Again, again ..

I've just done something that, as far as I can remember, I have never done before! I've finished reading a book, only to go right back to the beginning and start reading it all over again!..

The book is called 'Skyfaring' by MarkVanhoenacker - a British Airways 'Jumbo Jet' pilot - who, like me, has always loved and been fascinated by aeroplanes since childhood. Their glamour, their excitement, their sexiness and power and .. well, their ability to fly! In the 'old days' there used to be spectator access to the piers at Ringway Airport - as Manchester was called - and I spent many, many a Sunday afternoon getting sunburnt and high on aircrcaft fuel gazing down at those beautiful big birds. Here's a shot from my archive, taken around 1975! I used to be thrilled knowing that a jet taxiing in was, mere hours ago, absolutely miles from where I was standing - on another continent, even - and now here it was, briefly, in Manchester and would soon be in another city, far, far away...

Well, the book is basically 329 pages of that! Of the strangeness and awe of our ability to zip around our world in mere hours. Beautifully written - who else could describe engine fans as "techno petals"? - and fascinating from the first page. Maybe that's why, like a 747 being turned around for a new departure, I just had to start the book all over again..

Reasons to be cheerful ..

Shot a super Wedding on Saturday, with no fuddy-duddy rules on where and when I could take photographs. Imagine missing out on the chance to shoot great shots like this moment of happiness after the vows! ..

My Joy Division exhibition came to a close yesterday, after a good six week run in Macclesfield. I'm really pleased with how it's gone, but kinda sad that it actually has gone, as I've nothing on the horizon now after two great shows this year. Still, it's July on Wednesday, with promises of warmth and sunshine in the forecast, so it's full steam ahead into summer, at last!
Yeee haaaa.......

Buzzin' ..

A particularly Mancunian expression but it sums up nicely how I feel about today's forthcoming Wedding. I think it's going to be Buzzin', our kid! Great couple, fab Manchester venue, good weather (Sh!) and a really laid-back vibe about the whole day. Even the toastmaster has put in a good word for me, telling the bride she's in "good hands" with me as the photographer! All I know is, just like a bee, I'm gonna be really busy this afternoon...

I sound like me Dad ..

Yesterday's stage-diving photograph got me trawling through my old music shots again, where I still have a section marked 'Unknown'! This guitarist, for example. I haven't the foggiest idea who he is or what band he was in. It looks like a great gig, though, doesn't it?..

According to my 1981 diary, between May and June of that year I went to see The Tubes, Split Enz, U2, Modern Eon, Altered Images, Bill Nelson, The Cramps, Pauline Murray, Squeeze and Toyah! Oh, and Victor Blackman too, but he was a Daily Express Press Photographer giving a talk at Manchester University, so that doesn't count! It's no wonder I always say I've lived through the most exciting period of music there's been, and I feel so sorry for the kids growing up today having Adele and Sam Smith forced down their lug 'oles! Where's the 'Get up and Boogy' when those depressos come on the radio? In the mall where I have my studio the radio drones on all day long with Key 103. It's mind-numbing! Piccadilly Radio, as it once was known, used to be one of the most exciting radio stations in the country. Everyone had one of their pink stickers in their bedroom window. But now they're just corporate, and bland, and boring. Anyway, each to their own and I can't really diss a whole generation for its musical taste, and I know I sound like my Dad, but it's just that our music was better. So there!..

Tout Suite! ..

The other evening I went to the inaugural meeting of a local networking group. Met some very nice people and learnt a few new things. Such as, I'm not getting involved enough with my social media! Oh Sh*t! Nope, it seems Flickr, Twitter, Google+, Tumbler, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and my blogs are not enough! I now need to be on Periscope and I need to be on HootSuite to organise everything! Bleedin' hell...

Anyway, like a mug, I immediately signed up for a trial with HootSuite and now all I get is bloody emails from them telling me I've not posted anything recently and can they suggest some 'content' for me to post?! No, you bloody well can't! I've got enough things to write about, thank you very much, and I don't need a machine in .. er, wherever it is .. to tell me what to write about. Actually, it's just dawned on me that people who say this kind of thing is great to help you organise yourself .. aren't very organised!..

