Day Off? No chance!!

My "day off" ended up doing 2 private comissions.......one for a foal owner and another for Maria and her litter of foxhound puppies....so cute!.....my favourite is this one!
Ho Hum.... tomorrow is DEFINTITELY a day off!

cover girls

Hopefully 2 clients will be happy with their cover girls!!
We seem to have more shoots than ever being booked up for the coming season, which is good news.......oh and look out for a big glossy feature in THE fieldsports magazine very soon!!
What does the rest of the week hold? hopefully not too much as Im having a few days off, prior to a busy few weeks.......but someone will be manning the office as obviously there will still be library searches, editing and print orders to take care of. If your enquiry needs to be dealt with by ME, then please phone my mobile and I will deal with it.

I forgot the cow piccy!

the animals came two by two.......

A weekend of animals, with prize cattle on one day and horses the next!
The cattle were great, all very well behaved for their stud book portraits, well done girls!
The horses as always were the splendid side saddle ladies, looking elegant.
Now a word of praise! I had a call from Staples office supplies in plymouth today, saying they had a customer with them who had brought a photo in for photocopying.....ONE OF MY PHOTOS!, but she had noticed my copyright notice on the reverse so was phoning to see what the situation was. WELL DONE STAPLES!!! I explained that it would be illegal for the photo to be copied, and that if the person wanted another copy they could contact me and ORDER one.
What a pleasant change to find a company that stay within the law on copyright.
We have just invested in some software that can now track all image uses on the interet, that are encrypted by us. Therefore anyone lifting and copying our images illegally can now look forward to receiving a bill very shortly. So far we have tracked down over 40 in one day!

What a card!

The Photographers Conference was a success, in that over 200 togs turned up, and there was in depth (and heated) discussions on the way forward with the Police, and their over zealous attitude to professional photographers, as well as their treatment at public order events.
Despite repeated challengs on the matter to Commander Bob Broadhurst it seems that nothing is really solved, and his disgraceful questioning to the NUJ of the validity of the vetting system for card holders was no surprise to those of us who have been in the industry long enough now, to know that nothing is a surprise any more! As a bonafide card holder myself, I know its value, and will defend my right to carry it to the end of my days. That card has got me to the front line of some of the biggest protests and riots seen in the modern UK, as well as into places overseas, where more forward thinking governments and organisations, such as in the Czech Republic, understand and VALUE the work of the press photographer.
I think the classic moment at the conference was when photographer Michael Preston told Commander B. how he had had his arm broken by an officer with a truncheon, when he had held out his press card for him to read. Commander B. said he apologised on behalf of the force.....and Michael responded with a classic one-liner...."Thats all right.....Im suing you"
That made my day!!

Having a ball

The weekend was busy and diverse, with a Ball at Blundells School on Friday, a band, falcons, and a dog show on Sunday!

A few of us pro togs (thats professional photographers to the uninitiated) got together a few nights back for a bevy or two in a certain well known photographers drinking house.....putting the world to rights, and comparing notes....what a wonderfully informative evening, we cerainly all learned a lot, swapped some jobs that we were unable to put in our diaries and, and arranged a few jobs where we could help each other out. Cant beat a bit of camaraderie in the industry.
On that note, I was saddend (but I guess not surprised) to hear yet more tales about weekend warriors and poachers trying to steal peoples regular clients by the most underhand methods (some bordering on illegal!).
So.....let me say this just the once.....
"Dont play games with a girl who can play better".
Here endeth the lesson.

Big Bad Corporation (BBC)

Im astounded that companies such as the BBC are still trying to restrict professional photographers with draconian contracts....actually not so much "astounded" as DISGUSTED!
Maybe these tactics work on the weekend warriors who are excited at the prospect of their snaps appearing in a BBC publication for peanuts, but for those of us who actually earn a living and pay our bills by selling images (as opposed to those who have a real job on weekdays!) then contracts such as this are unacceptable...................................................................................................................................................................
6. Future Exploitation
By signing these terms of business your further agree that:
a) You will not be entitled to retain copies of or to exploit the
Photographs without the prior consent (in writing) of BBC
Pictures.
b) The BBC will not unreasonably withhold permission for you to
exploit the Photographs for non-commercial purposes
(eg portfolios and competitions). Where permission is granted,
copies, prints or transparencies will be provided to
you by the BBC at cost.

back in action

Its been lovely to have a week off, even if the weather wasnt so kind, and a few days with our Friends from CZR has been relaxing, not to mention a spot of fishing in our boat!
As a professional company working in the public domain, we are of course required to have our equipment electrically certified, (PAT tested) and we have discovered this really friendly helpful and reasonably priced LOCAL PAT testing company, who we are pleased to give a plug to. http://www.wellectric.com/index.html so if your equipment is reaching its inspection date, why not give him a call?


The weekend is looking very VERY busy with a big charity event tomorrow night, then straight on up to the Falconry Festival and Sunday zoom back down for Liskeard CS.