Category: Photography

Lightpool Blackpool – Night II. Polar Compagnie Bilbobasso.

A french Tango and fire  engulfed St Johns Square on the second night of Blackpool’s LightPool Festival, part of the new network of Light Festivals across the UK.

Last night was pretty phenomenal. All I knew when I arrived was that it was moody and noir and there would be fire. It was a visual feast of showstopping performance. We are all so obsessed with staying in and watching XFactor? How would you know that if you just step into your local town centre you can experience some of this.

I have more images to show from this sumptuous show. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do photographing the performances.

Remember that if there is one thing  you should do this half term is get to Blackpool, Lancashire to witness history in the making.

Lightpool 2016 Launch in Blackpool, UK.

Friday the 28th October saw the launch of Blackpool’s very own Light Festival, Lightpool.

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Blackpool and Fylde College Student as part of parade for Captain Kronos: Return to Earth. Blackpool, UK, Lancs. Lightpool Festival.

Over 30 installations including performances make up the Festival running from the 28th October to Wednesday.

I am super lucky to be able to photograph for the event which really is a photographers wonderland if you like photographing fast moving, low light objects, which luckily I do.

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The Stories Under Our Feet. Victoria Street, Blackpool. Artist: Elisa Artesero.

Last night saw Captain Kronos: Return to Plant Earth by Kazimer Productions who worked with Blackpool and Fylde College to create an amazing performance incorporating a space ship landing outside in St Johns Church in Blackpool’s Cedar Square. Followed up closely by On The Edge of  a Rising Tide Sound Intervention with musicians from The Boom Bike Bourree.

I had spent much of my day watching the rehearsals and capturing “behind the scenes” moments.

Take a look at some of my images here:

Rehearsals at Alive Church Hall, Raikes Parade Blackpool. With Students from Blackpool and The Fylde College.

St Johns Square Blackpool. Technical Rehearsal.

Blackpool Comedy Carpet run through:

I popped in to hear Bob and Roberta Smith talk about his views on the art world and how visual language is important now more then ever.

The artist Bob and Roberta Smith – Has installed a specially commissioned lit installation for Blackpool. “Art Is Your Human Right”. Follow the specially formulated map of Blackpool to enjoy all the art installations in Lightpool.

Bob and Roberta Smith, instantly likable as a speaker – his message was that we can communicate sometimes difficult messages through art and even if it is not instantly easy to understand, perhaps art will make you question and sit up to what could be.

At dusk Captain Kronos and his journey into Blackpool began on The Comedy Carpet as we were toured through the winding streets by his gang of glittery minions of Blackpool, to witness his arrival from a bejeweled spaceship descending over St Johns Church in a flurry of glitter and fireworks to a bedazzled audience.

After the departure of Captain Kronos I caught up with Dan Fox and his mobile projection bikes as his band played brass instruments to families and children who followed the performance with great gusto and glee as the projections talked to the audience of fantastical creatures.

The Lightpool Festival runs until Wednesday with lots more in store. For more info check the link attached.

Final word from  me is that I am in my absolute element “photography wise” and feel super blessed to be able to capture such amazing and fleeting happenings. Now is the time to embrace Blackpool’s amazing event and shout from the rooftops how amazing Blackpool really is.

“It would degrade me to marry Heathcliffe” – Photography Shoot

‘This is nothing,’ cried she.

Chapter 9 (“It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff”)

‘This is nothing,’ cried she: ‘I was only going to say that heaven did not seem to be my home; and I broke my heart with weeping to come back to earth; and the angels were so angry that they flung me out into the middle of the heath on the top of Wuthering Heights; where I woke sobbing for joy.

 

That will do to explain my secret, as well as the other. I’ve no more business to marry Edgar Linton than I have to be in heaven; and if the wicked man in there had not brought Heathcliff so low, I shouldn’t have thought of it. It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now; so he shall never know how I love him: and that, not because he’s handsome, Nelly, but because he’s more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same; and Linton’s is as different as a moonbeam from lightning, or frost from fire.’

Model: Aisling Serrant

Stylist: Caroline Brown

MUA: Lauren Rippin

 

Where Dreams are Made – Photography Shoot

As time stood still and we fed our model with ideas of heartbreak, lost love, a love regained, an idea of love.

As time stood still and we fed our model with ideas of heartbreak, lost love, a love regained, an idea of love.

I liked the idea of hopeful love coming back to our model, my counterpart felt lost love was more in line with the tone of the shoot.

Beyond The Faraway Tree – Photography Shoot

Because the models were so different and of different ages, I feel they deserve a blog entry each.

Being playful in my children’s shoots is always key. Trying to make the subject forget themselves and have fun. Making up stories in my own head and feeding the playfulness back to the subject with as much energy as I can muster.

My mentor for the Photography Workshops suggested I slow down to really engage with what I am photographing.

Babes In The Wood – Photography Shoot

As we continued Carolyn Mendelsohn’s workshop Wandering On The Moors – Compelling Portraits. We were joined by our “mini” models for the afternoon: Anna, Claudia and Emily.

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With thoughts of “story telling” within our photography and further inspiration from my Author partner Rowan Coleman  We discussed how we could bring further narrative into our images. A book was agreed on as a prop and the wooded areas favored as backdrops.

I felt like our first model was an “imp” of the forest conjuring fairies and pixies as she read her stories out loud as the Folk of The Faraway Tree came to listen.

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Day Break Photography Workshops – Ponden Hall

Day 1. Carolyn Mendelhson’s compelling portraiture photography workshops, Ponden Hall.

