Thanksgiving ..

Thanksgiving Day in America, and I'm giving thanks that I'll soon be over there shooting a Wedding. It's time to start thinking about what gear I'll need to take over. I think I'll be able to take most of the stuff I normally use, bar studio lights and brolleys, and I've already arranged to borrow a tripod, so that's half my luggage allowance recovered ..

The Wedding is at 5pm - not good for light in December - but I've been told the American 'way' is for the photographs to be taken before the ceremony and for that, America, I give thanks ..

Ps: This shot was taken on Kodachrome in the 80s, during a Greyhound Bus trip I took around the USA .. 

Here's to the God of Photography ..

Some great projects on the go at the moment, including the design of a Wedding album and the editing of a Portrait shoot I did with this little sweetie and her sisters ..

Looking at such lovely shots it's easy to forget that, despite it being July, it poured down at the Wedding and the little 'angel' was a minx, constantly refusing to look at the camera. Still, that's the beauty of photography because, without the rain, I wouldn't have the lovely shiny floor that I got in this shot, nor would I have had the dreamy 'sweet' shot I got because my 'model' wouldn't play ball ..

See, there IS a God of photography! I pray to him all the time ..

Arse ..

I wrote about the signpost dates we've passed this month that let you know we're on the way to Christmas, but I missed one out and was reminded of it yesterday ..

The Taylor Wessing Portrait Photography Prize comes around each autumn and, in fact, opens today at the National Portrait Gallery. It's always a good opportunity to moan and grumble about the depressing photography it shows but this year's winner was the worst ever. It was announced earlier this week and I cannot bring myself to cut and paste the winning shot so have a look at it here. Folks, the photographer who took this has won £15, 000 ... fifteen thousand pounds! Can you believe it? What a pile of arse! What an insult to professional photography ..

Now, I don't know if the judges pick crap like this to be controversial or to stir up pissed-offyness - like they have with me - in an effort to promote the show, but it beggars belief when they say “This year’s winner stood out for its simplicity and powerful directness, and was commended by the judges for its ability to create something beautiful out of the everyday.”

Perhaps it's just me - perhaps I'm too thick to 'get it' but I'll tell you this, next year I'm going to submit this shot of me shooting a PR job in a Virtual Reality North Pole. How's that for powerful directness? Arse ..

Always look on the bright side ..

I got paid this morning .. for a PR job I did in July! Hurrah! Time to break out the booze! Only I can't, as I'm on tablets for a stomach bug and must avoid alcohol like the plague. This is my ninth day 'on the wagon' but I can hit the suds from tomorrow onwards, so the end is in sight ..

Pretty bad though, eh? Four months to get paid! I know I'm only a one-man band but it's no wonder companies go to the wall when big clients hang on to their dosh. Anyway, let's look on the bright side, to clients like those I worked for last Thursday. They paid me on Tuesday! Hurrah! Time to break out the booze! Only I can't, as I'm on ..

Motorbikin' ..

The autumnal landmarks are flying by. Hallowe'en - Tick .. Bonfire Night - Tick .. Remembrance Day - Tick ..

That leaves only one more big date in the diary before we plunge headlong towards Christmas. (Yes, I know there's still that ridiculous concept of 'Black Friday' and, if you're American, Thanksgiving Day, but they don't count) ..

No, the last big circle in the diary is on November 19th, when I head off to the Birmingham NEC for my annual PR booking at the National Motorcycle Live show. A whole day of pistons, fuel tanks, forks and lycra-clad lovelies! No, I'm not being sexist there, it's just a part of the Bikers' world so hey, I gotta do what I gotta do! Anyway, Lesley needn't worry .. my pictures are a lot more about handlebars and gears than .. er, anything else!..

I can only pray ..

Another week, another blog and although there's plenty to write about, my Monday morning news has been overtaken by an email that came in first thing this morning. A pal of mine - we go right back to the Warrington Guardian days, and I left there in 1982!! - has a big meeting this week with the CEO of an American IT company and he's told me he's pitching for me as their UK/Europe website photographer. Now that's exciting! I thought a picture of these 'praying' hands on the cross-Channel ferry would describe my emotions exactly!..

For the first time ever I was asked to shoot some video on a PR job last week. Nothing too taxing, just kids reading from a book wot they wrote (You have to be a Morecambe and Wise fan to get that).
Anyway, despite me being a total believer in 'the still image', I have to admit I enjoyed the experience and got straight online to order a professional microphone for my camera. I know I'm new to the idea of shooting 'movies' at a stills job but I thoroughly expect to nominated for an Oscar any day now ..

