Doug Jackson Photography: Blog

Musuem and Heritage Photography in Yorkshire

(Doug Jackson Photography) — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 09:30:00 GMT

Museum and Heritage Photography in Yorkshire

Yorkshire Museum PhotographyYorkshire Museum Photography

When I started my career as a press photographer in Yorkshire, I used to love visiting local museums. I would photograph new exhibits and exhibitions, talk to the curators and wallow in the history. On rare occasions I actually got chance to visit archaeological digs and see the really work happening close up.

Since being a freelance Yorkshire photographer, I have had chance to work with several museum and heritage organisations. Whether shooting PR Photography for the forestry commission or the National Civil War Centre I’ve loved the chance to learn more and be creatively involved.

History is about imagination and you need a certain amount of human drama to engage with it. Holding the Newark Torc in my hand gave me a tangible shiver. To think of the craftsmen who made such an amazing object and the people who wore it.

So if you would like to know a little bit more then head over to Museum Photography in Yorkshire.

Yorkshire Freelance Photographer - Commercial Photography for Co-op

(Doug Jackson Photography) — Fri, 19 Jun 2020 09:15:00 GMT

Yorkshire Freelance Photographer - Commercial Photography for Co-op

Yorkshire Freelance PhotographerYorkshire Freelance Photographer

Visiting local producers is always interesting when you are curious about how things are made. I recently did a shoot for Co-Op supermarkets where I got chance to visit many food suppliers around Yorkshire. While growing beef cattle doesn’t hold a great deal of mystery to me, I did find that the manufacture if crisps and sweets utterly fascinating. I also got the opportunity to visit a couple of breweries and loved the free samples.

The premise of the shoot was essentially environmental portraits, of the boss, at the business. They wanted the images editing into black and white too. Black and White images actually suit my style of photography as the lighting gives the images a natural pop.

Working as a Freelance photographer in Yorkshire I really get to see a lot of different businesses. Seeing so many for one commission was a real treat.

Why not pop over to my blog for a look; Commercial Photography for Co-op

Fashion in Yorkshire - Seven Years of Fashion Photography for the Great Yorkshire show

(Doug Jackson Photography) — Thu, 18 Jun 2020 08:44:55 GMT

Fashion in Yorkshire - Sheffield Fashion Photographer Doug Jackson

John Lewis (7)Fashion at the 2017 Great Yorkshire Show: John Lewis, Becksondergaard clutch bag £65 available in Loved & Found; Pure acid yellow coat (available next season); Kin Laura Slater tie back top £49; And/Or Avalon ankle grazer denim £85; Kin Erland navy shoe £75.

I recently wrote a blog post about some of my fashion photography. Although based in Sheffield my work takes me all over the place. These shoots meant that I could visit country houses, a museum and even a heritage railway.

I decided to do a blog post about these shoots as I thought it might be good for people to see the more usual side of fashion photography. It’s not all Avant guard and hyper weird, often it more like a catalogue shoot.

These images were all shot on Canon 5d mk3 and 4 and L-series lenses. Typically I work with canon flashes on Manfrotto Nano light stands.

Big thanks to all the models that made these shoots so much fun.

Sheffield Photographer shoots fashion.

GYS Fashion 2016 (227)Fashion on the Farm

Falmouth Classics Photography 2019 - A look back

(Doug Jackson Photography) — Sun, 14 Jun 2020 08:15:00 GMT

Falmouth Classics Photography 2019

Falmouth Classics was sadly called off this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019 I was fortunate enough to get a crew slot on Kate Rose, a friend’s Cornish Crabber. Kate Rose sports a fine gaff cutter rig and therefore qualifies to race with all the fleet both big and small. Based around Falmouth Haven the classic racing also coincides with the sea shanty festival. This certainly encourages the sailor to have a few extra beers and sing a merry jig, or two.

I love Falmouth and feel very at home there. It is reminiscent of my hometown of Whitby on the North-East coast apart from the sailing , which is a little bit more civilised than that bleak coast line.

See the full blog post here: https://dougjacksonphotography.com/falmouth-classics-photography/

Also a Further Gallery here: https://dougjacksonphotography.zenfolio.com/p918862565

New Website Launched for 2020

(Doug Jackson Photography) — Sat, 13 Jun 2020 08:00:00 GMT

Finally.... The new website is Launched for 2020 After plenty of work the new Website is live.

https://dougjacksonphotography.com/

Sheffield Steel History - Industrial Photography in Sheffield

(Doug Jackson Photography) — Fri, 12 Jun 2020 07:37:25 GMT

Sheffield Steel and History by Sheffield based Freelance Photographer - Doug Jackson

If you are interested in industrial photography then check out my recent blog post. Sheffield has an amazing history of heavy industry and steel production. The steel industry, quite literally, built the city of Sheffield and it still continues to this day. In this blog post I share some of the interesting facts I have learnt about the steel industry in Sheffield and also show some examples of my work.

See: Freelance Photographer in Sheffield – Steel City Beauty

Is this the End of Press Photography in the UK?

(Doug Jackson Photography) — Thu, 14 Nov 2013 07:19:00 GMT

Local Papers Axe Press Photographers Position

With Johnson Press recently announcing (see Hold the FrontPage) the axing of most (if not all) of their press photographers on their nearly two hundred local titles you have to ask yourself the question, is this the beginning of the end of local press photography in the UK?
Undoubtedly the newspaper industry has taken a hammering in the last decade due to falling advertising revenues, a product of dwindling circulation and also the arrival of other information streams including the online local news from television broadcasters (BBC and Sky) and the usual social media and bloggers. Even in my years as a trainee and senior press photographer with Johnson Press and Newsquest, I saw a radical amount of staff cutting and bore witness to printing presses shutting down and also many editorial and advertising staff layoffs. In addition to the reduction in staff costs, many daily publications have gone down to weekly (including my old place of work The Scarborough Evening News - Now just The Scarborough News), meaning that they shed up to half of their photographers. So you could argue that this change was organic in the sense that one's cloth must be cut to suit the current economic climate, but is this part of a larger trend towards 'people's' journalism?

What's the State of the Industry?
I'm not going to go into too much detail to defend the role of the press photographer, as it is obvious, as far as I'm concerned, that press photographers not only provide the newspapers and associated websites with high quality content (both video and photography). In addition to this, photographers provide local knowledge and are often the 'face' of the paper, which means they often get stories and build great contacts with the communities they work within. So I would say that their role is not only as a content producer but also as a news gatherer who, in both roles, can be trusted to produce accurate and truthful coverage. In the days of the phone hacking scandal it is clear that the nation's trust in journalists has come into question, but while this spotlight is being shone on the tabloid press, are we forgetting about all the 'community' good work done in the local press?
When I was a press photographer I used to photograph predominantly community subjects. Local charities receiving cheques from unusual fundraising events, school awards and sport prizes, local shows, planning stories, weather, vox pops and the occasional 'hard news' stories were just some of the content that had to be captured. It is fair to say that most of the content was not related to any celebrity or the sort of stomach-churning 'Take A Break' pieces about pet misadventure or messy divorces. Larger pieces would focus on the local council and planning issues that affected the economy of the town and tried to reflect the 'big - but local'' issues that people were talking about. I know these things can be done by social media but it tends to be the people who have professionals handling their Twitter streams who get the message out there. I can think of many young families with housing issues, people who have lost pets, people who have lost sentimental valuables in a burglary, people wanting to place an obituary for a loved one or even thank people for their kindness following the death of a loved one who have used the local paper as a voice. Without that voice, would they get heard?
So local newspapers in a sense belong to their communities and despite losing circulation and failing to find a business model that enables them to capitalise on web traffic, they will probably close or at least remain as a sort of 'chat room' for the locals, or at least those whom shout the loudest. You think I'm being flippant about this?

Read this
Johnston Press to launch 'people's paper', with 75% of content from public

Quite often when working on local stories we would find an individual or group with a bee in their bonnet about something or someone. When they gave their story to the paper the reporters would straight away know that you couldn't print some (or occasionally all) of what they said because it was defamation or just people who had an axe to grind. If you imagine a neighbourhood dispute over a hedge boundary or parking you will get a feel for what I mean, but it could be more serious. Imagine a local teacher/policeman/vicar accused of acting inappropriately by a member of the public. The local press provides a legal and moral filter (yes indeed moral, they are not the News of the World) between subject and their readership. So now if you imagine a newspaper when it is essentially unpaid reader generated content you can start to see not only the legal issues that will occur, but the impartiality problems and hopefully also see that it will be only those who shout the loudest who will get their voices heard.

Why get rid of the Photographers?
MONEY!
When times are tough it is hard for the bean counters to appreciate a good picture taken from a ‘staffer’ when a reasonable submitted picture will cost nothing. As most editorial staff at these chronically understaffed titles don't leave the office it is easy to see the role of the photographer as a luxury when all the other content arrives by email. The lack of reporters on local papers has also meant a huge increase in the amount of press releases that are recycled with or without their submitted pictures, meaning that more content bypasses the photographer. You could argue that also because a lot of papers are no longer subbed on site and are basically filled-in page templates, that the general level of creativity in the offices has suffered. Gone are the days of the front page/breaking news picture or the photographer working with the sub on page layout. Finally it could be easy to see how when pictures are used online, management would see them as being less important especially if used the size of a postage stamp.

Why does it Matter?
I see the removal of press photographers from local papers as a last ditch attempt to save a format that is essentially dying. It will in the short term remove some of the running costs for these papers but ultimately mean the quality is reduced further and further. I know large companies and rich charities will have no problems getting quality freelance photographers and videographers to tell their stories and will this mean they get more prominent and better coverage in the papers they submit to? If so then what happens to the small people, the individuals, who have been neglected by the local housing association or have raised £200 with a sponsored hair cut? What happens to the local sport teams and charities that need volunteers if they cannot get a decent photo? Well I suppose if the story is good enough then any poor quality photograph will do even if it has been taken on a phone. So there we reach the crux of this whole debate. Is picture quality so important?
If newspapers follow their natural trend and become online only publications and any old picture will do then why not any old copy? We are essentially talking now about a local chat room of people submitting stories and words in a public forum. You really only have to look at any comments on pretty much any YouTube video to see what sort of hateful nonsense this would end in.
Staff press photographers represent the old school approach to journalism. They represent a creative yet unbiased approach to local news that will be hard to find from submitted content and as quality and readership spiral down, this may signify not only the death of press photography (as we know it) but sadly also the demise of the local paper.

What does this mean for the industry?
Seeing as all nearly all staff photographers are trained to a NCTJ level and have journalism qualifications, (based or an apprenticeship of sorts) it is safe to say those courses will go. Local papers would provide the feed up to regional papers and then up to nationals.

Reporters will be asked to do video and stills and ultimately time will be even tighter on those individuals. This also means that photographic reprint and archival parts of local papers will have to go as logistically it would be too involved.

For freelance photographers, generally the prospect is not looking good in the short term as the market will be suddenly flooded with professional photographers desperate for work and prepared to undercut anyone. Trust me I have seen this. The difference between charging £135 for a picture story and £75 may be the difference between not eating and eating for some people but when all the prices are being driven down it makes it an unsustainable career for everyone, including agencies.

