Press Photographer Kent – A wet start to 2014

Press Photographer Kent – So the start of 2014 will be remembered for torrential rain, floods and biblical wind.

Press Photographer Kent. It’s been a very frustrating start to the year. With event after event being cancelled due to the weather. So I’m not going to mention that again! But there have been some nice sunny winter days. A couple of which I was out and about with my camera. Working in the beautiful winter sun.

Early on in January. I was sent to cover the Greek Orthodox Blessing of the Seas ceremony. Which takes place on Margate beach. I had never even heard about this but it made for some really nice frames.

Margate is the setting for a Blessing of the Seas in the Greek Orthodox celebrations at Epiphany (6th January) marking the baptism of Christ.  Margate was chosen for the honour in the mid-twentieth century because there is a large community of Greek Cypriot residents in the town. It’s organised by the local  Greek Orthodox Church whose Archishop leads the devotions and begins at the church of St Michael the Archangel. After a short service  a procession of many dignitaries in full regalia, both religious and civic, follows the piper to Marine Sands & the beach . Doves are released, prayers given and  a decorated cross is hurled into the waters to be retrieved by a young diver for the Archbishop.

I’ve also been doing a lot of PR Photography and editorial portraiture work. For various magazines. Along the way. I have met some amazing and brave people.

Press Photographer Kent  - Charlotte Naylor who has Lupus

Charlotte Naylor who was diagnosed with Lupus aged 23 after developing blood clots on her lungs and legs. She had a stroke in 2012 caused by the condition and has memory problems since. Shot for You! Magazine

Quite unsurprisingly sport photography has been a rare experience. Mainly because of the weather. The wettest since the 1700’s apparently! With cancellations and postponements the norm rather than the exception:

Press Photographer Kent  - Rugby Union Canterbury v Taunton Titans in National 2 South.

Guy Hilton (10) on the break with Hooker Mark Livesey (1) in support. Canterbury Rugby Club Merton Lane Nackington Road. Canterbury v Taunton Titans in National 2 South.

I have also been out scouting locations for some upcoming personal projects. On one such day I was checking out Dover’s Western Heights. I took this panoramic of Dover looking back over Farthinghoe and Maxton.

Press Photographer Kent  - Dover Western Heights

VEBT Finals Margate – August 2013

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.

VEBT Finals Margate 2013

VEBT Finals Margate 2013

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

VEBT Finals Margate 2013

VEBT Finals Margate 2013

VEBT Finals Margate 2013

VEBT Finals Margate 2013

VEBT Finals Margate 2013

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