Timing…

You’ll be successful…if… you’re in the right place, at the right time, doing the right things.

As in all things in this life, if you’re prepared and you get your timing right, you’ll get that shot.

Hands up if you think I got it right first time…

A taste of my more recent photography…

DRAMATIC Landscape Photography

The movement of this large, contrasting cloud from behind the windmill, closing in on you. Add this to the wide angle of view chosen, looking upwards, gives this landscape image the feeling of drama, along with the sense of power and strength within the sails and the footings of this magnificent structure.

Industry

A Commercial assignment for there advertising campaign of a large electrical contracting firm, onsite at a large industrial plant.

A Unique View!

A unique view of St. Philips Cathedral in the centre of Birmingham. Captured from a height of approx 6 metres with my 10 metre telescopic pole camera. Made of carbon fibre, it’s fairly light weight and very robust. I can attach any of my DSLR’s to the top and have full control of the camera remotely on my smart device from down below. I have a series of high resolution images of the city centres of both Birmingham and Leicester recently captured this way. It’s also the only real cost-effective solution for capturing photography in no-fly zones, where drones can’t fly.

More Photo’s to follow…

Aiding Humanitarian Project’s with Photography

October 2021. Sharya Camp. N. Iraq (Kurdistan).

Here, around 18,000 displaced Yazidis shelter in 4,000 tents. Home to approximately 3,000 internally displaced families. Endless lines of fabric structures. These peoples lives have been devastated.

Its inhabitants are mostly Yazidis drawn from the Sinjar region of Iraq, having fled Islamic State’s (IS) genocidal campaign in 2014. The younger children seem typical of children here in the UK, but it was evident to me they are unaware of the experiences of their parents and elder siblings. Experience’s which include, rape, murder, torture, destruction and theft of lands and property.

Revenge is not what these people seek. But if revenge were to be on the horizon, I know of no people more deserving. A return to their homeland, within a safe secure environment is all they ask. They are a beautiful, humble and kind people. Surely they deserve to be protected and helped in securing back their lands and properties, which have been destroyed. Once they return, I hope to God they do, it will take time for them to rebuild. For now they have each other and, I’ve no doubt, there will be a few politicians to have to please and overcome before that day.

The opportunity came my way to do my little bit to assist with some photography. Images were not set up. All were captured whilst walking through the camp, as I saw it.

I hope the images I managed to capture have the impact required to touch the hearts of those they need to effect and speed up their move back to their homeland.

Around 140 tents were burned down and destroyed by fire in the summer of 2021. The aim of some of the aid, for now, is to replace the tents with more permanent and homely looking structures built from concrete breeze blocks. It will afford them more dignity, allowing them to plaster, paint, decorate and feel somewhat safer… for the time-being.

Corporate & Events

Wynne Evans – Welsh Opera and Go Compare singer and actor.

A lot of my assignments are Corporate and for Events. But as you’ll see from my work, that’s not my only skill or all that I do.

I hope you like what you see and if you’d like me to provide you with the photography you need, please drop me a line or pass my details onto colleagues and fellow business associates.

“Enjoy What You Do. Enjoy What You See.”

Try to Get a True Reflection of Yourself…

George Eustice MP – UK British Cabinet Minister.

Expression and hands are generally important in capturing the mood and at times the character.

If you’re anything like me, you’ll look at the mirror and you’ll sometimes think;”I’d like to say that I like what I see, but still, I’m not quite there yet.”

It’s important to try to attain a true reflection of oneself, reassess and try to adjust what needs to adjust, whether it be our external appearances or the internal me, the within.

However, it’s not worth beating yourself up because you haven’t “made it” yet. Admit it, we will rarely get it all right and we will never be perfect in this life. We all need each other to survive, get along in life and try to achieve our ambitions. We should all make the effort to enjoy the journey in reaching for what it is we are looking for.

If we are helping to lift others, it’s probable that these may be the only people to offer a hand and lift us up when a helping hand is needed in reverse.

Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne

A remarkable Lady; of Influence for Much Good.

Baroness Nicholson was a director of the Save the Children Foundation.

Among her many humanitarian achievements, she set up and is the Executive Chairman of the AMAR Foundation to support projects in Iraq.

She bears a gift for bringing people and much needed funds together to make good happen for others in dire need.

There are many individuals the world-over, who do likewise. Most will never receive any recognition for the love and sacrifice they give for others, not in this life at least. I suppose that true love and sacrifice is not given for any recognition. To love others in-deed takes no second thought, whether one be rich, poor, bond or free. It is a spontaneous act, from the heart. It is who you are, or have become.

I dare to think what this world might be like without the intervention of the host of remarkable individuals who work hard to influence others to help achieve good for those in greater need.

Property & Development – Birmingham

Bull Ring – Birmingham

A rare slightly elevated view of the Bull Ring Shopping Centre in the centre of Birmingham.

Rare in that it is desolate and taken from the elevated height of around 5-6 metres with my 10 metre telescopic photo pole and wifi system.

You can’t fly drones in many situations where you’d like to. The system I use overcomes much of that and in addition, the images are of a much higher resolution than most drones can offer.

I use a motorised remote head to control the vertical angle view of the camera. Other than the zoom function I have complete control of the camera, its settings and have live viewing from down below with my smart device.

I am in the process of adding a 7.5 metre high stand/tripod to the elevated photography service. This offers other benefits to the service, such as for more control and stability with interior architectural photography and improved lighting.

High resolution and photographed with the Nikon Z6 and Nikkor 14-24mm f2.8.

Certainly a Character!

Tom Allen – Comedian.

