A late winter break to Bilbao

What a fabulous place to visit for a weekend Bilbao proved to be! From the very impressive Guggenheim to the narrow streets in the old town, and out to the peaceful pedestrian squares near the port there’s something for all tastes. Getting around is dead easy as the transport system is fast and efficient, be it tram, underground or train. The trip out to San Sebastian was extremely worthwhile as we managed to find a Michelin starred restaurant so spent most of the time there enjoying the 7 course ‘menu degustation’ – fabulous!

Back in Bilbao much of the time was spent strolling around the narrow pedestrianised streets of the old town with very frequent stops at various pintxos (similar to tapas)bars for a snack or two and a glass or two of Rioja – incredibly good value, and never a poor glass of wine! The only evening we tried a sit-down meal it proved poor value for money, or maybe our choice of venue was poor. Some of the prices were a little odd, as at the Central Station a fresh orange juice was 5 Euros, roughly equivalent to two and a half glasses of wine at most pintxos bars – I know which I think is better value!

Needless to day there was no shortage of photographic material so managed to get through a fiar amount of camera memory in the three days we were there.

48 hours in Amsterdam

A speedy visit to this entertaining city involved a healthy mix of eating, drinking, walking and culture. Staying a ten minute walk from central station in the quaintly named ‘Truelove’ guesthouse, my wife and I set out to explore armed with the ‘gay map’ of town! Having used Tripadvisor to pick a couple of restaurants both proved excellent, and very different. ‘Five Flies’ (or D’Viff Vlieghen – doesn’t it sound better in Dutch!) is a fantastic eating experience, steeped in history with impeccable service, we opted for one of the tasting menus – tartare of veal with truffle mayonnaise, pollock with a lobster butter sauce, duck breast with black pudding, apple compote and a cinnamon sauce rounded off with chocolate tart and eggnog ice cream. Each course came with its own wine, the most surprising being a Reisling from Snake River in Idaho which was just fantastic!
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Away from the Five Flies, culture came in the form of two excellent museums: the Jewish History, and the Dutch Resistance both of which were fascinating. With all the walking dehydration had to be guarded against so a relaxing visit to the ‘Ij’ (egg) brewery had to be included in the itinerary.The beer was strong from 5% up to 9% proof,and I think it’s the first time I’ve enjoyed a glass of ‘Ijwit (eggwhite) beer’. The other bar of note was the Ice Bar – donning extra warm jackets, special gloves we entered the ‘cold bar’, cold being about -10, but they are very precious about taking photos – not permitted! I think I’ll save my sub-zero drinking for the ski slopes! Our guesthouse was well-placed around the corner from a vegetarian shoe-shop, at least a hundred yards from the nearest red light, and not much further to the closest cafe – not to be confused with ‘coffee shop’ which is where spliffs can be indulged in freely and legally, the supplies being avalable at the local flower market.
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A very enjoyable couple of days finished with an impressive 17 dish Indonesian ‘rijsttafel’ at the Indrapura – very good restaurant. Better remember not to leave it another ten years before returning!
Any comments drop me a line to keith@keithhern.com or call me on +44 7900 826714, or for more of my photography go to http://www.keithhern.com.

ORACLE Cancer Trust Christmas Concert

This was my third year at the above event, first two years as the photographer and this year as one of the ex-Royal Marsden patients who volunteered to give a reading. Considering it’s the fantastic medical folk from the head & neck unit at the Royal Marsden (consultants, doctors, nurses, radiographers….and so on) to whom I owe my life as they’ve successfully got me through throat cancer in 2007, and a recurrence in my chest in late 2009/2010 it seemed a good time to post a few of the photos covering the different experiences of each of the three years.

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These were from the 2009 concert, two years after I had been given the all clear, two weeks after I had been diagnosed again and given a survival chance of between 10 and 40 percent! There were two nurses who were so important when I was at my lowest during the treatment, one was on the door for the 2009 concert, the other had asked me to photograph her wedding – a real privilege. The third shot is the orchestra and choir in full flow.

The above shots are from the 2010 concert and feature the choir, Thames Chamber Orchestra and an address from Nigella Lawson, the Vice President of the ORACLE Cancer Trust. This years’ was slightly different in that I wasn’t doing the photography, however was doing a reading, and had a chance to meet Nigella Lawson to thank her for the nice quote she had given about my book ‘Bangers & Mash’. The third photo is of the three ex-patients who gave the readings.

As ever my utmost thanks to Peter Rhys-Evans and his amazing team at the Royal Marsden, both for excellent evening concerts but also for helping me successfully to get through cancer twice. For more information about my book and cancer experiences please go to http://www.throatcancersurvivor.co.uk , or for more of my photography http://www.keithhern.com. If you have any questions please just email me keith@keithhern.com or call me +44 7900 826714.

