Pointless vanity project of the former Tabascokid

As I’m trying to put together a selection of audio slideshows for presentation I might end up doing, I thought I’d post one on here to see how (and more importantly if) it works. Please feel free to give me any feedback on how you think it looks as it’s all a bit new to me! As any regular readers may remember, I did a detailed blog on the MSC Napoli in April here.

All images, as usual, by Leon Neal. Music by Dan Worrall.

Yesterday, I was put on “Climate Camp” watch along with fellow AFP photographer and good friend Shaun Curry.  Following a few days of media hype with demonstrators refusing to give any information on their planned camp site location and the police offering “community-style” policing if the demonstrators were prepared to cooperate, we both went to our pre-arranged meeting points. With seven groups announced on the group’s website, I headed to the headquarters of Rio Tinto where the 70 or so protestors sat around waiting until we finally got the go-ahead and travelled via tube and train to the mystery final destination.  Before we started to move, all of the media were handed “guidelines” and here is where my annoyance begins.  While economic and environmental protest groups were falling over themselves to get images and video from members of the media following the recent trouble at the Mayday demonstrations in central London, they were now imposing their own rules.  It seems that as long as the footage shows evidence of police errors, the media is their friend.

With an official but smaller version available here, I’ll just pick a few choice highlights for you.  Firstly, it should be pointed out that the eventual destination and current climate camp is on Blackheath which is public common land.  This means that it’s open for the public to access and enjoy at all times.

You will be accompanied by an assigned camper during that time, who will ensure that both campers and journalists are kept happy, and can ensure that consent is obtained from people being filmed and photographed.

Outside of these hours, there will also be a particular spot close to the entrance to which TV crews can be escorted to do interviews.

What? So in a public area that has been cordoned off with temporary fencing by the protest groups, we have to ask permission to access this land which will only be granted between certain hours (10:00-16:00) and only if guided by a steward?  On the plus side, for some reason this year’s occupation doesn’t feel as insane as last year where the group illegally occupied land by the side of Heathrow airport and THEN started telling the media when we were allowed to come onto their land and to respect their rights and not to try to come onto their land at any other times.

Certain neighbourhoods and work spaces may decide to ‘opt out’ of the media access policy, and no journalists of any kind should go to these spaces in any kind of capacity. This is not because these areas have ‘anything to hide’ but because the camp process respects the right of those neighbourhoods and working groups who don’t feel comfortable engaging with the media. Our ability to provide wider access to the camp depends on us being able to respect the decision of these groups to opt out like this. Journalists will be informed by the media team on arrival which neighbourhoods and spaces have opted out. The neighbourhoods that opt out may change during the week.

Again, I’m not allowed to go to certain areas of this publicly-owned land because some people have decided that the laws that cover media access and control for every other part of society aren’t quite good enough for them.  However, if they decide that they now want publicity, they have the right to suddenly beckon the journalists in to record their experiences.

In another sheet, we are also told that “you must display your press badge at all times“.  The logic behind this is that “if you’re identifiable as a press journalist..then you’ll find it easier to get an insight into the camp”.  So it’s fine to retain your anonymity if you’re a protestor but not if you’re media.  ID cards anyone?

The guide goes on to say that “if you want to take a picture or video and it includes people, always always ask first.  If you can’t ask, don’t take the picture“  Again, UK law says if someone is in public and not on private property and as long as they’re over 16, you’re free to take whatever pictures you want.  This is a part of UK law that should be protected to the end as without this, how does the media hope to get a picture of anyone?  As soon as controls of this type are introduced, our hands are effectively tied.  The fact that these restrictions are trying to be enforced by “Smash the System” ecological and financial protestors would be hilarious if it wasn’t so stupid.  I was shooting for about ten minutes before I was told to stop.  When I enquired why, I was told I had to ask everyone first.  I told him that I didn’t and he informed me that camp policy was to strongly request me to ask first.  I informed him that I’d officially heard his strong request and chosen to ignore it.  I carried on shooting, he stopped talking.  Grrr..

For further reading on this situation, check out Jonathan Warren’s blog here.

Now after reading all of that, the last thing that I want you to think is that I’m some Neo-Con Littlejohn fan.  Far from it, I would hate people to grow up and live their lives thinking that they were unable to change the things in the world that they disagreed with.  The feeling that you can change the world is such a vital thing for everyone to feel at some point in their lives whether it’s for a phase during the College/University years or for their whole lives.  My problem comes from organisations believing that they have the right to cry that the world’s not fair and then bring in rules and regulations that are far tighter than the governing bodies that they rebel against.

At home, I have eco-bulbs, I reuse my shopping bags, I never use the standby function on my tv and I use public transport.  However, I now really feel like buying a Hummer..

With their trademarked sense of understatement, U2 set up camp in Wembley Stadium for a two-night residency and I managed to get into the first night to see what subtle delights they had to offer on their 360° tour.  Running over 2009-10, the tour is expected to include up to 100 shows all over the world.  In a rather nice touch, the band have agreed to donate all of the three stages they’re currently using to various cities as permanent gig venues.  It’ll certainly be quite an upgrade to the Dog and Partridge pub.

Due to the unique design of their massive stage, the band managed to break the previous attendance record set by the Foo Fighters with both days combined figure topping 177,000.  That’s a lot of people to bombard with tickets, merchandise and gubbins.  Still, it beats the dodgily-dressed PRs outside the venue, flogging their U2 branded phones from display stands all down the concourse.  In the days since the show, it has seemed as though half the people I see in town are wearing tour shirts.  Kerchinggg!

