Freelance Photographer
How do you sum up your work in just six images? If I’m honest I’m not sure I can but here goes (with explanations, of sorts no less!) I’m best known for my sport and Rallycross work, but a large amount of my time is spent shooting editorial and promotional work.
East Kent Cyclocross – On a Hill in Sunny Kent for round 4. Due to other work commitments I didn’t cover much cycling in 2018 and I haven’t been able to get to any of the East Kent Cyclocross rounds this season either. So as one of the last jobs for me in 2018 off I went on a sunny Sunday to a farm I’ve never been to, whats not to like? By the way this is by no means a race report, just me musing a little and posting a few of my favorite pictures. If you want to look a results then head over to thier Facebook Page. I must admit I had one of those double take moments when I first saw ‘the Hill’
Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your point of view, the course wound its way up into a small wood at the far end. Needless to say I was pretty glad I wasn’t riding it!
So I spent my day running from one end of the course to the other! The gurning faces were just testiment to just how tough the course was!
There is a full gallery here but for now here are a few of my favorites from the races.
The Senior race was comfortably won by Ian Field who lapped everyone up to third place!
January is shaping up to be a great month for CX as the next East Kent Cyclocross round is in Dover fon 20th January for the first time in 15 years! However, before that the National Championships are being held at Cyclo Park over the weekend of 12th and 13th January. I’ll be at both so sit tight for some pictures from both events.
The Crabble Fortress? Lets hope so! Due to other work commitments it was the first time for me covering the new look Dover Athletic under new boss Andy Hessenthaler. To see them notch up their forth win this season, was a real bonus. However, I was commissioned to cover the game for Hartlepool United, awkward! What follows are just a few of my favourites in no particular order.
The ‘new look’ Whites line-up look sharp and finally look like a cohesive unit and certainly committed.
Dover’s Stuart Lewis celebrates after the game
There is a full gallery here. All the images on this page and in the gallery are available for licence. If your not sure if you can use it or not get in touch with me.
Here are a few more action pictures from the game:
However, there was a moment late in the game when Hartlepools keeper Scott Loach went forward for a late corner and very nearly nodded the ball in! (I still have that to get ticked off my list of shots to get in my career!)
Desperate to level the score in the dying minutes Hartlepool’s keeper Scott Loach goes forward for a corner.
Dover get off the foot of the table still with a mountain to climb to avoid relegation. At least the #hessexpress is gathering speed!
A question. Whats the hardest part of being a sports photographer shooting football? The answer, covering a game of the club you support when they are struggling and you have to get pictures that are newsworthy! roughly translated means I had to basically cover them getting stuffed and be at the end of goals!
Its been a pretty hard week/season at Dover. No Sh*t Sherlock I hear you say. But, probably not for the reasons that are immediately obvious. But enough of that as I am no pundit or reporter, I am just a humble photographer that sits and takes pictures of what happens in front of me! Here are just a few personal favourites from today’s clash against high flying Salford City FC. It was however, not the result that the club wanted but in my opinion a lot of positives to take away. To be fair the difference was this fella, Adam Rooney currently top scorer in the league, and today he bagged a hat trick in what has to be said style.
Salford’s defender Carl Piergianni celebrates with Salford’s forward Adam Rooney after scoring his hat-trick during the National League match between Dover Athletic FC and Salford City FC.
I think for now, Dover’s problems are clear and simple. But as a rudderless ship adrift in the suddenly very competitive National League. However, salvation will come from a very strong leader be that who it may. It is my peronsla opinion is that at this level now to succeed you just have to be full time. But I guess this week will be full of announcements and revelations.
There is a larger gallery here. All images are copyright to me, self billing applies. If in doubt please get in contact with me.
The National League clash between Dover Athletic FC v Barnet FC saw a lowley Dover continue their dismal start to the season going down by loosing at home by a two goals to one. Both sides getting used to unfamiliar territory. Dover who just cant seem to find first gear this year and Barnet adjusting to life back in the National League.
Here are a few of my favorites. There are plenty more in my gallery here. All are available for licence and self billing applies where applicable. If in doubt get in touch to discuss your requirements.
Barnets defender David Tutonda and Dovers forward Jamie Allen both vie for the ball.
It was a game where both stoppers kept their relative teams in the game. With some great saves.
Barnets midfielder Wesley Fonguck surges forward while Dovers keeper Mitch Walker comes to the ball.
Barnets keeper Mark Cousins makes an acrobatic save to deny Dovers forward Jamie Allen.
Dover Athletic FC v Eastleigh FC – Dover’s continued poor start to their National League season continued. They went down to the Spitfires by two goals to one in a game of two halfs, no pun intended, honestly!
I’m not going to turn this post into a ‘pundit like’ criticism. However, Eastleigh have one of the smallest squads in the league but played to their strengths playing possession football are were rewarded for their efforts, they deserved the win.
Unfortunately, Dover still look like a team that just have not gelled yet. Whites new signing Aryan Tajbakhsh was undoubtedly one of the good things for them to take away from what was otherwise a forgettable afternoon.
New signing Dovers midfielder Aryan Tajbakhsh on the ball.
Here are a few of my favourites from the game:
There is a full gallery here all images are available for licence and self billing applies where applicable. If in doubt get in touch with me.
Dover Athletic FC V Gillingham FC a pre-season friendly. It always seems slightly odd starting the season in July when you need a hat and sun cream in the not too distant future it will be wooly hats and scarfs!
Dover, was much still getting used to its new players. By my reckoning the Gillingham select XI had at least 6 starting players. Three of which were their back line. Gillingham wound up three to nothing winners, but in a friendly with trialists playing the scoreline is imaterial.