You may think that as newspapers need more submitted content, PR companies would have an opportunity to get more of their content used in the local press. Some may get more coverage in the short term but as more papers close it ultimately means that PR companies will have less places to get their clients' messages out to, and will have to embrace more social media where good picture quality hardly seems important.

Is it all doom and gloom?
The 'value' of professional photographers has taken a hammering over the last few decades. The advent of digital photography, excellent quality amateur equipment, and an increased interest in photography as a hobby has put the squeeze on professionals. I still believe that anyone who has had a career as a press photographer will possess the people skills and knowledge to tell any story accurately and creatively. How that story will go from the local individual to the local community in future is essentially unknown and I'm sure companies like Johnson Press would pay handsomely for a business model that was sustainable.
Although I have not talked much here about agency and national newspapers staff it can be assumed their jobs will be safe for a while but who will replace them? Will they also survive with lots of cheap freelance photographers on the market?

It maybe the case that there are some small 'start-up' papers and magazines that follow the 'free sheet' model that are created in the vacuum left behind. These would sadly have to work on a more advertorial basis as many of the more valuable community based stories would make them no money.
Local papers provide a wonderful community resource and when you see local people getting together to run a pub as a co-operative part of me hopes that a local paper could be run on similar lines, although with the current Tory government's view on press freedom, and our litigious culture, it seems doubtful.

So to all those poor souls who are about to be cast out from the industry (press photographers known to me or not) I offer to you some final thoughts. Your job is a unique combination of creativity, organisation and people management. It's those people skills that will hold you in good stead whatever path you choose to take.
Whether running your own business or working for another you will find your ability to think on your feet, adapt and create solutions to be a great asset. Like blacksmiths and weavers before us we find that our industry is being eaten away by technology and economics but for a while, we had the best jobs in the world.

Feel free to comment.. In fact I'd welcome it.

Models in Yorkshire???? Great Yorkshire Show Fashion 'pre' Shoot 2013 - Fashion Photography

(Doug Jackson Photography) — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 05:23:00 GMT

On the lead up to the Great Yorkshire Show 2013 I spent a day shooting some of the clothing that was to be included in the Fashion Show. The Great Yorkshire Show has gained a huge reputation over the years for showcasing both urban and rural fashion, providing a packed venue for not only leading UK designers but also young and student talents.

As a freelance photographer is can be a little hard to get a handle on a shoot like this as you appear to have too many bosses. You are only photographing various ranges of clothing as well as some students work but this is not actually for those individuals or companies. These pictures would be used print media an 'pre-pieces' leading up to the show. As the publications vary it is essential to shoot a mixture of shots but nothing too weird as the shoot does not need to create its own narrative in the way that a shoot for say Vogue would.

One of the other considerations on a shoot like this is always time. With model changes, and moving lights and camera gear , a day will whizz past.

The location will always play a part in a shoot as well and in this case the wonderful Goldsborough Hall generously gave us the space and time we needed. Obviously if this was a shoot for a full range of clothing more time would be taken to lift rugs and remove/change photos and these sorts of details that a stylist would be used for.

As with most jobs I do the client will specify certain aspects from a brief (in this case the models, location and the clothing ranges) but then leave the rest up to myself, although when doing shoots like this it's important to have another pair of eyes and creative input. This is where working with Judy Thompson (GYS PR Guru) makes my life a lot easier. Through-out the day she gently suggested this or that and politely frowned at my more esoteric ideas meaning that little time was lost on shots that simply wouldn't be used. In addition to guidance form Judy, Bernadette Gledhill of the Morton Gledhill Fashion team was onsite to coordinate the models, clothes and make-up keeping things flowing.

The clothing designers were: Brook Tavener, Joules, Pure and smaller designers such as Whitby Jet and Umpie bags and Mary Benson, Students from Northumbria University and Harrogate colleges also had clothes in the 2013 fashion show that we shot. Models Charlotte Girdwood, Emily Naylor, Isabelle Mason Tom and Jack.....were great to work with.

The result....... We got great coverage (Front Page of Yorkshire Evening Post magazine.and inside spreads)....in the national and regional press for the show so everyone was pleased.

So here are some shots with extended picture captions detailing the techniques used.

Brook Tavener men's clothing - One 600EX flash barebulb to left of camera

Brook Tavener men's clothing - no flash

Brook Tavener men's clothing - Two 600EX flash-units barebulb to left and right of camera

Brook Tavener men's clothing - One 600EX flash barebulb to left of camera

Kushvant Jutlla – collection entitled SEVEN DEADLY SINS - clothing - One 600EX flash barebulb to left of camera

Kushvant Jutlla – collection entitled SEVEN DEADLY SINS - clothing - One 600EX flash barebulb to left of camera but straightish on Emily then one flash behind Charlotte to create shadow....

Kushvant Jutlla – collection entitled SEVEN DEADLY SINS - clothing - One 600EX flash barebulb to left of camera but straightish on Emily - one behind model to RHS of camera

knitwear collection by student Jack Wainwright from BARNSLEY - clothing - One 600EX flash barebulb to left of camera - one behind model to RHS of camera (bit too hot!)

Demelsa Haughton – collection entitlted ODDITY- Emily with single Flash to LHS of camera

Demelsa Haughton – collection entitlted ODDITY- Isabelle and Charlotte with single Flash to straightish but LHS of camera and eyeline.

Demelsa Haughton – collection entitlted ODDITY- Emily with single Flash to straightish but RHS of camera and eyeline.

Evening Wear by Brook Tavener (chaps) and Harrogate College (girls) - Three Flashes. One LHS, one RHS and one behind to lighten dark corner.

Evening Wear by Brook Tavener (chaps) and Harrogate College (girls) - Two Flashes. One LHS, one RHS.

Evening Wear by Brook Tavener (chaps) and Harrogate College (girls) - Two Flashes on Emily. One LHS, one RHS.

Pure - Two Flashes on Emily. One LHS, one RHS.

PURE - Two Flashes on Emily. One LHS, one RHS.

Isabelle in Sports wear..... two flashes left and right hand side.

The girls in Sports wear.....natural light

Isabelle in Sports wear.....One Flash lighting model to LHS and one in foreground to light door.

Umpie Bags - Two flash LHS and RHS for subtle fill

Umpie Bags - Charlotte with great hair and no flash

Umpie Bags - Two flash LHS and RHS for subtle fill

Umpie Bags - Two flash LHS and RHS (behind) for less subtle fill

Umpie Bags - Two flash LHS and RHS (behind) for less subtle fill .. one of my favourite shots!

Umpie Bags - Two flash LHS and RHS (behind) for less subtle fill

Umpie Bags - Charlotte - Two flash (high) LHS and RHS (behind) for punchy light

Whitby Jet - Emily - No Flash but reflector below model

Whitby Jet - Emily- No Flash but reflector below model

Whitby Jet - Emily- one Flash to LHS deliberate flared into the lens - one to RHS with shoot thru brolley..silly 'glam' lighting but I love the effect.

Whitby Jet - Isablle - just window light and a little fill from RHS with brollie

Whitby Jet - Charlotte.....hi key lighting. Main light to RHS of camera , White shoot thru brollie. Second flash to lhs behind model

Spurn Point Lifeboat Crew Shoot - PR Charity Shoot

(Doug Jackson Photography) — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 02:30:00 GMT

I love doing those sort of shoot where various elements come together to make the perfect storm. As my father was a lifeboat man I am familiar with the mentality of the kind of person who takes to the sea in all weather risking life and limb.

I was asked to shoot the guys at Spurn Point lifeboat station as Yorkshire Building Society had the RNLI as thier elected charity for that year. We had a couple of hours with the guys and even had a spin out on the stations Severn Class boat with the CEO of the company. I have spent lots of time on Lifeboats and never fail to grin at the muscle of these things. With over 2400hp on offer the Severn class is a monster.

We had a real hoot with the guys and the client was delighted with the shoot. Humber lifeboat coxswain David Steenvoorden or 'Spanish' as he is known to his colleagues was most game for doing some 'silly' shots and its great to photograph people who have very serious job but don't take themselves too seriously.

I'll post a few pictures below with a little bit of 'Strobist' info talking about the way they are lit.

USEFUL TIP: WHEN USING A FLASH TO PHOTOGRAPH CLOTHING WITH REFLECTIVE PANELS (SUCH AS POLICE FIRE SERVICES OR RNLI) YOU WILL FIND THAT USING WIRELESS FLASH, OFF CENTRE TO THE CAMERA, PREVENTS IT FROM 'FLARING' BACK.

Spurn Point coxswain David Steenvoorden with CEO of Yorkshire Building Society, Chris Pilling - Shot Detail: Available light, 70-200 2.8L

Spurn Point lifeboat crew

YBS PR team and Crew of Spurn Point Lifeboat - PR Launch pictures

Lifeboat - PR Launch pictures - Shot details- Underexposed by a couple of stops and cross lit by flashes.

Lifeboat - PR Launch pictures - Jack Vettriano spoof - The Singing Butler

Lifeboat - PR Launch pictures - Shot details- Underexposed by a couple of stops and cross lit by flashes.

Hope you like the shots:

Further Freelance Photography info @ https://www.dougjacksonphotography.com/

and finally a shot I took of Whitby Lifeboat in action a few years ago. Glad I wasn't on-board that day....wild!

Whitby Lifeboat in action

G12 Timelapse, A Time Lapse test of a 2-hour Journey in 75 seconds.

(Doug Jackson Photography) — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 02:01:00 GMT

I was shooting a little time-lapse video for a client and as I placed the G12 onto the backseat of the car (with the interval timer attached) I thought to myself hmmmmm....
So the tripod was extended and the lap belt placed around the whole lot. The intervals were 10secs and the exposures 1second on Av mode set to maximum f-stop (f8).
I quite like the results but I think the exposure interval is too long at 10seca and would achieve smoother results at 5second intervals. I will do another test at some point to show this.

Hope you like the results anyway.

Thanks for looking.
Doug

What lens should I buy next?

(Doug Jackson Photography) — Mon, 23 Sep 2013 07:14:00 GMT

As a professional photographer I often get asked by hobby photographers, "What lens should I buy next?"

What lens should I buy next?

Most Kit lenses supplied with camera bodies are generally pretty rubbish and unless you are going to go for the expensive Canon L-series lenses or Nikon Pro level stuff the glass is always going to be the weakest part of the system.

So if you are looking for some great quality glass that will not cost the earth and also help you progress with you photography what should you buy? Well the simple answer is a 50mm prime lens. (Assuming you don't have one already!)

Nikon' r1.8 50mm

The Canon 50mm comes in at around £80 with the Nikon version being around £100.
So why would I recommend these?

They are cheap and very lightweight
With only 2 elements they are about as sharp as you can get
With the being f1.8 they allow you to experiment and learn about depth of field
Because there is no zoom they force you to move and orientate yourself around the subject

I obviously understand that there are many other manufacturers apart from Nikon and Canon although due to the simple nature of these lenses they should all be pretty cheap.

