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Well the title should say it all...

I've no time to talk, so this is a very quick quickie update :-)

I've uploaded a new Gallery featuring Round 3 of the Guernsey Kart & Motor Club's Winter Kart Championship:
VIEW PICS OF ROUND 3 OF THE WINTER KART CHAMPIONSHIP

On Saturday I had the best 'work office' that anyone could wish for.

I was taking pics of the first day of the Guernsey Motor Cycle & Car Club's annual 2-Day Trials meeting and this was happening on the hillside over-looking Fort Grey and Portelet Harbour.

Now, if you are a local person, you will already know what an amazing spot this is when the sun is out and the sea is blue.

If you have never visited Guernsey then I promise you that the view would rival the very finest in the world... and like I said, this is where I did a days work. Well somebody has to do it ;-)

Day 2 wasn't quite so amazing, but hey, you have to take the rough with the smooth!

If you want to get an idea of what I am talking about take a look at the new picture gallery. Unfortunately you really had to be there for the full effect:
VIEW PICS OF THE GMC&CC 2-DAY TRIALS

There was a fair bit of action in my weekend...

The mix of assignments included 'fast and furious' (read Autocross racing and Karting).

Then there was the fantastic action and atmosphere at Footes Lane for the E H Trophy Hockey Semi-final where Guernsey took a 2-0 win over Didsbury Northern. (see my previous Blog).

Finally it was action of a more controlled nature at the Guernsey Motor Cycle & Car Club Two-Day Trials meeting which took place around the beautiful Guernsey coastline together with some inland Sections.

So you can imagine I was kept 'in action' myself whilst chasing around to the various events... but I'm certainly not complaining!

It is a privelage to live on this wonderful Island which offers such a diverse amount of subjects for a professional photographer to capture in all their drama.

I've just added a new Gallery featuring Round-2 of the Guernsey Autocross Club's Summer Banger Racing Championship.

More pics of the weekends action will follow...
VIEW PICS OF THE GUERNSEY AUTOCROSS CLUB'S BANGER RACING

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

It has already been mentioned on social media but I want to add my support and agreement.

I want to acknowledge and give credit to the Fermain Tavern in Guernsey for all they do to support a very wide genre of live music on their stage.

There is nothing new in this. There are decades of history to look back through that include many, many different acts, big and small, famous and unknown. This eclectic mix of live entertainment has managed to offer the latest contemporary music a platform to showcase their creativity whilst still finding room for old favourites.

Tom Girard, Guernsey's most prolific commentator on the local music scene both as the BBC Introducing presenter and as the Guernsey Press music critic has already praised the 'Tav' for what they offer. Tom is without doubt the most knowledgeable local man when you refer to our live music scene so if he is impressed you can be sure there is something to shout about!

After putting Tom at the top of the list I come somewhere below when a register is made up of gig-goers... I do see a lot of bands too.

But my interest is in taking pics (that's what I do) and I rarely feel qualified to pass judgement on a musical performance. If a band gets my feet tapping that'll do me ;-)

However even I enjoyed last weekends foray into 'high tech' music at the 'Tav'. Have I just invented a new genre?

The headline band was Semu Ca from Jersey who managed to make amazing sounds from a bunch of multi-cabled kit. Support was from iPad musician Citizen-X... and just to prove that the 'Tav' presents live music in all its forms Tantale offered up their own brand of 'traditional' guitar band originals. There was something for everyone in that line-up.

Keep up the fantastic work Fermain Tavern, you deserve our support.
VIEW PICS OF SEMU CA PLAYING LIVE AT THE FERMAIN TAVERN
VIEW PICS OF TANTALE PLAYING LIVE AT THE FERMAIN TAVERN

If you are a regular reader of this Blog you will know that I'm always going on about the quality of light... of course I am as that is the essential element needed for me to work.

It's also a big plus when I'm on an outdoor shoot if the temperature is biased towards warm and comfortable as well :-) The previous Autocross race was a huge fail on that count!

So it was a second treat in a row for me (as it was pleasantly warm) on Sunday when I had to spend a couple of hours on Chouet Beach taking action pics of the Autocross Club's Banger racing. This was after Saturday's sunny day spent on the cliffs for the Motocross. Nice work when you can get it!

Maybe I will complain (a little) about the quality of light on Sunday as it was cold and dull... here I go again!

