Makin' it!

I've just had the opportunity to experience 'real life' for a few days,  getting up at an un-Godly hour each morning and seeing what it's like to have no choice but to, say, work a night-shift or earn a pittance. It was a project that didn't quite come off, so I won't bore you with the detail, but it reminded me once more just how lucky I am to be a Photographer. It's no wonder that people sometimes can't quite grasp what a photographer does for a living. ("What do you do in the week?" I was once asked at a Wedding!)
With photography, there's nothing to build, or brush, or stack, or weld. It's just you and your eye! 
I read an article last night describing the raw materials of Photography as 'Time and Light'. Chuck in a lens and a bit of creativity and that's all a photographer has to work with when he throws his viewfinder around a subject. Times are hard out there, but a snapper who knows his onions will come up with the goods and make a product that everyone wants!

The things you hear...

Three great things I've heard since the weekend:-
1) 'Thrilled you'll be able to photograph our Wedding' - from a couple who've just booked me for their Big Day in December.
2) 'This photography package with bridal preparations and first dance..does it include the ceremony?'  - from a couple who also just booked me, and will probably hate me for teasing!
3) 'Where's Waterstone's?' - from a lady who passed my Florescence stand at the Leeds Artsmix event!

Good to have a laugh, eh?

Mine's a Pint!

Remember the couple I blogged about? The ones who had a 'Guinness' theme to their Wedding Cake?
Well, here's the cake, or should I say...cakes! Great fun, eh?
That's one of the cool things about being a Wedding Photographer - You get the chance to work with people's individuality. I only accept my bookings on that basis - there has to be a vibe between me and the couple, otherwise it won't work.
So what's 'it'?
It's the relationship I have with the couple on the Big Day: The Spark, The Connection, The Wavelength! Wow! What am I going on about? Another pint, please! Cheers, Happy Tuesday!

Barking up the wrong tree!

Gorgeous bark on a tree near Mount Fuji, in Japan. This is one of the prints I've donated to an auction to raise funds for the poor people in that lovely country. I shot it when I went over there with my Joy Division exhibition, and one of the prints from that show is up for grabs, too. The event's in Manchester on April 7th, and you can find details here! All funds raised will go to the Red Cross Japan Tsunami Appeal. Now, speaking of trees, my main event this weekend was the Artsmix Event in Leeds, where I was plugging/selling my Florescence Flower Photography series. I'm gonna level with you, as you Yanks say. It wasn't the greatest success ever for me, and I think it might not be the way for me to promote my Florescence series. (By the way, if you have any suggestions for successful ways to promote it, then I'm all ears!)
On other matters, you'll be pleased to know my camera bag is all washed and dried, and doesn't smell of wee-wee anymore (See Saturday's Blog!), but speaking of photographers being p*ssed on..I drove past a Holiday Inn last night that's offering a free family portrait with every Mother's Day Lunch booked there! Oh, Mother!

It's Only Rock 'n Roll....

Told you they went for it!
This from yesterday's College Kids' Buskers Session in Manchester. Some real ballsy musicians on stage, and, this being Piccadilly Gardens, the usual mix of life's wonderful weirdos off it! Special thanks go to whoever p*ssed on my camera bag after I put it down behind the stage. Talk about embarrassing on the train..I stank!
Anyway, I made sure I got lots of shots of as many acts as I could, with a tale in mind that still hurts to this day! As you know,  I managed to shoot Joy Division early in their career, but there was once a day I had to shoot another 'gig' in Manchester, back in the mid-eighties. It was arranged with the PR firm that'd booked me that they'd take the film back with them to London after the show. No probs...except that the support band were a little combo called, erm...Take That!..and I had no shots to show it! Sigh!

Off to Leeds now for my ArtsMix photography stand.
Florescence. You know you want it!

Hello, Sunshine!