Or am I missing something?...

Calm down, calm down ..

After my blog/rant yesterday I'm pleased to report that things have calmed down a bit after Saturday's Wedding - although I have yet to speak to the vicar involved - and I've had a lovely message from the bride..

"Thanks Martin O'Neill for the most entertaining wedding photo session ever! The family thought you were great! Can't wait to see everything, thanks so much for all your time and efforts. X" 
So that's alright, isn't it?..

I had a great PR portrait shoot up in Blackburn yesterday. "There's one of the guys.." said the PR lady "Whose hair is a little bit wild. Can you somehow subtly get him to calm it down?.."

Folks, all is calm ...


 

 

No Pictures .. !

No Pictures! That's what the vicar said as I started to shoot Saturday's Wedding! "Can the photographer stop taking photographs now, please!" she called - from the altar! - as I was a mere eight frames into the day..

Well, I'm sorry Rev, but what the bloody hell did you think I was there for? Man, I was so annoyed! I had to spend the entire Wedding ceremony sitting at the back of the church as a whole stream of fantastic memories sailed by me - unshot! Now ok, she let me pose the couple at the altar afterwards but that just wasn't the same. It wasn't the reality of a couple's Wedding Day. The 'real' moments had gone ..

Now, I know the church is the vicar's domain, and I've always been one to respect the wishes of the clergy - or the registrar, for that matter - but come on, play the game! It's a Wedding and we both have a job to do. I've never met any officiator of a Wedding that's banned me from taking any photographs at all and I think it's unfair not only to me, but to the bride and groom, who now have no photographs to remind them of their special time up at the altar..

The thing is, I've never had any problems photographing at this church but it seems it was this vicar's first Wedding there. However, nowadays, everyone expects to be photographed during the Wedding ceremony so if word gets out that photography's now a no-go at this place I think this new vicar might need to have a rethink on her shooting policy quite soon!..

Rant over ..

My Dad ..

This is me and my Dad having a pint at Manchester Airport, about 22 years ago. It's Father's Day here in the UK and, although it's now six years since he died, I think about my Dad all the time. It makes me happy to know we had a great relationship and, much as I hate these schmaltzy, blatantly commercial 'days', they do actually give people a chance, if you're not as close as we were, to dare to say 'I love you'..

Actually, I mostly used to say he was an 'Old Fart' but, in the close language of Father and son, that means the same thing!..


 

Flamin' June! ..

Sweltering heat, blazing sunshine and blue, blue sky. Just three of the things missing this morning as I prepare for today's Wedding! However, I'm hoping that I might start a tradition whereby, if I complain about grey skies and drizzle in a morning, I'll be overwhelmed by sun and heat in the afternoon. I can only hope! Flamin' June ..

Not my cup of tea ..

There I was, sipping my coffee and wondering about today's blog when I kinda started to focus - ho ho - on the mug in my hand. Bloody hell, I thought, how long have I had that? Hot-Shot Photographer, it says, and look .. it's got a camera on it with two rolls of film! How appropriate after Tuesday's blog.
Quick, call the Antiques Roadshow ..

I'm off to Southport today to check out a hotel where I'll be shooting a Wedding in August. This'll be the first time I've ever photographed a bride for the second time! Tricia's first Wedding was way back in the nineties but I guess things have moved on and it's time for her to do it again with another guy. Obviously, I approach every Wedding I shoot from the viewpoint of 'You've found The One' but I have to hold my hands up and say that, in this day and age, it might be a little bit pretentious to maintain that marriage is forever. Sometimes it's true that that first partner just isn't your cup of tea .. 

Pr, Weddings .. and churches!

Ok, that's the Mexican Ambassador shot - Hmm, I'm sure there's a better way of phrasing that! - and I'm onto other things this fine summer's day. Actually, I'm supposed to be photographing a church for its website but the weather's not looking as fine or summery as you'd want on your web pages, so that might get postponed until tomorrow..