Day 1. Carolyn Mendelhson’s compelling portraiture photography workshops, Ponden Hall.

Along with the rest of the group we ventured down towards the near by reservoir, gone 6.30am and the sun was peaking through. Still a fairly mild October morning, we scrambled down the reservoir bank and across a somewhat full stream to capture the magical morning light with Kizzy Brown.

The early morning light created an ethereal glow around Kizzy, so worth the early start to create images that were as magical as the atmosphere we shot in.

Wandering On The Moors – Compelling Portraits.

Wandering on The Moors with Carolyn Mendelsohn and other inspiring female humans, or Compelling Portraiture hosted by award winning photographer Carolynn Mendelhson and accompanied by guest photographer: Miss Aniela. In attendance 5 other inspirational females:

  • Gemma Brunton
  • Dani Heavens
  • Rowan Coleman
  • Rebecca LaChance
  • Kay Young

Based in  Haworth, Haworth the home of The Bronte Sisters and the setting for a photography workshop,  Ponden Hall was our base and home for three days,the potential real life inspiration for Wuthering Heights and setting a romantic but dark tone for the photography workshops.

As a photographer, you are constantly aiming to achieve the connection between subject and camera, I  attempt to portray narrative with or without figures within images, one of my first aspirations was to be an Author, I wonder if photography quenches some of that young “story telling” desire. If I am being honest I have never joined any photography workshops since becoming a full time photographer and considered this a huge step. But so many qualities of the workshop appealed to me: the location, the guest photographer (whose work I follow), Carolyn herself and the work she produces and her approach feels familiar and warm.

I keep looking a the images I have taken and tweaking ever so slightly in post processing and It is clear to say, I love them. Time will be spent over a few blog entries to enable reflection.

Bear with me as I take a little journey backwards.

  • Model: Ella McNeil
  • Stylist: Caroline Brown
  • MUA: Lauren Rippin
  • Photographer: CJGriffiths Photography

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Day 1. California Dreams Do Come True – A photographic journal.

I do not want to come across boring, I mean who does…..But this trip really was that made of dreams.

After a ton of time and I mean quite a few years, me and my partner in crime, Ben were able to make it across 3k miles of sea to California. A late honeymoon, supported by a number of amazing people who donated money as a gift to help make our dreams a reality.

Travel to me is like being renewed or reset, a chance to look at other worlds and people and know that life is elsewhere.

Regarding photography, I once read an article about that mechanical instrument the camera, where the writer stated “keep some money back for travel and do not spend it all on equipment” – he was right.

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I never thought I would ever visit Disney Land – it is just not on my bucket list, a child hood fantasy perhaps and not on the “to do” list for California. The first day was supposed to be at The Vans Pool Party – Skateboarding event. But we were so near by, we just thought “what the heck”.

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In there before anyone else – early doors, taking care to notice signage explaining that we could be exposed to cancer or other hazardous chemicals (these signs are everywhere). Strange thing to read when you are entering a famous entertainment centre (America has all their bases covered, there is no way they are going to get a law suit slapped on them).

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So early doors, there was no one about…………..Now I am aware my images are starting off pretty dull and un-creative and ass I start my day but I have slipped into tourist mode and   just capturing anything that looks interesting and it all looks interesting.to be fair. Quite a dull day weather wise too, apparently it is known as “May Grey”! My partner in crime is bemused that I am even trying to take photographs, but you know – its an extension of myself, I cannot help myself, it is a affliction.

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It is all just so American!!!

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I know I am touch with my childhood spirit – but this is ridiculous.

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Even the toilet facilities are attractive – I am looking up at this window and thinking “is this the window with the candle that remains lit for Walt Disney’s return?” I have read about this and I like the level of creepiness.

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OH MY GOD!!!!! M.I.C.K.E.Y……..those Disney Staff are soooooooooo happy. Must be the nice weather.

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Everywhere I looked, I was like: Ohhh, awww , wowwwww. Even though it is all pre fabricated a bit like Facebook and Disney is basically showing off its “highlight reel”, it is difficult not to be impressed.

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The art deco inspired buildings really got me.

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I was being submerged into a fantasy land of Disney characters, colour, twee music and very expensive food and drink as we raced around trying to take everything in.

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I mean. look!! It is Captain America – goddammit!!

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even the shops left me agog!

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We entered Radiator Springs and if you are not sure of the reference, this is the place where the Disney film, Cars is set.

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Where we were prepared to get our kicks.

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A scaled down version of Radiator Springs.

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and the scaled up version.

Am just going to leave it right here – next episode: Radiator Springs and beyond. I am not sure what I expected entering Disney and as the day grew hotter and hotter, I wanted to really put the camera away or thought actually this would be much better if I was here just here to photograph! Because sometimes the want to photograph overtakes being able to take the moment in, luckily the cameras magical ability allows you to take in those moments later….

 

Showzam Circus Festival 2016 Blackpool

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I think I am now on my 4th or 5th year of photographing the very visually pleasing Showzam Circus festival.

Showzam in #Blackpool #UK hosts a variety of street and indoor performances across #TheWinterGardens, #TowerBallroom and #TowerCircus over a 5 day period.

If you were around this year you may have caught sight of wood wind playing chickens or a steam punk werewolf riding his bike through the streets of Blackpool.

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Poor Blackpool tends to get a lot of stick (of rock), the poor mans Brighton, the “uncool” cousin of Manchester. I am here to “blow” the trumpet of Blackpool, christening it with it’s new name “Blackcool”.

 

#Showzam is a mostly free festival currently in its 9th year. See you in 2017.