News / Blog

How many times in your life have you been in the company of Legends?

Can I be a bit more specific. When was the last time you stood three foot away from a Legend whilst he performed his magic just for you. Or so it seemed :-)

Well for me (and a small group of like-minded people) it was last night. This happened just up the road from you... and you didn't make the effort to attend. SHAME ON YOU!

The Fermain Tavern promoted what was perhaps their greatest ever gigs over the weekend. You can imagine they must have been good for them to top the pile of great gigs at 'the Tav'.

In case you missed the news about who was on stage I'll help you out. It was the Norman Watt-Roy Band. Norman is that rare thing... a true Legend of a Bass player. If you haven't heard of him? SHAME ON YOU!

But that wasn't all. Norman was joined on stage by another true Legend and close friend. Wilko Johnson returned to the famous stage. He once again captivated the crowd. It was the work of a Legend... you haven't heard of him? SHAME ON YOU!

Maybe I should take delight in the fact that there's a relatively small group of musically educated and motivated people that follow the music scene. After all it makes us feel more privileged to have such legendary musicians perform in this intimate setting, just for us. How lucky are we!

On the Saturday evening the Fermain Tavern was also the chosen place for a good night out by another true Legend. Sir Bradley Wiggins had decided the Tav was the place to chill.
.... you haven't heard of him? ... you know what I'm thinking!

So I ask you again. When was the last time you were in the company of Legends?

For me it was last night!

I've added a few pictures of the Norman Watt-Roy band with their special guest Wilko Johnson to my galleries...
VIEW PICS OF THE NORMAN WATT-ROY BAND WITH WILKO JOHNSON

What am I to do? I'm deeply depressed.

More to the point. What is the Guernsey Music scene going to do in the future?

I refer to the effect that the imminent departure of Steve 'Lynchburg' Lynch from our Island shores is going to have on so many bands. I've already wished him well in the future... but it was through clenched teeth!!

How can I (or any local followers of the music scene) be happy to see Lynchy leave. There will be a hole in too many bands to mention.

Will the scene survive? Off course it will, but it won't be the same.

I have been looking at some of the MANY pics that I have taken of Lynchy over several years. He has been a familiar face in some of my all-time favourite bands. Perhaps my very favourite band was one of his newest projects that had barely come out of its gestation period... and it is already a-gonna :-(

I'm talking about HEAVE. What a great, tight, heavy and menacing duo that was. Just how I like it!

But life moves on and we still have the memories. You could never accuse Mr Lynch of hanging around and not evolving. This was manifested in his many bands. Interestingly I was reminded that he has also re-invented his hair style and facial hair on a very regular basis. I have the pics to prove it!

Talking about memories, it is a shame then that mine has let me down. I was at the Fermain Tavern a few weeks ago at the Teaspoonriverneck farewell gig. It was one of their greatest. I took pictures. I forgot to upload them!

Thanks Lynchy for the reminder. I wish you the very best in your future... and I really mean it, grrrr :-(
VIEW PICS OF TEASPOONRIVERNECK
.... and a link to a few pics of Heave

A FEW PICS OF AN ALL-TIME FAVOURITE - HEAVE

Just a quickie update...

Pics of Round-5 of the GK&MC Motocross Championship are now online.

I did say it was a quickie :-)
VIEW PICS OF MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND-5

Continuing a fantastic and varied year of Motor Sport today I was in a cliff-top field photographing a special Guernsey Motorcycle & Car Club race meeting.

With the Sandracing season over the bikers had decided that one last outing was needed before their machines are packed away for the winter.

The Club had managed to pull all the required parts together to allow the racing to take place and we were all treated to beautiful weather and a setting that was near perfect.

For me, as a photographer, it was an opportunity to capture something a bit different.

I moved on to photograph the Motocross later in the day. Once again the setting was on the picturesque Guernsey cliffs.... 2013 is definitely a vintage year for Motorsport :-)

The challenge is to match it in 2014....
VIEW PICS OF THE GRASSTRACK RACING

I'm sure I have a sixth sense....

