Travels in professional photography Archives - Page 6 of 7

The Vaccines Justin Young giving an all out performance.

Justin Young shot here on stage at Margate Winter Gardens way back in May of this year.

I have been lucky enough to cover them playing live twice now. The vigor and energy that they put into a show was surprising both times, and I think this shot of lead singer Justin Young demonstrates that. Although you might not think so, I’d be interested in hearing what you think.

Possibly a while before we see The Vaccines play live again as they have just announced that they are to take a break. I recently found out that Corbis has licensed this image for useage, for what they wont tell me! So if you see it used anywhere drop me a line as it would be nice to know!

Photojournalist, Kent – Portraits under pressure

Posted on October 29, 2013 by mattbristow

Portraits like them or not, but as a press photographer and photojournalist, Kent they are my bread and butter.

I’m not talking about your nice and leisurely studio based affair where you get as long as you want to get some stunning images. No I’m talking about turning up somewhere where you have never been and have to get something that’s printable in a very short space of time.

This month I have taken around 10 – 15 and the total time for all of them is probably no more than 40 – 50 minutes tops. That’s about 4 minutes or so each including getting the exposure and lighting right!

That, by the way, is not a boast. Its just a statement of fact and an illustration of the timescales and pressure that even a provincial press photographer in Kent, such as me, face on a daily basis. The reason for this is that a picture desk will load you up to fill your day out so you might have a job at 9:00 in one town and another at 9:45 in another which is a 20 minute drive away. Which is fine as its part of the job and its something you learn to to. You just learn to read whats around you and develop a kind of spooky third ‘lightometer’ sense.

So how do I combat this? Honestly its a case of making quick decisions on the spur of the moment or make it up as you go along. Don’t get me wrong I don’t make up the image I want at the end. But how I get that can sometimes vary greatly. Normally a CB flash bracket lives on my camera. 8 out of 10 times this is all you need for on the hoof work.

I’ll also have a light stand and extra flash at the ready. I live and die by my Canon 600 RT flashes as it means I can, without any bother or hassle have an off camera flash without hassle and faff! I also have a ST-E3-RT Speedlite Transmitter. So I can get two flashes hidden away and still not have to walk over to them to make exposure changes. It sounds lazy but it all adds up and takes my already dwindling time even less.

In the pouring rain where speed is of the essence as those nice smiles your clients have wont last indefinitely. It will normally diminish the wetter they get!

Don’t be scared of using direct bare flash

Learn how to bounce your flash. In houses most ceilings are white and are the biggest light diffusers you will have to hand.

Sometimes all you need is the tiniest bit of pop to banish shadows.

Photographic Equipment, How Do You Use Yours?

Posted on October 7, 2013 by mattbristow

So just how do you use your photographic equipment? More importantly do you actually know what you use and when?

Not totally sure where I’m going with this one, but bear with me there is a point!

My thinking all came about after I had some comments from one of the picture editors I work for. Basically his comment was along the lines of ‘are you having problems?’

Regrettably I instantly knew exactly what he was referring to and it was something that I had been ignoring for quite some time. For quite a while I had been making compensations in camera sometimes by as much as a stop! I had to face up to the cold truth that I simply had to get my kit serviced!

To cut a long story short when I got my first body back from Miles ‘the Man that does’ his diagnoses was that the sensor was out of line, possibly due to a knock or two! ~~no shit sherlock~~. not really a surprise I suppose! The difference was simply staggering. I could trust readings the camera was giving me for, ahem the first time in months!

This got me thinking about how I use the rest of my photographic equipment.

Way back in the dark ages of film. When I as a bright eyed and freshly qualified as a photographer. My photographic equipment consisted of only primes. which consisted of 35mm, 50mm, 80mm and 135mm and that was it! (I didn’t shoot any motorsport or sport then)

I now cover those lengths and more with just two zoom lenses. But I got thinking what focal lengths out of that range do I use the most? Professionals and amateurs alike are always planning new photographic equipment purchases, normally new lenses. And they aren’t cheap and as a full time photographer any money invested comes directly off my bottom line and in turn the money I take home to pay the bills! So I need to invest in any new photographic equipment carefully.