Despite never having been into U2, I can still see the appeal of going to such massively orchestrated shows and even with little interest in the music, it’s an experience to see such a well choreographed set (or at least the first three songs).  The pre-show briefing warned us of rotating bridges to dodge and key points where the band come together and members would cross onto the ego-ramps closer to the photo-pit so there were no nasty surprises.  The only band I’ve ever shot that were more choreographed were the Rolling Stones, oddly enough.  That was pretty exceptional though with the pre-show briefing including “at the end of track two, Mick will move to the left of the stage, wave to the crowd and remove his jacket”.  Further evidence that the band are actually dead and now entirely animatronic.. 

Having only had the chance to see the first three songs, it was surprising how little the band were using the “in-the-round” capabilities  but I’ll assume that along with the choreography, rules had been put forward of staying in a group for the photographers benefit.  I like to think that someone thinks of us chaps!  On a connected note, when I was confirmed as a photographer for the show, I was asked whether I wanted the short or long position; the short being right in front of them and the long being on a 400mm to get an overall view of the stage.  I opted for short and even then I had to stick a 1.4x converter onto my 70-200 to get close to a full-length!  For any photographers shooting later shows in the tour, take your 400mm whichever pit you’re in..

Rather frustratingly, as we were being ushered out, Bono ventured across the ramps to where we had been standing and so I had a second to grab this last one as I was shoved through the pit by security.  Hurray for flukes and luck!

In a further attempt to remind myself how out of shape I currently am, I volunteered to cover the World Freerunning Championships in Trafalgar Square.  Having shot the preview for last year’s event at the Roundhouse, I was reasonably prepared for what to expect but seeing it up close was something else.

A small portion of my brain has convinced itself for no reason that both freerunning and parkour are activities I could do if I put my mind to it so as long as I never actually try it, the illusion can remain.  I guess it comes from wanting to be as undeniably cool as these guys!

When you see gimps limping down the street, desperately trying to exude that special something, it looks decidedly crap when compared to what today’s competitors have mastered.  The added element that sets it apart is how competitive yet supportive they are to each other.  Before each run, the waiting competitors applaud and hug the next one up.  During each run, the others follow what the current runner is doing and cheer as they try new things. Knowing how the fear-mongering members of the media like to characterize male teenagers and young adults as a dangerous threat, it’s satisfying to see living proof of their ignorance.

Anyway, enough rambling nonsense.  Despite the fact that the stage designers and health & safety bods seemed to have got together beforehand to work out how to make the backgrounds to any photos as messy as possible, it was still possible to get a few clean shots with certain crops and angles.  The next problem with this type of event is that the runs appear to be improvised on the spot so there’s no way of knowing what wall they’ll leap off or block they’ll somersault over.  Combined, these factors mean you get a reasonable amount of exercise leaping up and down to try and get the right position as they look as though they’re heading towards your pre-scouted sweet-spots.

My favourite line of the day came from the biog of German freerunner Jason Paul who said that his ultimate goal in life is “to live a life you could base a really awesome movie on.”  Marvellous.

The day ended on a patriotic note with British entry Tim ‘Livewire’ Shieff crowned as the 2009 champion. American film and music video star Victor ‘Showtime’ Lopez took the silver with Jason Paul of awesome life-story fame continuing his epic by taking bronze.  Bravo, chaps.

After the love and peace of Glastonbury 2009 comes the angst, anger and aggression of the Sonisphere rock festival at Knebworth.

Featuring rock and metal bands ranging from veteran British groups “Saxon” and “Heaven and Hell” through to the latest young bands from around the world such as “Airbourne” and “The Defiled”, it saw the usually sedate Knebworth estate turned into a mecca of metal.

On a much smaller scale than Glasto, Sonisphere aims to cater purely for rock and metal fans although the inclusion of “Bjorn Again” and a semi-acoustic travelling minstrel group called called “Blaas of Glory” performing rock covers in the billing didn’t illicit the onslaught of “piss bombs” that I’d half expected.

Highlight of the weekend by a country mile for me was Anthrax. Having grown up on them, it was fantastic to be able to shoot them again, then head straight into the crowd to enjoy the atmosphere.

The emergency drafting of former singer John Bush resulted in a hastily compiled Bush-era setlist but that certainly wasn’t a problem for me. As ever Scott Ian looked the perfect example of rock coolness.

Having enjoyed shooting the features aspect of previous festivals, I thought I’d do the same here and found a few little amusements but on the whole, the general crowd was far too well-behaved.  Obviously matters were different in the mosh pit..

Having not really followed all that’s going on in the rock world, I had to get a few tips from various people with the advice to go and see Canadian group “Fucked Up” a bit of a gem.  For those not in the know, lead singer Father Damien spends the show setting fire to his chest hair, igniting aerosols and falling all over the crowd.  Scars on his forehead demonstrate how the bands performances usually end up.  The fact that he’s a BIG fella makes quite a sight too.  Now when this is combined with half of the audience being there for the decidedly tamer rock group “Thunder”, the clash was rather fun..

One of my favourite finds of the weekend came with a chance spotting of this tattoo.  I really need to know what the story is.  Surely it can’t have been intentional?

Having no idea on the security arrangements on-site, I decided to book into a hotel which proved rather pointless as I ended up having to drive 19 miles to reach it.  Home was only 29 miles from the festival site.  Doh.

Which leads me to the main point of the weekend, Metallica.  If you’re going to shoot a festival, everything naturally acts as a build-up to the main event. On both days, I’d filed shots of people wearing Metallica shirts as Knebworth prepared for the headliners to take to the stage but when the time came, the bands management decided to block agency access.  Newspaper photographer?  Fine, come on in.  Agency?  Nope.  It just leaves me baffled every time this happens.  Why do bands think that agencies are automatically going to start making illegal copies of t-shirts while the Daily Mail will want to run a photo-set of a heavy metal band?  I was angry about it last night but today I’m just confused.  If anyone has any idea what the logic is, please let me know.