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On the face of it you probably wouldn't go out of your way to see a Terrible Stuntman. Would you?

However if that is the name of Big Bobby Battle's latest band that should be enough to tickle your interest.

Unfortunately not many people saw it that way on Saturday when Terrible Stuntman headlined a gig at The Fermain Tavern organized by Havoc Events.

The lineup was strong and the variety of acts should of had something for everyone but sadly the audience numbers were small. First act on stage was The Crowband. Next up were Kings adding a more Pop influenced sound. Lifejacket then laid down some heavier tones.

Then it was left to the Terrible Stuntman to bring things to a close. It will be fun following the development of this project during the year. I think the potential is already showing.

By the way I love the band name Bobby... somehow it's just a perfect for fit you, ha ha :-)

I've added pics of three of the bands to my Galleries. Sorry I didn't see the Crowband due to an earlier assignment.
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF TERRIBLE STUNTMAN
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF LIFEJACKET
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF KINGS

I'm now just a couple of weeks off collecting my pension and being born and bred in Guernsey and living here for all those near 65 years I think I know the Island pretty well.

Right from the first time I got a set of my own wheels I've enjoyed exploring every corner of our twenty-five square miles. I've driven down just about every track that appeared to be navigable and squeezed through most of the narrow high-bank lanes.

So when I had a night-time assignment given to me to photograph the Darts individual league games at the West Legion I left home (up north in St Sampsons) and headed south. I reckoned that my knowledge was good enough to make my approach to the Legion along the most direct route through the lanes and not from the easier direction from the Longfrie Inn.

Predictably in the dark I soon found one hedge bank looked like the next and I had to give in and use the sensible option of starting at the Longfrie.

But getting lost wasn't the only reminder that this Island holds many little secrets and hidden places. When I eventually found and entered the West Legion it was bigger than I remembered (from maybe forty years ago). It was also buzzing with activity revolving around the Darts evening. I think I counted eight Darts boards spread around the wall of two rooms.

The amount of play on the closely placed boards soon made me aware that achieving a good 'shooting position' wasn't going to be easy. I also only had a short time before I had to head back into St Peter Port to photograph a Basketball game. As always the best motivation is a deadline and the knowledge that I had to get the shot in the can... and quickly!

I have to thank the Dart players for being so welcoming and accommodating and I hope to soon get back down west... next time with a bit more time! I've added a small Gallery of pics here:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE WEST LEGION DARTS

The Independent Venue Week is a great initiative aimed at supporting and promoting independent live music venues across the UK.

The hope is that the trend of these unique places closing can be slowed and halted. This is an important goal which any scholar of the history of popular music would tell you.

Small venues have been the making of almost every major act to emerge on to the scene for decades. Without these 'seed beds' where young artists and musicians can meet, network and develop their personalities and performances the future of modern music would be stunted.

So it was fantastic to see the support given by musicians and gig supporters to the Guernsey edition of the Independent Venue Week at St James.

I photographed three of the bands who performed, The Tarantulips, Stone Cold Fiction and the headliners Beach Riot.

Follow these links to view my pics:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF BEACH RIOT

CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF STONE COLD FICTION

CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE TARANTULIPS

It's always good to have a plan.

Sometimes it's useful to have a Plan B. Sometimes it's even good to have a Plan C!

That was the case for me at the weekend when the weather threw a spanner into the works.

I had been booked to photograph an indoor Netball game. On the face of it you would think that this was a safe bet for a day that was predicted to be rough and stormy. However one of the teams was visiting from the UK so when the flight was cancelled so was Plan A.

I was more confident that Plan B would go ahead and had made sure all my bad weather kit (for me and the cameras) was ready. This assignment was to cover the Autocross Banger racing down on Chouet beach.

This sport usually battles through any wet weather. After all when you race cars on a wet and mucky beach without a windscreen you are made of pretty hard-core stuff.

But unusually this event was also called off because of the extreme weather.

So it was Plan C that came into play. This was an indoor event at Beau Sejour which was handy. It turned out that one of the top ranked players was a visitor but I assume he must have come over before the storm raged.

Plan C was to photograph the Guernsey Squash Open. It is a few years (time fly's) since I have photographed Squash so I had to ramp up the learning curve to get the action shots. Ultimately it was very enjoyable.... and I kept warm and dry!

Follow this link to view a new Gallery of pics:
CLICK TO VIERW PICS OF THE 2020 GUERNSEY SQUASH OPEN

The Guernsey Athletics Chertsey House 5 Mile Road Run from L'ancresse to St Peter Port is always fun to photograph.

