Panda Excitement

It's only a few more days until i finally get to see the pandas in Scotland and i'm So super excited. I'm sure you are all more than aware of how much i am looking forward to seeing these beautiful bears. It has been a long few months with breaking my jaw and a long slow recovery and all that has been getting me through is the excitement of a trip away to see the Pandas. I'm also looking forward to the special time away with my fella to celebrate being together for four years as well as an early birthday celebration for me. Who couldn't be excited right now.

There will be LOTS of new pictures coming soon.

Remembering Matt Cranch

On the 25th of April it will be the first year anniversary of loosing a very dear friend of ours Matt, aka Wiggles. Wiggles sadly lost his life last year in a tragic stunt show accident and is missed more and more each and everyday. It still doesn't feel true that he is gone and thinking about that shocking day and hearing the awful news i still can't believe that it is true. 

Sadly 1 year on things are still not the same and everyone that knew him is missing him so much. 

To celebrate such a good person last night we held a Volkswagen and classic car Cruise through Newquay town and Watergate Bay to celebrate his life and the place where he lived and touched so many lives. 

So many people turned out to support his cruise that there wasn't a single space left in any vehicle. Leaving St Columb Major our first stop was Watergate Bay to enjoy the sunset and a place where he used to work and live and was rather emotional. The cruise continued on into town and whilst driving through the town center of Newquay heads were turning as we went past. Beeping our horns and playing Matts favorite music loud. Passing the Central pub in Newquay the customers outside cheered as we past and made us feel special to feel part of the convoy, several people cheered and waved and stopped to see what was going on when we drove past, hopefully Matt was looking down on us smiling at all the lovely cars.

In Memory of Matt Cranch

Zapcat Racing Newquay Grand Prix. Pictures

This weekend in Newquay at Fistral beach the Zapcat Racing Grand Prix is currently being held. On the 21st and 22nd April.

Hearing that the Zapcats are down at the beach and knowing that the waves are still big and squally from the recent storm swell i wrapped up warm and headed down to Fistral with my camera. There's lots of spectators watching the extreme sport with constant dodging of the incoming tide and plenty of action to be seen. Some photographers were slightly more prepared for the incoming tide and the bitterly cold northerly wind.

With a strong northerly wind blowing each time a race is started and the Zapcats head out over the breaking waves the wind is holding up the vessels and there are several moments where the boats are vertical high in the air before crashing down back into the waves. Several times the strong wind got the better of some of the crew and quite literally lifted their boats out of the water and tipped the crew out landing the boats upside down on top of them. With jeers from the audience and the RNLI crew rushing to the crews assistance and bringing them back on jet skis, whilst nudging the boats in the direction of the shore ready for the next race. 

If you about tomorrow in Newquay i would strongly recommend going to Fistral beach to watch the Zapcat racing, as it's certainly an exhilarating event to watch.

Backbeat Soundsystem with support from Coda at Bunters Bar Truro

Last night we braved the pouring rain to venture into Truro to see local Reggae band BackBeat Soundsytem with support from dubstep band Coda. With a sold out gig the place was bouncing the bass reverberating through the floor and everyone having a good dance. Most memorable was when backbeat soundsystem stopped the performance to evict a certain trouble making member of the crowd. Security swiftly move in and removed the culprit to cheers from the audience and the evening proceeded to a climax where Backbeat covered their reggae based take on Pendulums Tarantula. Was an amazing set and I'd recommend if you get the chance to see both of these bands.

I'm officially held together by screws! Pictures!

I've just been to the hospital for a check up after have my jaw surgery earlier this year and finally have some copies of the x-rays to show me being officially held together by metal plates and screws,

In the top image the line running across the top, above the roots of my teeth is the top fracture, held together by a series of screws and small metal plates. As well you can see plates on the left and right that are holding together the two fractures either side of my lower jaw.

I think this is my favorite image showing just how high the screws go in my face with one screw appearing just below my eye socket, The weird thing about this screw is that i can feel it through my skin when washing my face, Taking a bit of getting used to but coming around to the fact that this is now a part of me and i will always be held together by these metal fixings.

It's been just over three months since the surgery and i still have small patches of numbness in my face and lots of numbness in the roof of my mouth and gums above my upper set of teeth. I am reassured that the nerves will grow back into this area and i will get all normality and feeling back but it is a long process and will take another few months even up to a year to fully come back to normal. 

Panda Visit review in the Eastern Daily Press

Having parents that live in the eastern counties i am often kept up to date with their local news as well as keeping them up to date with the local news from the west country. 

