SWPP – Hotel Metropole – Trade Show

I arrived at Edgeware Road in plenty of time to visit the SWPP Trade Show in London on Friday morning, so I strolled in the hotel’s direction with the idea of using the time to find a Post Office to pick up the forms to renew my passport, but as I crossed the road I spied the familiar bronze statue of the window cleaner. Familiar only because back in the days of film I had caught sight of it and taken some shots of it – it’s a brilliant piece of work in my eyes; he is so obviously a window cleaner complete with ladder looking up at this towering office block, and lifting his cap in awe, and to my ears is saying: “Blimey, Guv!” When I took some shots of yore, some wag had completed the picture by placing a half-smoked fag in his mouth! Obviously in these PC times that is no longer dangling from his lips! It was as I was grabbing a few shots that a photographer stopped to watch me and we got chatting; in the course of which conversation he mentioned he had come from Tring, and it turns out we have a mutual friend in Vanessa Champion who I would later be meeting at the show.

I picked up my Passport forms and headed for the Metropole and the first familiar face that greeted me was that of Ness, who was manning (or should that be womanning?) the Creativity Backgrounds stand on the ground floor. One of the reasons for my visit to the show was to see whether any dealers were likely to offer me a deal on a brand new EOS 5D MkIII, and after a brief visit to the Canon stand learned there were two sellers present, and the timing of my arrival at the Park Cameras stand was absolutely perfect, I arrived as a Canon gentleman was finalising a further reduction with presumably the Sales Manager of Park, so I was the first purchaser to benefit from a great show deal with only five more cameras to go! My day was definitely starting on a high note!

I met up with ‘Image 2’ wife and husband team Patricia and Nick Rayner and spent some time watching a demonstration from a Past President of the AoP, Simon Leach, and much later spoke to colleagues from my earlier days of working with Adobe on their exhibition stands, Peter Lovelock, Andy Johnson, Richard West, David Odouro, Keith Hern and David Mallows. Ness also mentioned I should speak to Richard Curtis of Adobe, suggesting she was sure I would know him, but I was certain we had never met, and it turned out I was right, but I did manage to catch up with him and have a good chat, which might bear fruit, as we got on really well.

Whilst I was photographing Simon Leach and the proceedings on the Creativity Backgrounds stands, a film cameraman with whom I had enjoyed a wonderful skiing holiday in Meribel a good few years back tapped me on the shoulder and had obviously thought I’d not remember him, as he said: “You probably won’t recognise me, I am Richard…” but he was wrong – I recognised him straightway from a skiing trip in Meribel Mottaret – Richard Hill and was delighted he had come up, so he promised he would email me, so there is another pleasure to come from my visit – I look forward to catching up in the next few days.

The event was really enjoyable, enlightening and thoroughly worthwhile, and there was a very positive buzz all around, and I congratulate the SWPP; I feel certain they will be very happy with all their efforts, and I hope the next two days turn out as well the first.

Goodwood Revival in the Rain!

From all I can gather I believe I chose the best day to visit the Revival Meeting this year, for although we even had spells of sunshine, the rain was somewhat intermittent, and the cloud cover lifted allowing aircraft to display. The personal highlight of the flying was to see a Canberra, for this was one of the aircraft I had worked on when in the RAF, and I had always been impressed by the later versions with Triple Starters that had the most stunning rates of climb after only a very short stay on the runway.

I had hoped to be accompanied by a multi-talented all-rounder – photographer, author, blogger, whirlwind PR Lady, and talented organiser, Vanessa Champion, but work proved more powerful than play, and it had always been chancy settling on the Friday, since it is a weekday. I took along a publisher and Rugby photographer at the last moment instead.

The enclosure that provides an excellent view of the exit from the Chicane, was my first vantage point, but I also spent a short time in the grandstand within the enclosure and also on the roof of the Pits. But this was a day where the ever-present threat of rain dictated that shelter be near at hand. I met an interesting American, Harold 'Howie' D. Grant who had a car or two racing there, and he pointed out one of the cars and said he'd be happy to buy some pictures, so I duly obliged, and met up with him a few more times and he introduced me to his charismatic driver. The green car was unusual in that it had four tyres at the rear.

During one of the spells of brightness I met up with Patricia Rayner and Keith Duerden of Image 2 photography; friends of longstanding, since I had first met them when Keith headed up the Photographic Unit of Mobil in Victoria. Keith has a long history of photographing motor racing, having watched and photographed Stirling Moss racing at Goodwood when he was his own mechanic! He has a large collection of  black and white photographs from a past era of the sport, and has a website selling his work, and is currently working on the publishing of a book. We all met up at the ‘Earls Court Motor Show’ pastiche and then strolled, chatting to visit the static display of aircraft, where we came across Tracey Curtis-Taylor and Amanda Stretton and the ‘Spirit of Artemis’. Tracey is due to fly solo from Capetown to Goodwood, and a film crew were setting up as we came upon them, and so this offered me a chance to capture some of the proceedings.

