News / Blog

Sometimes even the best plans go wrong.

That almost happened to me today when I arrived at The Track to capture Round 7 of the GK&MC Summer Kart Championship.

I was a bit later than usual as I had to finish an edit that needed to be submitted before a deadline. Normally I would still be in time to capture plenty action... but not this time!

With just two Classes racing and a meeting that that had clearly run very smoothly there were just the two finals to go.

So it was action stations and finger on the button with no time to waste.

It seemed that before you could count ten laps it was all over :-)

As I'm still trying to work out the best shooting angles for the new track layout I need all the track-time I can get.

So I've made a note in the diary for the next race meeting: 'Must not be late'.

My pics are already online here:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF ROUND-7 OF THE SUMMER KART CHAMPIONSHIP

Somehow life always seems to find a natural balance... even when it comes to my funtime/worktime equilibrium.

It seems that whenever I find time for a bit of motorsport action photography there is always a payback lurking just around the corner!

This shouldn't be a surprise for me, after all I've been in this game for over a decade now.

But, like a well earned hang-over, after the fun comes the less welcome recovery.

With photography this is represented by the picture edit. An unavoidable outcome after the fun part of taking the pics.

So there we have it. I've been lucky to spend three days in Alderney photographing the motorsport weekend. So when I returned home there was no way of avoiding the extended edit.

There is good news though. I've just completed all the picture galleries and I didn't even need the help of any painkillers!

They can be viewed here:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE ALDERNEY FORT CORBLETS SPRINT
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE ALDERNEY AIRPORT SPEED EVENT
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE ALDERNEY FORT TOURGIS HILLCLIMB
[url]

I'm just back from four days spent in Alderney.

Three of my days were filled by motorsport... one was all about walking, exploring and beer :-)

Once again, this year I was touched by the Alderney 'magic dust'... whatever that is?

I can't really articulate quite what it is that makes a stay in Alderney so special and memorable but at the start of every year I seem to forget the previous years and I question whether I should commit the time and money to another Alderney motorsport weekend.

I forget what a fantastic time I always have. In fact I don't actually have a decision to make. This weekend should be the first commitment in the diary!

If you've never made a visit to Alderney - it doesn't have to be for the motorsport - you have missed out on a most enjoyable experience that takes you back a few decades to a time when life seemed a lot more simple and relaxed. I recommend it to you.

But now I'm back home and the usual pressure on time and workload returns :-(

For me this means a day spent catching up with the editing.

First examples of my three days work are pics of the Alderney Fort Corblets Sprint:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW PICS OF THE 2016 ALDERNEY FORT CORBLETS SPRINT

It's a slow start but the BIG Jersey Live edit has begun!

But just as I get things moving I'm working away again for a few days so the updates will continue in sloooww motion.

However it is worth mentioning here that Jersey Live 2016 managed to entertain me again... and (as usual) offered a few 'new' finds together with a couple of surprises.

For example the Mungo Jerry band is much more than the 70's hits we all remember. You want the Blues... you got it!!

I'll be adding a lot more pics featuring Jersey Live 2016. You'll just have to be a bit patient :-)

The first pics are here though:
CLICK HERE TO SEE HOW THE JERSEY LIVE GALLERIES ARE PROGRESSING

Few cars have endeared themselves on drivers over the decades as successfully as the classic Fiat 500.

The original version is now a sought after vehicle which truly qualifies as an iconic motorcar.

This status encouraged Fiat to try to re-interpret the design and the success of the current Fiat 500 proves that they did a fantastic job.

Le Mont Saint Garage decided that there was an opportunity to celebrate the owners love of their cars with a chance to raise a few pounds for three important charities.

So on Sunday morning, for as little as a fiver, Fiat 500 owners could meet other owners and help the RNLI, St John and Channel Island Airsearch all at the same time.

I popped along to take a few pics....
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE FIAT 500 GATHERING

2016 represented a milestone for the Vale Earth Fair Collective as it was 40 years since they first organized a small gathering of friends to enjoy live music and share similar beliefs in humanitarian causes and the care of our precious planet.

That original ethos is still strong and underlies everything the Vale Earth Fair Collective organizes.

However the Vale Castle Earth Fair has changed, evolved and grown over the intervening years and now sits as the oldest running Channel Island Festival.

It is responsible for many happy memories formed by the regular VEF supporters.

The 2016 VEF was a bit of a vintage edition... this was very fitting for such an historic year. The lineup consisted of a few favorites from yesteryears ably supported by many newcomers.