I have always had it, I think. It is my love of live music that drives this extra 'sense' as I seem to instinctively find the venue that has a band or two playing, where-ever I am!

If you are a regular visitor to this web site you must agree that I do attend a LOT of gigs. There is something special about the energy I get from a live performance.

It was whilst spending a few days in Alderney photographing the Hill Climb and Sprints that I found a really talented duo playing at the Harbour Lights. The two multi-talented musicians/singers were getting a great response from the crowd and an Alderney style party was kicking off.

Needless to say I had a camera with me so I took the chance to capture a few pics.

Oh, and the name of the duo... Issimo Music. They are well worth keeping an eye out for. Believe me, I have a sixth sense :-)
VIEW PICS OF ISSIMO MUSIC

Last weekend I enjoyed a bit of a nostalgic trip down memory lane.

Well OK, there wasn't much that was familiar in the surroundings to trigger my memories... but I used my imagination :-)

I was at The Jamaica Inn. The memories went back to a time that I took my first alchoholic beverages - some forty-two years ago I reckon!

Those were different times. I was under-age and enjoying a pub crawl which in those days involved an Island tour around the pubs, happy days!

When I looked around the re-furbished room at The Jam there was little to recognise :-(

But I'm older and wiser now and I was at The Jam to photograph a couple of bands. Getting drunk was not on the schedule... how times change!

So now, in my 'mature years', I only partake in my other long-standing passion.... listening to live music and there were two great bands topping the bill.

Sugar Slam are one of my favourites who I have photographed many times . They supported Insurrection who make fewer appearances but that makes them all the more special.

There was a good turn-out of supporters including too many photograhers to count! Modern bands are never short of pics!

I've added my own pictures to the Gallery. They record The Jamaica in 2013... I wonder if it will still be serving customers in another forty + years?
VIEW PICS OF INSURRECTION
VIEW PICS OF SUGAR SLAM

Too busy to brag? OK, well just a bit then... 5,000,000 times :-)

I hope that what I'm about to do is all done in 'the best possible bad taste' :-)

I know that modesty should always be the order of the day. But if I don't 'blow my own trumpet' then nobody else is going to do if for me!

So with my modesty temporarily filed away in the cabinet I'm going to brag a little. I won't be offended if you press the delete button right now :-0

The thing is, I'm chuffed by a couple of things. Firstly this web site passed 5,000,000 views (yes FIVE MILLION) on the 3rd of October 2013.

Amazingly just five days later it will probably notch up the next 100,000! (EDIT: It actually took six days to clock up the next 100,000 views). That's a LOT of viewings! May I thank everyone for the huge interest in my pics.

My other moment of immodesty is to mention that this month I have had several more pics published in National Magazines and Media. Top of the pile has to be the front cover of Speedscene Magazine, the Specialist National Publication for Sprinting and Speed Hillclimbing.

The cover features my pic of Darren Warwick at the Guernsey round of the MSA British National Hillclimb Championship. There are also pics inside to support Eddie Walder's report.

That's it. Short and sweet. I'll retrieve my modesty from the filing cabinet. Normal service returns, ha,ha
READ ABOUT THE FIRST 4,000,000 VIEWS
READ ABOUT THE FIRST 3,000.000 VIEWS
READ ABOUT THE FIRST 2,000,000 VIEWS
READ ABOUT THE FIRST 1,000,000 VIEWS

I know it is WAY too early to put 2013 into the bottom draw, only to be talked about in a nostalgic way. But I must admit that as I processed the many pictures I captured over the weekend of the Guernsey Motor Sport scene I drifted into thinking about what a fantastic year it has been.

Local Motor Sport fans cannot have anything to say against this amazing year which has given competitors and spectators so much to enjoy. That also goes for this local Action Photographer!!

I have delighted in the opportunities that the new events have offered me to capture something fresh. We have had the return of the Salerie Twisty Sprint, there was the Reservoir Sprint, a new Speed event near Alderney Airport and then, yesterday, a Twisty Sprint at the Kart Track. Add to this a bit of Grass Track racing yet to come and 2013 must rate as an all-time 'best vintage'.

