Photos

September 18, 2012

Thinking about light

The two photos of Alfa Romeo badges below are actually of the same badge. They were taken just moments apart. There’s no clever editing and I did nothing to block or change the light when I took the pictures. They’re just taken from different angles.

It really made me think about how to use light.

Using light is something that Paul Sanders first taught me a couple of months ago at Cuckmere Haven. I’m know that it’s something I’m going to learning more and more about for as long as I take photos. I’ll never know enough about light.

If you have any tips, please do share them.

September 15, 2012

A glorious Goodwood Revival

I was incredibly fortunate to spend Saturday at the Goodwood Revival. Saying I’m keen on cars is a bit of an understatement and being able to get so close to so many iconic vehicles was a real treat. Seeing the cars blast around the Goodwood circuit was brilliant. Being near enough to the action to grab a snap or two was a bonus.

My first decent snap was of this beautiful Stingray. Racing against Ferraris and E-Types, it held own its both in terms of performance and looks.

During the same race, I managed to capture this stunning Ferrari 250, one of the prettiest cars ever built, as it blazed across the track. As a child, I had a scale model of this car on a shelf in my room and I worshipped it. Seeing it race just yards away was a dream fulfilled.

There was also plenty to see in the sky, with a range of Spitfires, Hurricanes and other fighter planes and jets soaring, swooping and loop the looping.

Away from the track, I took the opportunity to wander around the paddock. I took a lot of photos here but the stand-out was this Mercedes. It’s louvred bonnet vents, big emblem and aggressive ‘V’ nose harks back to a time before aerodynamics, when performance came down to engine size; from the size of the bonnet, it’s a sure bet this particular car was a supercar in its day.

Elsewhere in the paddock was this beautiful 1950s Aston Martin racer. The badge references David Brown, who owned the firm during its 50s and 60s glory days. His initials are still used today in the names of the brand’s grand tourers.

Back on track there were some less exotic, but no less aggressively driven cars strutting their stuff. This chirpy Renault 4CV caught my eye with its bright blue paintwork, heavy revving and surprisingly strong performance, as it fought to keep up with bigger Jaguars and more powerful BMWs.

For me, the big race on Saturday was all about Cobras. These two-seaters are iconic for their wonderful design (made by AC cars of Thames Ditton fame) and, after some tweaking from American motor legend Carroll Shelby, the monstrous Ford V8s under the hood.

Over the road, by the fairground, there were lots of classic cars for sale. My favourite was this Series One Range Rover, which has the rather snazzy chassis number: 007. The Series One is the original Range Rover. It has only two doors, despite its considerable size. It was considered so attractive when it was launched in 1970 that one was exhibited in the Louvre in Paris, France, in the early 1970s. All in all, it was a truly glorious day.

July 29, 2012

Olympic Cycling – men’s road race

The Olympic cycling road race is one of the open access events. Starting from The Mall in London, the men’s race weaves through South West London into Surrey, passing through Royal Parks, whizzing by historic palaces, looping up iconic hills and then winging its way by Thames Ditton, where I stood to catch a glimpse of the action and cheer on Team GB.

Doing their bit to help Team GB, local children put up signs on the railings.

They also chalked messages on the tarmac to cheer on their heroes.

A local Inn pulled together some passable grub.

There was a real party atmosphere, with Union Jacks fluttering.

The Police outriders heralded the arrival of the cyclists to much cheering from the crowd.

Then the leaders appeared. The crowd screamed and yelled, whistled and clapped.

The noise built as the leaders sped by.

Then the first of the heroes from Team GB appeared and the crowd erupted. Flags were waved and the screams immense, the British riders sat strongly at the front of the chasing pack.

The bulk of the pack followed. Riders from all over the world, proudly representing their countries, peddling for all they were worth, their grit etched in faces. All were cheered through.

The crowd began to thin when the fleet of support cars zoomed down the road.

But a hardy few hung around to cheer through some of the riders who had fallen behind. This cyclist from Argentina was one of the last to come through, but despite being toward the back it was clear he was putting in an Olympian effort and was cheered through by those who remained.

Alas, we know this race ended in disappointment for Team GB. However, it was an amazing day for the crowd and I’d recommend heading down to the women’s road race today (29 July).

July 10, 2012

Photo analysis: light shines on John Terry

Today’s Guardian front page runs with a headline about how much City firms spend on lobbying, but the main picture has nothing to do with that story. From a distance, you can’t read what story the photo’s about, however, everyone will know instantly what it’s about.

Yesterday, England and Chelsea footballer, John Terry, appeared in court to answer charges of a racially aggravated public order offence. The photo, taken by Reuters’ Andrew Winning, brilliantly tells the story.

A shaft of light cuts Terry’s face in half, the top drenched in a strong, bright glow, while the bottom half in the dark. The message is clear: If sunlight is the best disinfectant, then it’s only going to partially clean up this mess.

Terry, sharply suited, has one eyebrow raised and gives the impression that he is slightly unnerved by his situation. He is, however, staring straight into the strong light. He’s nervous, but he’s not backing down.

The police officer in the background completes the image, with flecks of grey hair showing from beneath his cap, he looks senior and sombre. His presence underlines the fact that this is a serious situation.