If you have somehow managed to miss all the previous Vale Earth Fairs - or maybe you haven't been for a few years - I highly recommend you add this Festival to your bucket list of things to do. You won't be disappointed :-)

I've now completed the VEF 2016 picture edit. All TWENTY Galleries :-)

These galleries should give you a feel of the vibe you get at a Vale Earth Fair.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE VALE EARTH FAIR 2016 PICTURE GALLERIES

I wouldn't recommend my day today as a remedy for a five-day long hangover... but it seems I have no choice :-(

I've just returned from photographing the 2016 Jersey Live Festival. This year it turned into an intense five day photoshoot and party!

The festival ticked almost all the boxes... we had lots of great performances, rain and sunshine, booze (lots), and loads of fun and pics.

But real life returns all too soon :-(

In my case this means sitting at a screen trying to focus on the backlog of edits. The list includes a Hillclimb shoot, the Vale Earth Fair (big) shoot and an even bigger two days of Jersey Live.

But before all that I have Press submissions to sort out for the Vale Earth Fair, the Motocross 2-Day meeting and a quick edit of Jersey Live!

There are also the orders that came in whilst I was away that need printing and framing.

All this is enough to send my brain into a hungover spin!

However I expect no sympathy from you as it is all self inflicted and I imagine I'll do exactly the same again next year. As long as the body holds out!

To prove that I don't give up at the first sign of a hangover I've just put up the hillclimb gallery. More to follow:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE GMC&CC HILLCLIMB PICS

A couple of days ago someone asked me where I've been on holiday.

This person had (logically) assumed that as I hadn't made any major updates to this website for around two weeks that I must be lying on a beach somewhere, beer in hand, not a care in the world.

If only!!

No, the lack of updates is for completely the opposite reason. I'm stacked with work at the moment.

Now if you were to ask my missus about this she would be quite happy and content. You see, if I'm dashing around on photoshoots I can't keep a check on how much time she is spending in the summer house reading on that new Kindle I bought her for her birthday.

Now I wouldn't want you to think that I'm disliking work at the moment. Far from it. I'm someone who will always find another thing to do rather than sit around... even on the beach!

But all this activity does cause a log-jam in my picture editing and web-site updates. I have just sorted out one though. The gallery features pics of the 2-Day Motocross meeting.

There are other updates on the way (Vale Earth Fair & Hillclimb) but they will have to await my return from photographing Jersey Live together with a couple of Commercial Tallpictures jobs whilst I'm over in our sister Isle.

I must also get around to writing a Blog to celebrate the 14 MILLIONTH viewing on this website... hopefully before the counter hits 15 MILLION ;-)

View the 2-Day Motocross pics here:
VIEW PICS OF THE 2-DAY MOTOCROSS MEETING

Saturday was Hillclimb day.

Got a nice ring to it hasn't it :-)

I've lost count of how many hours I've spent crouched on the grass verges of Le Val des Terres taking pics of Hillclimbs. Or how many miles I've walked carrying a weighty backpack.

I wouldn't be exaggerating if I said weeks and a few marathons!

I'm lucky that on several weekends every year I get to call the 'Terres my workplace.

In fact if the hill could be fitted with a bar with a Real Ale pump somewhere along its length I'd be very happy to call it my office ;-)

However, for now, I have to entertain myself by trying to capture the best action pics of the racing.

Unfortunately at the end of the day I have to return to my little, dark office to complete the edit :-(

But now that I've finished the edit and uploads I can go off to my actual 'Town office'.... which incidentally does have Real Ale on tap!

Hey, it's been a long dry weekend and I deserve it :-)

You can take a look at the days work by clicking the link below.
CLICK TO VIEW THE LATEST HILLCLIMB PICS

As I drove around the Guernsey coast this morning heading to the Dos D'Ane I was reminded what a beautiful island we live on.

Clearly this point hadn't been missed by the people already out enjoying what Guernsey has to offer.

The great thing about our island life is that most of the leisure activities are free and available to anyone who wants to get off their asses :-)

OK, I'll admit that we often have to invest in some sort of equipment to pursue our leisure... maybe a bike, fishing rod, surf board, running shoes, walking shoes!

But, to counter that cost, we have to spend very little time or money traveling to start the fun. Rarely more than fifteen minutes.

My morning journey to the Dos D'Ane was to take pics of the Guernsey Velo Club Downhill Mountain Bike racing sponsored by Adventure Cycles. A course had been 'rescued' from the overgrown hillside and I spent a very enjoyable hour trying to capture the action.

Then it was back around the coast which was filling with more people enjoying the summers day.

Aren't we so lucky?

In fact that shouldn't be a question. IT'S A FACT!

My pics are here:
CLICK TO VIEW THE GVC MTB DOWNHILL PICS FROM THE DOS D'ANE

We've just enjoyed another double-header Motorsport weekend here in Guernsey.

This small and beautiful island really is the place to live if you like variety in your Motorsport!

A quick look through my picture galleries will leave you in no doubt about what I'm saying.

