Cameron in training, running on the track, at Gateshead College Academy for Sport
Great Britain Runner, Cameron Ross Boyek, poses for a photograph in his GB team kit
Cameron with his medal from the 2017 European Cross Country Championships, which was held in Šamorín, Slovakia
Cameron doing pre-running stretching excercises
Great Britain Runner, Cameron Ross Boyek, lit by dramatic light at Gateshead College Academy for Sport, in his GB team kit
Cameron preparing for training at Gateshead College Academy for Sport
Cameron in training, running on the track, at Gateshead College Academy for Sport
This is my editorial photography update from a few months back. This time I was commissioned to photograph GB runner Cameron Ross Boyek, from Durham, for Tesco T magazine (Tesco T is an in house print publication for Tesco colleagues).
It never ceases to amaze me how so many organisations have such polished print publications. I started my career working for daily newspapers, then onto national newspapers and magazines, and it was always nice to see photographs used well and in print. With the newspaper industry not as it was, it seems business publications have started to take over, realising the value of quality photography and articles for their staff and customers.
This shoot was to be held at Gateshead International Stadium. As with many shoots, it didn’t quite go to plan, when I arrived the road was covered in ice and snow, and there was thick snow on the track where we were to get our training photographs. Fortunately, a quick enquiry by Ross, and Gateshead College Academy for Sport next helped us out by providing their fantastic indoor running track and facilities for the photo shoot.
Thanks to Cameron, who was very accommodating on the shoot, repeating numerous running drills so I could capture motion, fettle with the lighting, and generally make sure the photo shoot went well; capturing the best photography for the publication/photo-brief.
Cineworld at White Rose Shopping Centre, Leeds, unveiling the revolutionary new ScreenX (a 270 degree cinema screen – giving viewers a more immersive cinema experience)
Screen X branding at Cinewold Leeds
Dramatic neon lighting at Cinewolrd Leeds
Viewers watching the new ScreenX at Cineworld Leeds
Visitors to Cineworld cinema Leeds
A little update, with some photography for Cineworld here in the UK, at the unveiling of their new Screen X at White Rose Shopping Centre, Leeds.
I was asked by Cineworld to photograph their launch back in September.
Screen X is a Korean technology designed to give a more immersive cinema experience. It uses 5 projectors, with moving images projected onto the side walls of the cinema. This is designed to include your peripheral vision in the viewing experience.
It was not without its challenges to photograph, as the screen is pretty wide, and cinemas are quite atmospherically lit. It was also, a rare chance for using my tripod on a shoot… because I’m usually too busy with different ideas to be bogged down with that bloody nonsense.
I think it turned out pretty well. The people in the photograph could photograph some of the experience for their followers on social media, press and other media outlets.
Page 1 of the Teachers’ Guide – Museum Photography (and other Visitors Attractions)
Museum Photography at Eureka! The National Children’s Museum. The museum has always been a superb place to photograph. It is based in Halifax, West Yorkshire. The museum was set up over 25 years ago and continues to inspire and educate kids to this day.
From 8th July 2017 to 15th April 2018 the museum has hosted a touring exhibition called digiPlaceSpace. It is an immersive art experience for kids (and adults too). In my less than eloquent tone: it’s a place for kids to learn and play with creative technology, to inspire and educate.
The touring exhibition is packed full of interactive digital art, created by artists from around the globe. It was originally put together by Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), Canada, 2012
The exhibition is wonderful to photograph. Though not without its challenges. Capturing the effect of dramatic lighting (and fast-moving kids) can be a technical challenge (a pretty tricky combination for commercial/reportage-type photography).
I’m often called in for my museum photography (as well as for other visitor attractions). The way images are used is often pretty diverse. Photo uses range from social media, to printed literature and websites (including this Teachers’ Guide).
With this sort of photography, an experienced photographer is a must. For the sake of quality and reproducibility. I’ll be the first to say that anyone can take a good photograph. But. To do that time and time again. In a way that creates high quality and versatile imagery. Within a limited timeframe. It all takes expertise.
If I remember correctly. The images above (and below) were all shot in a day…. there were hundreds/if not thousands of images to go through. Almost two hundred images delivered afterwards, with hours of post-production editing time.
