guess I'm just going to have to live with that fact and suggest you use your imagination whilst looking at the pics.

Perhaps I could ask you to try sitting naked in front of an open fridge with your feet in a bucket of cold water with your wet hair dripping down your back whilst you check-out the gallery... it'll help you feel my pain and the pics will take on an extra level of reality.

Click here when you are ready:
THIS IS THE LINK IF YOU WANT TO SHARE MY PAIN

My doctor will be very pleased with me. He knows that my profession as a photographer doesn't feature very high on the 'active job' list!

This is because it seems that for every hour taking pics there will be three where I sit at my desk editing, captioning, tagging and admin'ing (if there is such a word) :-)

But this morning was a little different. I spent a couple of hours walking up and down the Guernsey country-side - in the mud - and perhaps more importantly in the fresh air and having fun. It's nice to get the week's allocation of exercise out of the way nice and early!

The event that ensured I was out of bed at a (fairly) early hour was the Guernsey Velo Club MTBC XC Winter Series Rnd-5 race meeting in the heart of the Island at Sherwell's fields.

The atmosphere was brilliant. Of course there was plenty of competitive spirit but many of the riders where there simply to enjoy a ride in the mud.

They weren't disappointed. Neither was I.... the mud makes for great piccies :-)

I have even managed to limit the time at the editing desk and the picture gallery featuring the GVC MTBC XC racing is already on-line.

Now that's work just how I like it:
VIEW PICS OF THE GVC MTBC XC WINTER SERIES RND-5

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 :-)

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

It was a Saturday of fun and emotion for me...

My short-list of photoshoots included:

1: Photograph Round 5 of the Motocross Championship.
2: Photograph the Charybdis wreath laying service at sea.
3: Photograph Round 9 of the Sand Racing Championship.

I love photographing Motorsport and you will see that my box was ticked by the weekends Moto-X & Sandracing.

But my most rewarding shoot of the weekend only took around an hour but the memories will last me a lifetime.

I had the privilege of spending a few moments in the company of the five surviving seamen from HMS Charybdis and HMS Limbourne when they attended a 'Service at Sea' with a wreath laying from the RNLB Daniel L Gibson. These ninety year old gentlemen experienced the horror of being torpedoed then finding themselves clinging to life-rafts and debris not knowing if they would ever be rescued. Many of their comrades didn't survive.

None of us can imagine what this was like but these men have carried that trauma with them all their lives. The emotion was evident as they shared their moments of remembrance.

The survivors families who were aboard the Travel Trident were equaly touched by the heartfelt tribute. I find it impossible to put into words how I felt watching these ageing sailors recalling the memories from so long ago.

However one single short sentence that I was told after the ceremony sums up what happened that night - simply and with great honesty...

'There wasn't a single atheist amongst us on that night'

May we never forget that our opportunities to have fun and enjoy our lives are owed to the many who gave their lives and suffered hardship for our freedom.
VIEW A SMALL GALLERY FEATURING PICTURES OF THE SERVICE AT SEA

I've now added a new picture gallery with the first edit of the Moto-X Championship here:

VIEW THE LATEST MOTOCROSS GALLERY

• A4 Standard Print
  
• Digital 7" x 5"
  
• A5 Standard Print
  
• Digital 1024 Pixel for Internet
  
• A4 Bevel Mounted Print
  
• A4 Bevel Mounted & Framed Print
  
• A3 Bevel Mounted & Framed Print
  
• A2 Framed Custom Designed Montage
  
• 16" x 24" Canvas Print
  
• A2 Standard Print
  

I've spent a little time analysing my picture sales and the list shows the top ten by number of sales.

This sort of in-depth look at where a business is succeeding or failing in its provision of services is an important part of running any company, big or small.... and I definitely qualify as the later!

I'm a one-man-band and proud of this with no ambition to change things. I've clearly lost my youthful drive and ambition :-(

In a 'previous life' I was a director of a fairly large (by Guernsey standards) retail business. I was responsible for the development of extra retail areas which offered the opportunity to extend product ranges. I also spent many, many hours a week analysing the sales performance and stock control.

I guess that when you develop a 'habit' over a period of 35 years it is a little difficult to break it. So this is how I found myself with a couple of hours to spare and a thirst for analysing my current source of income.

My business model is built around the desire to offer the very highest quality of service and output... from capture to the supply of the final print. You will note that I say 'print', not digital file! I'm a bit old fashioned about this and, whilst I do sell thousands of digital files, I firmly believe a quality print takes a lot of beating

It was this desire to supply the very best prints that led me to purchase the Epson 4800 printer. All my prints are produced 'in house' where I have total control of the processing and I love the quality that this pigment printer produces.

I also hand cut the board mounts that have proved to be incredibly popular. They really protect and display a print so much better than a basic un-mounted one.

Of course, having the mounted print framed as well really does the 'proper job'. I encourage you to consider just one framed and mounted print instead of perhaps buying three basic prints. The result is so much more special! Again the framing is done 'in house'.

So, as I said at the start, the intention of my analysis was to give me actual figures of my picture sales... and the results were almost exactly what I expected. So was it a waste of time then? No, not at all. As I mentioned it is always important to keep on top of new developments and then make changes in your business model.

And I have come to one conclusion after studying the figures and I will be responding to it during the next few months.

Basically it is the observation that most sales are for the cheaper options. Of course they are. I'm hardly surprised - neither are you, I guess!

But as a photographer it is a little disappointing. I really enjoy seeing my pictures displayed in the best way. An old creased and tattered print at the bottom of a draw isn't how I intended my work to end up.

So my aim for the future is to encourage, at every opportunity, the sales of the larger prints and particularly the mounted prints... or better yet the framed prints. I'm certain that my customers will have far greater satisfaction with their purchase... and the 'feel good' factor of their purchase will last for a lot longer. That has to make good business sense.

This doesn't herald a signal that I'm getting greedy or trying to make my fortune (some chance!).

No, I want to see that my customers are satisfied and enjoying my work in the most presentable way.

You have been warned.... The hard-sell starts here!
TAKE A LOOK AT THE VARIOUS PRINT OPTIONS AVAILABLE... BUY BIG, BUY FRAMED!

On a glorious sunny August afternoon there was a really good turn-out of supporters for the latest Guernsey Football Club game in the Isthmian League Division One South Football Championship.

Whitstable Town were the visiting team at Footes Lane and were positioned a few places above Guernsey in the league. A tight match was to be expected and that is what the crowd was treated to!

In fact it might be argued that the crowd played a part in the 2-2 draw after Guernsey dropped behind after a first half penalty and then a second goal.

The spectators had given up on the chance to spend the afternoon on the beach or at any one of several other events that were taking place on this summers day so they didn't intend to watch their side loose a game.

The GFC team kept up their efforts to pull back the couple of goals but seemed to lack a little momentum until Glyn Dyer scored with a spectacular long range shot with ten minutes to go. This raised the noise level from the crowd and seemed to spur on the team to a quick second goal - another long-range effort, this time by Craig Young. The resulting draw at 2-2 was judged about right on the run of play.

There was a still a buzz going through the crowd as they left Footes Lane as if in the knowledge that they had played their part in the result!

Guernsey FC is certainly well supported... let's hope the fans are rewarded by another successful season.

I've added a Gallery of pictures featuring some of the action:
VIEW PICS OF GUERNSEY FC v WHITSTABLE TOWN FOOTBALL