Happy Snapping.
A few examples of my 50mm shots are here: http://dougjacksonphotography.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/r1200gs-adventure-wallpaper.html

2013 r1200gs adventure Outer Hebrides and Orkney april Motorcycle Tour

(Doug Jackson Photography) — Mon, 23 Sep 2013 03:55:00 GMT

Earlier in the year I buggered off on my trusty r1200gs for 10 days to explore Harris and Lewis as well as Orkney. I have visited most of the Outer Hebrides before but have never been to the Isles of Lewis and Harris.

Harris was visually an amazing particular the Golden Road area in the south. Lewis is less mountainous but still beautiful with empty white beaches.

Orkney is packed with history and some very weird and wonderful people. Great roads and scenery and trips like this really make you realise how lucky we are to live in the UK and so close to Scotland.

I spent a few days on Harris and Lewis and about four days in Orkney. Ferries are good value for a biker and I wild camped a bit. Longest day in the saddle was Edinburgh to Ullapool via Oban and Applecross - about 440miles and it was very wet. It was fun once I'd got into the groove and the BMW r1200gs is a great bike when fully loaded. Fun but stable.

I hope you like the pictures and if you've never been to the Hebrides and Orkney get your finger out before you are just too old and fat!

WWII battery in Stornoway on Lewis

Beach on South Lewis

An abandoned croft in Harris.. There are loads of these to explore but be careful

The Golden Road on Harris.... One the most amazing roads in Scotland

Love the van branding 'painter and decorator' ...

Endless white beaches on Harris west coast

A sea eagle on Harris... They are Huge

Road heading south to Harris... Great roads over there

More wonderful beaches

Winding the motorcycle between Lochans on Harris

Abandoned Air force base ... Would have loved to have sneaked in for a look but was a bit timid

Power House on the way up to the base.

Lovely Camping Spot

Callanish Standing Stones.... No barriers or ticket needed....just wander in. Great!!

Just before I dropped and smashed my 70-200 2.8L lens....Doh!

Carloway broch - A amazing structure

Arty nonesense

One of many wonder wild camping spots on Lewis and Harris

Black House museum on Lewis.. I sat by this fire for 20mins and was the only visitor

The road to nowhere ... Lord Leverbrooks mad and doomed scheme..

Lovely beach on northern tip of Lewis

GPS array - very sc-fi

Hard-core German biker touring on an old school KTM

Smoo Cave in Northern Scotland. Driven past it loads but never been in. It was pretty impressive.

Beachcombing in northern Scotland

My wonderful campsite in Orkney...lovely kitchen set up

Hoxa Battery

Italian Church built by POW's in WW11

Exploring Orkney by Motorcycle ...the best way

Floats from submarine nets - So much WWI + WWII history in Orkney.............

As well as lots of far older structures! (I mean myself)

Hmmmm... belly pork and pasta

Need I say more...Twatt biker

Lovely old click mill on Orkney .... an old Norse design. Clever Vikings.

Inside a Dovecot...as you do

Evocative ruins and remains are abound on Orkney

Abandoned youth hostel not lived in for many years

Trolley into the Tomb of the Eagles.. Whistling Hotel California and giggling..

Orkney - Wildlife and birdsong everywhere

Heading south around Wick

Stone work of Fort George

Northeast coast of Scotland is lovely and often bypassed... Around Portsoy

Gardenstown

Puncture near Aviemore ..... was a cold place for a repair...2 degrees!!

I was trying to get there

Where I fixed the puncture....while mainly swearing...Aviemore

Mad and lovely campsite just north of Edinburgh

Last Night camping then home....bright moon

One more shot of the isle of Lewis to end on..

2013 r1200gs Adventure Motorcycle Tour Round the Coast of Ireland Tour

(Doug Jackson Photography) — Mon, 06 May 2013 06:11:00 GMT

Motorcycle Tour Round the Coast of Ireland Tour

I had a great 10 day motorbike tour around the coast of Ireland this month (april) on my new used BMW 1200gs adventure. Apart from a couple of teething issues it has done 7000 miles since October (6months) and is shortly off for a trip round the coast of Scotland including a little jaunt to Orkney as well at a trip to Norway later in the year. Undoubtedly it going to three sets of tyres this year but at least I'm saving on not buying a set of chain and sprockets. Talking of tyre the fantastic mellifluous roads in Ireland meant my new Metzler Tourance rear is about shot after 3000 miles. Its one of the rare times I have worn a tyre out almost as much on the edge as in the middle. Further INFO about Doug Jackson

This was the actual track from the trip.

Originally I was off on my motorcycle tour round the coast of Ireland as far a Sligo and then going to cut back across although with the weather being so bad (with gale-force winds) for a few days I couldn't get the boat out to the Arran Island etc. This meant that I got a couple of days ahead of schedule so decided to go for the full coastal circumnavigation.

Fast Ferry from Holyhead was two hours and cheapish at £110 quid return and the first night camping in Wexford meant I set off at 8am and was 'tent up' at 6pm.

Instead of doing a full trip report which would actually be quite boring in the sense that it was very much just a riding trip I'll try and do some extended captions for the pictures. Most of them feature the r1200gs because I like to put the motorcycle in context and although I am a photographer please forgive any slightly lazy snaps. I was after all on holiday.

Wexford the first overnight camp. Small campsite near swimming pool of fine and close to town. r1200gs

Wild Camping in County Cork. This pretty little spot is Inch Beach (not the more famous one further North) and is south of Cork. Google Earth is very useful for finding unofficial campsites.

More shots from the first wild camping night of the trip. Big sea rolling in was very load. New Vaude Terraquattro tent proved wind and rain resistant and being a three man has a bit of extra room for drying wet stuff.

Yet another ridiculous stupid Touratech add-on. Pointless BMW accessories.

Not a sign I have seen before....Brightening up a very wet day...

I stopped in fact.. Crazy Grotto very everywhere. All made me think of Father Ted. These days of bad weather made me appreciated the weather protection on the BMW r1200gs Adventure. You only really get wet when you stop!

West Coast - Already forgotten where this is!!! Near Baltimore I think! Another boggin wet day.

Heading up to the Healey Pass in Ireland. Great roads but on this day the wind was so strong I also got pushed off this rock by a gust.

Healy Pass. A great road like a piece of dropped spaghetti. Lovely on a motorcycle and even better in the dry.

Great winding coast roads on the Beara Peninsula. Fun on the big r1200gs adventure.

It was at this point of the holiday I realised I had spent too much time on my own!!! R1200gs Adventure in the whin bushes.

Wild wind whipped Atlantic. Ring of Kerry Road near Caherdaniel. Nice campsite and beachside bar/restaurant.

Fantastic Ship House in Rath , Co Kerry. Even has a ships wheel on the balcony.

County Kerry on a motorcycle - well worth it!

Gap of Dunloe - is possibly the maddest road in the west coast. It is super tight and undulating. Like a mini rollercoaster. This is just a small part of it and the end heads up to Molls Gap - In contrast a great wide sports bike road. R1200GS seems to not really mind what road your on.

The Dingle Peninsular. Lovely Road for a motorcycle around the coast and inland. The Conner pass is wonderful.

Father Ted's House on the Burran.. R1200gs at Father Ted's house. Craggy Island Parochial house

A spot of light trail exploring on the Burran in County Clare. Its a very striking landscape and very pretty in its own way. One of the best things about touring on the r1200gs adventure is the ability to explore a little off the beaten track.

Mizzen Head on the South Coast of Ireland. Atlantic waves roll in to the rocky shore.

R1200gs in Connemara - Very like West Coast of Scotland.

Connemara in Ireland - r1200gs - Watched the gale force wind spinning over the loch for 10 mins whipping up water spouts...amazing.

Posing in poor weather on a rocky beach. Somewhere near Sligo. R1200gs adventure bon beach.

Posing in poor weather on a rocky beach. Somewhere near Sligo. R1200gs adventure on beach.

Ireland West Coats heading up to Malin Head.

Heading up the coast in Donegal. Which is very pretty and similar to a lot of the south. Great on a motorbike.

r1200gs at waterfall in Donegal...Waterfall between Maghera and Ardara

Donegal beaches are huge and spectacular. Brilliant places for wild camping where you can really get away from it all and stare at the sea.

Hook Point
latitude 52° 7' 25.7" N longitude 6° 55' 45.1" W One of the oldest working lighthouses in the world, on the County Wexford coastline. r1200gs and a flask of coffee!!

Mamore Gap. Very straight on one side and very bendy on the other. (make up your own jokes?) One of the 3 fair days out of 10!

Exploring the Mountain roads in County Donegal. Plenty of tracks to explore on the r1200gs Adventure.

Moody Irish Sky in Wexford.

Magilligan Point, close to County Donegal. Lovely sand dunes and fun to explore on the stupidly big trail unit

Magilligan Point, close to County Donegal. Lovely (some of Europes largest)sand dunes and fun to explore on the stupidly big trail unit

Danger Blow Holes !

More Donegal Dunes

Ireland has many twist roads and despite much bad weather this Metzler Tourance looks pretty used on the sides at 2500 miles...R1200GS worn Tourance

The Giants Causeway. Underwhelming!

The Dark Hedges of County Antrim. A local suggested I have at look at this road and it was worth the 10min trip off the main road. (Head for the Gracehill Golf Course)... R1200gs Motorbike in Dark Hedges.

A trip down the Shankhill road in Belfast to look at the murals. Awesome artwork and striking images.

r1200gs - Belfast H&W cranes in matching shine yellow. Well I had to stop and take a shot of the Adventure.

morne mountains ireland

County Antrim - Beaches r1200gs adventure

Its really not a long way to Tipperary - Not on the r1200gs anyway!

Riding the Vee - A great road in County Waterford. Some fun hairpins-

Some camp cooking.

I Had to do one self portrait even if I do look like a tool!

R1200GS ADVENTURE WALLPAPER

(Doug Jackson Photography) — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 10:43:00 GMT

As it says on the tin. Just a few shots of my new bike taken with my old 5D and
an under utilised 50mm prime.

R1200GS ADVENTURE WALLPAPER

I will get more work related post up soon including a review of some new and tested gear.

Lake District PR Shots

(Doug Jackson Photography) — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 13:29:00 GMT

Great Shoot today in Lake District....brrr cold though. Saw some interesting new businesses. Lakes Biomass looks like a great set-up...

More work for Balfor Beatty tommorow..

Lake District Wood

Cool Motorcycle Photography - A LOOK BACK - R1200GS

(Doug Jackson Photography) — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 09:11:00 GMT

Here are a few photographs from the past that I have done of various of my bikes on trips around the UK, Europe and the rest of the world. Some were done for fun, while touring, and others for newspapers and magazines.

Most of these shots were taken with my g12 canon compact camera just for fun while travelling although there are a few taken on my pro gear for publications.... I've been going through some old snaps so I just thought I'd do a retrospective for bike and photography nuts.