It was a tiring day, mixed with carting around lighting to ‘lift’ some of the images for print to arranging ‘set-ups’ so the exhibits can photographed whilst the kids play in as natural and relaxed way as possible. Plus, I had to fold my 6’9″ frame into a lot of tricky corners to try to photograph the kids, mostly without them noticing too much. To avoid giving them the chance for fixed cheesy grins/grimaces!
Page 2 of the Teachers’ Guide – Museum Photography (and other Visitors Attractions)
Page 3 of the Teachers’ Guide – Museum Photography (and other Visitors Attractions)
Page 9 of the Teachers’ Guide – Museum Photography (and other Visitors Attractions)
Page 8 of the Teachers’ Guide – Museum Photography (and other Visitors Attractions)
Soon, Eureka is looking to open another museum on the Mersey waterfront, in the Wirral (Liverpool City Region).
Country Life – Country Houses Foundation article by John Goodall – Photos of Jake Duncombe by Nelson Gate, the Ionic Temple and Tuscan Temple at Duncombe Park, North Yorkshire
Country Life – Country Houses Foundation article by John Goodall/Photos by Jonathan Pow – Featuring Lucinda and Richard Compton at the orangery, Newby Hall, North Yorkshire and Claire Birch with the tapestry restoration at Doddington Hall, Lincolnshire
Editorial feature for Country Life magazine on the Country Houses Foundation (written by John Goodall/photography by Jonathan Pow).
Featuring
Jake Duncombe of Duncombe Park, North Yorkshire (with Nelson Gate, the Ionic Temple and Tuscan Temple.
Lucinda and Richard Compton at the orangery, Newby Hall, North Yorkshire
and
Claire birch with the tapestry restoration in progress at Doddington Hall, Lincolnshire
The shoot
This was an interesting magazine shoot, for Country Life, involving travelling to various country houses. Photographing the amazing restoration work done with the help of the Country Hoses Foundation. The aim of the organisation is to give grants for the preservation of historic buildings and their grounds. The organisation has given more than £9 million to help restore and preserve more than 170 buildings. This money has gone to private owners, councils and the National Trust and Landmark Trust.
The stone work on the Tuscan Temple at Duncombe Park was incredible, restoring huge structural pillars using traditional techniques (and if I remember correctly, only two men). The sarking and metal rafters at in the 1770s Robert Adam Orangery were beautiful (with the woodwork looking very warm under the spotlights). And the tapestry work at Doddington Hall was immensely painstaking, and, as a bonus, can be seen first-hand by visitors to the hall.
Photo business post, warning – no pretty pictures, just time-saving geekery and Google Apps Scripts…
Cats – famously hate paperwork
I like to think of myself as a creative person. Good at creativity, shite at paperwork (are they innately linked?). Unfortunately, being a freelance photographer (the operative word being freelance), paperwork is sadly necessary to run a business.
At least sometimes… because I like to find anything that helps me cheat.
One little cheat I have found recently is more helps when saving email expenses and invoices (nope, not exciting, but bloody useful).
In the past I have used to save invoices as PDFs and emailed to a company called ExpenseMagic (now they’re https://expentory.com), where they’d automagically enter it up to my FreeAgent accounting software. Once I got through the bulk I found I could drop ExpenseMagic and simply save my invoices to a Google Drive folder and enter them up using Freeagent (http://fre.ag/430sdjdw – that’s a referral link, which would be bloody good if you used, because both you and I get a 10% discount out of it!).
This all went to shit when I dropped my phone in the sea. On my last phone I could easily save PDFs and the new one can’t do that easily (basically because Apple don’t like PDFs much, so think we should all have a similar disdain for them).
As a result of the phone/sea incident my backlog has reached epic proportions. With doing up our house, investing in some new gear and lots of other crap my email is (or was) full to the brim with invoices and receipts. Which is a pain in the arse to say the least.
I’ve just bought the ‘premium version’ and overnight it has saved masses of emails as PDFs to my Google Drive! Bloody useful and a great time saver. Especially now I won’t have to load and ‘print to PDF’ and download hundreds of emails and attachments.
Setup (I’ve skipped some of the setup, look at the Labnol link above for that) – confusingly it creates a Google Sheets file (confusing for those who haven’t seen them before, but this is essentially the backbone of Gmail scripts, when you install to your Gmail make sure you bookmark the sheet to get access to the settings easily later):
Screen shot of my ‘Save Emails and Attachments’ settings
Once the script is installed I created a folder on my Google drive called ‘SAVE EMAILS & ATTACHMENTS‘, it’s a bit of a processing folder, where I can files to other folders for my accounts.