So I decided to analyse what I use and when. To help me I found a great little app called Exposure Plot. I simply ran it on only the frames I shot this year up to the end of August only. A total of around 43,000 images so a pretty fair cross section.

This is what I got for the most used focal lengths:

And this for apertures used:

So what does this actually mean? Well to date rather than fork out a massive wad of cash I have opted to hire in specialist lenses against jobs when I have needed them. The downside of this is that my hire bill from this year currently stands at around £2,500! money I’d sooner hang onto in the long run. This is mostly for large primes, which considering the amount of Sport and Motorsport I shoot isn’t really too much of a surprise. I had been thinking about an 85mm prime but looking at the graphs what would the point be other than a gigantic waste of money? The trusty work horse 70-200mm f2.8 never misses a beat.What is does suggest is that its time to invest in a large prime again.

What is more interesting is the usage at the other end of the focal length scale. I am very tempted to retire my 24-70mm f2.8 and invest in 2 or 3 fast primes instead.

Go and give it a go I think you’ll be surprised I know that I was! If nothing else it will help you spend your hard earned wisely!

The Tour of Britain 2013 – Stage 8 London

Posted on September 25, 2013 by mattbristow

The Tour of Britain 2013 Transport for London Stage 8. The final stage. Could Sir Bradely Wiggins do it? was there any doubt?

As a Sports Photographer I was supposed to be cover the whole of The Tour of Britain 2013 from start to finish. But due to circumstances mostly beyond my control all I was able to make was the closing stage in London.

It was a day that was packed full of supporting races to keep the growing crowds entertained. First up was the Ladies Johnson Health Tech Westminster Grand Prix. Which was run around the barriered part of the course which ran through the streets of Westminster and Whitehall.

Next up was the IG Gentlemans Time Trial which consisted of a ‘Pace rider’ and a ‘Gentleman’ both were made of of past and present celebrities.

: News reporter Dermot Murnaghen takes part in the IG Gentlemans Time Trial

: Retired pro footballer Lee Dixon takes part in the IG Gentlemans Time Trial

: Ex Pro Cyclist Matt Stephens

Then the real event was due to start. Now I have seen road racing but nothing, and I mean nothing prepares you for the experience of top riders doing laps in an enclosed circuit. 8.8km in total which they were covering on average in 10 minutes. As the pelaton passed it was like standing at the side of a motorway!

Sir Bradely Wiggins and Mark Cavendish were without a doubt what the large crowds that were gathered had come to see.

Tour of Britain Stage 8, London. Mark Cavendish signs autographs before the start

Sir Bradely Wiggins being interviewed before the start of the final stage.

When interviewed on the start line and asked what his plan for the stage was. He had a 26 second lead. He calmly said “of course we are going to try and loose it!”

Doing what I do there are always curve balls that are thrown at you. Which in turn leads to the necessity of keeping sharp and thinking on your feet. I wont bore you with the details but I had to completely change my game plan mid race. Sometimes taking a step back and looking at the crowd gives you an image that you might otherwise miss.

The next couple of images I wouldn’t have normally taken, but I’m very glad I did as I think they are probably my favorite ones form the day. The first one shows Sir Bradely Wiggins being pulled along by his Sky Procycle team mates just as they leave Whitehall.

This one is the moment Mark Cavendish crossed the finish line in his historic stage win. But, its not all about him its about the crowd and what they are doing. Check out the guy top left!

So was there really any doubt that Sir Bradely could do it? nah!! I give you the The Tour of Britain 2013 Champion!

I’ll leave you with a a few more. For the full results take a look at the official website www.tourofbritain.co.uk

Sports Photographer – I Didn’t Set Out To Be One

Posted on September 18, 2013 by mattbristow

I didn’t set out to be a sports photographer but somehow sport of some form or another accounts for a hefty slice of what I shoot from day to day.

By way of recognition. I am now a member of the national Sports Journalist Association (SJA) and also the international Association Internationale De La Presse Sportive (AIPS). Where you need to prove your income via sports photography coverage.

So to mark this moment. I’m not going to post some images from a big international event or even a national one. Instead I’m sharing a few frames from the recent Kent Cycling Associations annual 12 hour time trial. Which is held locally in and around Ashford and the Romney Marsh. Why am I showing you this I hear you say? I want to demonstrate there is good, watchable and challenging sports just about everywhere. That make good subject matter for any sports photographer.