Yes, Tom certainly is a character! Twice in a month I found myself photographing him for two separate clients. He’s good to work with, very pleasant and welcoming making guests feel relaxed. As corporate entertainment he knows how to keep an event going with interest and fun for guests. I would recommend him to most corporate event gala dinners and awards ceremonies as a VIP speaker and presenter. He’s just missing a monocle! I’ve no doubt our paths will meet again soon.

Shooting Fast & Clinical with Quality Light

You have to think and work quick!

It’s not often you’re are given the time to create and capture the image you’d really like to. Time is money in industry and clients are looking for a good mix of quality and quantity. I could have spent longer setting this one up, but there were more images to try to capture along the various locations of this industrial plant for Branston. It was pretty dark inside, so to light it, I used just two small flash lights, each on a radio signal trigger. One light slightly above and to the right of camera to light the main subject. The other hidden behind the main subject far back and lighting most of the room. A little post-processing was undertaken to add just a little hard industrial feeling to the image.

Corporate Event

Interesting Characters…

John Pienaar – Journalist. Guest speaker, corporate event, London.

In my game, I am at times quite privileged to come into contact with some of the well known in industry and society. It can be an interesting experience trying to gauge the true character of a person, comparing what you already know about them to your experience when meeting or working with them. I’ve met and spoken to some interesting people, some of whom who are “celebrated” within society. Not everyone we meet in life is well known, but maybe some of them, for what they do and their good influence, ought to be recognised, even if it’s just for their humility.

As You’ve Never Seen It!

Welcome to New Street in Birmingham, as you’ve never seen it…. deserted!

The corner of New Street and Navigation Street.

Captured from a height of about 6 metres with my camera pole and a Nikon D850.

Oh! What bliss!

Black & White

What is it about black and white photography that can often help give the image more of an arty look and feeling?

The eye wants to see colour, but all it the image has to offer is tones of grey.

So is it because it’s all just tones of grey?

Gets you thinking, doesn’t it?

Photographed with my Nikon D850. High res.

Centenary Square, Birmingham.

Photographed from just around 5-6 metres high, utilising my 10 metre carbon fibre photo pole.

High resolution with my Nikon D850.

I would have liked a different sky, but it’s fine and I didn’t get to choose.

Maybe I’ll return and try another day….maybe.

Derwent Water

Derwent Water in The Lake District… where else could it be!?

I slept in my car the night before, so as to be up early and ready for this image.

I may soon process the RAW file differently and come up with a different end result for this one. I’m fairly pleased with it, but let’s just see if I do come up with a different result here soon from editing it again…

As You Drive the M6 Past Walsall…

You’ll see this yard looking west as you drive on the M6 past Walsall.

This was an industrial photo shoot assignment. Not one of the most exciting images I took, but probably one of the most atmospheric looking. It was a grey day.

Those machines are massive! A dangerous place to hang around, especially with the constant flow of dumper trucks manoeuvring around me whilst photographing. You have to be wearing all the right PPE and constantly looking around whilst photographing if want to stay alive!

It was somewhat exhilarating just to be there and capture a few creative images for my client.

Oh Dear! How Embarrasing!

An RAC roadside breakdown cover service van broken down and being transported for repairs. Just a slightly ironic and fun shoot opportunity I noticed on my way home from an assignment near Walsall.

It would have been even funner if the carrier was from one of its competitors, like the AA!

Polarised Light

The technique of photographing using polarised light is fascinating.

Plastics can work vey well and marvellous creations can be captured.

A slightly specialist technique, using polarised filters.

This is a high resolution image created, yet to be marketed and sold.

It could look marvelous on the wall in a modern kitchen or restaurant!

Anyone for a massage?

Some slightly harsh lighting was used for this product photo.

The use of the black hard rocks helps give the impression that this piece of kit is strong and solid. Just looking at it, you can almost feel it punching some force into your aching back!

The dimmed warm backlight helps give a gentle, warm and relaxed feeling with this product.

Now, how would you like a good massage?…

2020 – The Year for Better Creative Thinking & It’s Implementation

Images shown are some of my Creative Projects during the covid-19 lockdown pandemic and are copyrighted ©Pro Vision Photography Ltd. 2020. Fine art prints and digital files are available for commercial and personal use.

The year 2020. So did anything happen in 2020? What do I mean;”Did anything happen in 2020?!” Everything happened that shouldn’t have happened in 2020! Or, at least, none of it was planned for. If only we knew a pandemic was going to happen. Then again, what would we have done if we knew what to expect?

For the creative industries, living through a pandemic requires a higher degree of creative thinking to progress through it and deal with the various work and personal circumstances that are “forced upon us”. It’s not necessarily “more” creative thinking required than is normal, just Better Creative Thinking and Implementation.

It’s all well and good having a creative mindset and putting it to task, but when you have your result….what do you do with it? If there is no demand or buyers for what you create, what happens to your creation, your art, your imagery? What do you do with it?…store in on your computer or I’m a cupboard, so no one ends up enjoying it?

We can still exhibit what we do and work for, regardless of whether there is “current” a demand or not. Today is just one day out of many thousands and this year is also just one year out of many that we have to share. So, go and be creative, think outside of the box, show what you’re made of and LIVE CREATIVELY! Tomorrow is another day to experience too and…yes, it will change and life WILL be communal soon enough again.

The images you’re seeing are just a taste of some of my more recent “Better Creative Thinking and Implementation” during the covid-19 pandemic lockdown. I hope you enjoy them and you carry on with your creative process. I’m only a shutter click away if you need my services onboard.

So how did Simon shoot these bubbles?…

Here’s a few recent highlights of some of my other “more usual” photography outside of covid-19 influences… totally different!…but the quality is just as good.

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