On the Gmail side, I label (this is a built-in Gmail function, the shortcut key is ‘L’, then start typing the label name and hit return when it is selected) emails I’d like converted, then every hour (or manually) they’re saved (along with their attachments) to the above folder.
The label I use is ‘Save Emails and Attachments‘
Once the emails and attached PDF files are saved to Google Drive, the emails are automatically labeled ‘Saved’ in Gmail, this prevents further processing whilst also allowing them to be easily deleted in bulk from Gmail (once you’ve checked they’ve actually been saved).
My inbox is clearer, as too is my mind, and they’re ready to be entered up to my accounts (which is still a bind – does anyone want to help?). Also, you can label them from the Gmail app on the iPhone or Android (which is useful for people like me, who like to work when they’re on the go and have nothing better to do), and they’re processed every hour.
Also check out FreeAgent http://fre.ag/430sdjdw (opens in new tab – link gives a 10% discount code for you and me!) it’s accounting software designed for people who hate accounting software, and I’ll be honest, if I can use it, anyone can (plus you can file VAT returns and accounts in the UK, directly from the software).
(One thing I’d like, if you’re listening Amit(?), is the ability to rename files with the format ‘YYYYMMDD – Subject (Sender)’. I’m not a bit fan of sub folders and this would mean I could process all the files in one place (the current filenames are coming out a bit wordy).
Weather – Ducks struggling on an ice covered pond in Ferrensby (near Knaresborough), North Yorkshire
Photograph of Ducks on Icy Pond in The Times
It’s been some time since a photographer’s update. The reason: My wife and I bought a house. And, in between photographic commissions, pulling our new money pit apart and trying to put it back together again there hasn’t been much time for updates.
Probably something many are cursed with, you don’t realise how much can possibly need doing in a house until you get one of your own. Then one day you sit, listening to the late great David Bowie, surrounded by insulation boards, flooring, tiles and tools you’ve never heard of before, and think: “Shit, there’s a lot to do!”.
Working mainly on photographic commissions of late, a celebratory image (which admittedly, is photographed quite close to us!) of ducks dancing on ice in The Times (of London, don’t you know) today. It’s the first thing I’ve shot for the papers since moving back to Yorkshire (actually it might not be, but it is cute, so for the sake of argument, it is).
Welcome to 2016, belated Happy New Year, Merry Christmas and anything else I may have forgotten. If anyone wants to give me an excuse to get out the hell of DIY, bloody go for it!
Jack Allsop (overall winner) with ‘Cooked It’ in disbelief at the speed of his hen
World Hen Racing Championship 2015, held at the Barley Mow, Bonsall, Derbyshire
Andy Botham and daughter Jess Botham (18) with their two hens. Andy’s hen ‘Save our NHS’ is a previous world record holder
Jess Botham (18 – right) with her hen ‘Save our NHS’ on the starting line
Tensions run high, and any hen starting a fight will lead to a disqualification – Gandalf the hen (right) has a history of violence (seen attacking the Colonel)
Charlotte Gibson (14 – centre) shouts encouragement to her hen Blossom
Hen Starter Kits being sold for 50 pence each
The tradition dates back more than 100 years
Anyone who knows me will know I’ve got a bit of a fondness for the weird and wonderful and this weekend’s event photography and filming was no exception.
Along with my wife Pooja (she was drafted in to help with some of the camera work, and did a sterling job) we went to the World Hen Racing Championships 2015.
This year I went with the aim of photographing it for the national picture desks, but also to create a short film with some of the wonderful/colourful characters at the event.
The event was held at the Barley Mow pub, in a lovely Derbyshire village called Bonsall, and is organised by landlord and landlady, David Wragg and Colette Dewhurst.
The winner, with World Record beating (no pun intended) time of 3.8 seconds, was ‘Cooked It’ owned by Jack Allsop-Smith. Needless to say the hen has won the chance not to be cooked, and will (hopefully) remain a family pet! Jack and his grandfather couldn’t share the training involved to achieve the hen’s rapid speed, attributing it to an Allsop family secret.
