Category: Photography

It’s nearly the summer

Posted on Posted in Motorsport, PhotographyTagged , , , Leave a comment

It’s nearly the summer, and I have been pretty bad at keeping this up to date

Those of you who know me well won’t be at all surprised!

Since my last post, I’ve been pretty busy, Mondays have been at the London Metropolitan University as an Associate Lecturer in MA Fashion Photography , Tuesdays at Metro Imaging, Wednesdays at the University of Suffolk as a MA Photography lecturer, Thursdays and Fridays at Metro, and some selected weekends, working as the series photographer for the CALM All Porsche Trophy

I’m now just coming to the end of my teaching for the summer break now, but there will be plenty of motorsport to cover

Super Spa Weekend, at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, the 8th of October 2023
Super Spa Weekend, at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, the 8th of October 2023

Last season we got to visit Belgium, the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps with the Dutch Porsche club, for the Super Spa weekend, and we all had a really good time

This year, with the CALM All Porsche Trophy, I will be going to Croft in the North of England for the first time, which of course, I am looking forward to

Follow the motorsport here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/140963830@N07/albums

and here:

https://www.allporschetrophy.co.uk/

See you soon. S

CALM All Porsche Trophy at Snetterton, August 2023

Posted on Posted in Motorsport, Photography, SnettertonTagged , , , Leave a comment
CALM All Porsche Trophy at Snetterton, August 2023
Calm All Porsche Trophy Driver line up, Snetterton, Saturday, 12th of August 2023

I was at Snetterton, Norfolk for the weekend of the 12th and 13th of August for the CALM All Porsche Trophy

The weather held of for us this weekend thankfully

We had planned a full grid photo on the start finish line as our second race was the last of the day on Saturday, however, due to strict noise abatement rules, and previous races running late, it was cancelled at the last minute, but we did manage a driver line up in front of our marquee

All the images can be viewed on flickr here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/140963830@N07/albums

The next race is in early October at Spa-Francorchamps in Belguim

CALM All Porsche Trophy at Brands Hatch

Posted on Posted in Brands Hatch, Motorsport, PhotographyTagged , , Leave a comment
Calm All Porsche Trophy & Bernie´s V8s afternoon race , Brands Hatch GP, Saturday the 8th of July 2023

I was back at the Brands Hatch GP loop for the CALM All Porsche Trophy & Bernie’s V8s & Historic Outlaws for some great racing

The morning was wonderful, glorious sunshine, although the forcast later was for the possibility of local thunderstorms

Thankfully, it held off for the morning quali session

I’m always very keen to get the qualification covered at any race meeting, as there is always the chance that one or more of the cars wont make it to the start line for whatever reason

Just before assembly the rain started, although, with no thunder & lightning

I didnt hang around too long, I dont do water you see!

Luckily the rain stopped after 15 minutes or so, making racing conditions a little easier

There was even a chance to catch a bit of Ferrari action with the Bell Sport Challenge Series and Britcar regular Wayne Marrs #60 after my race

The next round is Snetterton in Norfolk, a really great setting

The full album is on flickr here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/140963830@N07/albums

To find out more about the CALM All Porsche Trophy, go here:

https://allporschetrophy.co.uk/

80th Members Meeting 2023

Posted on Posted in Goodwood, Motorsport, PhotographyLeave a comment

The 80th Members Meeting at Goodwood, 15th of April 2023

I was at Goodwood on the Saturday to watch my good friend Joe Tywman in the Gurney Cup, driving the #04, a 1965 Elva Mk8

Sadly a gearbox problem towards the end of the qualifying meant that the car would take no furthur part

Joe’s co-driver was Simon Evans, in the grey helmet, Joe’s is finished in white

Of course, I took a few other snaps

My next event is the CALM All Porschr Trophy at Brands Hatch in July

CALM All Porsche Trophy at Donington

Posted on Posted in Donington, Motorsport, PhotographyTagged , , , , Leave a comment

The CALM All Porsche Trophy at Donington National, 10th of April 2023

Colin Tester #91, Boxster S, Calm All Porsche Trophy, Donington National 10th of April 2023

My first motorsport event of the season was at Donington for the Calm All Porsche Trophy on the National circuit which uses the chicane at the end of Starkey’s straight and omiting the Melbourne loop hairpin

The day was mixed weather wise, with very heavy downpours in the morning, and very windy in the afternoon, which helped dry the track

Qualifying was in the morning, with the race mid-afternoon

The race ran without incident, impresive as around half the field were new to the CALM series

The overall winner was #68 Steve Hewson in his beautifully presented Cayman

Next round for the CALM All Porsche Trophy will be at Trac Môn, Anglesey on the weekend of May the 13th & 14th

Sadly I wont be able to make that round

Find out more about the CALM Series here:

https://allporschetrophy.co.uk/

The flickr album is her with all the my images from the event:

0H0A6172

CALM All Porsche Trophy & Bernie’s V8s at Brands Hatch, May 2022

Posted on Posted in Motorsport, PhotographyTagged Leave a comment
Stuary Entwhistle in his Chevrolet Monte Carlo #46 climbing Hailwoods Hill towards Druids during qualifying for the CALM All Porsche Trophy & Bernie’s V8s races, Brands Hatch GP, Saturday the 21st of May 2022, Brands Hatch, Kent, UK.