However there is never time to think too much about that when photographing Banger racing. The action is so non-stop and you have to spend your time 'watching your back' in case the cars leave the track.

This is both scary and exhilarating at the same time, but hey, somebody's gotta do it ;-)

My action shots are now on-line:
VIEW PICS OF THE AUTOCROSS BANGER RACING

The first half of the Guernsey Kart & Motor Club's Motocross Championship is complete... normal racing will resume in the Autumn.

However Race-4 went out with a climatic bang (so to speak). The weather was fantastic on the glorious Guernsey cliffs with the track drier than all the previous rounds... it even became a little dusty!

The pay-off for those racing, marshalling and photographing was that it was a very pleasant experience.

Maybe this is why I ended up with nearly two hundred pics - 'make hay whilst the sun is shining' is the saying, I think :-)

I've added a new gallery to feature today's Motocross racing:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW PICS OF THE MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND-4

I know I've said it before but RentOClean are a really good choice if you want a band to get a party going :-)

This is the task they performed admirably last week-end at the Fermain Tavern when they supported Rumpus for their return to the 'Tavern' stage in Guernsey.

It's always going to be a challenge to 'connect' with a crowd who are eager to see the headliners but RentOClean's set includes several songs that guarantee to get the punters singing along.

There is the added bonus that their return to the stage seems to herald the reappearance of summertime (well maybe I should say spring). Either one means that we can begin to look forward to better days ahead.

I sense a few beers, a few sun-rays, many gigs and a Festival or two will all feature in my future. Party on!
VIEW PICS OF THE PARTY BAND RENTOCLEAN

Rumpus... now that's a good name for a band!

If I put the name into words we come up with something like this...

Rumpus, Noun: disturbance, noise, uproar, confusion, commotion, disruption, furore, rout, row, tumult, fuss, fracas, brawl, brouhaha, ruction, bagarre, ruckus.

I couldn't of put it better myself. But in this case I have Chambers Thesaurus to thank ;-)

Last weekend saw the return of Rumpus to play at the Fermain Tavern after a gap of perhaps six years. Way back then Rumpus were favourite visitors on the local scene.

So last weekend the scene was set. Could this band generate the same enthusiasm after all that time? Were their 'old' fans going to still come out to support Rumpus?

I knew the answer as soon as I walked into the 'Tav'... and that was even before the band took to the stage. In fact it was RentOClean entertaining the punters. Good set BTW.

But back to the headliners. We all know the famous advertising line 'It does what it says on the tin'. Well in this case we have an example of a band doing what they say in their name... you will have to look back up this blog for the full description.

I hope you need no more comment from me. Was it a great night? Do you really have to ask?
VIEW RUMPUS AT THE FERMAIN TAVERN

Well it seems on this occasion I was a little bit late getting to the party :-(

The party in question turned out to be the last ever gig by RorSchach held at the White Hart.

The band had a special claim to fame as the members included father and son Janson & Liam Bewey.

Now I don't think Janson is going to mind if I say that he has been around the music scene for quite a while now (rumour has it that it is about 50 years!) I'm sure that even he couldn't recite the complete list of bands he has played in.

But I'm going to guess that one of the most memorable must be RorSchach. There must be a special feeling when you can share the stage and a love of live music with your son.

Whilst Janson has played in many popular bands (at least locally) it is Liam who seems poised to make the break unto the national scene with his band 'Of Empires'. Liam has made the big move to live on the mainland... something that really has to be done if you have ambitions to break into the larger scene. This is why we may not be seeing Liam playing locally again for a while.

My best wishes go out to him and I hope that extra, final bit of luck comes the band's way. Unfortunately you still need an element of luck however hard the band works.

Anyway I made good use of RorSchach's last gig to take a few pics. At least there is now a record of Janson's latest band to add to the history of the Guernsey live music scene :-)

Follow this link to view a few pics:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW PICS OF RORSCHACH'S LAST GIG

VIEW PICS OF THE MOTORCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP
I'm pleased to say that the whole weekend wasn't a 'wet wash-out'.

My previous Blog made more than a mention of the awful weather that accompanied the last race of the Autocross season. The conditions weren't quite right for spending time on the beach! The pics don't show-off Chouet beach at its best!

But for the other two Motorsport events I covered over the weekend it was only a cold wind that troubled me :-)

On Saturday I leant into the wind on the cliffs at Pleinmont for the Motorcross action. Then it was the relative shelter offered at The Track for the latest round of the Kart Championship on Sunday.