Was offline for the Vernal Equinox, so let me catch up and wish you all a happy new Spring!
I'm getting repetitive now, as I 'Facebooked' this shot last night, so apologies if you've already seen it, but it was the sunset yesterday evening, with a little bird returning home above it. Shot it on the day I ironically got another Christmas Wedding booking - 4pm kick-off in the middle of December,  when I'll kill for light like this! I'll enjoy the sunshine whilst I'm working in Manchester today, though, as I'm covering a Kids' Busking session in Piccadilly Gardens. Get down there this afternoon; they really put their hearts into their acts! Oh, and if you're in Leeds tomorrow I'm back at my Artsmix market stand on Albion Place. Come see Florescence! Sunshine in a photograph!

Thank You!

I'm back! Talk about frustrating! Six days without the internet! Aaagh!
Anyway, normal service is resumed and yes, I want to say Thank You to the BT engineer who took two hours to get to the root of the problem. I'm feeling benevolent because I received a Thank You yesterday, too..in the shape of a bottle of Bollinger Champagne! One of my couples sent me a gift box, with two glasses, as a way of saying how much they love their Wedding Album. Ooh, I do love a bit of feedback!
So, lots going on in the world of Martin O'Neill Photography, so I'll spend the next few days filling you in on the detail.
Cheers!

Busy day at the office....

Happy St Patrick's Day, but it's sandwiches at the ready 'cos I'm far too busy to stop for lunch! Had an amazing day on Wednesday, and it's set to continue today! Firstly, I took a Wedding booking from a couple in Dublin, who are getting married later this year. They were due to get hitched in May, but are back to square one as their venue has just gone bust, taking with it the couple's Nine Grand!! I'm on the list of recommended snappers at their new venue, the Town Hall in Manchester, so was able to give them a great deal and a bit of peace of mind. At least they have a photographer again!

I'm off to Manchester today, too, as I've been invited to make a presentation at one of the City's biggest PR firms. They found my work online and 'Think they can work with me!" Here's hoping!
I've also been approached by a major T-Shirt manufacturer who found one of my photographs on Flickr. They hope to use it to design a new range of shirts for the High Street's mens' shops. Here's hoping, Part Deux! Speaking of Flickr, I've had six of my images selected for the Street Photography  MOB event at the Format Photography Festival in Derby. The shot I'm using today is one of those chosen! I think that means they're printed out and put on display at the event, and they'll be hopefully be chosen for a project designed with them at the end of the festival. Here's hoping, Part Trois!
Now, where did I put me butties?

A spell at the top...

A little light-hearted relief today, and I thought I'd share this image with you. Just look how proud this youngster is with his lovely shaved head. 'Just Married".. it's supposed to say, but he either has a small head or a dyslexic barber, because there's an 'R' missing! Didn't have the heart to tell the poor fella!

Don't forget to have a look at the shots from my visit to Japan if you get the chance!

Bye, Bob!

Bob Greaves died yesterday! Probably bit of an unknown to a lot of you, but he was Big in Manchester!
He presented the local TV News programme Granada Reports in the '70's. You kind of grew up with him in this City! I met him quite a lot in my role as a press photographer, and here's a shot from way back.
Actually, he's not the only 'dearly departed' in this shot. The chap behind him is the late Salford Labour MP Frank Allaun, and the event they're at is a rally for good old Rock Against Racism! I can only pray that the lady in the poncho is alive and kicking. She sure was when I shot the picture..as you can tell by Bob's expression!

One other thing today... I've relaunched the Web-Page I made after I'd come back from Japan. I went there for my exhibition of Joy Division photographs. I called it 'I Remember Nothing'! Please have a look at some shots of a great country, and don't forget her at this time!

Thanks for dropping in!

Great day at the Artsmix Open-Air Art event in Leeds on Saturday, and thank you to everyone who bought something from me! I think I'm suffering from passive-smoking, though! Standing out on the street for six hours you notice just how many people smoke! Now we don't have to suffer the stink in our pubs it becomes all the more obvious when you're outside. I just wish smoking didn't cause that nasty side-effect of making people incapable of holding on to their ciggy ends and empty packets!   Rant over!

Couple of humourous moments from Saturday. (Bear in mind my whole stand was covered in photographs of flowers) ... One lady asked if I had any shots of Whitby .. and well done to the lady who looked at my photograph of a bright red rose, and asked if I had it in green!