It was back to Brands Hatch, and the not often used GP loop, a rare treat for the drivers for CALM All Porsche Trophy and Bernie’s V8s on the May weekend of the 21st & 22nd

The weather held, in fact i got burnt again, and with no major incidents, a good time was had by all

The quali session was on the Saturday morning with the races split over the two days

During the Sunday lunch session thare was a public grid walk, followed by a Le Mans style start by Bernie himself and CALMs Sam Callahan on the pole

On the Saturday, my friend James Crow, a huge Porsche nut joined me, and I found time for a cheeky selfie, care of Bernies Chevvy

A few more views of Bernie’s lot

We also spotted this beautiful Ferrari 330 2+2 in the car park (with a rather nice Mercedes AMG GT behind)

The Flickr album of the weekend is up here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/140963830@N07/albums

The next round is July 9th at Thruxton

https://allporschetrophy.co.uk

CALM All Porsche Trophy at Donington, Easter Monday, 2022

Posted on Posted in Motorsport, PhotographyTagged Leave a comment
CALM All Porsche Trophy, Donington GP, Monday April the 18th, 2022

So after the winter break, it was back to motorsport photography for me, this time it was the GP circuit at Donington Park in Leicestershire

After a few minutes, it all came back, my last race was the Birkett Relay back in October 2021, so i took some time to go through my gear and did all my presets the night before

At this event last year, it was snowing at 9am, and I got sunburnt by luchtime! luckily this year, it was fair and dry

It was an early race, all finished by 4pm, ready for the 200 mile drive South, future planners really need to think about moving race circuits nearer to Whitstable

The overall winers were Toby barlow & Matthew Kyle-Henney in a Cayman S

The next round will be at Brands Hatch next month, as local as it gets for me, roll on May!

GOODWOOD 2021

Posted on Posted in Goodwood, Motorsport, PhotographyLeave a comment

Goodwood, Friday the 17th 2021

Assembly for Stirling Moss Memorial Trophy
Assembly for Stirling Moss Memorial Trophy

I was at Goodwood to cover the Stirling Moss Memorial Trophy for my friend Joe Twyman who was co-driving a 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Competizione, one of just 46 ever manufactured, a rare and highly desirable car

The cars owner Mr Vincent Gaye was the other driver, he has the black open face helmet in the images

Joe onboard, with the classic Ecurie Francorchamps livery

The qualifying was at 9:15 am, and good weather for photography, where Vincent & Joe would find themselves a very credible 15th after the timing

Also out was an old friend, Calum Lockie, co-driving 2BBC, a 1961 E-Type Jaguar

The Stirling Moss Memorial Trophy was the first race of the weekend, to be held at 18:15, so I had plenty of time to look around, snap cars, and to catch up and chat with people I hadn’t seen for a few years

And of course, more time to look at 07 its prepping for the race

By 17:00, we were in the assembly area

The race started on time at 18:15, for me as a photographer, the light was challenging, the sun was hidden behind the clouds, great for the drivers of course, not to have a low sun directly in your eyes

I had to push the ISO, and no polarizer either

But in the end, it was all rather academic, as 11 laps in, after around eighteen minutes, Vincent had to retire his car with a mechanical issue

Calum Lockie & his co-driver would also have to retire sadly just a few laps later

I did get my armband signed during the assembly though, by Vincent Gaye, Joe Twyman & Brendon Hartley

My paddock access

And so that was my Goodwood, next up is the Birkett Relay at Silverstone in October

CALM All Porsche Trophy, at the Festival of Porsche, Brands Hatch

Posted on Posted in Motorsport, PhotographyLeave a comment

The CALM All Porsche Trophy, at the Festival of Porsche, Brands Hatch Indy, Sunday the 5th of September 2021

Quali was just before lunch, the race itself was towards the end of the day in the beautiful evening light

It was a hot a very humid day, and if you know me, you’ll know, I’m not good in the heat, I get burnt at a firewoks display!

Chris Vallentine & Phillip Waters, who were both racing, reckoned the temperature could easily have been 50c in the cars, obviously they were to busy to check it accurately for me, so I guess I got of lucky

As it was the Festival of Porsche, the was plenty of other Porsches to see

The Album with all the CALM images is now up, click on the link below

https://www.flickr.com/photos/140963830@N07/albums/with/72157719792882643

Fuji GFX-50r

Posted on Posted in PhotographyLeave a comment

Summer 2021 with the Fujifilm GFX-50r system

Fujifilm Uk have very kindly lent me a GFX-50r for a few months to compare with my Canon eos5Ds

This is a medium format rangefinder in the GFX system, supplied to me with the GF32-64mmF4 R LM WR & the GF110mmF2 R LM WR lens

Its a 51 megapixel sensor with a native 8256×6192 pixel output giving you a 146.3 mg file at 8bit

So on a Durst Lambda, you could make a print 20.6×15.4 inches at 400ppi without any interpolation, and using the enhance feature within Adobe Camera Raw you can easily quadruple the area

Compared to other medium format systems, its remarkably compact, light and affordable, as supplied the UK retail price is around £7995 inc vat

I found this system very portable, and you’re not tied to a laptop or studio, although laptop shooting is available

Outside work is a doddle with this system

The Image below was taken with the 110mm @F9 1/450 at 125asa

The figures on the jetty are around 150 feet away at a guess, the buildings in the far distance are about 14 miles across the Thames estuary, and trust me, they are very sharp, the visual acuity is very impressive on both of these lenses, especially around the f8/16 range

Ive been trying a variety of different subjects, even motorsports!

I have been able to proof a few of these on the Fujiflex and Fuji Matt C-Type medias, they look good and they work well with minimal proccessing if needed

I’m away next week at the University of Suffolk at Ipswich, I’ll take the Camera and do an update soon