Gphotography - TIMELINE

Battle of the Bands - round 3

2010-08-01T23:10:00.001+01:00

It's that time of year again when the bands of Llanelli get together to fight it out to see who will win the Battle of the Bands. As Gphotography sponsor a prize of a photo-shoot for the winning band I like to pop along now & then to see what the standard of the competition is like. Today Jay & I headed off to the Turnstyle & we were not disappointed. It was unfortunate that we could only stay to catch the first two bands as later that night I was heading off to photograph Feeder in Cardiff.

Watch out for Gphotography @ The Masons Arms on the 8th August for round 4!

Dizzee Rascal @ Global Gathering 10

2010-07-31T22:37:00.000+01:00

Day two of Europe's top electronic music festival & Faithless would be a tough act to follow. A long night's dancing, not much sleep & a long day's dancing and then along came The Bloody Beetroots & Dizzee Rascal to name but a few, AWESOME!

Faithless @ Global Gathering 10

2010-07-30T23:24:00.001+01:00

It's been 10 years since Europe's no1 electronic music festival started & Global Gathering has gone from strength to strength. Four of those years Jay & I have travelled to Stratford Upon Avon to capture it live in a BIG way. This year's Friday's headliners were the mighty Faithless.

The Phoenix Choir

2010-07-25T14:00:00.005+01:00

Swansea's Phoenix Choir were looking for a new image & set of images, images for their posters, CD's etc. Sunday morning came & off to Swansea Bay we went looking for 30 men that just so happened to be hanging around waiting for a photographer.

Llanelli Skaters

2010-07-21T22:35:00.005+01:00

What started out as a photo-shoot on the skateboarding ramps @ Peoples Park in Llanelli for the Llanelli Skateboarders turned into one mad rush for cover after just 5 mins! Yes you guessed it it rained, well we are in Wales! Not to be put off the guys & I headed off to find some shelter & some fun in the town centre & we managed to get a few pix in the bag too.

Thank you guys, we will have to finish off what we started on the ramps real soon!

The Storys - Grand Cru

2010-06-19T23:12:00.008+01:00

All good things must come to an end! Well that's the saying but Jay & I @ gphotography along with many others thought we would never see the day The Storys called it a day. After following the Swansea based band from Swansea City to Venice our mate Andy Pearson & I entered the stage door of the Swansea Grand Theatre to document the bands final gig. We were given Access All Areas to the gig with a view to publishing a book Grand Cru.

Never say never & we all hope to see the guys getting back together again to either gig or record.

Beachbreak Live

2010-06-17T00:11:00.003+01:00

After much speculation the doors opened on the UK's largest student event (attendance approx 20,000) the Beachbreak Live at the Pembrey Country Park & Gphotography was there to capture the event in all it's glory. Students came from all over the UK to soak in the sun & surroundings of the stunning Pembrey Country Park. This Three day event had a laid back feel during the day but at night the tempo went up a few notches & this is when the big names hit the stage, names like Plan B, Ellie Goulding, The Futureheads, Calvin Harris & Vampire Weekend.

The powers that be were so impressed by the 2010 event that it will be back next year, bigger & better & Gphotography will be there to capture it!

Sound City Burning

2010-06-13T20:59:00.010+01:00

New band Sound City Burning were in the market for some profile pix for their MySpace, PR etc so they dropped me a line. Always up for a new challenge I met them at an old derelict timber mill & we worked together towards their final image.

Escape into the Park

2010-06-12T22:51:00.006+01:00

It's June, it's sunny, it's Escape into the Park! For the 5th year gphotography were asked to cover Wales' biggest festival.

Singleton Park Swansea is the home to Wales' premier club for the day. No trouble just dance, fun & sun!

V0iD album launch

2010-05-22T00:53:00.000+01:00

It was a longtime in the making but it finally arrived V0iD's second album 'Zero'. To bring Zero to the world the South Wales rockers played a gig @ Swansea's Milkwood Jam. It was the hottest day of the year so far & it was the fullest the Milkwood had been for a while. V0iD were there to entertain & entertain they did!

