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

Texas Lightning

We had some serious lightning last night in Texas. Decided to catch some on film.

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

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

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

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.

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

Deborah Stephenson - Build a Bear Workshop, Bournemouth

Deborah Stephenson

I had the pleasure in photographing the actress Deborah Stephenson this week, who was taking part in a PR event at Build-A-Bear Workshop in Bournemouth.

Links...

MORE PHOTOS

CHFED.org

Google Profile

I have just created my own Google Profile

XtremeAdventuresUK - Web Site Photos

This summer I was commissioned by a local extreme adventures centre, Xtreme Adventures UK, to create some stunning action photos for their new web site. Xtreme Adventures UK are based near Thirsk in North Yorkshire and offer numerous activities, including 4X4, Flying, Various Buggies, Quad Bikes, Clay Pidgeon Shooting, and Segways.

I spent nearly a whole day at the centre and really enjoyed doing their pictures for them. They are a very enthusiastic and friendly team, and a very welcoming and helpful. Their web site is now live and was created by E & P Creative based in Stainton, near Middlesborough.

It's a fantastic location and a great day out. I am thinking of doing some of their activities myself.

See the Gallery areas for more of my images...

Gallery of my images
http://www.xtremeadventuresuk.com/ourvehicles_4x4.html
http://www.xtremeadventuresuk.com/ourvehicles_segway.html
http://www.xtremeadventuresuk.com/ourvehicles_quads.html
http://www.xtremeadventuresuk.com/ourvehicles_sidexside.html

Behance Network - Portfolio

Just created my first Portfolio Gallery on the Behance Network.

This is a Free web site and enables you to showcase portfolios of work to potential creative clients.

Projects can be built with text, image, video, and audio, using their intuitive and powerful Project Editor. You can also embed from Vimeo, Flickr, YouTube, and more.

My Blipfoto

I am really enjoying using my Blipfoto account (an on line photo-diary journal).

Blipfoto is a web site for people who have a passion for photography. You basically join up and add a Journal photo - 1 picture per day. Simple as that, it's so easy to use.

Until recently, and before I discovered Blipfoto, my camera didn't get to see the light unless I was on a paid job, it was packed away in my camera bag, only seeing the light of day when arriving at the location.

Now however I keep my camera out of my camera bag, (where it should be) and I am continually thinking about what my Blipfoto of the day could or will be. This has been very motivating for me, and has helped me create so many lovely images, I certainly wouldn't have created if I hadn't started using Blipfoto.

Please view my Blipfoto Journal and see my daily pictures for yourself. And please don't hesitate in joining and subscribing to my diary photos.

Picture above shows some of my images when doing a member search for Meatheringham.

Waitrose Donates Past their best Fruit & Veg to Zoo

I had a long drive to Colwyn Bay this week to shoot some press photos for Waitrose's press office.

Menai Bridge Waitrose has entered an agreement with Welsh Mountain Zoo to send them fruit and veg, which is past their best, to feed their animals.

I worked for Waitrose myself in the Warehouse Dept in Cirencester many years ago now, and I was always appalled at the amount of waste we threw away.

My Pictures were to be used to send out to the Regional & National papers.

Katie the Chimpanzee is pictured here tucking into some Bananas and a Pinapple.

The Zoo is a lovely place to visit and the staff are so friendly & fun, I would really recomend it to anyone.

See Links below to some of the places where my pictures have been used...

Waitrose Media Site
North Wales Chronicle

Meerkats

I was at the Welsh Mountain Zoo in Colwyn Bay, North Wales yesterday for one of my clients Waitrose.

The Menai Bridge store has entered an agreement with the Welsh Mountain Zoo to send them fruit and veg, which is past their best, to feed their animals.

We photographed many of the animals there, but I loved getting close to the Meerkats, one of my favourite animals. They behaved very well for us.

Thanks so much to Paul Mattock of PM Photography for the photo of me at work above.

Blipfoto of the day Uploaded - Leeds

Leeds: Took this photo of people walking past this interesting looking shop window in New Market St, Leeds, West Yorkshire earlier today.

The picture I wanted to take was of some people queuing for the Bus against the window, but as soon as I raised my trust Nikon to take the picture they all turned their backs and therefore ruined the shot.

Documenting street life is not like the old days.

My Blipfoto Journal

Microsoft Outlook Signature Problems

This week I wanted to create a neater and more professional signature for my emails, and in particular, I wanted to add the social networking Icons and links you see above.

I had many problems along the way trying to add the Icons and rather than elaborate on these issues, I would prefer to cut a long story short and explain how I managed to get to the final result above.

The first thing I did was use google images to find the Icons for Facebook, Flickr, Blogger, LinkedIn, Blipfoto, Skype and Twitter. I saved these all in one folder together. I also made a list of the URL to my home pages on each of these web sites.

For some reason when you use outlooks own signature editor due to ActiveX and other reasons, the images don't appear and it doesn't seem to work properly. My version of outlook is ancient (2002) and I am sure there must be better systems on the more modern versions.

I worked out in the end that the only way to do it was to create a html page and add the images to this from the same folder as the index file. I downloaded Kompozer, a free html editor. It's very simple to use, as long as you have a basic knowledge of html.

I typed in all the contact information and then added the icons one by one, adding their link at the same time when inserting the logo. I also re-sized them all so they looked the same size, and Kompozer has a neat way of doing this, giving you the size as you re-scale.

Once I was happy with the layout I the html file in the same folder as the Icons. I then went into Outlook and went to Tools/Options/Mail Format/Signatures. I then chose New signature and gave the signature a name and making sure the 'Use this file as a template' was ticked I browsed for the file I just saved. And that is it - all done!

I hope this helps. I just hope now my emails don't start getting sent to my clients Spam bins, I will have to wait and see.

Cheers Keith

Blipfoto - First Entry

Blipfoto Virgin no longer! - Just created my first journal photo for today, I will add a new photo every day. Enjoy....

I am hoping that creating a Blipfoto journal will help me become a little more motivated.

See my Blipfoto entry here - And please add it to your favourites.

GMC Shoots - Report Published

Back in January this year I was commissioned by the General Medical Council (GMC) to shoot a number of features on 6 different subjects in Medical education jobs across the UK. See original Blog

The pictures were used in a report called 'The State of Basic Medical Education' Reviewing quality assurance and regulation (pdf Link below).

The shoots were in Norwich (above), Edinburgh, Birmingham, Middlesbrough, Manchester and Leeds and my pictures were used on pages13,14,15,27,31,37,38,39,41 and 57.

See Link to the report PDF below...

'The State of Basic Medical Education' GMC
GMC Web Site

Staples Back to School Swapsies campaign - Bolton

I was commissioned to take some photographs, at the Bolton branch of Staples, that the PR Company can use for local press to help reinforce the Staples Back to School Swapsies campaign.

It’s a great idea whereby children can bring in their old pens, pencils, calculators and pencil cases which will be sent to Africa to children in needy schools. They get £1 back to spend on stationery themselves.

Staples – Swapsies