December 09, 2011

November 29, 2011

Press Photographers being Labelled PAPS. WRONG!


LEVESON INQUIRY: I would like to point out the difference between PAPS & News Photographers. Thanks to poor journalism on TV & with Celeb's failing to make the clear distinction between Paparazzi & News/Press Photographers when giving evidence, this has lead too all photographers unfortunately been labelled Paparazzi! Unfortunately the word Paparazzi has now been tarnished so much that even some of the proper PAPS must get fed up.  

I’m A Press Photographer & Very Proud Of It - By Edmond Terakopian (Photojournalist).

There is an ever growing band of out of control 'Paparazzi' photographers (Freelance/or Agency staff) on our streets who are managing to give News Photographers/Photojournalists like myself and other photographers a bad name. And if we are not careful legitimate photographers could lose the right to document our countries history & news through the medium of photography for ever. We live in a Free Democratic Country & have the freedom of the Press, We cannot let these this happen!

There are many Sub Categories within Photography, one of which is Paparazzi, and some of these Paps are honest working and very good showbiz photographers. But we need to rid our streets of some of these low paid amateurs who are taken on with what appears to be one rule only - Get the photo which makes the most money! Unfortunately this fuel is fed by the public who seem to demand these images by buying this garbage.

There are occasions when News Photographers are asked to photograph Celebrity's, of course, but only when there is a new worthy angle and/or good reason. I find it disgusting that some of these 'paps' are happy with hounding & stalking celebs 24/7. This is NOT journalism!

I yearn for the day when the Newspapers will be full of stories about real people again, not this unhealthy demand for Celebrity's.  Please pass feel FREE to comment and pass this on to all you know. Keith Meatheringham (Press Photographer). 

Other Related Links...

The Leveson Inquiry - Leon Neal (Press Photographer)

November 19, 2011

Wish List Dash with Jon Bentley

I have been commissioned by one of my clients to capture four Wish List Dash Competitions in London, Stratford, Birmingham & Bristol in the last two weeks. The Client was Curry’s & PC World and they wanted me to capture their Wish List Dash give aways, where four stores were giving away up to £1000 worth of goods to the winning Wish List entry. Customers were asked to write down 5 different items in store with a combined total of no more than £1000.

The winning entrant would be picked at random by the Gadget Shows Jon Bentley (Pictured Below) who was in store at each location.
Pictured Jon Bentley of the Gadget Show on Channel 5.

Below are some of my pictures on Flikr from the four different locations....
Gadget Shows Jon Bentley & Wish List Live Dash Currys & PC World Cribbs Casuseway, Bristol Gadget Shows Jon Bentley & Wish List Live Dash Currys & PC World Cribbs Casuseway, Bristol Gadget Shows Jon Bentley & Wish List Live Dash Currys & PC World Cribbs Casuseway, Bristol Gadget Shows Jon Bentley & Wish List Live Dash Currys & PC World Cribbs Casuseway, Bristol Wish List Live Dash: Currys & PC World Wednesbury, with TV's Jon Bentley.Wish List Live Dash: Currys & PC World Wednesbury, with TV's Jon Bentley.



Wish List Live Dash: Currys & PC World Wednesbury, with TV's Jon Bentley.Wish List Live Dash: Currys & PC World Wednesbury, with TV's Jon Bentley.Wish List Live Dash: Currys & PC World Wednesbury, with TV's Jon Bentley.Wish List Live Dash: Currys & PC World Wednesbury, with TV's Jon Bentley.Wish List Live Dash: Currys & PC World Wednesbury, with TV's Jon Bentley.Wish List Live Dash Currys & PC World Tottenham Court Rd, London
Wish List Live Dash Currys & PC World Tottenham Court Rd, LondonWish List Live Dash Currys & PC World Tottenham Court Rd, LondonWish List Live Dash Currys & PC World Tottenham Court Rd, LondonWish List Live Dash Currys & PC World Tottenham Court Rd, LondonWish List Live Dash Currys & PC World Westfield Shopping Centre,Stratford, London  Wish List Live Dash Currys & PC World Westfield Shopping Centre,Stratford, London
Wish List Live Dash Currys & PC World Westfield Shopping Centre,Stratford, London  Wish List Live Dash Currys & PC World Westfield Shopping Centre,Stratford, London  Wish List Live Dash Currys & PC World Westfield Shopping Centre,Stratford, London  Wish List Live Dash Currys & PC World Westfield Shopping Centre,Stratford, London

Wish List Dash, a set on Flickr.