SHOT TAKEN FOR NEWSPAPER. MOTOCROSS NEAR WHITBY

ROAD RACING AT OLIVERS MOUNT IN SCARBOROUGH

Bret Crossley, from Castleford, gets very close to the grass bank on his R6 Yamaha, Oliver's Mount Scarborough

KLR650 TOUR OF NEW ZEALAND - SHOT TAKEN ON A WANDER OFF THE MOLESWORTH ROAD

MOLESWORTH JUNCTION ROAD IN NEW ZEALAND - TOURING ON KLR650'S

NEW ZEALAND - TOURING ON KLR650'S SHOT TAKEN IN SELF TIMER WITH A G12 COMPACT CAMERA ND WIRELESS FLASH

A TRIP ON THE ADVENTURE BIKES - G12 PORTRAIT WIRELESS FLASH BMW GS AND KTM ADVENTURE

ANOTHER KLR650 SHOT FROM NEW ZEALAND...HEADING INTO QUEENSTOWN

ANOTHER KLR650 SHOT FROM NEW ZEALAND...HEADING ACROSS TO HANMAR

KLR650 - HEADING UP THE MOLESWORTH TRAIL IN THE SOUTH ISLAND

KLR650'S IN THE LONG GRASS

A NICE PANNING SHOT FOR MAGAZINE - HUSABERG OFFROAD

APRILLIA CAPONORD ETV1000 - MY OLD TOURING BIKE - SHOTS DONE WITH A STUDENT I WAS TEACHING

THIS SHOT OF MY R1200GS ADVENTURE WAS A PHOTOSHOT COMPOSITE DONE FOR A KEEN GOLFING FRIEND

SELF PORTRAIT SHOT ON THE CANON G12 -R1200GS ADVENTURE ON THE ISLE OF MAN

R1200GS ADVENTURE ON THE ISLE OF MAN

RAINBOW - R1200GS ADVENTURE ON RUDLAND RIG - NORTH YORKSHIRE

RAINBOW R1200GS ADVENTURE

MYSELF AND A COUPLE OF FRIENDS ON THE NORTH YORK MOORS - R1200GS - KTM950 AND R1200GS ADVENTURE

R1200GS - KTM950 AND R1200GS ADVENTURE

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE FURTHER PICS OF MY MOTORCYCLE TRAVELS HAVE A LOOK ON MY FLICKR PAGE HERE:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dougweb1000/collections/72157631835095865/

Photography in the Rain: Tips and Advice

(Doug Jackson Photography) — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 04:29:00 GMT

Taken in a dark woodland with the flash in frame to the RHS. This was underexposed natural daylight. Rain can give some amazing effects in portraits but you have to be bold enough to use it. : Pic by Doug Jackson Photography

Just because the rain starts doesn't mean the photography has to stop. Often the hardest things when working in all conditions is dealing with sensitive and valuable camera equipment. In my experience often the gear is far better at this and less vulnerable than you think (play at your own risk) and when working as a press photographer you often have no choice but to keep on shooting.

Back lit with wireless flash gives very dramatic effects. The couple were not stood in the rain here but inside a porch with the flash in the rain: pic courtesy of DJP WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY

Practical Tips:

A Chamois Leather Lens Cloth

Trusty chamois cut into 6 inch squares will last you a lifetime if kept dirt/grit free. Better than an expensive lens cloth too.

Most press photographers use a small piece of good old fashioned chamois leather (pronounced 'shamee') as a lens wipe and I'm assuming you'd all have a clear filter on the lenses. You should! Get one right away if not. Wiping rain drops off the lens with a chamois gives instant results with no residue left.

Use a Lens Hood

A lens hood is normally to stop flare from the sun but they do shelter lenses from rain spots. Particularly the bigger ones on longer telephoto lenses such as the Canon 70-200mm f2.8 and f4.

Protect your Gear

Be sensible and keep as much of your gear tucked away in your bag as you can. If you have a camera on your shoulder then tuck it under your arm. If your working with flash be aware that if water gets on the hot shoe between flash and camera body all hell can break lose and it all behaves very oddly. If this happens a quick wipe with a trusty chamois will normally sort things out.

Shooting Tips

Water is a solid substance in the air and therefore affected like any other visible body by flash or depth of field. If you want to make a feature of the rain you can back-light it with flash or/and shot with the widest aperture to give you a shallow depth of field. If your shooting without flash a shutter speed of 1/200th second is important to fix the rain drops and stop them blurring.

No Flash and natural flat light minimises effects in light rain. Also rain only shows on dark backgrounds : pic courtesy of DJP WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY

Umbrellas can be nice props and add interest to a shot. Reflections on pavements etc also are fun especially in puddles at night: pic courtesy of DJP WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY

Long lens and shallow depth of field couples with a fast shutter speed will fix rain drops. : pic courtesy of DJP WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY

Note how drops show up on dark background : pic courtesy of DJP WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY

Ahh young love! : pic courtesy of DJP WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY

If you want to hide the rain try a slower shutter speed and don't use flash. A final not of caution. Using direct flash will simply light up the rain drops in front of the camera!

This was taken on a G12 Canon compact (my travel camera) in extremely wet conditions. It just show how direct flash just lights up the raindrops in front of the camera. Not nice.

Backlit with sunlight also gives very dramatic effect. : pic courtesy of DJP WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY

n, rain, rain.....ah the British summer.

Don't forget the details ..... raindrops on leaves

Interfit Stellar Xtreme System - Long Term Review

(Doug Jackson Photography) — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 08:19:00 GMT

This is essentially a quick reprise of a former post (now three years old) that I did on these Interfit units. I primary purpose is to throw some light (terrible pun) on the long term durability and reliability of these Interfit studio heads.

Long Term test of the Interfit Xtreme 300W system. The only casualties...the battery packs pic:Doug Jackson Photography

My former blog post can be read here and details all the features and capabilities of the Interfit 300W Stellar Xtreme system

Reliability: The reliability issues I've had with the lights have mainly been down to me. I did drag one over when tethered to it with the flash cable. That's why you should always use the radio triggers!

Long Term test of the Interfit Xtreme 300W system. My whole system, reflectors, gridspots, softboxes... all in one bearly liftable holdall. Doug Jackson Photography

The replacement modelling light was around £7 although the flash tube was a surprising £60. But it was completely my fault.

After three years the battery packs are pretty much shot. One just won't hold charge when stored and gives about 15 shots and the other one, well..., forget it. I'm not at all surprised or indeed disappointed by this. They have been well used and anyone who uses rechargable batteries know they have to be charged/discharged and ultimately changed more often than people do.

The finish on the heads has done well to with stand the use it's had. Doug Jackson Photography

Durability: I'd say the over all finish has done well and apart from the bulb, that I broke, they are really good. The sockets for the power, both AC and DC have done excellent work and show no signs of looseness and all the cables are still in good nick.

The last time I used these heads was for a teaching session. That is me making a **** of myself in the name of education. pic:Doug Jackson Photography

Use: I have found that overall these studio light work no worse or better than other 300W systems I've used. I generally now only use them for internal stuff as the batteries have gone and since buying the pocket wizard flex system have almost gone back to using Canon Strobes / flashes.

My student Cameron got away with just lookin cool.... pic:Doug Jackson Photography

Conclusion
The Interfit Stellar Xtreme 300W system has been very good. The battery packs need replacing at £120 per pack but if this was done they would operate as good as new. They still offer a great lower cost alternative alternative to the Bowens and Elinchrom Quadra heads. I have noticed that Calumet launch a range a bit like Interfits. It is called the Calumet Genesis 300B Flash Head (please send one for review. :)....)
So with other alternatives on the market would I recommend them still. Yes!
As long as you keep in mind that triggering them can be problematic with anything other than Interfits own triggers then you'll be fine. See my older posts for these gripes.

No-one expects the flying woodland ninja.... pic:Doug Jackson Photography

Please take a stroll around Doug Jackson Photography to see some samples of these lights in action.

Please take a stroll around Doug Jackson Photography to see some samples of these lights in action.

The Forestry Commision and the Devil

(Doug Jackson Photography) — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 06:40:00 GMT

Over the last few years I have done many shoots for the Forestry Commission and with the current round of cuts on spending inevitably, and sadly, PR budgets will be lost. I was thinking about this the other day as I really enjoy doing these sort of jobs. For me environmental portraits are always far more interesting than studio work. That is why I used to love working as a press photographer. At my time at the Northern Echo newspaper I primarily did only environmental portraits in addition to sport, hard news and court snatches (which I detested with a passion I normally only reserve for the traffic wardens and golf).

S
o I thought, as it may well be a thing of the past, I'd have a root around into the files and pull out some of the shots from the last twelve month and do a little strobist style commentary on how and why.

Essentially the pictures were used to accompany press releases and other internal/ external PR uses.

Devilish work in Hamsterley Forest
The Forestry Commission has linked up with the acclaimed Wear Valley-based Jackass Youth Theatre and Jack Drum Arts to create a chilling Halloween evening in the 2,000 hectare (5,000 acre) woodland, near Bishop Auckland, on Sunday 30 October 2011.
Hamsterley forest pic: Paddy Burton of Jack Drum Arts takes on the role of the Devil to narrate a ghostly Halloween walk in Hamsterley Forest for the annual ghost walks. Pic Doug Jackson

I used two flashes in this pic. One front right on the trousers and one rear and left (from camera). shutter speed 1/50th at f 6.3 and 140mm. 640 iso pic: Doug Jackson

With this shot I underexposed the natural light to artificially darken the scene and filled back in with flash. 1/80th f 5.6 iso 400 80mm. The devil is cross lit., that's to say one flash behind, camera left (see the light on the ground?) and on in front of the subject, left again. (Note no shadow ion nosed..so flash is roughly eye line and in the direction the face is looking) pic: Doug Jackson

Similar setting to the previous pic. Again a classic cross light set-up. The front light is behind the tree on the left (see it?) and the rear light is behind the tree that the devil is lifting (i airbrushed out the light stand!) pic: Doug Jackson

This is a more neutral exposure using alot more ambient with just a bit of fill flash. 1/60th, f6.3 iso 1000. pic: Doug Jackson

New Woodland Manager
A NEW Forestry Commission chief has been appointed for Cheshire. Keith Jones, aged 58, has taken up the role of regional director for north west England and the West Midlands.
These shots were done at Whinlatter in the Lakes.

This shot of Keith is a typical long lens portrait. If your using a long lens to photograph a portrait do try and get as far away as possible but still fill the frame. This will maximise the effect of the foreshortening perspective. pic: Doug Jackson

This shot uses two wireless flashes. One is in front and above Keith (again look at the shadow on the nose) and the other is on the logs. f5.6 1/200 and iso160 pic: Doug Jackson

Again a completely ambient light shot on a long lens. This is a great time to us the AV setting on you camera (A on Nikons). You know you want the aperture wide open so you tell the camera you want f2.8 and let it do the rest. Aperture priority has its uses. I shot this at f4.0 as at f2.8 my 70-200mm lens can have too narrow a depth of field and unless the focusing is bang on there is softness. The Canon 5D mkII's focus tracking is just terrible! pic: Doug Jackson

Three flashes used here. One on the car, one for the logs and one front and left of Keith. As you can see from the Shadow on the nose the flash on Keith is slightly too far round the LHS and should be closer to the camera, ideally. Still it all adds interest. pic: Doug Jackson

Christmas Tree from Hamsterley Forest
A top rower has set course to help shape County Durham’s spectacular woods and he plans to start by spreading Christmas cheer!

Mark Child, 25, has been appointed Forestry Commission forester for beauty spots including Hamsterley Forest, near Bishop Auckland, Chopwell Wood, Gateshead, and Slaley Forest, near Hexham.