The entry is made up of the top local athletes combined with the more gently paced 'fun runners'.

I was asked to photograph this years event and remembered how easy it can be to miss the final action completely. The brief asked for me to capture pics of the start, mid course and finish line.

One previous year I had waited for the last of the runners to pass me along the first section of the course before I then tried to drive in the direction they were heading. The problem was that the race is along an open public road and with the slow pace of the back-markers and oncoming traffic it was very hard to overtake to catch up with the fast front runners.

So this year I was better planned and I used a short cut to gain a position ahead of the field and I had a relaxed time arriving at the finish line.

I've added a small Gallery featuring a few pics:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE 2020 CHERTSEY HOUSE ROAD RUN

Everything is slowly getting back into its routine as we complete the first month of 2020.

The Guernsey Dinner Boxing Club held their first evening of 2020 at St Pierre Park last Friday.

Their intention was to showcase ten bouts but due to the late withdrawal of boxers the night was reduced to just eight fights.

There was still plenty of action though and I enjoyed trying capture the highlights. The Gallery of pics featuring all eight bouts can now be viewed online here:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE FIRST DINNER BOXING EVENING OF 2020

The Betway Channel Islands Sports Awards ceremony is held annually with the venue alternating between Guernsey and Jersey.

It was Guernsey's turn to host the 2019 event and the David Ferguson Hall at Beau Sejour was turned into a Television Studio to enable the live transmission of the highlights.

This gallery showcases my pics the winners....
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE 2019 BETWAY SPORTS AWARDS

Now I really should know better. I’m the bloke who is paranoid about backing up Computers, Images, Databases, Emails…. everything really.

But we all drift off the right track sometimes, don’t we?

My latest excursion off the straight and narrow was at the weekend.

I was trying to write a new Blog. This is something that rarely produces anything of note. They are usually just links to the latest Galleries or they only feature my bland comments. I know my limitations!

However last Sunday afternoon whilst writing a new Blog I felt inspired (in my dreams, eh)!

I’d added a Gallery that featured some shots I’d taken of the Guernsey Snooker Masters Finals at the Gremlin Club.

As I was editing the pics I was remembering how difficult the sport can be to capture pics of.

Now you have to remember that I photograph many, many different Sports. I should be used to whatever challenge each one throws up. But when analyzing my Sports shoots there is a trend… most Sport photography is about split second timing. Nothing unexpected there. Then the environment is usually noisy and the play is fast paced. The skill is in being able to follow the action, anticipate the moves, make sure you are in the best place to see the highlights and keep your concentration.

It was with those thoughts in mind that I was intrigued by how different the skills need to be when photographing some Sports. As I mentioned above I was completing an edit of an important Snooker competition.

I’ve photographed Snooker several times before and you soon realize that being in the ‘arena’ and trying to work is unlike most ‘playing fields’.

A photographer is at risk of ‘getting in the way’ and distracting players as they make frame winning shots. There is no doubt that a photographer will soon be asked to leave if they interrupt the hush with a CLATTER. CLATTER just as a player lines up a crucial shot.

Also a photographer must not, cannot, move around trying to find ‘their’ perfect composition. That movement might again distract and influence play. The important work is being done by the players, ideally a photographer should not be seen or heard, we are very low in the pecking order!

So Snooker is nothing like most Sports to photograph… and I haven’t even mentioned the lighting. OK the table might be brightly lit but there is usually a difficult green colour cast from the baize and the ‘background’ of the room is often as black as a coal mine.

All problems added together it is a great help if a photographer can enroll a little assistance from modern technology. I did this at the Masters Snooker.

But firstly, getting back to how I started this Blog. I’d spent quite some time writing a text on this theme (I’ve already said that words don’t flow easily for me) when my wife called me for the evening meal. I was disappointed to break the flow of ideas but the aroma of roast beef saw me step away from the creative process. The plan was to let the PC go to ‘sleep’. I would simply continue from where I was after the meal. There was even a chance that a couple of glasses of red wine would lubricate the creative juices. However when I returned I discovered that all those wonderful words had somehow disappeared. I was raging… the work was awesome, inspiring, wise and could have changed a generations ideas about photography, ha,ha!

Could I ever articulate such wisdom again? Of course not. That’s why this is all you get to read!

Back to the storyline ….

