Summer of News
Well summer was exciting, one of the most interesting I’ve had, I would say. Though it’s hard to compete with the time I had at 4creative in 2008, this year I got to work with the fabulous reporters at Isle of Wight County Press, got to know the people at VentnorBlog, and even chatted to the guy from the Isle of Wight Gazette.
This entire summer was driven by the protests that occurred at the Vestas factory, itself driven by some brilliant people who came down from the mainland, inspiring some very usual islanders, to do some very unusual things. Originally I went to photograph the events as an impartial observer, my photos first appeared in VentnorBlog a little while back as I experimented with a camera I borrowed from a local Youth group. Appearing in the County Press when I got a photo of Jaymie Rigby jumping off the balcony (that the workers had been occupying for weeks). See below (complete with trademark County Press spelling antics).
I was drawn into the protests and getting to know genuine honest people who took part in them, I went down every day, even witnessing/taking part in an invasion of the factory grounds on the day after the big jump, (See my photos of that here) that no big media, not even the County Press, covered. It was covered by VentnorBlog.
What followed this was my week at the County Press, which I don’t think I can talk about too much, it was interesting working with the reporters, in a paper that (when the national media is being rocked at the foundations) is still alive and well.
Also notable was the big Bestival bus crash, where I accidentally ended up writing the story for VentnorBlog, (unexpected but exciting), and providing photos.
Finally, I kicked back from being a unwitting-newsman to take my usual photographic holiday at the Bestival at Robin Hill. You can check out some highlights of that in this set.
Feel free to follow me on Flickr, where I seem to post far more often than on this blog, and I hope this gives you a brief summary of my summary, it’s by no means complete, but see Flickr for a bit more. 
A Break-in at Vestas
Food is a scarcity at the occupied factory on the banks of the river Medina, not because the Isle of Wight is some kind of remote British dependency with no shops, but instead because the owners of the factory, Vestas of Denmark, think it’s a great idea to starve their employees out. True, they provide some food, like a quarter of a pizza to each one in the evening, but it’s not exactly what you’d call a balanced diet.
The factory is contained within a barrier of fencing, which surrounds the site and prevents the colourful, empassioned protesters camped on a roundabout from venturing in, but every so often, a group dares to break through a send through some decent food. Can they get passed the private security?
That’s what one brave crowd did yesterday evening, and I caught it on camera. Amongst some other goings on.
If you went down to Vesta’s today…
You might have seen me wandering around taking photos… I did attempt to smile at the lady professional photojournalist (County Press? or maybe something more mainstream?) never the less she vehemently ignored me like the amateur I most definitely am.
So I took lots of photos of the ensuing protest to save the jobs at Vestas, a wind turbine manufacturing firm on the Island which wants to move its manufacturing to America, it’s all rather sad. I have put up the “best” of the photos I took this afternoon on Flickr. Handily, you can also check them out here.
Save Vesta’s Blog
BBC Article
VentnorBlog Coverage Thanks for reading!
My Experience at Channel 4 (and my photos of London!)
A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to get a chance to experience what it’s like working for one of the UK’s largest broadcasting corporations, Channel 4. It was strange since (because of having no television and a mac laptop) I hadn’t even watched Channel 4 over the last year!
As you might know, Channel 4 doesn’t make any of it’s own programmes, it commissions and buys them from independent production firms. Even Channel 4 News is not produced from within the companies own building. Their main building can be seen in this ad for (coincidentally) Channel 4’s Generation Next season:
Yes I went through that building many times and travelled and waited for those lifts! So you’re probably wondering what the heck I was doing at Channel 4 and what I saw. Check after the break for the goods, and my photos! (more…)
Friends on Posters: Liam is Sweeney Todd
Well I’ve been mucking about on photoshop again, this time to bring my friend Liam Harrison’s Sweeney Todd-esque portrait photograph closer to the ideas origin, with a little poster manipulation. So remember for this one, I just added the head onto the poster and changed some text, nothing major, but I hope you enjoy it.
Check this out in full in the Gallery: Here (Includes other art)
Thanks for checking!
There’s Rodchenko in the air
Alexander Rodchenko was a great photographer, graphic designer, painter, sculptor and all round busybody, like me. Hah. But now an event has conspired to be apparent in London which showcases his photographic work.
Here: Southbank Centre Rodchenko Event
7th February – 27th April 2008
All the cool graphic designers and photographers are going, are you?
Drawing Rocks…
Not actual rocks of course, but people, more specifically attractive female people…
Which brings me to a new piece of featured content here at gfxl. This is the kind of drawing I really love and it’s by Zindy Nielsen. i have put it side by side the original photograph by Tony Duran for comparison.
I absolutely love detail, so I try to mirror this style in my own drawing (I tend to draw from photographs too.) More on this later.
The model is of course Evangeline Lilly of Lost fame. Please don’t be surprised if you see more of her on this blog!
You can find more of Zindy’s drawings at her site Zindy.Zone.dk.
New Photo Gallery! iCount Protest
Updated: 5/12/08 for new website 
A little over a year ago I took part in a climate change protest with my friend Katie, and I took my film camera along with me, I’ve always been pretty proud of the results of that day’s shooting, so I am happy to present it to you!
Check out the gallery here!
My friend has a Photo blog…
My mate Charlie has started up his own blog, which at the moment showcases his current photography work. Pretty impressive.
http://ipodclock.wordpress.com
(Yes… he is in the clockcrew 
)