Full Monty!

Ah, normality returns! Monty Don's back on Gardeners' World tonight! Some things just feel right, and I take it as an encouraging sign that my favourite TV Greenfinger is back to good health just as I blog about my Florescence flower and plant photography. It's a sign!

Quick funny story, just to get across how us pro-snappers are feeling now that everyone in the world thinks they're a photographer...

A photographer went to a posh party in New York. When he arrived the host said "I love your pictures - they’re wonderful; you must have a fantastic camera.’" He said nothing until dinner was finished, and as he left he responded ‘That was a wonderful dinner; you must have a terrific stove.’

Stop Press : Just heard about the Japanese Tsunami. My thoughts are with everyone over there, especially Nobu, Megume and all the friends I met on my trip!

Flower Power!

Everything's coming up Roses this week! (Oh, and Daffodils, Foxgloves and Irises!)
My focus today is my Florescence Flower Photography, as two exciting things are happening with it this weekend. Firstly, I'm delighted to say that I've got a new home for my three main acrylic panels!
These are four-foot long montages of a huge selection of my Flower Photography, and they're going on 'Temporary Permanent' display at a new Doctors' Surgery in Culcheth, near Warrington. This new clinic will have a huge 'foot-fall', so plenty of people are going to see the work, and I hope its vibrant colours and cheery subject matter will give a lift to people who might not be feeling too hot! Get well soon!
The work is also going on sale in Leeds on Saturday. I'm taking part in an event called 'Undiscovered' , an 'Arts' market run by Artsmix in the pedestrianised area of Albion Place, slap bang in the centre of the City. Artists have to be approved by the group before being allowed to participate, so now that I've had the 'OK' a great selection of my tableware, photographic prints, and greetings cards will all be up for grabs! So,  if you fancy a nice day out...

God Bless the MEN!

Remember I talked the other day about going to Libya for the Manchester Evening News? I travelled across to cover a story with a reporter, and only he got a byeline in the first edition! Well, I freelanced for the 'MEN', as it's called, for 18 years, and I think I can speak with some authority when I say they've never been particularly Photographer-Friendly! Byelines were only given grudgingly, and pictures were handled by people who didn't care about them. Example..shoot an image with four people on..they crop one guy off to fit the image into a smaller space! I had a great reminder of this ignorance the other day. I shot this photograph for a PR firm to plug a story on the coming together of a web-design company and a wi-fi supply company, so you kinda think laptops are going to be pretty important as props in the shot...yeah? Oh, no! Not for the MEN. They used it like this, making the whole point of the shot..erm, pointless! I wouldn't mind, but I supplied them with a horizontal shot as well! Oh, how I miss working for them...NOT!

The Word on the Street..

The Format Photo Festival is now in full swing after its opening weekend, and even if you can't get to  Derby you can still take part! They're running a 'Mob Format' event, inviting all you snappers to send in photographs on various street-related themes. This is one of my entries. Those realistic doll-babies used to give me the creeps, and I shot a set of images of them on my Olympus XA. One of the photographs was even purchased for the archive of the Viewpoint Photographic Gallery in Salford. Yes, imagine Salford having a dedicated photography gallery. Ok, stop imagining, 'cos it was shut down bloody years ago -although bizarrely it's still listed all over Google -so can I have my print back please!

Hands off, she's mine!

Great Wedding Fayre at The Park Royal Hotel yesterday, with lots of happy couples and some real interest in my work. I await a positive flurry of bookings!! Something I saw there, though, brought up the issue of Copyright, and I just wanted to say something about that! Coincidentally, a snapper friend of mine, who has shot a ton of fantastic music photography over the decades, has just stopped putting these shots on Facebook, because people keep 'nicking' them and using them on their own sites.
Anyway, my stand at the Fayre was opposite a Florist, and she had a book of photographs on display, showing her bouquets and flower arrangements at 'real' weddings. A couple of the shots caught my eye, and I realised they were my photographs! I asked the florist where she'd got them, and was told that the Bride had given them to her. She was using them in all innocence, believing that if the Bride had let her use them, then she was ok to do so! (I must add that she instantly understood, and told me she would put a credit underneath the images). Even though I issue a licence for  'my couples' to print images from a CD,  I must make it more clear that they do not own the right to use the photographs as they choose. Sadly, in the digital age, it's a problem that's only going to get worse for Professional Photographers.