I got a great Wedding booking last night. One phone conversation after dinner and a confirmed booking by 8.30pm! Now that's how it should be done! Some people take such a long time to decide on their photographer. I mean, I understand it's a big decision but some couples, like last night's, just go with their gut feeling and get the job done rapido! So, it's off to the Imperial War Museum North next summer. Can't wait ..

Old!

I'm old! It's official!..

I've received a message on the Book of Face from a young lady who is, she tells me, just starting out in photography and would love to meet me. Well, how flattering! What a nice message, I thought. I wonder what she wants to talk about, I thought. Joy Division? Wedding photography? Nope, she just wants to meet someone who's shot on film! Oh, boil up the Horlicks and pass me my zimmer frame, why don't ya!..

Of course, with age comes experience and I shall throw all mine at today's PR job - a visit to Manchester by the Ambassador of Mexico, no less! I told you the job involved a big-wig! Apparently I have to address him as 'Your Excellency', so I'm dying to see what he's excellent at! I might come back with a great shot of him juggling chihuahuas, or eating 17 Ferrero Rocher in one go, or... 
Forgive me, didn't mean to sound cynical ..
It's my age!

I remain, your servant ..

This shot's from another set of images I've been sorting this morning and I don't know why it came back to me, but I couldn't help laughing at something I overheard at a recent Wedding. "Mummy.." said a rather hungry young lady as she sat down at a Wedding reception "When will the servants be coming to our table?" Oh yes, you get a better class of people when I shoot Weddings!!...

Another busy week ahead, with a great mixture of PR, portraits, a Wedding and .. some website shots for a local church. The PR shoot's rather interesting. Bit of a big-wig! I'll tell you about it tomorrow. I just hope he doesn't bring any servants!!...

Itchy!..

Chickenpox! That's what's scuppered me today!
A good old dose of the contagious scratchies! Not me, of course, but apparently some of the youngsters involved in the christening I was supposed to photograph this afternoon. Rather than risk further infection, Mum has sadly decided to pull the plug on the event so, like the man here in my travel shot from Kenya, it looks like a lazy Sunday afternoon for me. Spot on ..

Guidance needed ..

A very nice lady came into the studio a week back to get some new portraits shot, and one of her changes of outfit was a Guides uniform. She's just been to pick up her images and told me that today she was awarded the OBE for services to Guiding in the Queen's Birthday Honours! So that's why she wanted some photographs in 'Guide garb'!  Well done Sue, and thanks so much for choosing my studio for your publicity shots...

It's a shame more youngsters aren't into the Scouts and Guides, as I was reminded this week when I caught a train into Manchester. This young oik didn't see the slightest thing wrong with putting his feet up onto the seat. I'd have got my a*rse kicked for doing that when I grew up! More discipline, that's what we need. Bring back parental slapping! Bring back National Service! Get Sue on the case! It's time these kids were brung up proper ...

Landscape v People ..

Back from a quick break in the Cotswolds. Walking, hills, sheep, ye olde pubs .. all that sort of thing! Had a great time although my shots will confirm I ain't no landscape photographer. Well, that's 'cos I ain't interested in being a landscape photographer, and I've never really seen another photographer's landscape photo that's made me feel like .. wow!..

So, I stuck to what I do and took photographs like this one. It's quite amusing, actually. There I am, in front of an 800 year old church - rooks squawking on the gargoyles, steeple clock clanking out the half-hour as it's done for God knows how long (Well, he would, wouldn't he!) .. and I see three bins lined up next to three tombstones! Picture! Ha ..

Anyway, I've seen enough grass to last me now, so it's studio head back on today and a heap of print orders to get out before I shoot another family portrait tomorrow morning and a christening on Sunday.
Landscape v people? People, every time!..

It was a breeze ...

Yesterday's Wedding was a breeze! Actually, it felt more like Gale Force 9 all day long!! My, how it blew and, of course, how it whizzed the clouds across the sun. One minute it was gloomy and grey, the next we were in blazing sunshine! Not complaining, of course .. it gave me some great photographs!..

This one, for example! A picture with a tale. Melissa and Graham did their early courting on this bench in the middle of Lymm, as it was within view of Mel's Mum's front-room window, and she didn't want her daughter disappearing out of her sight. We blew back there and photographed the couple on their Wedding Day. What a great idea! Have a look at a few more shots here ..

