Fireside football ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

The weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful and, do you know what, I'm really getting into the fact that this year's world cup is in the 'winter'. Gone is the guilt of a July tournament, sitting in front of the telly on a glorious summer's day, missing out on a tan, worrying about how much gardening needs to be done. Oh yes, this way it's so much better. The weather outside is frightful - far too horrible to be out there gardening - and you can't beat stacking up the wood-burner ready for the first afternoon kick-off of the day, so yeah, bring it on. Even my teams have joined in with the feel-good stuff, with 6-2 and 4-1 wins in their first matches ..

England, England, allez les bleues ... 

(Today's shot? One of my earliest ever colour slide photographs, taken circa 1977 outside an electrical store in Eccles.)

A very Bon Weekend indeed ..

It's a habit I cannot kick, so this weekend saw me back at RAF Fairford for the annual Royal International Air Tattoo. The fact that, this year, I actually had to get there from France, with all the driving, flying and bed and breakfasts that involved, didn't put me off one jot. It was another great show and scorchio weather made it all worthwhile. I even made it back to a bar in Poitiers in time to catch the second half of France's victorious world cup match. All that and it started to rain once I got home, meaning I didn't even have to water the garden. Bliss. Ah, if Carlsberg did weekends ..

(Click to see larger shots ..)

Concentration ..

I'm starting today's blog with absolutely no idea what to write about! Trouble is, there's too much to write about, so I really need to concentrate! Hmmm .. subjects! Well, there was my Uncle's funeral yesterday - a sad occasion of course but, like all these events, a great chance to catch up with the relatives and an opportunity to vow to strengthen family ties! Then there's been the World Cup, the First Communion shoot, the 50th birthday party, the latest Wedding album I'm designing, the stirrings of a really interesting new project that actually doesn't involve photography - it involves music - hint, hint! - and the fact that, next week, I'm going to run a fantastic portrait competition to celebrate .. wait for it .. my first year in the studio! Jeez! I'd better stop writing .. and concentrate!

Oh, the photo? It's from a school prospectus shoot I did last month. Love this shot and I'm quite sure I just looked exactly the same as I typed out this blog!...

Rubbish ..

Oh well, I guess I don't have to wait 'til Tuesday to find out what happens to England in the World Cup! What a disaster! It's no wonder we English are so stoical and 'stiff upper lip'! We get plenty of practice!...

On to better things now, and I was the guest on FabRadioInternational's Middles Show last night, talking Joy Division, punk and God knows what else! Seems to have gone down well, with even friends in The States tuning in to hear my waffle! Thanks for listening, folks!

Shooting a 50th birthday party and a First Holy Communion this weekend! Just wish I could shoot the England team ..

Sick as a dog ..

Poor old Lesley was sick as a dog last night! Nothing to do with the football - she really was ill .. all night - and is now lying in bed with a cold cloth on her head and a bucket .. well, you get the picture! We think it was something she ate yesterday lunchtime. Anyway, the lads couldn't come up with the goods again last night, could they, losing 2-1 to Uruguay and the team all but sure to go out of the World Cup. A pal of mine is out there covering the tournament for the Daily Mirror and, when he left, I joked with him that I looked forward to seeing him again .. next week! Reminds me of my favourite joke from Facebook. A shot of the team getting off the plane at Rio has Gerrard turning back to the captain and shouting "Leave it running, mate. We won't be long!"..

Off into Manchester later for my 'guest appearance' on the Middles Radio Show, and frantically trying to think of what the hell to talk about! D'ya think music and photography will cover it? I'm certainly not talking about football! In fact, I'm going back to having no interest in football again! Er, after Tuesday!..

Back o' the net ..

Dammit! I fell off the wagon! I've started to watch football again! (I refer you to Friday's blog!) But, hang on, did I say watch it? God, I've written all the kick-off times in my diary! Daren't miss it! Oh, bugger, and I was doing so well. I blame Holland v Spain. What a game! And then, of course, there was our own valiant effort against the Italians, for which I managed to stay awake on Saturday night, and now I aim to get everything done today in time to watch the Germany v Portugal game at 4 o'clock this afternoon!

My name is Martin O'Neill. I'm a World Cup addict ...

Having said that, there's a world of difference between watching football and photographing football! I'll hold my hands up .. that's something I just cannot do. I think this image from my archive was the last time I had a go at it! I mention this because I had to try to photograph footy again when I shot the pictures for a school prospectus last month. Managed to get the ball on at least three of the pictures! Brilliant! The other shots, though? They're great! I added 'em to my PR page his morning. Back o' the net!..

Addicted ..

Two of my long-standing Flickr 'addictions' were both catered to last night when I went to cover a dinner in Manchester. New images were added to both 'On the one hand' - a series of single gloves - and 'Social Seen' - images from social settings.
(I love the shot of the chap trying to fix his wife's dress by the light of the torch on her 'phone! Click it to see it larger) One addiction, however, has been cracked!

Football!..

I was back home in time for the second half of the Brazil game last night - the opening match of the 2014 World Cup and, I'm afraid - to use the vernacular - "Bothered?" sums it up! I went cold turkey, you see. Two years ago, after following Manchester United since I was a kid. Then the prancy, pathetic amateur-dramatics and over-paid hooting and ref-ranting just got to me and I decided I'd had enough. Stopped watching football. Didn't miss it. Don't miss it. Just hoping I don't come 'off the rails' as the tournament gets into its stride!..

Dead Sexy ..

Now here's one way the Manchester Evening News could buck up its circulation .. boobs and dead bodies .. in yer face, wham bam, hands up! It's the front page of a newspaper I brought back from Brazil (I told you I never throw anything away!) and I thought I'd show it you today, what with all the excitement of the World Cup in that country and all. Click on the pic for your full on close-up!..

The paper's dated 21st September 1990, so I don't know if newspaper styles have changed over there or what but hey, it sure made me buy it, even though I can't read a word of the text! It's certainly different to any press photography I ever shot! Oh, and there are three more corpses inside the paper.
No more boobs though!..


  

Bats! ..

So, it's the fourth test, eh? Come on, England! Or not! Hardly matters, does it? I mean, I confess I don't quite understand cricket - obviously! - but let me get this straight .. England have won The Ashes by drawing, 'cos it rained, with two games to go, which won't make a blind bit of difference to that decision so .. the point is? Reminds of the time that England played Argentina in a World Cup match (Footy, not cricket!) It was back in the day that one had to 'video' programmes if you wanted to watch them later (My, how quickly that seems dated!) so, as I had a Wedding to shoot that afternoon I 'videoed' the game and made absolutely every effort to avoid the score. Even the bride told the hotel that their staff must not mention the game! Anyway, I was almost home - radio off and eyes front so I didn't receive any clues - but it was a hot day, and there came a point in my journey when I just had to pull over and buy a can of pop from a garage. '80p..' said the cashier 'And isn't it great that we won!' Aaaaagh!.....

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