Format PS...

More from Format in Derby...and a nice shot spotted in one of the swanky shop windows in the lovely Cathedral Quarter of town. Glad to see at least one of the traders getting into the swing of it! (He had a nice Nikkormat hanging off one of the other mannequins! Trip down memory lane!)
Have to say I'd never been to Derby before this trip, and I thought it was a great little place, with really friendly people!
Spent yesterday walking between the various venues that house the images, thus getting the added bonus of a walk around the confusingly named Silk Mill, which actually houses a fantastic collection of Rolls-Royce engines, including a full-size RB-211 Jet engine. Brought out the plane-spotter in me, it did! Met Peter Dench at the opening on Thursday evening, too...really good photographer and writer of the very amusing and frank Dench Diaries in Professional Photographer magazine. Bought him a glass of red..it's his round next time! Fave pictures from the whole thing I would have to say are the shots by Richard Kalvar, who is actually speaking in Derby as I type..Aaaagh! How did I miss that??...and the shots by Bahbak Hashemi-Nezhad, shown in the Deda Cafe.  I'm sure they've got to be set up...either that or the guy has the patience of a saint! I'd be happy to be corrected! All in all, a great event, and one not to be missed..and hey, I've not even been paid to say it!

 

 Finally, just a quick hello to another great guy I met on Thursday...Gabriel Thompson, one of the photographers with work on show. He's based in New York and we had a great time at the opening.

Now, I'm bloody keen on photography..you may have noticed!..but check out this guy's tattoos..

Now THAT'S keen !!

Oh, Joel...!

Mission accomplished! Met my hero Joel Meyerowitz at the Format Festival, and I think you can tell from my face that I was rather delighted!! He signed two of his books for me, and was gracious with his time and warmth. Thank you, Joel! The show itself is a 'Belter!'..well worth seeing! Give yourself lots of time, though, as it's spread all over the City. More tomorrow!

Oh, my hero!

One of my nice Kodachrome shots of the Florida Keys for you today, as I'm hitting the road again..all the way to Derby and the Format International Photography Festival.
Looking forward to seeing some great photography, hearing some interesting ideas and drinking some great wine, but the highlight will be if I can get to meet my hero!  Joel Meyerowitz is an American photographer whose work I've loved since I first found out about him in the early 80's. Check out his book 'Wild Flowers' if you can find it! He'll be at the opening event this evening, and I'm going to be like a google-eyed giggly teenager if I can get to chat to him! "I love you, Joel! Eeeek!"
Autograph book at the ready...Wish me luck!

The Springs of Joy!

My Joy Division photographs are 'on tour' again, and will feature as part of a special 'Wired In' event at Duke's Lancaster in April.  I've just had to supply them my images and they'll be made into a cool slide show accompanied by live music! Far out!
Off to a Steam Engine Museum in Cheshire today! I'm shooting  PR photographs of three apprentices and their MD for a Manchester company. Hope I can see 'em through the smoke!

Marching on...

A nice bright daffodil to mark St David's Day, for all you readers in Wales. It's from my Florescence Flower Photography series.
 And now for a list of things I read yesterday!
(No, I can't work out a connection there either!)

I read that Johhny Depp is part-Cherokee Indian! (This after my girlfriend and I had watched that lovely film Chocolat. She remarked on how beautiful his face was, and that he surely must have some Native American in him. Clever clogs!)
I read that there is a Wedding Photographer in LA who has been so hard-hit by the recession that he has cut his standard rate to a mere $8,500 a day (Oi Vay!)
I read a review of a pub restaurant that we ate in on Sunday. Somebody had raved about the fresh dressed crab saying "It does exactly what it says on the tin!"
And I read an email from a young couple who contacted me about shooting their December Wedding. They said "You sound like someone we'd like to invite to our Wedding!"
My kinda read!