And now, I'm off to read the papers ...

On your marks ..

Time to hot-foot it down to South Cheshire for today's Wedding. The distances between the house and the ceremony are so much that I need to get to shoot the bridal preparations good and early in order to - as they say - get me to the church on time! I reckon that, by the time I've shot the first dance, it'll be a good twelve hour day today! Can't wait!..

Bloomin' lovely ..

What a great way to name your Wedding Tables. I've seen a lot of fantastic ideas for table plans over the years - football teams, Star Wars characters, places a couple have been in their lives - but I thought choosing a whole selection of spring flowers to name your tables was such a sweet and simple way of doing things. Click on the shot to see it larger. I wonder how tomorrow's Wedding couple will name their tables..  

Bloomin' news on the Joy Division front, too. Prints from Hooky's gig are now available to purchase online - for a limited period until December 31st of this year. Go to 'So this is Permanence' to get your orders in! Myself and a young guy called Ant Mulryan have a selection of shots up for grabs with a percentage of the proceeds going to the Epilepsy Society and The Churches Conservation Trust. We do like to do our bit, ya know..

Spread the good word ..

I did something yesterday that I haven't done for a long, long time. I took a photograph for the Manchester Evening News! Ok, it was only a self-portrait but it is for publication so that counts, doesn't it? The paper's doing a piece on my Joy Division exhibition at Charles Roe House and so, rather than have them schlepp a photographer down to Macclesfield, I volunteered to do the shots myself. It only took 378 attempts!..

There's other good news on the Joy Division front. The shots I took at Peter Hook's 'So this is Permanence' gig last month are going on Limited Edition sale. It's been agreed that the three photographers who covered the gig can now offer a selection of prints for sale until December 31st. I've edited my work down to around 20 images - I say around as I'm awaiting final approval - but, once I get the nod, I'll get that link up and running all over those other kinds of media!
Gotta spread the word, eh?..

Just showing my age ..

I awoke this morning to hear of the sad and premature death of poor old former Liberal leader Charles Kennedy. Fifty-five, people are saying, so young! Old. Premature. Young. Don't we have such defined views on age? I photographed a .. here we go .. young (21!) lady in the studio recently who warned me not to photograph "her wrinkles" and, any other day of the week, we'd complain that, at 55, we're 'getting on a bit' but should that person pop it then all we hear is that they were 'too young' to die. I know, it's all comparative and I'm rambling on a bit but I'd already got an 'age' niggle in my head before I even heard the sad news this morning ..

Cake smashes! That's what was bothering me. This (American) idea of sitting a one-year old child in front of a birthday cake and encouraging it to smash the sh*t out of it, all in the name of 'cute' photographs. If you'd read yesterday's blog you may have sensed my unease at the thought of having to shoot a cake-smash that afternoon, but I just can't believe we'd encourage a child to do such wilful damage to anything! Capturing a child if it did cheekily pinch a bit of cake is one thing, but making them do it is a different matter altogether! As it was, yesterday's little baby wouldn't go near the cake. Thankfully, he couldn't grasp the concept that we all wanted him to trash a perfectly good cake and so the shots simply show him sitting by the side of it with a little (added!) icing on his face.

However - and I can hear you all now - I am running a photographic studio and the customer is always right so forgive me going on so. I think I'm just showing my age ..

Getting Smashed ..

Today's all about getting smashed! Not me, you understand .. just a cake! Yes, I have another of those bizarre photo-shoots called a Cake Smash to do! Basically, put a one year old kid in front of a birthday and let the little rascal do its worst! Makes a mess! Makes really cute photographs! What's not to like .. eh? ..

Actually, today's shoot is but a mere warm-up, as I'm shooting a kids' party later in the week with at least 15 six year olds attending! A bulk order of paracetomol has already been ordered from Amazon! Other shoots include a portrait session with a new Deputy Lieutenant of Greater Manchester .. and a Wedding! Must remember not to ask the bride to smash the cake!..