I can only pray ..  

News Flash ..

I was in Photography Heaven yesterday. I'd just received a fantastic message from last Saturday's bride when I got an email saying I'd been nominated in a Wedding Industry competition. Then, just as I'm basking in all of that, the local news comes on and I get a name-check and two of Monday's PR shots shown on telly ...

To fill you in on the detail ..

Emma, pictured here with her cheeky kilt-wearing hubby Tom at their Wedding at Willington Hall, sent me a brilliant message saying they were "amazed" by their photographs - yes, of course they're already edited and online for them - and that they 'couldn't have asked for anything more". How lovely ..

Then .. Hollin Hall Hotel sent me an email to say they'd nominated me in the 2016 UK Wedding Awards. In the photography section I hope. Ha ha ..

Then .. A PR job I shot for the Intu Trafford Centre on Monday got featured on North West Tonight, replete with tasty byline. Stonking ..

Ronald McDonald ..

Please not Trump, please not Trump! I'm trying to think pleasant thoughts - autumn colours, John Lewis ads - to distract me from the fact that Donald Trump could today become the next President of the USA. It can't be any coincidence that he's named after a fart. Lord help us!..

I have an old cartoon - which I've been desperately trying to find - which shows Ronald Reagan sitting on a sofa in his lounge, clutching the TV remote. "This one's for Channel four .." he says, pointing at the buttons "This is Channel Seven and this .." he says, smiling "launches the nuclear 'missals' over Yoorp!"

Know what I'm saying? .. 

Sunny prospects ..

The low seasonal sun was dazzling as I set off to Saturday's Wedding at Willington Hall. I was determined to get an Autumnal shot for the happy couple and delighted I came away with this picture. The pesky sun was in and out all day, causing me all sorts of problems with the light but still, it was better than the hammering rain we'd had the day before ..

There'll be plenty more water at today's PR job, as I'm off to catch a Waxi this morning! That's a Water Taxi to you and I, in which I'll be travelling on the Ship Canal with Father Christmas to launch this year's 'Santa's Grotto' at Manchester's Trafford Centre. I just hope the sun shines ..

Hats off ..

Time to put the Wedding hat on again, as I'm off to Willington Hall tomorrow for a bonfire cracker of a Wedding ..

I was looking for a suitable photo to accompany today's blog and came across this one, from a Wedding a while back in Blackpool, and it occurred to me that I've not seen a top hat at a Wedding for absolutely ages. I guess they're finally out of fashion .. at last. The last time I saw one it had 'Do not throw for photographs' printed on the label inside. Perhaps those pesky photographers have bashed all the hats out of shape. Good ..

(Please God, don't let tomorrow's groom wear a top hat!!)  

No way ..

They say writing a book is the easy part - you just have to market it after that. Well, I'm trying my damndest and it's finally paid off. Someone's bought a copy of 'The Boy who missed Next Year' from Amazon Kindle. No way!..

I was on a PR job yesterday, photographing the famed singer Russell Watson, and discovered that we grew up less than five miles from each other and that he went to a school that was my high school's 'deadly rival'. No way! (Although I'm sure I never had a scrap with him!!...)

I bumped into a guy that I haven't seen since photography Night School in 1977. Despite that he'd somehow heard of the time I dropped a Nikon MD-12 motor-drive from the top of a 300 foot high building. No way!..

Drove past this sign outside a new building site in Manchester. No way!..

Gone ..

Funny old day today. I'm not feeling at my best - it's Man Flu at least - and I've had to go to the Apple Store in the Trafford Centre to be told my dear, faithful iPod is dead! RIP! Gone ..

Still, at least they offered me a solution ...
Buy a new one!
Cheers, Apple ...

Something that spurred me back into life was a phone call about an hour and a half ago. I'd been gearing up to photograph Russell Watson tomorrow when a PR chap comes on and asks if I can shoot a conference in the morning. 8am start ..
"Can I leave by 11.30?" .. I ask.
I can..

Job booked, blood flowing, flu symptoms .. gone!...

Hollin a day's work ..

Time to load up the wheels and head off for my last Wedding Fayre of the year. I'm at Hollin Hall Country House Hotel from 10 'til 3 today and I'm pleased to say I am now the only photographer they recommend ..