Pics are now online....
VIEW PICS OF THE KART CHAMPIONSHIP

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

Guernsey has many 'un-sung' musical heroes. These are the guys & gals who just do what they do because they love it!

That is enough for them. They get to play the occasional gig and write their own material... but the fact is that has to be enough.

Now that comment isn't meant as a 'put-down' in any way. In fact the small gig is the very back-bone behind the whole music scene... right up to the most famous bands. They all started somewhere you know.

However because of personal circumstances most bands will never hit the big-time.

Last weekend we were able to experience the 'reality' of what it takes to try and make the break into the big spotlight.

Electric Shakes played at the Fermain Tavern. The band is fronted by a local hero, Steve Lynch. Steve has played in many, many bands. He has a great back-catalogue of original songs and is recognised as a special talent in Guernsey.

But that was never going to be enough if your ambition is to make a name for yourself.

So Steve moved to the Mainland, found a couple of guys on the same wavelength and has already started to get noticed with his new band, Electric Shakes. I say good luck to them.

Having said all the above, the grass-roots scene is always around to support and last weekend the head-liners were supported by two lively, original bands who did a great job of keeping the local music scene alive and relevant.

The support was To the Woods & Lifejacket. I took a few pics....as I do ;-)
VIEW PICS OF TO THE WOODS
VIEW PICS OF LIFEJACKET

Last weekend Steve Lynch returned to Guernsey with his new band The Electric Shakes to play a memorable gig at the Fermain Tavern.

Now we all know that the music business is a tough one to make a name in... but you have to say that The Electric Shakes could be lined up for much bigger things! There is only one thing missing.

The band has a 'mature and finished' feel about their performance. It is clear that the three band members have all 'paid their dues' playing in various bands along the way. Their authority and stage presence can only be amassed the hard way. There are no short-cuts. Actual time spent crafting songs and playing live cannot be cheated on.

So I was impressed with the band that I consider a complete package... ready to make it big?

Well that is the million dollar question. The Electric Shakes are showing all the promise and talent to exploit any opportunities offered to them. But for now all we can offer is our support and keep our fingers crossed that the only missing ingredient comes their way.... LUCK!

I hope you find it lads. You deserve it.

Support was from Lifejacket and To the Woods. Those pics will follow.
VIEW PICS OF THE ELECTRIC SHAKES PLAYING AT THE FERMAIN TAVERN

I think I can count that as 'both Motorsport boxes ticked' and a job well done.

As is so often the case there was plenty of Motorsport action in Guernsey over the weekend.

My previous Blog highlighted the GK&MC Motocross Championship and this time I am reporting that a new Gallery has been added to display today's Autocross Club Banger racing at Chouet. The beach was a fine place to be as it was bright and even a little warm when the early Spring sunshine was on your back.

OK, maybe I am getting a bit ahead of myself by claiming it is Spring... but I think we got a sneeky little look at what is to come!

I've added a picture gallery featuring all the action:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE LATEST AUTOCROSS PICS

If I was offered the choice between 'dry and windy' or 'wet and mild' then I reckon that the first option would almost always be my pick.

If you added to this choice the need for me to photograph a Motocross championship race then there will always be only one preference... No.1.

So you will gather that I was quite pleased to be standing on the Guernsey cliffs today... trying to stay on my feet against a mighty wind - but it was nice and dry and sunny!

The riders also seemed to enjoy the track conditions and there was some close competitive racing.

I've done a very quick edit of some of today's shots and they are now on-line here:
VIEW ROUND 2 OF THE GK&MC MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP

Motorsport loves its Silverware and there were three tables full taking pride of place at the Guernsey Kart & Motor Club Annual Dinner Dance last weekend.

There was a good turn-out and the opportunity was taken by members to show their appreciation to all the people who work behind the scenes successfully running the many events each year.

The evening built to a climax when the many trophies are presented. My own involvement on the night takes the form of an eight foot wide slideshow that showcases each competitor as they go forward to collect their trophies.

After the tables had been emptied of silverware I managed to grab a few of the winners to capture their picture... this moment deserves to be recorded!

A small gallery of pics is now on-line:
VIEW PICS OF THE TROPHY WINNERS AT THE GK&MC DINNER DANCE