: Action from Kent Cycling Association 12-hour time trial.

: Action from Kent Cycling Association 12-hour time trial.

: Action from Kent Cycling Association 12-hour time trial.

: Action from Kent Cycling Association 12-hour time trial.

: Action from Kent Cycling Association 12-hour time trial.

: Action from Kent Cycling Association 12-hour time trial.

: Action from Kent Cycling Association 12-hour time trial.

: Action from Kent Cycling Association 12-hour time trial.

: Action from Kent Cycling Association 12-hour time trial.

All the above said and done. I’m now off to cover the end of the Tour of Britain 2013!

VEBT Finals Margate – August 2013

Posted on August 29, 2013 by mattbristow

VEBT Finals Margate – the Beach Vollyball seasons grand crechendo

The VEBT Finals Margate or to give them their full name Volleyball England Beach Tour Finals. I hadn’t covered any beach volleyball, or volleyball for that matter! before so I was looking forward to this one. However the day I was there it was overcast and generally a bit rainy. A long way from the vision I had in my head of what it should be like! you know bright sunshine and crowds of people. It did by all accounts brighten up on the Sunday when I wasn’t there!

However the sporting action was something else. With an array of GB Olympic atheletes playing the quality was truely the best there was in the UK. I spent most of my time covering the main court.

The atheletes were very clearly at the top of their game and it was a real pleasure to watch and photograph here are a few of my personal favorites.

6′ 10″ Chris Gregory part of the winning mens pairing spikes the ball

And a few extra ones.

Full results can be found at https://volleyballengland.org and my full set of pictures can be viewed at SportsPix

GB Basketball v’s Peurto Rico

Posted on August 16, 2013 by mattbristow

GB Basketball at the Copper Box Arena in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

GB Basketball started their EuroBasket warm up campaign at the Copper Box Arena in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

Its pretty much the only Olympic building actually being utilised which is a real shame. I took this panoramic during the warm up from the top seating tier. Quite possibly one of the most taken views of the Copper Box Arena, but I couldn’t resist it!

The support game was an exhibition wheel chair match between GB and Help for Heros. It was the first time I have ever seen a wheel chair game. It looks very physical and its very, very fast. Here is a small selection of my favorite frames.

The main game was played infront of a capacity crowd at the Copper Box Arena.

It was Coach Joe Prunty‘s first game in charge.

It was also the start of Team GB’s preperation of their EuroBasket 2013 Campaign. If you want to read a full match report head over to the GB Basketball website site.

I just love how close I am allowed to get. In a universe far, far away I used to play basketball. I know that physically I wouldn’t be up to it but I can still read the game. I shot this at 24mm right under the basket.

But for now here are a few of my favorites from the game. My full set can be seen on the SportPix website

Esimit Europa 2 – More than a boat

Posted on August 11, 2013 by mattbristow

Esimit Europa 2 in Cowes, Isle of Wight

I was fortunate enough to get an invite to the media launch of the Esimit Europa 2. So it was off to Cowes on the Isle of Wight for me. Shortly after it had taken line honours in the big boat class at Cowes and just before thier next challenge the Rolex Fastnet race.

Its is one of the worlds fastest and technologically advanced sailing yachts in the world. Its stats are mind boggling. 30 meters long, the mast is 44 meters tall a crew of 18 and a top speed of over 38 knots!

It is the only yacht sailing under the European flag and under the patronage of Jose Manuel Barroso president of the European Commission. It further enjoys the support of the European Commission, The Russian Government and numerous European diplomats. Promoting their message ‘All together – for Europe’. Theres alot more information to be found on their website https://www.esimit.com

I spent an hour and a half on it, most of it at 45 degrees!

Igor Simčič at the helm, owner, who is joining his team for the fastnet race.

Yacht skipper Jochen Schümann.

At the helm Ed Wright, European and World Finn Class Champion and winner of ISAF World Cup Series.

To see my full set of images please visit Stockpix.eu.

Even a Professional Photographer deserves a Holiday

Posted on August 6, 2013 by mattbristow

As I go about my daily work as a professional photographer I always think July is a weird month, neither here nor there.