Now he’s getting ready to oversee Christmas tree sales for the first time in 2,000 hectare (5,000 acre) Hamsterley Forest which begin on 1 December, 10am to 4pm. He said:

“It’s a really busy time of year and I’m fully away that a visit to the forest to pick up a Christmas tree is a long family tradition locally so I’d better be on my mettle!”

Mark here is lit from the right and the left (slightly) by two flashes. The one on the left is giving a bit of spill - fill (That's tenuous!) and is mainly pointing at the van. No so keen on the shadows on the face. pic: Doug Jackson

Two flashes used here too. One quite subtly on the tree and one almost where Mark is Looking. Normally you would try and not have some one looking out of shot. I mean if they are looking away from the camera you would try and have them looking through the centre of the image. IE if they are on the right of the frame they look left and if they are on the left they look right. But its worth trying different stuff. Not sure this works though. pic: Doug Jackson

A very common technique is to shoot though things to frame the subject or fill in space. People when stood up are normally tall and thin (well no so thin in my case). So getting a landscape (wide) shot is quite hard . What you have to do is use the space around them for something else. Either have then in the centre or 2/3rds across (be decisive!) pic: Doug Jackson

One Wheel is Enough at the Guisborough Forest Festival
A gravity defying 12-year-old from Stockton struts his stuff at the 8th Guisborough Forest Festival on Sunday.
Ignoring BMX and mountain bikes, Cameron Peacock, a pupil at Bishopsgarth School, opted to shed a wheel and pestered his parents instead to buy him a unicycle for his birthday.
“If you can ride for a metre without falling off by the end of the night we’ll think about it,” said a sceptical dad, who took him for a taster session at the JUST unicycle club in Stockton.

Usually when you do a shoot like this you have a vague plan in you mind. Something like 1) a couple of long lens pics - unicycling down a long path 2) a close up fish-eye shot - perhaps silhouetted against some trees....blah blah

The good thing about this one was Cameron was the one with the suggestions. He just doing more and more crazy things so the shoot was very easy for me....

Cameron Jumps off a rock here. This is shot with the fish eye to 'heighten' the jump although the distortion is a little too extreme. I used a flash high and left to fill and fix the image. pic: Doug Jackson

Two flashes used here. One left and rear (see light on tree) and on e front and camera right on Cameron. Watching him land these jumps is amazing. pic: Doug Jackson

Standard long lens cycling down a path pic: Doug Jackson

Not enough fill flash on this one but the skill is just amazing. (his..not mine) pic: Doug Jackson

This is essentially a high wire act. I did not expect him to look at the camera for these shots. pic: Doug Jackson

I always get a standard headshot type image. This one has committed the heinous press photographers crime of having a thumbs up....oh the shame! pic: Doug Jackson

YORWOODS initiative

Andrew McDermott, 23, has been appointed as a project officer at YORWOODS – a North Yorkshire based forest initiative – tasked with the job of getting more landowners to sign up for a groundbreaking Forestry Commission grant scheme.

This shot of Andrew was take utilising a small spot of natural light poking through the branches. I quite like it but its a shame the lower hand is obscured by something. pic: Doug Jackson

Lots of fill flash on the RHS here to compensate for the sun. Again both these pictures are examples of why its good to use a wide and a long lens for portraits. pic: Doug Jackson

I hope you found some of these examples of interest and feel free to leave a comment or two about the photography or just your thoughts on the state of PR in the recession.

For more samples of my work take a stroll around Doug Jackson Photography

Also have a look at my recent Industrial Photography Blog Post

http://www.europe-nikon.com/en_GB/

Great Yorkshire Show 2012 - Fashion Pre-Shoot

(Doug Jackson Photography) — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 07:31:00 GMT

I recently had the pleasure of doing a fast and frenetic fashion photo shoot for the Yorkshire Agricultural Society at the splendid Lotherton Hall near Garforth.

Visitors to this year’s Great Yorkshire Show 2012 will experience a number of fashion firsts in the ever popular Skipton Building Society Fashion Pavilion. The event has built up a reputation for showcasing collections by the best of the region’s fashion designers, alongside those of Yorkshire’s up-and-coming design talent. Dates are Tuesday 10 – Thursday 12 July when around 130,000 visitors are expected through the gates.

Lotherton Hall itself is fascination Edwardian building with some beautiful walled gardens and interesting interiors. On the pre-shoot recce we had a mini tour from Lotherton's friendly and helpful Stephanie Davies. Despite the opulent and often busy interiors of the various state rooms we decided that on the day, if possible, we would use the exterior of the building as the interior did pose a few problems. As with many stately houses the use of flash is discouraged due to the sensitive furnishings and also we were conscious of not sitting/leaning on precious artifacts. The gardens themselves did seem to suggest some interesting possibilities for photography although as my friend and 'client' Judy Thompson rightly pointed out it should primarily be about the clothes and not about the garden or house.

On the day we got busy with an early start and the weather looked great so we cracked on with plan A. The premise of the photo shoot was to put together a series of photographs that could be used to promote the up and coming fashion events at this years Great Yorkshire Show 2012. Judy and Bernadette Gledhill, Fashion show coordinator, had contacted a number of fashion designers who sent along some different outfits and a few or the designers actually came along on the day. Ginetta cars also bought along a mouth watering G4 race car and one of their newest G60 super cars for the shoot along with their recently launched clothing range. Also their Managing Director Lawrence Tomlinson dropped by to say hi. Throw into the mix a stylist, make-up artist and some great models (Isabel Mason, Shareal Mackay, Charlotte Girdwood and Jonny Laidler ) and you have eight hours of busy fun starting with the first range of the day...

Ginetta - Lifestyle Range

First we did the PR shots with owner of Ginetta and the designers....

Owner of the car company Ginetta , Lawrence Tomlinson, with the designers of the first Ginetta fashion collection, Becky Milne, and Laura Tomlinson, right. The collection will make its debut on the catwalk at the 2012 Great Yorkshire Show pic: Doug Jackson Photography

Owner of the car company Ginetta , Lawrence Tomlinson, with model Isobel Mason wearing clothes from the range. The collection will make its debut on the catwalk at the Great Yorkshire Show pic: Doug Jackson Photography

As well as the above PR shots and similar set-up the first clothing shots of the day were of the new Ginetta range designed by Laura and Becky, pictured above.

Model: Jonny Laidler Clothes: Ginetta Lighting: Two wireless 430ex triggered by Pocket Wizard Flex System pic: Doug Jackson Photography

We needed shots with and without the cars so we scouted a nice alleyway of trees just near the orange G60 to save time.

Model: Jonny Laidler / Clothes: Ginetta / Lighting: non! Spot metered
f2.8 on the Canon L70-200mm. pic: Doug Jackson Photography

I tried to shoot a mixture of ambient and flash but quite frankly the light was a bit flat and for a mix of print media - ie newspapers and magazine as well as websites - its wise to hav a bit of punch (ie conrtrast) to the image.

Different Feel to these. Less natural... Model: Jonny Laidler / Clothes: Ginetta
Lighting: Cross lit with two 430 ex flashes. pic: Doug Jackson Photography

Models: Jonny Laidler and Charlotte Girdwood/ Clothes: Ginetta
Lighting: Cross lit with two 430 ex flashes wireless setup for subtle fill
All shot on manual pic: Doug Jackson Photography

Model: Charlotte Girdwood / Clothes: Ginetta
Lighting: non. Charlotte was so easy to work with on this
shoot and looked great too!! pic: Doug Jackson Photography

Model: Isobel Mason and Jonny / Clothes: Ginetta
Lighting: non. pic: Doug Jackson Photography

Model: Isobel Mason / Clothes: Ginetta
Lighting: wireless flash for fill pic: Doug Jackson Photography

Once the Ginetta Shots were done we did various other ranges including Brook Tavener, Roger Meake, Kelly Ewing and evn some knitwear from Craven College. I have chosen a selection below.

pic: Doug Jackson Photography

The Final shots of the day were of Charlottle Girdwood in the amazing Jubilee dress :
A dress designed by Leeds fashion designer Kelly Ewing will be unveiled on the catwalk at this year's Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate. Kelly has already designed outfits for X-Factor contestants Little Mix and Amelia Lily.Designed in red, white and blue, the dress celebrates the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.Pics Below:

Charlotte Girdwood model Kelly Ewings Jubilee Dress. pic: Doug Jackson

So a successfull shoot but did it get the coverage that was needed to promote the fashion show at the Great Yorkshire Show? ... What do you think?

The Yorkshire Post used the images well in the magazine as well as on the front of the newspaper. Many other websites also picked up on the fashions as well as the Jubilee Dress....Nice work Judy.

If you would like a stroll around Doug Jackson Photography's Website just follow the link..

Also see: Latest Blog Summery

Vanguard Skyborne 51 Rucksack / Backpack Review

(Doug Jackson Photography) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:30:00 GMT

Vanguard Skyborne 51 rucksack / backpack Review

I've been meaning to write a review of this bag for ages now and instead of a 'first thoughts' piece it has turned into a 'long-term' test.

Now I normally juggle my bags around, as I am lucky enough to have a great deal of variety in my work. Construction sites at night, boardrooms and newspaper shifts all have very different requirements and I have over ten bags, of which I regularly use four.

So what makes a good bag?

Protection: I carry well over £10,000 of camera gear with me and the bag has to cope with accidents, falls, rain, dust, being tripped over and, most often, being tossed into the boot of the car.

Comfort: Carrying up to 15kg of gear around is never going to be pleasant, so you want it to be comfortable and secure.

Accessibility: There is often a trade-off between comfort and protection. I have bags that offer great protection but you wouldn't want to walk with them and often the bags that allow easiest access have the least protection.

Functionality: This is an assessment of the bags ability to hold, store, separate and essentially not annoy!

Quality: I suppose this could be tied up with protection and comfort, but essentialy it is more an assessment of the durability, materials and stitching on the bag.

Introduction

Vanguard Skyborne 51 - Harness

Vanguard Skyborne 51 - Rear View

Variety is the spice of life and as I work for many different clients I take different gear to different jobs. I have a portable studio crate that has lights, soft boxes etc and then a kit bag for camera gear. Normally that kit bag contains lightweight flash gear for those quick PR and press shoots. So basically for any bag to work for me it has to hold the following:

Camera and Lenses	Flash Equipment	Accessories
2 x 5DmkII plus grip	1 x 580 ex mk II	Batteries AA and Button + Li-Ion
70-200 2.8 is L	OC-E3 flash cord	Gels and Gridspots as well as stofen diffusers
28-105 f4 L	2 x Manfrotto 5001B Light Stands - or Tripod	8 x CF cards
17-40 f4 L	Godox Propac power pack	Lenses cloth
14mm Fisheye	Pocket Wizard Flex + Mini	Business Cards !
Laptop - with room for power cable and mouse + occasionally I carry a tripod and several head torches while working at night. One for me and one each for the light stands!

So as you can see from the above table, I typically carry rather a large amount of gear and finding any bag that can cope with all this without some compromise is almost impossible, so how does the Vanguard Skyborne 51 do?

Protection

The first impression I had of the Skyborne 51 on removing it from its delivery box was how light it felt, at 2.5kg. It is a strange thing to think about an empty bag but I used to use the Lowepro Vertex 300AW (follow link for review) and that beast is almost 4kg empty.