Last weekend was a good example of what is on offer... some of it is almost unique in the British Isles - and beyond!

Saturday I was on Vazon beach capturing a rare Sandracing meeting... rare in the UK but just a normal weekend over here :-)

Then Sunday I photographed a Sprint meeting held on a closed public road twisting along the coast below the historic Vale Castle.

....and in the next few weeks there will be Hillclimbing, Motocross, Karting, more Sandracing, Banger racing, Trials, Autotests and Powerboat racing.

All that keeps a smile on my face ;-)

You can share what I saw by checking out these new picture galleries:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW PICS OF THE SANDRACING
CLICK HERE TO VIEW PICS OF THE VALE CASTLE SPRINT

I've just discovered that I have a new talent... and it's a bit special.

It's one of those amazing abilities that you dream about as a child and now, at the ripe old age of sixty-one, I've just found it!

How would you like to be able to see into the future too?

Well I promise that if you follow my advice you too can possess the same super-power!

All I had to do was to attend the School of Popular Music's Summer Party at the legendary Fermain Tavern last night.

The SoPM's young and energetic team had organized the evening to show-case six of their new bands. There was huge support given to all the young performers who were treated to a full stage sound system and lighting all controlled by pro technicians. How lucky were they!

If that opportunity didn't fire up their passion for live music I don't know what else would.

To get back to my original point I think that last night I saw into the future of the Guernsey music scene and it looks good.

In fact my guess is that the talent on show could be destined to even bigger things. Maybe there was a future chart-topper among them?

... but that's just a bit too far into the future for me to see yet :-(

Follow this link to see into the future with me:
CLICK HERE TO SEE PICS OF THE SoPM 2016 SUMMER PARTY

There was action both on the water and the shoreline of Havelet Bay for Rounds 5 & 6 of the GPA Stanley Gibbons Series of Powerboat races.

Firstly, on the water there were several more boats in the line-up than earlier races. With the return of Diablo after a new V8 engine transplant the spectators were treated to three of these crowd pleasers.... it's all about the noise me thinks!

The V8 rumble works for me, but hey, I'm biased as I've beem driving V8 AMG Mercedes for years :-)

When it comes to entertainment value there is no substitute to getting plenty race boats to the start line as there are inevitable gaps as the competitors spread out around the course it helps greatly in keeping the public's attention if there are more boats.

Races 5 & 6 were the best yet of the 2016 series. Well done guys 'n' gals.

And so to the shoreline. Well I think some stretches of the harbour walls were fully lined with photographers! This sport must be the most photographed out of all the many that take place every weekend in this Island.

So I'm sure that not a moment of action was missed!

I've just uploaded my contribution to the coverage:
VIEW PICS OF ROUNDS 5 & 6 OF THE GPA POWERBOAT SERIES

This evening I popped along to Saumarez Park for a quick photo-shoot for the Guernsey Press.

The occasion was the OSA All Terrain Challenge. This is a week of running events over different courses.

Thankfully the temperatures were lower than last evening but the conditions remained hot and tiring.

I only needed to submit a couple of pics but the sunny evening combined with the floral displays deserved a little more coverage... so here we are :-)

*UPDATE* I've just added a few more pics to the Gallery featuring Friday evenings run up the very steep and tiring Saints Bay hill
CLICK HERE TO VIEW PICS OF THE OSA ALL TERRAIN CHALLENGE

OK, I know I'm a bit of a cynic. This often gets me in trouble with my missus ;-)

So I suppose I was in 'normal' mode as I walked down my road towards Guernsey's latest Music Festival. The site was almost in shouting distance of my Guernsey cottage and there were many more residences a LOT closer that mine.

So as I made my way to the festival site I was half expecting the whole thing to be shut down as soon as the Main Stage turned the sound level up to ten! It's a sad fact, in this modern world, that if one or two people make a complaint about noise their 'rights' can take precedence over the many.

But I'm pleased to say that I was wrong on this one. Maybe a first ;-)

Careful and sensible management of the sound levels and a refreshing tolerance by the neighbors enabled the full three days of performances to be completed. Thank you St Sampsons residents!

I had also wondered as I made my way to The Gathering if such an ambitious set-up spread over three days could be pulled off when this was the first attempt... and (for maybe only the second time) I had got this one wrong too!!

Cage & Stage Productions must be praised and congratulated on how well organized and 'complete' their first Festival was. There were a few small problems but hey, I'll give them an impressive 9 out of 10 for most aspects and I think there is a very solid base in place if they have the enthusiasm and energy to give it another go in 2017.

Fingers crossed :-)

I hadn't intended to take many pics... we all need a break sometimes, but it seems I got into the atmosphere and the cameras started clicking! So I will be adding quite a few picture galleries in the next couple of days.