You can Enter the Wish List online Competition below...
Currys Wish List - Win £10,000 prizes & more

October 21, 2011

Bear Face Cheek

On Visiting Bury, Greater Manchester today, for a client of mine, I created this image of two Bears getting friendly at a Build-A-Bear Workshop shop opening and charity event....

Pudsey Bear is pictured getting friendly with 'Pawlette' (Build-A-Bear Workshop Bear)

I was commissioned to cover the opening of Build-A-Bear Workshop in Bury, Greater Manchester.







August 17, 2011

Hotel Photography


I was commissioned this week to do some photography for The Brooklands Hotel in Scarborough.

They wanted some quality photos for a new brochure and their exsisting web site.

The shoot took me 5 hours and I was very happy with my results, as were the Hotel too.

Anybody want their Hotel Photographing please give me a call on 01723 860770 or 07802 530583.

The Brooklands Hotel






August 15, 2011

Old Character

While doing some Hotel Photographs in Scarborough today, this Old Gent was dropped off.

I couldn't resist in firing off one frame of him walking towards me.

Looks like he has lost a Leg at some point.

Bet he is a real character and has many a story to tell.

Blipfoto - My Photo of the Day

August 02, 2011

Photographing Pearl Lowe

I was commissioned by one of my clients this week to do some photography for a Wallpaper Company Feature on the home of fashion designer Pearl Lowe in Frome, Somerset.

They were producing a vodcast at the former Singer-Song Writers home and needed various photos of the filming and room shots showing the wallpaper.

Pearl is married to Danny Goffey, the drummer of rock group 'Supergrass'.

York Minster in the Evening Mist

It had been a Beautiful day all day today, until I got back to North Yorkshire.

After working in Frome, Somerset all day photographing Fashion Designer & Former singer-song writer Pearl Lowe for a Wallpaper Design Company. I travelled back home to Yorkshire.

When I got back to York it started raining and there was a really thick evening mist around the City.

I first stopped to do some photographs of the sunset and then photographed the misty fields with York Minster in the distance.

Blipfoto - Picture of the day.

July 31, 2011

Grump Competition Winner George Dale


Yorkshire Grumps do battle at the annual "Grump" competition.

Grump Competition Winner George Dale (76) of Newby, Scarborough.

The contest has been held for the past three years at the village of Scalby, near Scarborough, in North Yorkshire.

Participants are invited to moan for one minute during the knock-out rounds, with their rants judged based on the laughs and cheers of the audience.

The winning moaner George Dale received a special trophy and the honour of being the grumpiest person in the community.

Scarborough Evening News

Blipfoto - My Photo of the Day
York Evening Press
Yorkshire Coast Radio
BBC North Yorkshire

July 12, 2011

HARRY POTTER FAN CREATES WORLD’S LARGEST ‘SPOT THE DIFFERENCE’





Boarded a Helicopter yesterday for a Photo Call at York Maze. Story Below...

HARRY POTTER FAN CREATES WORLD’S LARGEST ‘SPOT THE DIFFERENCE’

A Yorkshire farmer has created the World’s largest spot the difference competition as a tribute to Harry Potter.

Farmer Tom Pearcy has carefully cut out two portraits of the boy wizard in his crop of maize plants at his field near York. With some subtle differences between the two images it creates the world’s largest spot the difference competition.