On my later return to the trackside I turned round at one stage and there was a favourite TV star of mine just feet away, Honeysuckle Weeks, who has been expertly teamed with Peter Kitchen in ‘Foyle’s War’, I just had to overcome my natural temerity to ask could I take some quick photos, but I could step no further back, so I had to make do with the camera and lens I was holding, the 100-400mm, and do my best to use the wide end, but she was so relaxed and unfazed, that I did get a few shots. I learned a few things she has planned and I mentioned that she was certainly blessed with a beautiful name by her parents. By her side was Peter Sandys-Clarke who it turned out had also had a role in Foyle’s War, but I had to embarrassedly state I did not recognise him, he was very accommodating and accepted my apology with great grace, saying he fully appreciated the reasons for my failure.

I was persuaded to set off early to avoid the imminent rain, which proved to be a good decision as I gather we missed the quagmire that befell those who stayed on till later, and that the following days were severely marred by inclement British weather.

West Herts Technology Cluster

This is the second meeting I have attended as a member of the Design Network Association – DNA. I collected fellow member Peter Carr at his home and then gave iPhone Maps a chance to direct me to Watford to the College. We arrived later than intended due to my failing to realise I was in a queue for the wrong Car Park, but once the lady ahead took up the wasted space beyond her car we managed to get ourselves parked up and make our way to the hall. It turned out there was plentiful time to mill around and chat, and then walking towards me was a very familiar face, Image 2 photographer, Patricia Rayner, resplendent in red. A very pleasant surprise as I did not expect to recognise faces beyond those of Clock, our hosts and other DNA members.

I soon learned that Patricia knew the Allibones of The Way Forward, so this is indeed a small world. The guest speaker for the evening was David Birss, who was introduced by Syd Nadim, the Founder and CEO of Clock. Prior to the presentation, we mingled, giving me the chance to chat to other DNA members such as Richard Cockerill and sample a Spritzer and crisps.

David with Pebble watch on arm and iPhone in hand launched into his wide-ranging talk discussing the way technology was moving and exhorting us to take a different view; he suggested he was entirely at ease coping witch hecklers, but this audience were far too polite to heckle, but were happy to engage in dialogue, and I have tried to capture those who were unafraid to voice their opinions and add to the discussion. In the level of lighting once David started to talk I wanted to take shots that involved animation, but had to try very hard to choose moments when movement stopped momentarily as  even at 6400 ISO I was still often shooting at full aperture at f/4 and 1/8th to 1/10th of  a second, which I knew would involve less than 100% success! The audience on my side escaped capture by me in the main!

I am always pleasantly surprised by the quality that can be achieved at these low levels of light, as I endeavour to retain the ambience that comes from not flooding the scene with electronic flash and this venue has walls of unremitting black! David explained at one stage how he was connected from his watch to his iPhone to his MacBook, so I lent over and asked Syd whether he had his number, suggesting he gave him a ring, which he duly did and we awaited David’s reaction. You can’t take me anywhere!

After the formal talk was over we were treated to a wide range of excellent pizzas and more alcoholic and other beverages from a well-stocked portable freezer and we all gathered to network further. I wanted to grab a few shots from above, and Francesca Bonn, the College’s Commercial Manager very kindly took me upstairs, so I obtained an overview. before many of us took a stroll to a local Bodega, Peter asked directions of Claire Weston, and this was so animated I simply had to have a shot!  Syd Nadim very kindly bought us a round of drinks, and to round off the evening David autographed Peter Carr’s purchase of his book, and I learned that it was not Magic Roundabout’s Dougal lying across the mantelshelf beneath an array of candles…

Tunnel Vision

I am doing my bit here to redress the imbalance where good news travels less fast than bad.

Patricia Rayner, a friend and fellow photographer, whom I first knew when she worked for the Mobil Oil Company based in Victoria, London, now jointly runs Image 2 Photography.

Patricia is still taking award-winning photographs, having recently been honoured in the Industrial category of the ‘2009 British Institute of Professional Photography International Awards’ for this stunning image.


Whilst working on a shoot for VolkerFitzpatrick, who were fitting out a new underground station at St. Pancras International, Patricia was drawn to a rather drab tunnel at one of the platform ends. With her typical flash of inspiration, she created this stunning shot by the addition of a backlit human figure and later some work in Photoshop to change the overall colour.

I think you’ll agree the award was well-deserved.








© Image 2 Photography