First up are two of the most popular bands in Guernsey. Fade to Grey and King Rat and the Soul Cats. Check-out the pics here:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE GATHERING

As the National Hillclimb Championship is now in its forty-third year it will be difficult, if not impossible, to find anyone to give me the definitive answer to the following question:

Were the 2016 Jersey rounds of the National Championship the best ever run up Bouley Bay hill?

The reason I ask that question is that so many 'right' things all came together on the fourteenth of July 2016.

The drivers were on top form and their cars were perfectly prepared.

The weather was near perfect... dry, warm and sunny.

The competition was 'hot' meaning the top competitors had to really push hard to achieve maximum championship points.

All these factors led to the outright hill record being smashed three times in consecutive runs as the racing came to the boil.

My memories don't go back to the first Bouley Bay National but I will be able to state that I was there... close to the action... on that legendary day in July 2016.

If you managed to miss all the excitement you can take a look at my pics. They don't give you the smells and noise that 'live' Motorsport offers but at least they will remain as a record of a great day when the competition hit the highest level.

By the way, if you (or anyone you know) wants to tell me about an even better day at Bouley Bay I'd love to hear your stories.

Please contact me here:
EMAIL A FEW WORDS IF YOU THINK THERE HAS BEEN A BETTER NATIONAL AT BOULEY BAY

Follow this link to view my pics of the 2016 Jersey National Rounds:
CLICK TO DECIDE IF THIS WAS THE BEST EVER JERSEY HILLCLIMB

Rounds 21 and 22 of the Avon Tyres - TTC Group 43rd Guernsey National Hillclimb Championship were held at Le Val des Terres on 16th July 2016 in what was the first true heatwave of the year.

After the multiple new records in Jersey just a couple of days earlier hopes were high for the Guernsey rounds but maybe the conditions were just a bit too 'good' as the cars don't reach their highest performance in such heat. This could well be why the outright record wasn't lowered this year... although it was close.

The highlight for all Guernsey motorsport fans was when Darren Warwick took an impressive second place in both run offs achieving a PB along the way. His performance was enjoyed by a large crowd of spectators who also had the chance to support the other local drivers who made the top twelve cut.

Each one of these competitors put in fantastic performances to go head to head with the very best drivers and cars on the National Hillclimb scene. So congratulations go to Darren Warwick, Nick Saunders, Chris Guille and Paul Le Messurier... you raised the Guernsey flag and once again made a local mark on this competitive championship.

I've added galleries featuring all the action and a few extra pics of the people and podiums.

Click on this link to take a look at all the pics...
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE GUERNSEY NATIONAL HILLCLIMB

Last Sunday Soapbox racing hit St Peter Port roads at speed, literally in some cases, and I think it might become a fixture in the Guernsey calendar after so many people turned out to enjoy the fun... and ACTION... and there was PLENTY of that!!

Sunday was the first (of many I hope) Rubis Soapbox Challenge's through the streets of St Peter Port. As the sun came out so did hundreds of people to view nearly forty home-made Soapboxes take on the jumps, chicane's and bends.

The quality of builds varied from basic to brilliant. The speeds varied from tortoise to terrifying. The launches over the jumps varied from tiny to triumphant!

Now, if you're a regular visitor to guernseymotorsport.com you might be surprised that I've found room for a gallery which doesn't feature any motors, or noise and not much speed :-(

However the lack of all those things didn't stop the great action, the crashes, the red-haze and the competitiveness.

So there you have the reason I have given such big coverage in the latest picture gallery... Soapbox racing ticks all the right boxes in my mind :-)

You can view a full gallery of pics (no less than 267) here:
CLICK TO VIEW A GALLERY FEATURING ALL THE SOAPBOX ACTION

This time of year my Commercial work hits a high. This is good... this is what pays the bills :-)

But this means that some of my other work has to take a back seat.

Like every previous year I'm left with a pile of editing to catch up with. The problem is compounded by the amount of events I have booked in for the next few weeks.

So, there is really no time to waste Blogging, just the time to add another link to an update.

The Greenman Chaos Gallery continues to fill with new Band pics, Tattoo pics, Burnout pics and pics of the Twelve course 'Exotic' meal competition...

View the updates here:
CLICK TO VIEW THE LATEST CHAOS PICS

After a really grotty week of weather that messed up most of my planned work I was more than pleased to see the sun shining for Saturday's Motorsport fun :-)

As I headed to Vazon Bay for Round-5 of the Sandracing Championship I couldn't hide the broad smile on my face... I needed a break from the days of editing pics in my small office.

So my spirit is re-kindled after enjoying a few natural rays... and whilst energized I have also completed a speedy edit of my Sandracing pics which are already online. It's amazing what effect a few sun rays can have on your spirit :-)

The pics can be viewed here:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF ROUND-5 OF THE SANDRACING CHAMPIONSHIP