Despite its light weight the Vanguard Skyborne 51 offers generous padding on all sides and I can lob it into the car or place it on the floor with confidence. I remember my old Crumpler Zoomverse XL rucksack (see pic below) that was very well padded but it was huge and you felt as if you were wearing a massive turtle shell on your back. Conversely the Lowepro Vertex 300AW had less padding and relied more on a strong structure to protect the gear. This is a big ask for a large rucksack with one large compartment as the internal separators have to be really strong to prevent gear shifting and clever packing is required to store heavy items at the bottom of the bag.

Vanguard Skyborne 51 - Lower Compartment

The Vanguard Skyborne 51 gets around this problem by having two compartments, meaning internal separators in the lower main compartment offer the right level of padding without being too bulky or overly stiff. The outer and expandable laptop pocket is perhaps the least padded although Vanguard supply a padded laptop sleeve (up to 15") that sheathes your expensive computer very nicely. That said, care should be taken laying the rucksack down when there is a laptop in the outer pocket. Some other bags provide laptop storage against the users back which gives more protection to the laptop but creates bulk and access issues. As I only carry a laptop occasionally I prefer the Vanguard Skyborne 51 system but if you are a regular laptop carrier you may want to add additional padding.

The lower compartment protects all the glass and camera bodies and the outer lid has a big soft pad that doubles as lumber support while wearing the bag.

Vanguard Skyborne 51 - Lid is Lumber Support

The top compartment is a bigger space and offers no internal baffles or separators. I suppose as the Vanguard Skyborne 51 putting itself up against other 'Day Sack' models, this space is designed to provide an extra area for a coat, sandwiches, flask etc. I really don't use this space like that at all - I tend to use it for my flash gear.

I have worn the Vanguard Skyborne 51 in torrential downpours and completely forgotten about the waterproof case that neatly folds out of a compartment on the base by the lumber support. It has proved itself to be pretty waterproof without, but it's a good extra feature if the weather's really dreadful. As most of the zip closures are against your back, they naturally offer a level of protection against the weather. The side hatch is exposed and features zips with water-resistant flaps, but the back has never leaked and gives good weather protection. I have also used the bag in muddy and dusty conditions and find that as the closures are not left open when you carry the bag (unlike a shoulder bag where you often leave it open - if you're lazy like me!) less dust and crud gets inside.

Rain Guard fold out of base

So I'd say the Vanguard Skyborne 51 treads the fine line between weight/padding rather diligently and despite its small physical bulk (far smaller than the Crumpler or Lowepro) Ihave confidence that my gear is protected.

Upper Compartment

Finally on the subject of protection I just want to mention security. Not only does the bag not actually look much like a camera bag but the main compartment cannot obviously be opened from the outside (apart from the discreet side hatch) when you are wearing it. Both these features are good things if you are working in or touring around a busy city.

Comfort

There really isn't a great deal to say here as the bag is really comfortable and has some venting across the middle to stop you getting too hot. It is by far the most comfortable camera rucksack I have worn and as I said before I have used at least six different types in the last 15 years. The removable waist strap is essential when you're climbing over and around things, as it keeps the bag far more securely attached to you than just the shoulder straps alone. The shoulder straps feature a chest strap which is always nice and the surplus webbing of the shoulder straps, which wrap around Velcro ties, is a good feature.

The only gripe would be that personally I would like slightly wider shoulder straps. Not much but maybe another 10mm, I am a broad chap though.

Accessibility

This is always a compromise for a rucksack because unlike a shoulder bag it has no wide and stable base. There are generally two approaches to this problem. Firstly the bag opens from the back but this means it has to be laid down on the strap side giving you potentially wet muddy straps. The second approach is to access the camera gear through the front panel (against your back) which means the rucksack is laid down on its back, protecting the straps from the mud. Obviously the back can still get muddy and wet but there is always a trade off and from me this is by far the better solution, and the one chosen by Vanguard for the Skyborne 51.

Splitting up the main compartment into two works well for me too, as I can keep camera gear and flash gear separate. This keeps me organised and when I'm setting up my lighting I can keep the lenses zipped away, safe from dust and moisture.

The really clever bit of the bag though is the side hatch. This allows you to remove a camera and lens without taking the bag off. Lowepro have had a similar system for a while and I have to say both systems work very well. You can sling the bag round and open the side hatch very quickly and easily. I have also found that keeping a flash deeper within the same compartment means you are ready to go in seconds. The hatch actually could do with being an inch deeper for the 5d MKII and battery grip but you soon get the knack of it.

Side Hatch

As I said before about access, all rucksacks have to find a compromise, but the Vanguard Skyborne 51 seems to be well thought out and practical.

Functionality

When loading the bag the first time, I played with a few different options before realising that this might be a bit pointless for me. My camera bodies and glass fitted very snugly in the lower compartment but what to do with all the other stuff as the top compartment has no baffles and is essentially just a big space. I then thought about what was going to be in there and realised it would only be a flash and some bits and bobs (my pocket wizard and flashes live in little bags attached and ready on their light stands). So I just placed them in and threw a power pack into the outer compartment. I really haven't wanted to use another bag since I got this one as it's extremely easy and convenient to use. The zips all work well and logically, and there are double zips on the main compartments allowing for right and left handers as well as the option for closing them in the centre.

Velcro Webbing Tidies....nice touch

The fold-out tripod pouch and slidable (adjustable for height) strap is actually far simpler and easier to use than the Lowepro's system used on the 300AW.

I have actually slung this bag on my back with the top compartment open (accidentally) and nothing fell out due to its design. Old rucksacks that opened from the back (such as Lowepro's Trekker) range were renowned for killing camera equipment as many a trainee photographer would sling the bag onto their back with the zips not fully shut (or in one case it had failed) and ended up throwing camera equipment everywhere. I once did this with a 70-200 2.8 L-series lens - which amazingly still worked fine once the smashed filter was removed. This, incidentally, is another good reason why rucksacks that open from the back panel are ultimately better.

I love the bright orange interior of the bag. It not only really helps in low light but acts as a visual reminder that the bag is open. I only wish that the Vanguard Skyborne 51 had bright or even better fluorescent toggles on the zips (they are nice big toggles though). I do a lot of photography at night and would love to see a manufacturer not only incorporate fluorescent toggles but why not a small LED light?

The mobile pouch on the shoulder strap is perfect for a lens cloth and the side hatch has a clever pocket built in that can be accessed from both inside (with the flap open) or from the outside (without having to open the flap). This is a great place to stash things you need quickly, such as CF cards.

The carry-handle on the top of the bag is well padded and feels strong, as do all the straps. If you need a bit more stability on a hike or if you are carrying a heavy tripod there are some extra shoulder straps and security straps. I rarely use these and leave them undone but clipping them together does make the bag feel more secure on your back.

Mobile Phone or Lens Cloth??

On the opposite side of the bag to the hatch is a strap and pocket combo that are perfect for my lightstands. I suspect that, unless you have exactly the same models as I have, yours may not fit but you could certainly use these straps for bungeeing anything to. A coat or a foldable chair would be a useful addition for a sports snapper.

Quality

Quality of finish on this bag is certainly up there with the competition. If feels as well made as Lowepro, Tamrac or Crumpler gear I have owned and in the last six months shows virtually no wear after being used at least 4 times a week. When I first got the bag I was concerned about the usual area that these rucksacks fail (the inside of the shoulder straps) as there isn't any visual reinforcing. Actually the strong stitching has not shifted a bit and looking underneath the straps, you can see where Vanguard have double-stitched to give strength. So I have no quality issues with the Vanguard Skyborne 51 at all. It's well made and takes all the punishment I throw at it.

How could it be improved?

I'm very happy with the bag although if pushed I would like to see:

1) An internal light and fluorescent toggles (don't want much!).

2) A couple of options for dividing up the large top compartment

3) A slightly larger side hatch for even better access

Conclusion

I had not heard much about Vanguard as a company before I got the Skyborne 51 bag. I must admit that if all their products are of similar quality then I will pay more attention. I'm impressed with its comfort and functionality in relation to its relatively small size (hand luggage friendly!)

The Vanguard Skyborne 51 is clearly aimed at the travel, outdoor type brigade but it works well for me as the top compartment allows anything to be put in it and the option of carrying a laptop. The bag offers comfort and ease of use and certainly should be considered by pros and amateurs.

I won't bore you with all the spec as you should just click through to Vanguard's website. They have some intresting products. http://www.vanguardworld.com/index.php/en/pv/products/photo-video/detail-1-1-214-650.html

A little Walkaround video from our Youtube channel

Want Cheap Wedding Photography?

(Doug Jackson Photography) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 03:38:00 GMT

As I'm sure you'll appreciate it is indeed tough time for many businesses and especially wedding photographers. The market is getting clogged with 'not great' quality photographers all under-cutting each other and leaving many couples with rather shoddy end results. As well as businesses going under there are more and more people setting up photography businesses on the back of the low cost of what people believe to be 'professional' camera gear.

I constantly get people requesting work experience. Surprisingly it is mainly people requesting payment too! This surprises me as there is such a obvious work flow for photography that is would be very easy to emulate styles and techniques and therefore working with a good photographer is an great way to learn. That is why so many photographers offer lessons.

I wouldn't consider paying anyone to assist me at a wedding or a commercial job as there are so many people willing to do it for free. I would not allow myself to not pay anyone for their time so I simply work alone.

Before I became freelance I never really thought about the value of (especially) wedding photography. You just kinda assume that the good people get the work and the poor ones don't but as you learn more you realise that a lots of frankly crap photographers are busy because they are cheap. So are the public happy with the results they receive from these suppliers? I suppose if you have no experience of wedding photography how would you benchmark your own wedding pictograph?

As in all business it is ultimately a Darwinian survival of the fittest which at least is simple and reassuring.

I do have to laugh at some of the member work from so called 'professional' bodies such as the MPA and the BIPP. They seem to hand out regional awards like sweeties for often questionable shots. I suppose you need to get something back for you £150 per year membership. Waste of money?

Godox Propac PB-820 battery pack review

(Doug Jackson Photography) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 14:14:00 GMT

Godox Propac PB-820 battery pack review

I'm getting quite used to buying random Chinese products from online shops or eBay and on first look these little devils seem to be better than some of my recent investments.

PB 820 Propac and box

Portable flash power packs were previously sold by just a few companies (such as Quantum) and although they are just batteries it always seemed to me that £300 was far too expensive for what must be a relatively straight forward product to manufacture. Nowadays many companies have picked up the gauntlet and offer, unquestionably, more value for money. These include Their latest multi-front assault on the portable flash market include the Phottix Battery Pack and various ebay specials.

Unboxing the Godox Propac pb-820

Although both the units I ordered came is austere black these are also available in lime green, ideal for Kawasaki riders and fans of citrus fruit!

Contents of the Godox Propac pb-820 pack

Functionally the battery packs do all and everything that is required of them. They feature an on/off switch and a charge level indicator. Connectivity is via a single DIN 45326 socket (compatible with Quantum Turbo cables) which doubles up as both the output and charging port. Although there are lugs on both sides, no strap is provided for the units, although there is a handy and sturdy belt clip.