One thing it has meant for me, though, is a huge amount of work and commitment of time to allow me to offer what I think is the widest coverage of the local Motor Sport scene, ever!

I am privileged to have great access to take pictures that I hope reflect the atmosphere and action at the many events. I am in my element whilst on the edge of a race track cameras in hand.

However (wait for the shameless plug) my photography is actually my business... it is my income. I can only justify the time and money spent if I can make a few sales. Web-site viewings massage the ego, Paypal helps pay for the beer!

I told you it was going to be a shameless plug ;-)

Whilst I have tickled your conscience you might like to take a look at the weekends pics...
VIEW PETIT BOT HILL CLIMB
VIEW THE TRACK TWISTY SPRINT
VIEW THE AUTOCROSS BANGER RACING
VIEW THE JUNIOR TRIALS

What is it they say... for every action there is an equal re-action. Or something like that.

OK, I should probably of checked this Law of Physics on-line first because it probably isn't right - but my ignorance is out there now!

The point I'm making is that our cousins in Jersey have proved my statement... well sort of. This isn't going well is it?

The reaction I am talking about is the one that responded, or maybe you could say retaliated to the success of Jersey Live. The full-size Jersey Live Festival is now in its tenth year and has established a formula that works. However it is mainstream, young, friendly and family oriented. This is not a problem for me - but it leaves room for and alternative.

This is the spot that Jersey Dead aims to fill.

Dark and Heavy might go some way to describe Jersey Dead. Not something for the kids. However I loved it and feel that the contrast only goes to illustrate how the music scene really has something for all tastes.

To my mind that is GOOD.

I only managed to visit Jersey Dead for one night, but I did get some pics of Beef, Erebos, FlashMob, Harlequin Knights, Meansteed, Salem's Lot and Stone Em All.

And a hangover also came as part of the experience :-)
VIEW PICS OF JERSEY DEAD - THE ALTERNATIVE TO JERSEY LIVE

It might not always seem to be the case but I really do try to keep my picture galleries fresh and up to date :-)

Unfortunately sometimes other work gets in the way - and this has been the case for the last few weeks of the 2013 Summer months.

Lots of things seemed to coincide. My Commercial photography has been incredibly busy. As this is what pays the bills it always has to take precedence. However the photography that I most enjoy (Motor Sport, Festivals & Gigs) also seem to peak at this time of year!

I have also been trying to gain a few 'Brownie Points' from my missus by ticking off jobs around the home from a very long list. I have a long way to go on this front but that's another whole story :-)

The important detail in this Blog is that I have now completed a long-promised (make that VERY long-promised) picture gallery.

It had been pushed to the back after I decided the best option for me was to keep up-to-date with new photo-shoots, leaving the already late ones waiting. This at least meant less delays.

So I'm PLEASED to announce that the September 7th Kart Club Hill Climb Galleries are now open (I leave you to imagine the drum roll) ha, ha.

I've made these galleries larger than normal in an effort to placate the waiting masses - enjoy ;-)

Oh, by the way, have you noticed that this web site has now had more than FIVE MILLION VIEWS. More about this later :-)
KART CLUB HILL CLIMB PICS ARE NOW ONLINE

I blame Errol Groves. Well somebody has to take the blame and it was Errol who kept selling me the Real Ale. He obviously knows I am a bit partial to the real stuff.

It must have been the (many) pints that made me a bit trigger happy at the 2013 Vale Earth Fair.... way back in August!

Perhaps it was the knowledge that there were several hundred pics to sort through that delayed me in developing the picture galleries for this years Vale Earth Fair.

Whatever the excuses, it has been a long time coming but the updates are now live - and it was fantastic to recall all the special performances and the relaxed atmosphere of this unique Festival.

It seems that I managed to catch most of the Bands on the two main stages with a couple of very notable exceptions.... I am expecting to have to make my excuses next time I bump into these guys.

I have already worked out the excuse.... Sorry mate, it was Errol's fault!!