You will remember that I was limited to the dark confines of a Snooker room with little control of what I could do to give myself any sort of advantage to get the shots. Oh I forgot to mention that I’d only been assigned a short time to get the shots before moving on to the next assignment… a rugby game. No problem taking pics of that Sport! The pressure was on!

So I used experience from previous Snooker shoots to decide that one of Nikon’s latest cameras might help me out. I’ve owned a Nikon Z7 from the day it first went on sale. I was immediately impressed with the quality of files it produces, the detail and dynamic range are as good as it currently gets. But I confess that it is rarely taken out of my bag as mirror-less technology really can’t yet match Pro level DSLR cameras when it comes to photographing fast action. For how long? Who knows as I’m sure the Nikon ‘Z’ range will quickly develop into an ‘all-round’ system. Watch this space.

But as the saying goes… ‘you should always use the right tool for the job’ and maybe I’ve found the perfect one for photographing Snooker. My Z7 stepped up to the mark big time. The dynamic range of the RAW files enabled me to edit for the lights and darks and the colour cast could be balanced with ease. Also the completely silent shutter allowed me to capture moments of play that my D5’s shutter clatter would have got me chucked out. There is a gallery online where you can view a few of my latest Snooker pics. Click the link below.

To summarize. This Blog has become an extended ramble as I made an attempt to re-write my thoughts. The points to note are:

1: Always backup your work as you go along. You don't want to lose your words of wisdom!
2: Don’t allow yourself to be distracted by the aroma of roast beef.
and
3: Always use the right tool for the job!
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE GUERNSEY SNOOKER MASTERS

We must all acknowledge that recent generations including ourselves have little to be proud about when it comes to how we have treated the Earth... the only planet that can sustain life.

Any of you who like me are of near pensionable age will probably be departed before the true horror of the seeds we have sown manifest their worst damage and change.

Thankfully there are groups of people of all ages who a least attempt to undo some of mans short-sighted excesses. One such group is the Guernsey Trees for Life who aim to increase tree and hedgerow cover throughout Guernsey.

The planting is made using native species which should offer the best habitat to other native plants and wildlife. They must be praised for taking a long-term approach and hopefully future islanders will be grateful for the endevour.

I was able to spend a short time talking to some of the volunteers whilst taking a few pics for the Guernsey Press. There was a good turnout even though the weather wasn't great... maybe the promise of a bacon butty helped!

A few pics are online here:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE GUERNSEY TREES FOR LIFE PLANTING

The second round of the GVC MTB Downhill Series challenged riders with some slippery sections.

Steep drops were made more hazardous by protruding rocks and tree roots. There were many tumbles during the three runs but the most committed riders faced the hazards making the event a great showcase for the sport.

The next Round promises lots more action. I'll be there trying to capture the best of it.

Pics of Round-2 are now online here:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF ROUND-2 OF THE DOWNHILL MTB RACE

Guernsey Raiders were left disappointed as the visiting Rochford Hundred won a hard-fought encounter 19-13 at Footes Lane.

Over a thousand people packed the Garenne Stand on Saturday afternoon to watch the local side struggle to find form. It was with just ten minutes remaining that the Raiders scored two tries to bring about a respectable score.

I have added a Gallery of pics featuring some of the afternoon's action:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF GUERNSEY RAIDERS v ROCHFORD HUNDRED

Just a very quick Blog to let you know that my pics of the Guernsey Velo Club's MTB XC Series are now online.

Round-3 was raced on a course setup at Noirmont which offered varied sections featuring open fields, single tracks through the woods, a slalom and steep drops and climbs. That ticked most of the boxes.

Follow the link to view the latest pics:
CLICK TO VIEW ROUND 3 OF THE MTB XC SERIES

I was reminded how our small Island punches above its weight (using a sporting analogy!) whilst photographing the 2020 Guernsey Sports Commission Awards evening at Beau Sejour tonight.

Sometimes it seems that there is an endless stream of young talent coming through the system. We are lucky to have many, many committed Coaches and Officials putting hours into supporting their chosen Sports. They work incredibly hard behind the scenes and it was good to see that this work was recognized at the Awards night too.

But it was the individual stars and teams who enjoyed the acknowledgement of their achievements when receiving their trophies from Andy Priaulx.

I have added a small Gallery to this website featuring the presentation of awards:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE 2020 GUERNSEY SPORTS COMMISSION AWARDS

With most of the festive events and the New Year celebrations behind us the GMC&CC Trials section had one last party during their first Trials event of 2020.