Controls for the Godox Propac pb-820

Despite the Propac pb-820 featuring a 9.6V nickel metal hydride 2000 mAh battery the Propac is a mere 502 grams which iss pretty comparable with the Canon.... and the photix..... (150*104*44mm). The size makes them easy to slip under a jacket but they are a little big for an inside pocket. They boast a 320 shot charge which I would say must be at full power as I must have got a leat 400 shots out of mine before the charge light showed they were down to 25%. So pretty good really. Charge time for me has never been more that 2 hours.

Din socket that could do with a lock

Pretty smart aesthetics

I have used these on my belt for on camera flash work as well as on light stands for off camera stuff and always find them to work well.

With AA batteries alone, a Canon Speedlite 580 ex mk II takes about 4 seconds to recycle from a full power flash and with the Propac it is less than a second.

Godox Propac pb-820 with speedlite 580ex mark II

Godox Propac pb-820 with speedlite 580ex mark II on a trusty Canon 5d mark II

Godox Propac pb-820 with speedlite 580ex mark II on a trusty Canon 5d mark II...comparing with the Canon E4

Comparing Pixel TD-381 flashgun power pack to the PB-820.

Com pared to Canon CP-E4 (and Pixel TD-381 flashgun power pack for Canon Flashgun)equivalent Flash power pack) is around the same weight and actually refreshes at about the same rate as the PB-820.

Conclusion

Excellent little power packs and perfect for event photography and for the wedding photographer who doesn't want to miss a thing.These power pack do offer excellent value for money and if i had one complaint with it is this......

The din connector that joins the cable to the battery pack body occasionally lifts out as there is no lock on it and the push fit friction that secures the din is not enough.....that's my only beef.

Time will tell just how long they last.

Thanks for popping by....Doug

Speedlite Strobist Difussers

(Doug Jackson Photography) — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 09:42:00 GMT

Here is a quick comparison of various lighting diffusers. I recently bought a softbox umbrella and a 23cm softbox from ebay for a play. Even though I use studio kit for PR and Commercial work I also use alot of Canon Speedlite flashes and accessories. We will quickly cover bare-bulb flash, stofen diffuser, shoot-through umbrella, tiny softbox, and a softbox shoot through umbrella.

I thought I'd do a brief run down of the difference between the the various options although I have to keep the discussion brief as I'm told the attention span of the modern human is shorter than......hello?...hello? (pay attention!)

Firstly the softbox: Looks like this.......

Soft box comes on a case and folds down flattish

To assemble you Velcro in these two layers...
.inner quite close to flash!

Velcro secures softbox to flash

I don't this is going to work very well like this.
...maybe with a flash bracket

The Shoot through umbrella: Looks like this.....

It a white umbrella that the flash fires through

As well as the light coming forward you get quite a
lot of spill backwards too

Bare Flash.... duh!

Softbox umbrella / brolly .... A shoot though umbrella with a capped end!

Shoot through diffuser creates big light

Capped back stops bounce back spill and gives more power

The Results : on camera flash diffusers

On camera flash with stofen diffuser

On camera flash with 23cm Softbox

On camera with bare flash

Off Camera Results

Bare Flash = Hard shadows and small catchlights in the eyes (Catchlights are the reflections from the flash)

Shoot through umbrella: Nice big catchlights and an soft omni-lighting. It's a small light room so the spill out the
back of the umbrella throw the light about

Shoot Through softbox umbrella : Slightly harder shadows and a more 'directional' feel than the normal shoot
through umbrella.. just like a big round softbox...which essentially is what it is!

Small Soft box.. Small catchlights and a softened light compared to a bare bulb. It just shows that a small softbox does not do much

Conclusions

As I said before this is just a quick comparison and by no means a in-depth review. The main conclusion is actually don't bother with a small (23cm in this case) softbox for off camera flash work. If your a budding stobist your better off with a softbox umbrella. If your looking for a bigger softer more omni-directional flash then the open shoot through umbrella works great. It boosts the ambient by throwing light up and out around a small room and also give nice cathlights.

Hope I kept your attention.. :)
Cheers for popping by.
Doug

p.s. Thanks to the lovely Helen for my 5 minute model.

Specsavers Spectacle Wearer of the Year 2011

(Doug Jackson Photography) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 04:17:00 GMT

Specsavers Spectacle Wearer http://competition.specsavers.co.uk/of the year competition (North-East regional final) has come to Middlesbrough again and thankfully it was down to little old me to do the photography. The competition is basically to promote glasses wearers as the sexy people they are and enables the winner to have a years modelling contract with A year's modelling contract with top London agency MOT Models. The lucky winner also receives a two week premier, all-inclusive holiday for two in Barbados or St Lucia, courtesy of Almond Resorts and Virgin Holidays with £250 spending money, A makeover with celebrity hairdresser Andrew Barton, A fantastic goody bag, including hair products, courtesy of Andrew Barton Salons. A year's supply of skincare products from Simple and finally a Specsavers eyecare voucher worth £150.

But the most exciting thing ,of course, has to be having your photo taken by PR photographer Doug Jackson...surly??

I did a few shots in store of the competition taking place and the interviews with the various contestants but the shots I'm showing here are a few quick portraits of the winner Lauren Hutton from Doncaster. Unbelievably Lauren has never done any modelling before and I have to say she was very easy to work with and a deserving winner. Good luck to all contestants for the big final.

You can follow the competition with Specsavers Facebook page and why not try your hand at modelling and enter the Spectacle Wearer of the Year competition.

Lauren Hutton - Lighting info: One flash on either side of model zoomed into 105mm

Lauren Hutton - Lighting info: One flash on RHS of model 1/2 power zoomed into 105mm

Lauren Hutton - Lighting info: No flash!

Lauren Hutton - Lighting info: One flash on LHS of model 1/2 power zoomed into 105mm

Lauren Hutton - Lighting info: One flash on either side of model 1/2 power zoomed into 105mm

A Red Arrow pilot dies in Bournemouth Crash

(Doug Jackson Photography) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 10:37:00 GMT

A Red Arrow aeroplane has crashed in Dorset at the Bournemouth Air Festival.
The fire service confirmed they were called to an air crash at 13:50 BST near Bournemouth International Airport.

The Red Arrows in action at Whitby Regatta in 2007 - Photography by DOUG JACKSON

Eyewitnesses described seeing the plane plunge to the ground in a field near the River Stour at Throop village.

It was one of nine Red Arrows that had earlier taken part in a display over the seafront. No details are known about possible casualties.

Shaun Spencer-Perkins, who witnessed the crash from Throop Mill, said: "I heard a rushing sound and I saw a plane about 15m above the ground racing across the fields.

"It impacted and bounced across the field, made it across the river.

"Members of the public jumped into the water to search for the cockpit.

"We waved down the helicopter, I took off my son's orange jacket and my wife's red jumper to get the attention of the helicopter."

He said the plane had crashed about 100m from where he and his family were walking near the River Stour and debris was spread across a large area.
'Cracking sound'
Another eyewitness, Nicholas Gore, 22, from Throop, was walking with a friend near the river when saw all nine Red Arrows go over.

"There were quite a few people watching and we saw them go over but one seemed quite low," he said.

The Red Arrows in action at Whitby Regatta in 2007 - Photography by DOUG JACKSON

"They then disappeared behind trees and I heard a crack - not an explosion - just a crack and we got further down and I saw the plane with its red tail in the air and its nose in the river.

Red Arrows Hawk T1 Aircraft

Two-seater, single-engined advanced training aircraft
Length: 38ft 11in (11.8m)
Wingspan: 30ft 10in (9.5m)
Thrust: 5,200lbs
Max altitude: 48,000 ft (14,630 m)
Max speed: 638 mph (1,025 km/h) in level flight and 915 mph (1,472 km/h) in a dive
The Red Arrows are based at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire
Manufacturer: Hawker Siddeley/B A E Systems (United Kingdom)
Used by the Red Arrows since 1979.

"Shortly afterwards there were emergency services everywhere."

Mark Grogan was playing a round of golf at the nearby Parley Golf Centre, where he works, at the time of the crash.

He said: "I heard a sound like a car backfiring. Within five minutes the helicopters arrived, there were at least five helicopters including the police and two from the coastguard.

"One of the local farmers said they'd seen rescue teams pulling the pilot out of the river."

The Red Arrows in action at Whitby Regatta in 2007 - Photography by DOUG JACKSON

BBC South Today producer Martin Webster, who was at the scene, said he saw only eight of the nine Red Arrows RAF display team's aircraft land on the runway following the display at the annual event.

Darren Blakeman, who was watching the display, described what he saw: "We watched nine Red Arrows take off, then they did an approach from the south of the runway, they did a little display.

The Red Arrows in action at Whitby Regatta in 2007 - Photography by DOUG JACKSON

"After that display only eight of the airplanes landed and then there was a big siren went off at the airport, like an emergency sound, and there was a big yellow fire truck parked in the viewing area and then that rushed off with its blue lights
----------------------------------------------------------------
Full bbc report here : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-14602900 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-14602900

Breaking
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
A RED Arrows pilot has died after his plane crashed minutes after thrilling crowds in a display at Bournemouth Air Festival.
He has been named as 33-year-old Jon Egging, who joined the team this year as Red Four.
The former Southampton University student, who had supported troops in Afghanistan, was married to Emma and lived in Rutland.
His plane came down on a riverbank at Throop as the aerobatic display team headed back to Bournemouth Airport.

--------------------------

So sad. Condolences to fiends and family....a sad day.

Review of Lowepro Vertex 300AW

(Doug Jackson Photography) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:27:00 GMT

Long term test of Lowepro's Vertex 300 AW backpack

It's a huge beast of a bag and seems perfect for the working commercial and freelance photographer but it all that! Read the review...

The Review... Living with the beast

Long term test of Lowepro's Vertex 300 AW backpack by

DOUG JACKSON PHOTOGRAPHY

The Vertex 300 AW is a backpack made by the well respected firm Lowepro. I have used many different Lowepro products over the years, both backpack and shoulder bags and have always found the quality of manufacture and materials to be great.

If you carry as much gear around as I do, there are not many options when it comes to choosing a new camera bag. Realistically when you're loaded down with two camera bodies, five lenses, three flashes, battery packs, light-stands, wireless flash triggers, an additional laptop and a tripod, you're looking at nearly 50kg worth of weight. This inevitably means using a backpack, as there's no other way to comfortably carry that sort of weight over any distance.

Features
The Lowepro Vertex 300 AW comprises of two main compartments and two small outer pockets. The first large compartment is for your camera equipment and is partitioned by adjustable soft dividers, meaning you can customise the space to fit whatever equipment you have. Crucially the depth of the main camera compartment accommodates large pro SLR cameras such as the Canon EOS 1D MK IV and all other SLR cameras with battery grips. The next smaller compartment is built inside the backpack's lid and is big enough to carry a large laptop along with other accessories such as cables and small diffusers. On the inside face of the lid there are various pockets including a large soft pocket in the centre. This was specifically designed in mind of multimedia devices although trying to close the lid with anything too thick in here is a bit of a squeeze. Mine has become a graveyard for spent AA rechargeable batteries.