Dover’s Anthony Jeffrey rides a tackle by Gillingham’s Max Ehmer during the pre-season friendly match between Dover Athletic and Gillingham FC at Crabble Stadium, Kent on 21 July 2018.
There is a full gallery available for licence here, self billing applies in all cases. For now here are a few of my favorites. I must admit the back line for Dover is shaping up to be mountainous!
Roll on 4th August when the season gets underway for real!
Fashion and Beauty Photography. Not a phrase you would expect to find associated with a Press and PR Photographer and certainly not with a Sports Photographer, but in the dark and distant past it was something I did a lot of!
I was lucky to work with many very talented individuals which included models, MUA’s, Hairstylists, Designers and Stylists. I’m always pretty amazed to hear about the heights they have all risen to!
It kind of all started by mistake when the PR of a designer named Pierre Garroudi called me and asked if I’d like to shoot some of his cloths! I just seized the opportunity and kind of made it up as I went along!
Pierre Garroudi collection shot at The Drop Redoubt on Dover’s Western Heights
From then on I just tried to make the shoot ideas more creative, challenging myself and the people I was working with what would (and wouldn’t) work. So over a period of time I tried to drown, smoke and bury models!
I was also lucky enough to work at some awesome locations, I think my one of my favorite ones was St Augustines Priory in Kent. Where I wanted to shoot a ‘Beauty in Decay’ themed shoot. Featuring Couture Italian Wedding Dresses and a whole hoard of pigeons who were not enamoured with the idea of us using their penthouse!
Another great location I shot in more then once is the little known Dover Transport Museum
More Retro
There are too many great shoot I did to mention them all, so here are a few of my favorites pulled from the archives.
I even shot at the mad circus that is London Fashion Week a couple of times.
Pam Hogg. London Fashion Week AW13/14
So why all this misty eyed reminiscing? Well I’m thinking of starting to do some beauty work again. So if we have worked together before or not get in touch, like, share or comment. I have a few ideas I’d like to explore creatively, but I am more than welcome to collaborate on ideas that you may have. I think I’d like to do something with explosions……erm maybe not! but then again…….
As the 2017-2018 Football Season draws to a close with the FA cup Final to be played this coming Saturday, apparently there is a wedding on the same day as well but I don’t know much about that! I thought it might be an opportune time to take a quick look back on a few of my favourites from the 2017-2018 Football Season. A season I might add that I found myself covering on average a game a week. I know this doesn’t actually sound a lot but I also work as a Commercial, Editorial, PR and Press photographer.
So in 8 months the tally is roughly 19 grounds, 54 teams that included everything from a full international friendly all the way down to step 6 and I absolutely loved it! At this point I should thank both Pro Sport Images and The Non league Paper as well as a load of other publications that continued to commission me to head out and work.
Football is such an ethereal thing; filled with passion and commitment. What follows is a selection of my work I personally like. As an aside about 80% of is published.
So I think I’ll divide this into three: Celebrations – The photographers holy grail, Action – in the game it happens and Passion – whats behind the game.
There are is a moment in football that overcomes all else for a photographer, that of the celebration. The moment where everything pales into insignificance. Yes the goal is good and if I’m honest normally happens behind a load of players from where I am sitting. There is something magical about that moment after the goal, the celebration moment when I sometimes think I can see the real player. The elation and sometimes the relief!
NOVEMBER 4, 2017: Folkestone Invicta against Dorking Wanderers in Bostik League Premier Division. Where the home side ran out 3 to 1 winners. Fullicks Stadium, England.Folkestones Ade Yusuff celebrates after putting the home side 3 to 1 up from his penalty in the 90th minute.
Its cool isn’t it? However take it from me its the hardest thing to take a photograph of in the game!
Probably the bit that is easiest or is it? many years ago I always remember being told that if its action and the ball isn’t in the frame then don’t bother sending it. Its a mantra I have followed since as everything else can be changed, straightened, made darker\lighter. Sometimes though it doesn’t matter.
Third from top Dover Athletic against second from bottom Solihull Moors in Conference Premier at Crabble Stadium in Dover, England. Dover ran out winners by a goal to nothing. Dover’s defender Manny Parry puts Solihulls goal keeper Nathan Vaughan under pressure.
I always find looking at players faces during the action is where the true emotion comes out
Its always hard to force yourself to see the game from a slightly different angle, but when you do the rewards are nearly always better than the action itself.
Dover’s Manager Chris Kinnear
Managers and fans a like its about the passion!
So when all is said and told do I have a favourite? not really. But, then again a huge amount of my time was spent getting wet and cold covering Dover Athletic and truth be told I have become a fan! So my favourite picture from the past season has to be this one. For me it sums up their season, an inexperienced team thrown together and very nearly did the unthinkable.
Dover’s midfielder Nortei Nortey celebrates scoring Dovers first goal late in the first half during the Vanorama National League match between Leyton Orient and Dover Athletic at the Matchroom Stadium, London, England on 18 November 2017
So whatever happens during the impending FA Cup final and the much talked about World Cup 2018 in Russia I will be chomping at the bit to get going again for the new season.
Braintree Town v Gloucester City – So for the final match of the regular season off I went to Essex to cover the promotion chasing Braintree against Gloucester City. After a patchy first half the game it was Braintree who took the game by the horns scoring three past a Gloucester side that had no answer. As usual here are a few of my favorites:
Braintrees Reece Grant had a lot to celebrate as he bagged himself a brace.
There is also a proper gallery here all the images are available for licence, so please get in touch if your interested in any.
The second goal came from Josh Hill. What I like about this goal is that right behind me I heard some fans saying that his celebration run to the corner flag was the furthest he had run all season!
Under all that is Braintrees Josh Hill as team mates swamp him.
Good luck to Braintree as they head into the National League South play-offs.