Photographing the Royal Military Tournament at Earls Court

I had the opportunity to join four other photographers working at this event to create images for the website www.tournamentimages.com , soemthing that was never going to be turned down! I remember going as a kid, and knew that it had stopped eight or nine years ago, and only re-started last year. So who knows possibly my only opportunity, and for this particular event that was celebrating the collaboration between the UK and US military, even looking at the historic times when the two sides almost came to fight each other. It was great to get in close to all the action, but with flash photography not allowed a very high ISO and shallow depth of field was needed in order to get the necessary shutter speeds to hand-hold the camera. Everything was shot with a 70-200 lens, and here are some of the results:

It was fantastic event, and just a privilege to be asked to join the team of photographers at www.tournamentimages.com (all images for sale through this site), may even be asked again next year! To witness the displays of the 700 troops and 100 horse that were involved was a great experience, as was helping to do teh photography.

Any questions pelase email me keith@keithhern.com or call on +44 7900 826714. If you’d like tos ee more of my photography please look at mey website www.keithhern.com .

 

 

A Sunday stroll round Trafalgar Square and ‘Free Syria’ demonstration

The weather was so good on Sunday as I headed off for a meeting in the Crypt just off Trafalgar Square it seemed a good idea to capitalise on the light, take the camera and head off a little early, and well worth it it duly proved.

London always offers a huge amount of photographic opportunity, whether it’s abstract modern or more traditional architecture as in the above shots, or indeed the littered areas in the middle shot which give less of a favourable impression. Looking upwards is always likely to provide some interesting angles for architectural photography.

It so happened that there was a small demonstration from pro-democracy in Syria advocates  in Trafalgar Square – all peaceful, with strongly-held opinions, providing for some interesting photography.

Plenty to photograph as ever, it’s all about just watching what’s going on in front of your eyes and looking for the interesting shots, the characters,  changing light and just taking the photos. Any comments just drop me a line to keith@keithhern.com , or for more examples of my photography see my website www.keithhern.com .

Stunning scenery of Zimbabwe

A week at the World Travel Market took in many photos and a few meetings and conversations, not least with some of the African countries, including some reminiscing about last October’s fabulous trip to Zimbabwe, and here are just a few examples of the amazing landscape, including the stunning Victoria Falls.

Nine days in Zimbabwe provided ample opportunity to photograph some of the  landscape this country has to offer. My thanks to local photographer Tom Varley for guiding me to the best places to photograph the Victoria Falls – very impressive sight, and would love to go back after the rains to see it in full flow. Standing there watching the sun some up over the Falls really is one of those ‘glad to be alive’ moments, shown in the first three photographs. Of the portrait shots the first was taken on an early morning walking safari in Hwange Game Park, the next at sunset in the same park, the third was taken in Matopo Hills. The next two are back to Victoria Falls, the first from the Flight of Angels over the Falls, and the last just looking down towards the bridge over to Zambia.

The following shot is during a sunset trip on the Zambezi using the ripples and colourful light to create an abstract landscape, then an aerial shot above the Eelephant Hills Golf Club.

The final three shots show sunrise over the Zambezi River, dry bush in the Matopo Hills, and finally the Three Sisters, one of many granite outcrops in the Matopo Hills. It would be fantastic to return and photograph the Eastern Highlands as well as seeing what these shots look like after the rainy season….I’m working on that now!

If you would like to see more of the photographs from the trip my book ‘Zimbabwe In Pictures’ is now available from Amazon, or for other examples of my travel photography see my website (www.keithhern.com ). Any questions please email me: keith@keithhern.com, or call me on +44 7900 826714.

Autumnal weekend in Tuscany

Always a fantastic area to visit, a combination of fewer visitors and autumn colours makes this time of year perfect for a quick visit to Tuscany, as ever camera at hand. It also makes the sunrise starts a little more civilised as there’s no need to get up in the middle of the night. On previous visits I’d decided to get out to the vineyards near San Gimignano for sunrise, and to make sure tripod, filters and cable release were all ready in the camera bag.

Off next to Volterra, a favourite hill-town, and lucky to find an autumnal food festival on the go, or least the new crop of olive oil. Cheeses, meats, truffles, olive oils and chocolates all had to be tasted, before heading of to Volterra’s bra bar for a plate of local ham and cheese washed down by a very pleasant local San Gervasio wine – very pleasant!

 

A trip to Lucca didn’t quite work as there was an enormous festival on, so couldn’t get near the centre, and headed off to Vaireggio for a quick meal and some people-watching as that’s what the place seems designed for.  One more early start had me heading towards Cascaino Terme only to detour off into the hills – which vineyard to photograph? Opted for one near Soiana, but there were plenty of options.

 

Two final stops on the short visit were San Miniato where I was taken by the sidelight through the brick columns and the two contrasting figures, occupied in completely different ways! Finally en route to the airport we stopped at the beach at Marina di Pisa for a picnic and a last quick taste of the local wine. If you are reading and can recommend a good restaurant in Marina di Pisa do please let me know….

