Olympic Torch Relay 2012/UCF Graduate Fashion Show

So here it is. Some actual decent content for the first time since... well since a long time ago. I thought about giving each topic its own individual post, but I figured it would make more of a feast to have it all in one. Aren't I thoughtful? 

Olympic Torch Relay - 19.05.2012

First things first are first - and the first day of the 2012 Olympic Torch Relay came and went last week on the 19th May. All things considered, it was a very successful day. Now I'm not really all about the 'campaigns' and sickeningly colourful propaganda that the London Games has produced thus far, but there was a certain excitement this day: an anticipation being released after months in the making. It was, above all else, great fun to photograph.

The sun was shining and patriotically-dressed members of the public were out in droves. Coincidently, to cover the day, there was a crack team of 16 Cartel Photos photographers stationed strategically across Falmouth, myself being one of them. Our primary client was Rex Features, a London-based press agency and picture library with whom UCF have close links. Our brief was to document - 'document' being a byword for running around like lunatics - the day, and to converge later in a designated media room in The National Maritime Museum. The majority of our photographers were positioned on the ground; I, on the other hand, was casually hanging out the second floor window of my tutor's apartment overlooking the Falmouth high street. This was a fairly unique perspective and gave me the opportunity to experiment with a few more atypical press shots. Death from above!

UCF Graduate Fashion Show 2012 - 23.05.2012

Another Event being covered by Cartel Photos was the University College Falmouth Graduate Fashion Show, held at The Fish Factory in Penryn. I was on hand to photograph the show along with five other Cartel photographers. This was my first shoot that has had any sort of relation to fashion, and I have to say that it was pretty damn intense: lots of loud music, bright lights and plenty of beautiful people.

  

The creative aura of the event made for some extremely interesting photographs. Of course, it also helped that I had a centre spot on the press podium directly opposite the end of the catwalk.

Well, that's all I can be bothered to post/say. I am currently sitting at my  computer with half of my right arm in a cast after breaking a bone in my wrist yesterday foolishly falling off my bike. It hurts and typing is a bit of a struggle. Stay tuned for more updates. 

S

The Establishing Image: 'Community' - Remembrance Sunday

On Sunday afternoon I shot a Remembrance Sunday parade in Bewdley, Worcestershire (not Falmouth, as I was visiting family and friends at the time). This was my response to the 'community' aspect of the brief.


I enjoyed this shoot, although I found it quite difficult to photograph decent, interesting angles without getting in the way of the marchers. However, after time, I stopped caring and pretty much got in everyone's way - standard photojournalist. With this in mind I tried to photograph something that had been done a thousand times in a more interesting fashion; albeit standing in the middle of the road, or moving around and hitting the shutter during the minute's silence. I also found myself every once in a while being drawn away from the brief, and starting to photograph people that I deemed 'interesting' in the crowd - followed by a swift reminder to myself not to get side-tracked.


Anyway, above are some scanned-in negs. I am happy with the results and do not feel the need to re-shoot. 'Community', check.


S