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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

One of the more enjoyable Press assignments of 2019 was being sent to photograph the Accent Language School singing Christmas carols in Market Square.

I was getting into seasonal good spirits whilst driving down to town but this was soon tempered when I saw that I literally had only torchlight to work with!

In the end I was quite pleased with the results.

Click the link to view the Gallery:
CLICK TO VIEW THE ACCENT LANGUAGE SCHOOL CHRISTMAS CAROL SINGING

Christmas must be on the way as it's time for the School of Popular Music Christmas Gig. Once again the students were given a whole evening to fill at The Doghouse. The entertainment was none-stop with some real quality on show.

The familiar format started with the solo acts leading on to the bands. This was the sixth year that I have photographed the Xmas gig and as always it's great to see how each performer has developed over the years.

The opportunity to sing and play their chosen instrument at a live venue that offers professional sound techs, lighting and an audience is a special and memorable thing for the young talent. Some, I'm sure, will go on to make a life and living within the music business. Others will enjoy the moment and they'll have fond memories of this time forever.

So thank you SoPM. I'm now officially feeling the festive vibes... well just a bit!
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE SoPM 2019 CHRISTMAS GIG

It was a busy start to the Guernsey Velo Club's MTB 2019/20 Winter Downhill Championship.

The action took place at the Talbot Valley course and riders had a three chances to complete timed runs. The track was well prepared and seemed to stand up well to the abuse.

The twisty sections required riders (mostly) to avoid the trees... apart from Sam Clark who was up to his old tricks! A tree truck v a shoulder blade is never a fair fight!

After seeing him loose grip and hearing a huge thump followed by a groan I was worried. But seconds later Sam was announcing 'I'm all right, I'm all right, I think!'. The fella was soon on his feet and considering carrying on. Good sense prevailed (maybe a first) and he decided that he should sit this one out. He'll certainly feel sore today!

With a short course and a thirty second gap between riders they were able to pack in three runs. This equals lots of pics!

This gallery shows all the action....
CLICK TO VIEW THE MTB PICS

I confess that I've spent 'silly' money over the decades on HiFi systems.

I still have a set of Celestion Studio Monitors that stand at over half my own height! Sadly they are now relegated to stands for our lounge lights!

I'm now a firm convert to the Sonos system of speakers... in every room... and Spotify. My days of reading HiFi magazines are gone and I've 'sold out' to technology and a single system. Maybe my old HiFi mags would not be impressed with my investment but there are real benefits.

The streaming of music has enhanced my enjoyment of a wider range of music. I'm definitely the winner. Maybe I'll expand on the bonus I now enjoy from using this technology in another Blog.

But, and it's a BIG but. There is no system that can replicate a top live performance... and I was reminded of this last weekend.

I attended a gig at St James in Guernsey which had three very popular local bands on the bill. Indeed these bands would have been enough of a draw to entice a good turnout.

However there was a promise that the headliners would put on a rather special performance to top the night.

And that is what happened. Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs were immense. Heavy, charismatic and memorable. Indeed they were the perfect example of how live music has to be enjoyed 'in the moment' and shared together as an unrepeatable (no two live performances are ever the same) experience.

Sure the musicians will often comment after a show that they weren't a tight as they wanted or some other error had crept into the show. But the crowd rarely even notice this.

The fidelity of the sound might not match my old Studio Monitors but that is quite irrelevant. The memory taken away is much more powerful and references a far more complete experience.

So I hope you have taken from this ramble that I remain a committed follower of live music and when I experience a powerful performance like the Pigs x7 at St James it can't get much better!

Their support was from Track Not Found, Brunt and Teaspoonriverneck. You can view pics of Pigs x7 and those bands here:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF PIGS x7
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF TEASPOONRIVERNECK
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF BRUNT
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF TRACK NOT FOUND