At over 50m in diameter each head is also believed to be the largest image of Daniel Radcliffe ever created. The images have been painstakingly carved out of over 1 million living maize plants. The 10km of pathways form an intricate maze for visitors to explore. York Maze is the largest maize maze in Europe and one of the largest in the world.

Tom Pearcy’s previous incredible maze designs have included a Spitfire, Astronaut, the Statue of Liberty and the Flying Scotsman.

Says Tom Pearcy, “I’m a big fan of Harry Potter and the release of the final film this summer marks the end of an era. I wanted to do something imaginative to say farewell to Harry, so creating the biggest image of him ever made and making it a spot the difference competition seemed like an interesting way to do that.

York Maze opens to visitors on Saturday 16 July and will be open every day until Sunday 4 September. www.yorkmaze.co.uk.

Thanks to Anna Gowthorpe (PA) for photo of me in the Helicopter.

June 02, 2011

X FACTOR favourite Katie Waissel


X FACTOR favourite Katie Waissel leaves the Mayfair Hotel in Stratton St London.

I was in London on commission doing photos of various locations including the Mayfair Hotel. Bumped into a Paparazzi photographer who was waiting for stars including Katie Waisel, and Jedward.

May 19, 2011

Huge Fire in Newcastle


I was in Newcastle today for one of my clients. When I finished I walked out to find a huge fire the other side of the river.

Links...

Daily Blipfoto

Photographing Former Olympic athlete Jonathan Edwards CBE





Had the priviledge of photographing Former Olympic athlete Jonathan Edwards CBE at Gateshead Games Maker event in Newcastle for one of my clients.

Earlier this year, the London Organising Committee for Olympic & Paralympic Games (LOCOG) opened the first volunteer interview selection event to interview and ultimately find the 70,000 volunteers needed to help stage the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, they will be known as Games Makers and the presenting partner for this programme is McDonald’s.

Links...

London 2012 - Gamesmaker Event Newcastle

April 10, 2011

LEGO WESTMINSTER ABBEY AND ROYAL WEDDING





I was commissioned by LEGO through their UK PR Agency to photograph an amazing LEGO model of Westminster Abbey for a press story to co-inside with the Wedding of Prince William & Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey at the end of April. I even used my two boys as models for the photos.

I was always very confident that this would make the majority of the national newspapers & magazines in the UK as well as abroad, but Unfortunately, due to the timing of of their press release there had already been a similar press story done by LEGO LAND in Windsor, and even though I feel my pictures and the models were so much better than the one they did, the papers spiked it as they obviously felt this angle had already been covered.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

I was absolutely gutted when I found out. Still, it was good enough for other papers all round the world to use it - My photos and children were published in Thailand, Canada, the USA, Australia, Thailand and Pakistan.

Links...

Daily Blipfoto

Bangkok Post

Rex Features

Telegraph

Scarborough Evening News

April 07, 2011

Elton John Concert - What a Joke!

Elton John Concert

I have been told today that our photo agency cannot get accreditation for an Elton John gig which is happening in the town where we are based and that the only photographers who are allowed in are the local paper who have had to sign a contract which probably severely limits how and where the images can be used. God knows what they are signing!

I bet the paper still turns up and gives them loads of FREE publicity – even if they are being told what they can do with their own images!

This is happening more and more nowadays with many of these music artists even getting editorial photographers to sign over their copyright.

The only way this is going to stop is by photographers and publications completely boycotting these concerts, and therefore not giving any publicity to them. There have been a few instances where photographers have refused to sign and editors have pulled them off the event.

What they are totally forgetting is that it’s partly down to the newspapers, magazines and their journalists & photographers who have made all them all who they are today.

Some interesting Links...