It was a great event to film and photograph. Truly a great British spectacle, and fortunately one of man we’re blessed with in the UK. Where else in the world do you get hens ‘plucked’ to the post in an action packed race?
You can read all about it in today’s Times (03/08/2015) and today’s Daily Telegraph.
The copy was written up by Mark Branagan, a reporter I’ve worked with for a number of years, for the national papers on Sunday.
The final short film will be put out through an agency I work very closely with these days, Barcroft Media. So time will tell where that ends up!
ORDER PRINTS
If you’ve come here for prints prints from the event, they’re available through website, you can find them here: https://jonathanpow.com/1u7l
ORDER A PHOTOGRAPHY (i.e.) PHOTOGRAPHIC COMMISSIONS)
As ever, if you know of any quirky events coming up, drop me an email jp@jonathanpow.com. Also, believe it or not, this is my job (a bizarre job isn’t it?). If you’d like to commission event photography (I work for many charities and organisations on a number of different projects), give me a call on 07901 617571.
I’m currently based in Manchester, but have car, will and do travel. (Soon to be moving back to Yorkshire!)
Food photography, especially editorial food photography, is not without it’s challenges. The hunger, the focus, making sure you’re always ready to photograph something before it melts. No props were used in this photography, it’s as life presented it, no fake ice cream or treated salmon, just good wholesome food.
Creative careers are often built on natural talent. Those of us that are good with words write. If you can create the right strokes with a paintbrush, you might become an artist. And if you can take a selection of humble ingredients and transform them into something sublime, chances are you belong in a professional kitchen. Head Chef of Northcote, Lisa Allen, married this raw talent with drive and serious determination to secure her place as one of the UK’s leading chefs.
“At school I always enjoyed the more practical subjects like woodwork, art and cookery. Food gave me a real lease of life, as it was something that I not only loved but I was good at it. I found I could really express myself through food, which gave me a burning desire to see how far I could go with it – I’m a very determined person,” Allen says.
Whilst studying catering at Lancaster and Morecambe College, Allen sought out work experience in high-end and Michelin-starred restaurants in order to develop her potential. “Whilst I was at college, I did a lot of work experience at the Michelin-starred Holbeck Ghyll and I also spent some time at Sharrow Bay. At that point I was trying to get as much work experience as I could in order to enhance my prospects.”
“Food gave me a real lease of life, as it was something that I not only loved but was good at”
The time Allen spent at these restaurants ignited her passion for fine dining. “I really latched onto the idea of working with food in that way. It gave me an inside burning and a drive that I couldn’t ignore.”
Allen’s experience then led her to work at the now two Michelin star Le Champignon Sauvage, where she stepped into the role of Commis Chef when she finished college. “It was an incredible place to learn as David Everitt-Matthias (owner of Le Champignon Sauvage) is so passionate and he has this incredible ethos around food. I learned so much about food here and it was a real turning point for me as I could see the journey you could take food on,” Allen says.
After working under David for a year and a half, Allen moved back to the Lancashire area and took up the position of Demi Chef de Partie at the Michelin-starred Northcote, which is owned and managed by Chef Patron Nigel Haworth and Director of Wines Craig Bancroft. At Northcote, Allen’s career progressed rapidly: “Nigel and Craig have such a great ethos around food. They have always been very encouraging of me as a chef, and helped me to get to where I am today.”
In fact, Allen’s talents were so well encouraged that within two years of working at Northcote she was promoted to Head Chef. She was just 23 years old. “I’m a really driven person and Nigel and Craig have always given me something to drive towards. They’ve built up an incredible business here and it’s been great to be part of that for the past 13 years. It’s helped me to grow as a person: learning how to develop and teach people and progress my skills. It’s what’s kept driving me forward.”
“Nigel and Craig have such a great ethos around food. They have always been very encouraging of me as a chef, and helped me to get to where I am today”
The Nothcote prides itself on its commitment to using local produce, which as Allen points out, makes a huge difference to a dish: “There is nothing better than using food that is in season. If you get something that is ripe and in season, it’s at its best, and so ultimately you will be able to create better dishes with it.
“With the seasons, the flavours change. So they are much heartier in the winter and much lighter in the summer. Whether it’s cold outside or light outside, all of these things should influence your dishes. It’s one of the most creative things about being a chef, using your knowledge of classical flavours and putting a twist on them.”