Tradition has it that the day starts with a handicap event for the Seniors. This is combined with the Juniors riding their own sections in Fauxquets Valley.

A timely break is made for the competitors and family to have a social lunch. Then in the afternoon... probably carrying a little more weight... the Seniors complete a number of Sections in and around St Andrews.

I managed to make two short visits either side of other assignments. You can view my pics by following this link:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE FIRST TRIALS EVENT IN 2020

Pics of the Womans NC One South-East Rugby League game between Guernsey Raiders Ladies and Southampton Ladies at Footes Lane are now online.

The Guernsey Ladies put on a dominating performance over the visiting side.

The score of 58-7 tells the story..... but click on the link below to view the story in picture format :-)

This is a link to the Gallery:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE RAIDERS v SOUTHAMPTON LADIES RUGBY

It's been a busy weekend of action photography.

I started with two rugby games featuring both the Mens and Ladies Guernsey Raiders.

The first gallery online features the Mens Raiders team playing Hertford. The teams were evenly balanced for the first 60 minutes but it was the Guernsey side who dug deeper and showed greater desire to win. They turned around a 0-5 score into a 14-8 win. The result keeps the Raiders at the top of the league.

Photographing Sunday's football game was less rewarding and was as frustrating for me as it must have been for the spectators and the GFC coaches.

GFC failed to show their best form and visiting side Phoenix Sports probably deserved their 1-2 win. Hopefully the Guernsey squad will soon return to full strength after suffering from several injuries. We keep our fingers crossed.

My pics can be viewed by clicking on the links below. Still to come are pics of the Ladies Raiders smashing it out of the park and the GMC&CC Trials meeting in St Andrews.
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF GUERNSEY RAIDERS v HERTFORD
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF GFC v PHOENIX SPORTS

The boys from 'up north' brought their 'Grunge from the Vale' to St Peter Port on Saturday night.

The Fermain Tavern was the venue where Coastal Fire Department sonically abused our ears when they turned if up to eleven on the dial making anywhere within four meters of the stage carry a health warning!

With support from Bobby Battle's 'Terrible Stuntman' and From Darkness the crowd where rewarded for making the effort to climb the hill out of town.

I've added pics of the three bands to the website. Follow these links:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF COASTAL FIRE DEPARTMENT
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF TERRIBLE STUNTMAN
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF FROM DARKNESS

GFC and Whyteleafe FC were closely matched when they faced each other at Footes Lane in a BetVictor South East League game. A nil-nil score probably reflected the run of play but I did fancy our local side to sneak a win as they did conjure up more chances.

This was the final GFC game of the decade and they seem on course to maintain their ranking in the league. Another short run of their best form could get them into the playoffs.

With over one thousand supporters at Footes Lane on Saturday the side has all the encouragement it needs. Good luck GFC with this latest challenge.

My pics of the GFC v Whyteleafe game are now online here:
VIEW PICS OF GFC v WHYTELEAFE

The School of Popular Music's annual Christmas Concert is always full of seasonal good cheer and anticipation of what is to come.... both Christmas Day and the ongoing development of the young talent.

The relaxed atmosphere which is shared by students, SoPM tutors, family and friends is often the first time the younger performers stand on stage in front of a room full of people.

It is a credit to them and their tutors that they always rise to the occasion and produce many memorable performances.

I've photographed the concerts many times and there have always been 'stand-out' young people who I'm sure will already feature during next years many SoPM events. I think that the SoPM's modern teaching structure is fantastic at building confidence within the youngsters as there seems to be a healthy balance between the required formal practice and discipline which is combined with having a 'target' set on future events where new abilities can be showcased.

You can view my latest pics of the School of Popular Music's 2019 Christmas Concert by following this link:
CLICK TO VIEW THE SoPM 2019 CHRISTMAS CONCERT

The Guernsey Motor Cycle and Car Club Trials section recently organized a training session for their Junior bikers.

There was a relaxed atmosphere down on Lance's land below the reservoir with parents mingling with a few senior riders and enjoying a cuppa whilst the youngsters looked for anything to traverse.

Many of the Junior bikes are battery powered making them near silent so I literally had to have eyes in the back of my head as they were approaching from all angles!

Seeing the miniature riders taking on obstacles without fear was quite impressive. It looks like the time invested in training is paying off and will hopefully ensure that there is a new generation of competitors ready to enter the senior championship.

I have added a small gallery of pics here:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE JUNIOR TRIALS TRAINING SESSION