On a recent visit up to Norfolk my mother gave me a copy of the Eastern Daily Press and in articular to read an article titled

Visiting Edinburgh Zoo to see pandas Tian Tian and Yang Guang

 She said that she had read the article and thought of me, and that i should read it. The article is about an 11 year old girl that is obsessed with Giant Pandas, collects hundreds of cuddly pandas in her room and has just been to visit the bears for her 11th birthday. 

Reading this article was like finding an archive about myself from years ago and was all too familiar - When i was younger i too was obsessed with these black and white creatures and also collected many a toy, pencil case, clothes even bed covers and curtains at one point to my older sisters annoyance who i shared a room with. Like Beeka in the article on hearing that the pandas were arriving in the UK her parents had no choice other than to take their daughter on the 800 mile trip to visit the pandas at Edinburgh Zoo. 17 Years ago there were two pandas on display at London Zoo and at the ripe old age of 10 decided that this was what i wanted for my birthday. Going to London on a train for the first time ever was exciting enough but seeing the panda's

Ming Ming and Bao Bao in the early nineties really was a dream come true. 

I wonder if in 17 years time Beeka the little girl from the article will still have a place in her heart for her love of pandas. Now at the age of 27 with the arrival of the pandas in Edinburgh i am massively over excited about going to see the pandas again.

Sadly much to my partners joy the panda obsessed bedroom is no more , however a couple of small cute pandas do still exist on my bed, and i too when seeing the pandas again will feel like a little girl and very excited.

Newquay singer songwriter Craig Hammond covers Pearl Jam Black

You may have already heard the strumming guitar rifts of Craig Hammond playing at your local around Newquay and with his growing following he is definitely one to watch out for.

He writes a lot of his own music and plays a lot of covers as well and having just stumbled across this version of Pearl Jams Black it has reminded me how much i like Craigs music. Another particular favorite song of mine is one of his own pieces called white rabbit. I'll let you hear that one live to appreciate it to its full effect.

VW Action Southwest

This weekend i have spent it in a field camping at VW Action Southwest. Regarding the Weather we have really had it all on arrival Friday evening it was a bit chilly but a bright evening and watched an amazing sunset surrounded by classic Volkswagen's. With the open fire going we were all warm and enjoyed several ciders and a sing song. 

Saturday morning started bright but with lots of frozen campers, people were even saying they had frost on the insides of their vans in the very early hours and we heard some comments that the temperature got as low as -2'C I must have slept through all of that because by the time i had woken the sun was shining and under my combination of blankets, sleeping bags and duvets i was snuggly warm. Saturday was great with the show and shine for Daily Drivers there were some beautiful vehicles "Although Questionable" that these were ALL daily drivers. I certainly wouldn't fancy driving a beach buggy in the rain that followed on Saturday but still very cool cars.

 Patina'd cars are not usually my thing but this quirky car i loved, i could have spent hours reading the comic print door cards.

Saturday early evening soon turned damp! Well that's to say the least, the dark clouds that had been threatening all day had finally decided that it was now time to absolutely chuck it down! Heading back to camp we joined gazebos, awnings and tarpaulin and continued to enjoy our music, good company and plenty of Cider and the occasional dash to the loo across a very muddy soggy field did not stop the fun.  

Sunday morning and the sky is blue and the sun is shining, not a cloud in sight and certainly not a drop of rain to be found! Today's show and shine was the concourse class and the super shiny cars were all out on display, All day walking around in the sun and my cheeks are now glowing!

 I'm now home from the show that certainly had it all in terms of weather, i have got very soggy, Freezing cold and sun burnt in the same weekend, but what an awesome weekend it has been, Thanks to the Action team for running the show and well done to all the jog'Lers that traveled from John o'Groats to Lands End on nothing but 50cc motor cycles to raise much founds for Brads cancer charity. 

 

Well Done everyone. For more VW Action Southwest Photo's visit my Facebook page, and don't forget to Like the page to keep up to date with all my latest photography.

How to shoot a Shoot!

During the Easter break i was fortunate enough to be invited along to photograph a shoot, both a clay pigeon shoot and a rifle shoot.

Firstly it was a freezing cold day so wrapping up as warm as possible is key with freezing cold winds and a lot of standing around in a field the last thing you want on your pictures is camera shake.

Secondly make sure you listen to all the safety briefings and make sure where you are photographing is safe. Watch where the clays are being fired and where the shooters are aiming from and make sure that you are safely out of the way.