So we normally have a holiday. Well even a professional photographer is allowed one they? But before I could have a well-earned rest there was still some assignments to take care of. As well as the end of the plethora of school sports days and proms that happen at this time of the year.

The beginning of the month saw me on the red carpet in Leicester Square, London for the World Premier of Status Quo’s first feature film ‘Bula Quo’

Status Quo's Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt | Professional Photographer Matt Bristow

Status Quo’s Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt – quite simply legends!

Actress Laura Aikman | Professional Photographer Matt Bristow

The beautiful Laura Aikman poses with a fan at the star-studded Premiere of ‘BULA QUO’.

Later in the month with the help of good friend and fellow professional photographer Ross I’Anson. We headed off on a road trip to Belgium to an extremely hot Massmechelen in South East Belgium for round 5 of the British Rallycross Championship. I really enjoy going there its a tight circuit and always entertaining. The rest of my galleries from the round can be found at https://rallyx.rubberduckdoes.com. My race report is over on The Checkered Flag

British Rallycross Championship Round 5 Maasmechelen, Belgium | Professional Photographer Matt Bristow

Kevin Procter looses a rear damper in the Super car heat 2

Championship leader and the winner in Belgium, Julian Godfrey.

A quick interior and food product shoot for the guys at The Vinorium. Who are opening a new Deli and eatery. If you’re in the Ashford area I really recommend you take the time to visit them to sample their quality wines and mouth watering foods.

So it was holiday time and off to France we went. I didn’t do much snapping as my gear was commandeered by my niece! But I did take the time to get a couple of frames. No brief just what I felt like! Something I think that most professional photographers loose sight of.

I’m a sucker for panoramas and I hate heights! But I couldn’t resist a quick handheld 6 frame panoramic of the Bologne skyline.

Panoramic cityscape of Bologne-Sur-Mer

Never shoot into the sun is a rule you are told from day one when you study photography. Well I have news for you that isn’t always the case. Your flash can over power the sun, well kind of!

Quick Portrait – Rules were made to be ignored!

I haven’t shot a startrail for ages. Nothing fancy just in the garden of our holiday home. A quick 60 frame stack. Shot at an exposure of 30 seconds with 30 seconds gap between. With a couple of random strobe bursts for the foreground.

Startrails in France

Any questions or comments please leave them below. I’ll answer everything in as much detail as I can.

Kent Press Photographer – Sport and Her Majesty!

Posted on July 10, 2013 by mattbristow

This is the time of year as a kent press photographer I spend most of my working days covering school sports days and atheletics meetings

Its all about the facial expressions and the achievments for event coverage, its what parents want to see, but as a Kent press photographer I cant help but focus on the action!

However I did find time for a few other assignments!

Between the 17th and 21st I was accredited to cover the 118th Amateur Golf Championships at Royal Cinque Ports in Deal. When I applied I had thought it was going to be an easy week a bit of work walking around a nice sunny links course. I couldn’t have been more wrong! torrential rain and hurricane strength wind

It was very hard work but hugely enjoyable, especially as it was right on the door step and didn’t require traveling.

Congratulations to Garrick Porteous on his well played victory.

The 5 Scots have been part of Canterbury for 10 years and are leaving at the end of this year, so anything to do with them is a good job to cover. So when the battalian exercised their freedom of the city by marching through the high street it was an easy decision to go and do it. Stuff like this is all about finding that angle that nobody else has high low, infront. Sometimes you have to get in the way! if the band members looking at me weren’t playing I think they would be pointing and laughing at me!

I also managed to get on some scaffolding to get some high shots, which only cost me a few beer vouchers. But alas all the shots were totally shite. So as you can probably tell I worked hard at this one. So in the cathedral yard I casually snapped the mascot entering to check my flash was working OK before the march arrived. This was the image that the Daily Telegraph picked up on! (page 6 on the 16th if anyones interested)

This also lead onto an invite to go and cover the Queens visit to Howe Barracks

Earlier in the month I also got to go and do an editorial portrait of the voice of Big Brother none other than Marus Bentley

Category: Travels in professional photography

The Vaccines Justin Young

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