So the bands you will find pictures of are:

BRIGHT_LIGHTS, Buzzcocks, Of Empires, The Algorithm, The Correspondants, Brunt, Sons of the Desert, Myniemoe, The Recks, Vin Garbutt, Lifejacket, Jonny Lives!, Surfin' Birds, The John Wesley Stone, Edith's Head and Shambolix.... the end!

So you can see - I might have been slightly drunk, but I wasn't incapable officer ;-)

Hope you enjoy the pics:
VIEW PICS OF THE VALE EARTH FAIR 2013

September has had a special place in my annual calendar of essential 'to-do's' for several years.

That is because tradition has this end of summer month reserved for the Guernsey Kart & Motor Club's Alderney weekend.

Taken at its simplest, the two (or now three) days of Motor Sport are simply race events on our smaller sister island... good fun, but so what, we have many events in Guernsey.

But of course it isn't that simple!

What the Alderney events represent is an occasion for Club members to get together to put on logistically challenging Motor Sport. Nobody should be left with the impression that any part of the setting up of three different 'offshore' events is easy. You must remember that every piece of kit that is needed - from the broom to sweep the track to the timing gear to the straw bales has to be shipped across to Alderney. Then the racers have to pack all the tools and spares they think they might need. It takes a boat load or two to transport everything!

In fact this year highlighted some of the problems as our Jersey cousins failed to get over due to the cargo boat being cancelled due to bad weather!

However, living up to the best traditions, the GK&MC managed to beat all the problems and we all enjoyed three fantastic days of Motor Sport... well actually it was more like two and a half days as the first days Sprint racing was abandoned due to heavy rain :-(

It is a testament to how enjoyable the whole weekend was that even though we lost some racing on Thursday it is just a forgotten memory... there were so many brilliant performances on the following days. The social life is also memorable in its own right :-)

I have already made a diary date to be in Alderney for next years racing - I recommend that you do the same.

For now you can take a look at my pics to see what you missed...
VIEW PICS OF THE 2013 ALDERNEY SPRINT
VIEW PICS OF THE ALDERNEY AIRPORT EVENT
VIEW PICS OF THE 2013 ALDERNEY HILL CLIMB

This speed of updating my Galleries will never last! Particularly as it has been at the expense of leaving other important updates waiting patiently on my hard disks... notice the plural. I always backup everything, just in case.

So I apologise that the promised Vale Earth Fair pictures - and there will be loads, the last Kart Club Hill Climb and Jersey Dead pics are still on the 'to-do' list.

The decision to upload the latest photoshoots at the expense of the 'to-do' list was made so that I don't put any more updates into the pending folder.

All this energy (I don't know where I found it!) means the I have already added today's Round-7 of the Karting Championship into the picture Gallery.

There was plenty of action and I managed to capture a bit of it... but that is my job, eh!

Hope you like the latest pics...
VIEW ROUND-7 OF THE KARTING CHAMPIONSHIP

In an effort to match the speed of Adam Girard I've already uploaded today's pictures from the Guernsey Kart & Motor Club Sprint meeting.

Today Adam re-wrote the record book by lowering Kent Gavey's Motor Cycle record for the Vazon Sprint. This was a record that has stood since Sept 2004.

Credit has to be given to Kent for setting his time so long ago as many have tried to match it since. It was Adam who put together a perfect run on his Graham Brown Ltd Fireblade to set the new mark at 9.66 sec.

With the Guernsey Sprint season now over we will have to wait to see how long the new record will last.

Adam's runs were perfect examples of how 'fast usually looks unspectacular'. What I mean by this is that Adam's launch from the line is smooth, carefully measured with little wheel lift. He perfectly judged the traction and wheel spin.

From a spectators view there were many more dramatic runs... but that is not how you break records!

Thanks to all the racers for entertaining us today. The prize for the biggest wheelies must go to Anthony Poynder... next year his target has to be the full quarter mile :-)
VIEW PICS OF THE GK&MC SPRINT MEETING AT VAZON

If anybody thinks that the only way to enjoy Motorsport is by being out at the front then they really should have been down at The Track last weekend.