Any questions or comments please get in touch email keith@keithhern.com or call on +44 700 826714.Please look at the website for more of my travel photography.

Commercial photography – it’s the variety that’s the fascination..

Call it commercial photography, life behind the lens, or whatever else you may care to choose but it’s the mix of assignments that keeps it both interesting and challenging. Here are a few examples of different situations with some considerations to be borne in mind.

Anything to do with architectural photography will invariably involve keeping all the vertical straight so tripods, spirit levels and a wide angle lens as a minimum, or even a tilt and shift lens. Then for interiors it’s the same but also a case of what sort of lighting to use, or at least which white balance setting. The room shot inolved a using studio lights to balance the brightness of the sunlight, and the hotel dinner setting shot used bounced light as it’s a little softer.

The hamper shot relied on available light and a long exposure, but the antiques presented different considerations. Anything like the silver box (i.e. shiny and reflective) needs careful lighting to prevent the shot from being all reflections and shadows. The main issue when shooting the chairs in this situation was available space as this was shot in the showroom and  the client wanted a full backdrop set up plus lights, but space was at a premium so it was a case of ensuring the best could be made of the space and time -  be prepared to spend time moving furniture in thes situations which has a big impact on how long the job will take.

The running shoes require balanced lighting found in a studio set-up – make sure there is dufficient depth of field which may require a tripod. When it comes to events, as with anything people orientated, to me it’s about the patience to watch and wait to capture the expressions. The main concerns on a building site are getting hold of the required health & safety equipment, and being very careful with your camera equipment particularly if lens changing is required – dust is not  friend of camera sensors!

If you have any questions on commercial, interiors, product or event photography please get in touch via email keith@keithhern.com or phone +44 7900 826714, or for more examples of my work please look at www.keithhern.com .

 

 

A weekend in New York

It’s a month ago that my family and I spent a long weekend in New York, and rarely have I walked so far as the weather was fantastic and it’s just the best way to see this amazing city.  Apart from taking in a couple of shows on Broadway, we also signed up for something called ‘Accomplice’ which we’d come across via Tripadvisor – it turned out to be a very enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours, took us round some areas we probably wouldn’t have otherwise have visited, and being run by actors and actresses was full of entertaining surprises.

As ever there is no shortage of sites and objects to photograph from the traditional SAKS department store, to the modern Chelsea Market and a low-down view of Times Square. It’s always a really lively and colourful city to visit, and just had to detour for a plate of oysters at Grand Central Station – I remember that from the last visit three years ago!

Having read some reviews of what to do in New York a stroll down High Line Park had to be ticked off, an object lesson in what to do with a disused railway track, providing fascinating views around the city.

My teenage daughter spent predictable amounts of time (and money) sampling retail therapy, but my wife found a new line on what can be purchased at shops – a divorce for $499 – bargain! New York again proved a fantastic place to visit, and look forwrad to having the opportunity to return. Being in town for the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attack was an amazing experience – the outpouring of emotion at Ground Zero, the personal tributes left by friends, colleagues and relatives…a privilege to be there.

If you have any comments or questions please get in touch via email keith@keithhern.com , or phone +44 7900 826714, or to se emore of my photography visit www.keithhern.com

 

 

9/11 ten years on – an emotional New York

When we booked a long weekend in New York it hadn’t clicked that we would be there for this anniversary, however it registered pretty quickly on arrival.
Leaving the hotel last Saturday morning central New York was on top terrorist alert as both there and Washington were under the threat of a major car bomb
attack – another threat wasn’t going to stop those that had come to pay their respects to colleagues, friends, relatives or just as a thank you to those amazing
firefighters from a decade ago who had paid the ultimate sacrifice.

These first four shots were taken on Saturday 10th, and show one of many policed roadblocks into downtown, a remembrance t-shirt I saw a lot on that day,
a tribute to the firefighters who put others safety ahead of their own, and a single small yet poignant memento left on the monument.

On Sunday 11th Ground Zero was only for those closely involved with the ceremony, but ABC News relayed everything live to Times Square, where many gathered
to watch. Remembrance t-shirts came in many types from the general, to the specific within the firefighting profession. Firefighters had come from the UK, Australia,
Canada, Europe and no doubt other places in a show of support and remembrance for fallen colleagues.

On Monday 12th the new memorial site ws open to the public for the first time and I was lucky enough to get a ticket, and what an impressive tribute it is. It was the
private notes of remembrance that really brought a tear to the eye, none more so than the final photo.There were many photos I could have picked for this blog, but
hopefully these provide an idea of the emotions of the event. To me it was a privilige to have been in New York to feel the emotions of last weekend’s anniversary
- something I suspect I will never forget.

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