The two outer pockets are big enough to store filters, memory cards and any number of trinkets, although it is worth bearing in mind that out of all the pockets these are the most vulnerable to prolonged rain. Speaking of which, if you were to be walking any distance in a heavy downpour, Lowepro have included their seam-sealed all-weather cover. This is conveniently stashed away in the bag's base, and I've used this a couple of times when photographing wet football matches or when working in dusty conditions. In addition to these features, the zips on the two main compartments are water resistant, which helps seal your gear in safely.

So in terms of capacity, the Lowepro Vertex 300 AW ticks the boxes but in addition to this, the backpack also features plenty of mounting points on the outside. Lowepro's adjustable Glide-Lock system is used on the back and sides of the backpack, meaning you could effectively carry three tripods! Being of sound mind however, I prefer to carry two small light stands which leaves the outer lid area free for a tripod.

Other features of note are a zip-on cover, also stored in the backpack's base, which covers all the harness area. If you were just using the backpack as a storage bag it stops the straps getting tangled up in everything. This certainly makes the bag easier to handle in airports and when travelling generally.

It's also worth noting that if you have to carry more gear with you and need some extra space (I think at this point I'd be looking for a bag on wheels!), Lowepro offers the usual pouches and accessories that can be strapped on to the shoulder straps, the waist strap or the backpack itself.

Handling
In my experience of camera bags, there is always a trade off between convenience and comfort. Carrying your gear in a backpack is undoubtedly comfy, but every time you need to get your camera out or change your gear around you have to put the bag down on the floor and open it. If you're on muddy ground it inevitably means that the harness, base and possibly the lid of the bag is going to get dirty. Another drawback when it's raining or you're in a public place, is that it's difficult to get any gear out of the backpack without fully opening it, potentially exposing your gear to rain and unwelcome attention. This backpack doesn't manage to escape any of these inherent problems. A shoulder bag is obviously more convenient and provides quicker access to gear, but would you want to walk any distance across the North Yorkshire Moors with 50KG hanging off one shoulder?

One of the problems with using the Lowepro Vertex 300AW is its sheer size and there has been a few occasions when on a press assignments I've just taken what I need and left the rest in the car. On the flip side if I was shooting a feature it's great to be able to take all your gear in one trip.

Performance
The Lowepro Vertex 300 AW certainly sits comfortably on the back with the harness offering plenty of adjustability for different sizes and shapes. It is adjustable in girth, shape and also has a chest strap which helps to minimise shoulder ache. Once you've adjusted the straps to suit your shape it feels very secure on your back and the mesh material breathes reasonably well. The padded waist belt with its large buckle means that there is no danger of the weight twisting on your back if you're bending down.

The Lowepro Vertex 300 AW certainly stands up to all weather conditions. Unless you go for an impromptu swim, you could keep your photography equipment dry and clean in the worst conditions. The padding around the camera gear is definitely enough to do the job in the event of a fall, and the structure of the backpack seems very strong. The handles and zip toggles are strong and chunky, and the internal zips inside the lid park in clever tabs when closed so they don't rub on your precious camera equipment.

When I first got the bag I found the water-resistant zips to be very stiff although these have freed up with use. Talking of zips, I have found that the zips for the laptop area and the main compartment often end up next to each other, which means I often open the wrong bit. Now that may be down to me not being the sharpest tool in the shed, but I'm sure it can't be a lot to ask that Lowepro fit different colour or shaped toggles to these adjacent areas. I often shoot in extremely low light and have wondered why camera companies haven't taken a leaf out of the tent manufacturers book and fitted fluorescent toggles.

Verdict and Ratings
I think it's fair to say that anyone who buys a camera bag of this size is wanting to carry a lot of photographic equipment. The Lowepro Vertex 300 AW certainly makes this very easy. The two exterior pockets mean that you can quickly access certain items quickly, such as CF cards and leads, but where it suffers, like all backpacks of this type, is the hassle of getting your gear out quickly and easily without laying the whole bag down and unzipping the whole lid.

It's interesting to see what Lowepro have done with their SlingShot range of bag that allows you to unhook one shoulder, swing the back round and open up a hatch on the side. It may be possible to redesign a bag of this size to incorporate a feature like that; it certainly would be handy.

So before you buy this bag, you should ask yourself if you're the kind of photographer who moves from location to location doing quick shoots. If so then I wouldn't recommend this backpack. You may want to consider a shoulder bag or one of Lowepro's smaller bags from their SlingShot range.

If you take all your gear to one place, get set up and then work, it's hard to beat for its capacity to hold so much within a robust shell and also for the option to attach stands and a tripod on the outside using the clever Glide-Lock system.

Overall I would say that Lowepro have produced another capable product and bearing in mind you could potentially fill it with over £10,000 worth of well protected equipment, it's pretty good value for money too.

Pros:
+ Good build quality
+ Storage for laptop plus loads of accessories
+ Weather proof
+ Light stand and tripod mounts on outside

Cons
- Heavy and large (it's nearly 4kg empty!)
- No quick access to camera gear

Ratings
Features 8/10
Handling 7/10
Performane 8/10
Value 9/10
Overall 8/10

Specifications:

Capacity: 1-2 Pro digital SLRs, large 35mm or medium format system, 6-8 lenses (up to a 400mm f/2.8), tripod or monopod, flash and digital accessories.

Size(Interior):
12.2W X 6.5D X 20.5H in./
31 X 16.5 X 52 cm

Size(Exterior):
13W X 10.2D X 21.7H in./
33 X 26 X 55 cm

Laptop Compartment Inner Dimensions:
11.8W X 2D X 19.7H in./
30 X 5 X 50 cm

Weight (empty):
8.16lbs/3.7kg

for more info please visit

DOUG JACKSON PHOTOGRAPHY

Women on England Protect Your Homes

(Doug Jackson Photography) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 02:25:00 GMT

Surly by the time everyone has new TV's the rioting will naturally stop.....It a PR campaign in the making

Mini Review of Cewe Photo Book with lay flat page

(Doug Jackson Photography) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 13:53:00 GMT

http://northeastweddingphotographer.blogspot.com/2011/08/mini-review-cewe-photo-paper-photobook.html

Ultimate DIY wedding album?
Or for showing a portfolio to a commercial client.

News of the World to close

(Doug Jackson Photography) — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 17:50:00 GMT

I have to say that as an ex full time and paid up (but not much) journalist I am saddened by the closure of the News of the World. Assuming it is not a cynical shut and re brand/rebound then some very good and dedicated journalist types will be out of a much needed job.
For me the saddest part is that its another nail in the coffin for the UK's respect for it's excellent journalism. The much maligned but undoubtedly effective BBC is having a tough time and the PCC struggles on to withhold 'standards' but what is the future if uncertain.

I hope that people remember that the national newspapers make up a tiny fraction of the actual journalism that happens in this country. The majority is actually local newspapers doing excellent work such as the Whitby Gazette and Northern Echo.

Sad times. As always the media creates its own myths and villains.

This post was written on a blackberry at 2am on a campsite in Islay. I may have had a whisky or two but you can be damn sure the poor staff of The News of the World need those sweet drams more than me

New Leica model

(Doug Jackson Photography) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:08:00 GMT

Leica announces the Leica M9-P: An expensive toy!

Designed particularly for professional photographers((????)) , new ultra-discreet version of
the Leica M9 added to Leica rangefinder portfolio

Leica today presents a new version of the world's smallest, full-frame digital system camera: the Leica M9-P. This new model will sit alongside the Leica M9 in the company's rangefinder portfolio, providing an alternative, even more discreet and resilient design that further reinforces the quintessential nature of the M9 – and particularly meets the needs of professional photographers. The new model will be available in a classic silver chrome or subtle black paint finish.
Offering the same technical specifications as the highly successfully Leica M9, the M9-P combines all the benefits of the original: compact size, full-frame, 18 megapixel 24 x 36mm sensor (35mm format), sophisticated image processing and robust construction, with features designed for the professional user or photographers who prefer a pure, even more unobtrusive styling.
The Leica M9-P includes a scratch-resistant, sapphire crystal covering on the LCD screen. This material is so tough that the screen can only be produced using special diamond cutting tools and is one of the world's hardest materials. As a result, the sapphire glass LCD cover is extremely resistant to wear and almost unbreakable, meaning many years of reliable use. In addition, thanks to an anti-reflective coating on both sides of the cover, reviewing images on the display during composition and after capture is further improved, particularly in unfavourable lighting conditions.
The external covering of the body of the M9-P, finished in vulcanite leatherette, features a more coarsely textured finish that ensures a steady grip when shooting, making the M9-P feel particularly safe and secure in the hand.
A further understated feature of the Leica M9-P is its minimalist styling, which is focused on the most essential features. Many professional photographers using Leica cameras have been known to tape over the Leica 'red dot' logo to make their equipment as inconspicuous and discreet as possible. For this reason, the Leica red dot logo and the M9 lettering on the front have been omitted. Instead, the top plate is engraved with the Leica name in classic script form.
Since 1954, the Leica M system has represented an unmistakable, individual kind of photography and a very conscious photographic style. With a Leica M, the photographer becomes a 'part of the action' in the process of capturing challenging, authentic and creative images.
The rangefinder frames precisely the shot the photographer envisages, while allowing a clear view of the scene outside the viewfinder frame. This allows the photographer to predict the decisive moment and capture it discreetly and reliably at the right moment – in all fields of photography, from photojournalism, reportage and 'available light' to the capture of portraits and aesthetic, fine-art images.
Another significant advantage for unobtrusive photography is the almost silent shutter, a feature of both the M9 and M9-P. Moreover, when longer exposure times requiring an extremely steady camera stance are essential, only a slight pressure on the shutter release button in 'soft release' mode is required. Photographers can also select the most appropriate moment for re-cocking the shutter.
The functions of the Leica M are consistently constructed for extreme durability and a long working life. The highest quality materials, intricate manufacturing processes and meticulous manual assembly at Leica's facility in Germany guarantee functional reliability for years to come.
In line with Leica's commitment to system compatibility, almost all Leica M lenses built since 1954 can be used with the M9 and M9-P – an important factor in the enduring value of the M series. The 18 megapixel image sensor, specifically designed and developed for the M9, enables capture of the full 35mm film format without any compromise. All M lenses mounted on the M9 and M9-P therefore offer the same focal length as originally intended, and the enormous potential performance of the extensive M lens portfolio, with focal lengths from 16 to 135mm, can be fully exploited by both cameras.

Pricing and availability in the UK

The Leica M9-P (available in black paint or silver chrome) is scheduled to be available in the UK from June
2011 from authorised Leica dealers including the Leica Store Mayfair: www.leica-storemayfair.co.uk, tel:
020 7629 1351. A full list of authorised UK Leica dealers is available at www.leica-camera.co.uk. The UK
suggested retail price of the Leica M9-P is £5,395 including VAT.

Pricing and availability in the USA

The MSRP for the M9-P will be $7,995.00.
The Leica M9-P comes with a two-year warranty and a one-year Leica UK 'Passport' (complimentary
accidental damage cover), both of which commence from date of purchase. UK customers are also
welcome to visit the Leica Store and Akademie in Mayfair, London, for a complimentary training workshop
on the features of the camera. Technical support by telephone is available via Leica's London-based Client
Care department.

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