They would have enjoyed a Kart meeting that was billed as a 'Non Championship Fun Meeting'... and 'fun' it was!

The Guernsey Kart & Motor Club organise a fun Kart meeting each year and the aim is to offer a variety of unusual race formats which include Pit Stops, Handicap Races, a Ballot Race and a few Team Races.

The day is meant to be a relaxed affair (well, fun really)! Of course, have you ever seen a racer NOT want to win a race? So there was plenty of action... and I spent a short time capturing a bit of it.

The next time the Karts hit the track it will be for Championship points - and that gets back to the serious business :-)
PICS OF THE KART FUN MEETING

If you want to see some offshore Powerboat Racing in a spectacular setting... that'll be Guernsey,then!

Race eleven of the Guernsey Powerboat Association's 2013 Championship showcased the impressive waters that this small Channel Island can offer the sport. It was as if everything had been planned to be 'just right'.

The Little Russel (that's the name of these waters if you aren't local) were slightly choppy, so that was the first thing that was going to help make action pics. Then the light was perfect, nice and bright to make the colours sing.

But the best part of all for me (talking as a photog) was that there were two visiting Cruise ships anchored in the background whilst their passengers enjoyed a few hours onshore.

So it was a simple task for me to consider the best viewpoint to take advantage of the superb backdrop. When that was sorted I couldn't fail :-)

My efforts are now online. I hope you also get a feel for the beautiful place that I'm so lucky to live in.
VIEW PICS OF THE SPECTACULAR SETTING FOR RACE-11 OF THE POWERBOAT CHAMPIONSHIP

This Blog is brief and to the point... like the last one :-)

The word is that I have now added a new picture gallery featuring the Guernsey Kart & Motor Club's recent 2-Day Motocross meeting at Rue de la Trigale, Pleinmont.

That's it. Please take a look if you have been waiting for the update - and don't forget that you can use the 'Like' buttons beneath any of your favourite pics to share it with friends.
VIEW PICS OF THE 2-DAY MOTOCROSS MEETING

The back-log of work is getting smaller :-)

Today sees another Gallery completed after more than two weeks wait. I really am that much behind. I guess that is what happens when so many events and sports use the summer months. Of course this years long sunny period has proven why that choice is made.

I'm not making anything special of this blog. It is simply going to do 'what it says on the tin'. That is, it announces that Race-10 of the Guernsey Powerboat Associations racing is online.

Next up will be the 2-Day Motocross action then Race-11 of the Powerboat Championship.

Hang in there with me... it'll get there!
VIEW RACE-10 OF THE POWERBOAT CHAMPIONSHIP

Today has been another busy one. I'm not complaining, you understand. In fact I would be quite bored if there wasn't always something to do!

It seems that my nature is 'programmed' to always load myself with work... I hate doing little or nothing. That's probably why I very rarely take a holiday. In fact when I do, it is usually to go somewhere to take pics ;-)

The problem this sometimes causes is that I am forever catching up with work. So it is a pleasure today to tick the box against another new Gallery update.

This time it is for one of the recent Hill Climbs. This was the Guernsey Motor Cycle & Car Club Hill on 26th August (you see what I mean about having to catch up)!

But the Gallery is now on-line if you want to check it out....

I have also made a few improvements to the visuals on this web site. I hope you like them.
VIEW PICS OF THE 26th AUGUST HILL CLIMB

I tossed a coin, and Jersey Live won!

My list of photo-shoots awaiting new gallery updates is long...
There are eight more Events (Motorsport & Gigs) awaiting my attention plus six Commercial assignments.

It might not be the best way to decide upon where to begin but at least it has got me past the start-line. Next job must be the Commercial shoots as it is these that pay my way.

But for now you can view 21 (yes twenty-one) picture galleries featuring the two days of Jersey Live's 10th Anniversary...
VIEW 21 PICTURE GALLERIES FROM JERSEY LIVE 2013