The idea of using locally sourced, seasonal produce at Northcote is sacrosanct: “We have built up a fantastic relationship with suppliers across the area. What some family-run local businesses are producing is very dynamic and some of the things that they grow and produce are fantastic.
“When you’re cooking, it’s not just about one individual person, but it’s about the team of people around you and then, ultimately, it’s about the suppliers that produce the elements you need to create an incredible plate of food. If they didn’t do it to their best potential to get you some fantastic ingredients, then you couldn’t cook Michelin-standard plates of food, so it’s really important. And the better you get to know a supplier, the stronger the relationship becomes and you can ask them to grow something in a different soil or hang meat a bit longer. A lot of different things become available to you when you build up a network of reliable suppliers,” says Allen.
The standard of Allen’s food has seen her win a whole host of awards across her career, and cook for the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall following her triumph in the BBC’s Great British Menu in 2010. With so many awards under her belt, how does she maintain that standard year in, year out?
“It’s all about doing things to your best potential and staying driven and focused. You need to believe in what you are doing, keep pushing the boundaries, keep learning, keep changing and keep sharing your knowledge with other people. And you need to evolve – that’s what keeps you motivated.”
The drinks
Masons Dry Yorkshire Gin
Traditionally distilled using the London dry gin method in a small copper alembic still, Masons Dry Yorkshire Gin uses Harrogate spring water and juniper from the distillery’s own juniper bushes. Combined with citrus elements and secret botanicals, this 42% ABV gin has a distinct and unique flavour.
Bowland Brewery’s Sky Dancer
Bowland Brewery’s Sky Dancer is named after a local mating ritual whereby the rare male hen harriers, found in the Forest of Bowland, dance in the sky. Sky Dancer is a 4.5% ABV refreshing golden ale, which pours pale orange in colour and has soft citrus and peach flavours.
Rudgate York Chocolate Stout
Brewed in the Vale of York with a 5% ABV, Rudgate’s York Chocolate Stout is a rich, full-bodied premium stout, which pours a dark ebony colour. It is a balance of complex flavours and has a warm, subtle chocolate finish.
For starters
Dandelion and Burdock lollipops
Allen boils Dandelion and Burdock cordial with lime juice, water and Masons Dry Yorkshire Gin. She then pours the mixture into moulds and places in the freezer. When they are semi-frozen, she inserts the lollipop sticks. Once they are completely frozen, Allen rolls the lollipops in crushed dandelion and burdock sweets and non-dissolving icing sugar. Allen recommends enjoying the lollipops with a Gin and Tonic.
The main course
Barbeque ‘beer can’ chicken with winter slaw and loaded potato skin
Allen marinates a chicken in mustard powder, muscovado sugar, malt extract, chilli powder, salt and Bowland Brewery’s Sky Dancer golden ale for 24 hours. After that time, she pours more of the ale into a beer can holder, places the chicken on top and roasts in the oven for around 40 minutes. Meanwhile to make the loaded potato skin, Allen roasts a potato in the oven, before scooping out the inside, coating the skin in butter and placing it back in the oven to crisp up. Whilst the skin is in the oven, Allen adds butter, milk, crème fraiche, chives and salt to the potato filling and mixes well. This is then spooned into the crispy skin, to be served alongside the chicken. Allen also serves a slaw with the dish, which comprises sliced carrot, onion, white cabbage and red cabbage. The dressing Allen uses for the slaw is a mix of mayonnaise, crème fraiche, French mustard, chives and salt. To serve, Allen plates up the chicken with some slaw and garnishes with pomegranate seeds and watercress. To wash all of this down, Allen suggests a light ale.
After peeling wax-tip pears, Allen hollows out the bulbous part and poaches the pears for 15 minutes in Rudgate’s York Chocolate Stout, cloves, bay leaf, juniper berries, cinnamon, orange peel, orange juice and soft brown sugar. To accompany the pears, Allen makes a chocolate mousse, which is piped into the hollow pear just before serving. She also makes a stout ice cream, using the same stout, which she serves alongside the pears and the mousse, and tops with honeycomb.
If you need a food photographer, with an eye for editorial, please get in touch. My email is jp@jonathanpow.com & mobile is 07901 617571
