Saturday 30 June 2012

The day the Olympic torch came to Rochdale

Saturday 23rd June 2012. A very special day for Rochdale...
The Olympic torch came through the town and provided the opportunity for a much-needed day of excitement and togetherness for the people of the town.
With a market, record-breaking hula hoop attempt, climbing wall, classic sports cars, tug-of-war contests and other exhibitions and stalls, there was plenty to do in the build-up to 2:30pm when the torch arrived and passed in front of the famous, and beautiful, town hall.
After rain showers leading up to the torch arriving, the sun came out and shone for the important part of the day, what a blessing.
The classic car, the Rochdale Olympic:


Brought back some memories...




The Mayor was there!
The official press photographers were very busy:
The peregrine falcons were flying around the town hall tower. Here's one just taking off from the pinnacle of the Town Hall.
The police were watching over proceedings in a very professional, and friendly way.

Then the procession arrived...







Rochdale's answer to CHIPs:

Two icons in one picture:


As quick as a flash it was gone again, on to the next stop.






Thursday 28 June 2012

RAC Torches - commercial photography

This week I have been photographing torches for the packaging on RAC torches. They are some of the brightest torches I have seen for their size. Working to a specific brief, I had to get the reflections right, the angles right, and the torches had to be lit while taking the pictures.
An interesting little job.
Just another of the varied commercial photography jobs I get to do.

Tags: commercial photography rochdale, website photos, photography manchester.

The changing face of Rochdale

I have often regretted not taking photos to record people and places, especially when they change and the memory is easily forgotten.
With that in mind, and with the major changes taking place in my home town of Rochdale, I decided to make sure I start to take pictures of some of the places that are changing so I can look back and remember what the town looked like.
One of my favourite old photos of the town is of the seven blocks of flats being built, taken from College Bank, and I do like looking back at how the town used to be, and realised that this is the time I need to be making sure I can look back in ten, twenty, thirty years (or more) and remember how it was now.
One of the most iconic (and, unfortunately, disliked) buildings has been the bus station/car park/black box office building, which is now being replaced with the new council offices, just across the road.
The irony of the new building going up right next to the old one, almost gloating over the demise of its adjacent predecessor, finds a strange reaction in my sense of humour. I was tempted to propose a caption competition for the photo below.
It is hoped that the new building proves to be all that it is designed to be, in terms of reducing the annual costs to the council by millions, and raising the feel of the town centre by providing a new, fresh place where people can work and relax next to the wonderful river on which the town was founded, and named.
There are many people in the town that are looking to improve Rochdale to what it should be, with its amazing history and heritage (most of which seem to be unknown) and I, for one, am all in favour (and very optimistic) that the projects being undertaken will move things along in that direction.

CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO ENLARGE IT FOR BEST EFFECT


And here's a more direct view of the new building under construction...


And, lastly, a view of the "Black Box".

Tags: photography Manchester, photography Rochdale, Rochdale history, construction photography, mandela house, council offices.

Saturday 16 June 2012

Product Photos for Divine Deli

Rather than post  a few shots from this week's shoot, I decided to put the majority of them together in a little video. The idea was sprung when I realised that there was quite a long sequence of very similar pictures of the cake decorations in a white bowl which, when viewed in rapid succession, made for a rather interesting visual effect. The subsequent sequence of tea boxes, and then bottles, cemented the idea, here it is....a full afternoon's shoot in 25 seconds.



tags: food photography, product photography, brochure and website photos