Rolling Stone Magazine
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/photographers-respond-to-lady-gagas-new-copyright-demands-20110307

Jeremy Nicholl - Photographer Blog
http://www.jeremynicholl.com/blog/2011/03/07/dear-photographers-lady-gaga-wants-the-copyright-on-your-work-oh-and-by-the-way-so-do-we/comment-page-1/#comment-1447

April 06, 2011

DOTTY DONKEY SAVES SHEEP

Brave Dotty the donkey is honoured for saving
Stanley the sheep from dog attack



Dotty the donkey from Scarborough has received a coveted bravery award for galloping in to save her friend Stanley, the sheep, from being savaged by a dog.

The presentation of the PDSA Certificate for Animal Bravery took place on the farm in Throxenby today (Tuesday 5 April) where Dotty and Stanley were accompanied by their owner Ann Rogers (63) who was delighted with the award.

She said: “Dotty was so brave on the day of the attack. She saw her friend Stanley in distress and charged down the field to rescue him from the dog’s jaws. I am so proud of Dotty and so pleased that her bravery has been recognised by PDSA.”

Presenting the PDSA Certificate for Animal Bravery, PDSA Trustee John Murphy said: “When Dotty was faced with her moment of truth, her ultimate test of character, this brave rescue donkey did not shy away. And even if she felt fear, she did not show it for a second.

“We are not sure how donkeys think. But we know Dotty saw her friend Stanley, the sheep, being viciously attacked by a dog and was compelled to gallop to his rescue. Dotty saved her friend with, it seemed, no thought of the obvious danger to herself. Today, it is PDSA’s turn to recognise Dotty for her bravery and her overwhelming need to protect her friend.”
Brave Dotty’s deed took place on 18 April 2009 when a dog being walked close to the animals’ paddock launched a frenzied attack on defenceless Stanley.

Seeing the sheep’s plight, the heroic donkey intervened and pinned the dog to the ground until it let go of Stanley. As a result of the attack, the terrified sheep lost two teeth and suffered facial paralysis. Nearly two years on, Stanley is now fully recovered and never far from his rescuer – even sharing the same stable at night.

Elaine Pendlebury, PDSA Senior Veterinary Surgeon, says Dotty’s behaviour was outstanding: “Donkeys are very stoical and protective animals. Often when faced with a threat they will rise up to face their enemy, in this case an aggressive dog. Dotty showed herself to be a true protector of the animals she sees as her family and her bravery saved Stanley from further harm, and possibly death.”

Ann Rogers rescued Dotty three years ago when she saw the skinny and frail donkey tethered on the side of the road. She is stable mate to Stanley (five years old) who was orphaned as a newborn lamb. They share the fields around Row Brow Farm with a menagerie of pets and rescued animals including rabbits, goats, peacocks and llamas. Since the attack on Stanley, Dotty, who is the only donkey on the farm, has remained very protective of her ‘family’ especially around dogs.

The PDSA Certificate for Animal Bravery was instituted in 2001and Dotty is the tenth recipient alongside nine dogs. Each story is a unique account of inspiring bravery.
For more details about the PDSA Awards programme including the PDSA Dickin Medal, PDSA Gold Medal and Certificate for Animal Bravery and Devotion recipients go to www.pdsa.org.uk/about-us/animal-bravery-awards

March 06, 2011

Capturing 'the Power'



Photographing Phil 'The Power' Taylor.

I was commissioned by one of my clients (Grosvenor Casinos) on Sunday to photograph Darts Legend Phil Taylor at one their Casinos in Stoke-on-Trent.

He was making a guest appearance at a Poker tournament which was taking place at the Casino and my client needed pictures for local press, trade and
internal publications and web site etc.

I was great to meet Phil and I found him very amenable, relaxed and friendly.

February 18, 2011

Sir Matthew Pinsent



Photographing Sir Matthew Pinsent in Slough for a PR campaign.

4 x Olympian Gold Medal Winner Matthew Pinsent launches JJB’s sports shoes recycling scheme, giving consumers cash for their unwanted sports shoes, in Slough this morning.

Links...
Sport.co.uk

Whizz Kidz


Lancashire Sport

Facebook - Whizz Kids

JJB Sports

February 10, 2011