See ya there?..

On fire ..

Autumn is here and the foliage is ablaze.
Shame we can't throw the litter louts on it ..

Dancing Queen ..

I had a lovely day yesterday, shooting PR at a 'Retirement Village' for its new brochure and website. I needed a volunteer to pose for a photograph and up stepped Iris, a lovely lady with gorgeous twinkly eyes and the energy of a 15 year old. When I photographed her on a fitness machine I actually had to ask her to slow down! Next time I saw her she was boogying to Abba with the keep-fit class, and then I spotted her dancing around the dining room with one of the other residents. She never stopped! Ironically, I'd no sooner written yesterday's blog about 'growing old' when I was asked if I'd be interested in playing 'Walking Football'. Ye Gods, I'll bet they wouldn't dare ask Iris!..

No country for old men ..

I'm being put in an old folks' home today. Man, I hope I get out alright! I am, of course, only going to take PR photographs - I'm shooting a new brochure for a Sheltered Housing scheme near Preston - but the way, at 56 years old, that I'm bombarded by 'old person' spam you'd think I was about to hang up my camera for good ..

'Cash your pension'; Try this new Walk-In bath'; join this leisure cruise for the over 55s; take this new arthritic joint supplement ...

Just eff off will ya! I'm 56, not 76! I've already been playing the UK Subs on iTunes this morning, for goodness sake!..

Truth be told, I like being this 'old'. I feel I've done stuff. I feel I know stuff, and I sure as hell know I've got lots 'left in me' .. as they say. I just spend a bit more on Deep Heat. That's all!...

*Today's picture is another from my archive - taken when I was 'young'! I was tempted to put it on Facebook, captioned 'Two more children escape from the Calais jungle ' .. but I didn't!

Word of mouth ..

An old pal of mine is setting up as a 'Bespoke' Wedding celebrant, and asked me for a quote to put into her first blog. My heady advice was that couples planning a Wedding shouldn't get "too worked up" and  .. oh, you can read the rest yerself! Very pleased that she thought of me, though, and I wish her well in her new venture ..

Maybe I'll get to recommend her in return when I do my next Wedding Fayre. On Sunday I'll be at Hollin Hall, near Macclesfield, for my last event of the year. I'm now the only photographer that the hotel recommends, and very much hope that brings in the bookings for next year. There's nothing better than good old 'word of mouth' ..

Straight outta me Jim-Jams ..

I was barely out of my Jim-Jams this morning before the phone had rung and I was booked for a shoot with 'People's Tenor' Russell Watson. I burst into song immediately. Something is going on in the world of PR, and I like it!..

I'll be the first to admit that my PR work has taken a dive over the years, I guess because I was focused on my Wedding and studio photography. Just lately, though, it's really been on the up and I'm thrilled. I mentioned on Friday how much I love this kind of work - how I thrive on being in control and thinking on my feet. In actual fact it's no different to Wedding photography, except that modern Wedding photography has become so stereotyped and similar that it's .. oh, don't get me started on that! No, the scope for creativity is fantastic .. nay, expected .. when you work for a PR client. I've just got to get meself a few more of 'em! Perhaps I should send them this montage of work I've shot since September.
Now there's an idea ..

Thunderbirds are go ..

I had a great day yesterday, working for ITV to promote their new series of 'Thunderbirds'. A fleet of taxis will drive around Manchester this weekend, promoting the show with branding all over their doors, and the idea of the shoot was to get that message across to the local press. I worked with five of the 'Thundercabs', photographing them first at the iconic 'Rovers Return' pub on Coronation Street, and then in front of the spectacular entrance to the mecca of shopping that is Trafford Centre ..

I absolutely love being in charge of a PR shoot like this - having to come up with angles and poses, positioning and lighting - all on my own, from a standing start and all at breakneck speed to get the shots out to the press.
All that, and I got to meet 'Virgil' too ..
FAB!...

Twang!!..

I guess you're asking for it when you wear bright orange braces but I do feel sorry for this groom. His new bride just couldn't resist giving them a twang. Click on the shots and look at the pain on the poor guy's face. Yowch!!..

No pain for me, as I have another fantastic PR diary this week. So far I've shot accountants - no jokes, please - an Insurance company, a literature festival, and a library closure protest meeting. And today? Thunderbirds are go! I'm at Granada Studios to shoot the launch of the new kids' TV programme, involving branded taxi cabs and the Rovers Return. Twang!!...