Cut Ribbons supporting V0iD

2010-05-22T00:25:00.000+01:00

To warm the crowd up V0iD enlisted fellow Llanelli band Cut Ribbons.

Carmarthenshire Football League – Under 12;s

2010-04-24T16:51:00.002+01:00

If you are a regular follower of this blog & my work you would know that football is not really my thing. I'm more at home at the side of a stage than the pitch. Anyway with no gigs to cover I headed off to Llanelli's Stebbonheath Park to capture the Carmarthenshire Football League Under 12's Cup Final between in the Kidwelly & Llangennech. I don't really know much about the round ball but I know that Kidwelly's win of 5-2 was impressive! Well done boys.

V0iD photo shoot 2

2010-04-13T21:50:00.003+01:00

With the new CD due to be unleashed on the world more new photos were needed for the V0iD PR machine. Another dark late night but this time it's in an alleyway off High Street, Swansea.

V0iD photo shoot

2010-03-09T23:20:00.000Z

It was good to be back with my old friends from V0iD. Fresh out of the studio with an up & coming new CD & wanting some pix. This time around the South Wales rockers are a four piece outfit after Wayne 2 joined the crew. So there we were driving around Swansea & I had no idea where to go, after all it was dark! We turn the corner & wow, yes, car park, game on!

More info on up & coming photo shoots coming real soon.

Martyn Joseph @ Pontypridd

2010-02-27T22:50:00.000Z

Having been impressed by Martyn back in The Pontardawe Festival last August where he rocked the muddy yet packed main arena I sort of knew what to expect, a damn good gig!

How can one man with one guitar keep so many people in his spell for so long! If you ever get the chance to catch him live all I can say is take it!

Amy Wadge supporting Martyn Joseph

2010-02-27T22:22:00.000Z

Off Jay & I went to the Muni Arts Centre in Pontypridd as the guests of Martyn Joseph to spend a quality Saturday night out. Ponty itself was rather quiet, dark & depressing. Once in the arts centre we found why the town was so quiet, everyone was inside & ready to enjoy.

I'd never seen this lady perform before but I had heard of that her performances were something special & trust me she did not disappoint!

Lost Carmarthenshire no5

2010-02-19T22:00:00.000Z

Gelli Deg is one of Carmarthenshire's most wonderful & magical lost places. You won't find it on any map, it is not visible on Google Earth it really is lost! After tracking down the owners & getting permission to photograph the house off I went with my mate & historian Pete Francis.

The story goes that the owners left Gelli Deg in the late 1940's & put the house in mothballs but soon after the lead was stripped from the roof & the water came in! The owners asked the local builder to demolish the house if he would accept the interior fittings as payment to this he agreed. The builder stripped the inside & walked away denying that he was told to demolish the outside, nice one Mr Builder I say!

Lost Carmarthenshire no4

2010-01-13T22:17:00.003Z

I don't really know much about Felin Drysgyrch Waterwheel except that it's a real crime to see such a once busy & essential building in such a state

I was out & about on my travels around Carmarthenshire when I stumbled upon this little gem of a forgotten building, what could be next?

Let it snow!

2010-01-11T00:06:00.000Z

As always when it snows the photographer goes out. This time I wanted to experiment with mixed lighting. Out & about after dark in the Llannon area.

Killing For Company

2009-12-12T23:45:00.002Z

Ex Stereophonics drummer & the boys of Killing For Company @ The Kazbar. An awesome performance by an awesome band. The assembled crowd already warmed up by The Action Plan were really up for the gig & Killing For Company did not let them down.

The Action Plan, support Killing For Company

2009-12-12T23:20:00.001Z

Battle of the band winners The Action Plan had the honor of supporting ex Stereophonics drummer Stuart Cable & the boys of Killing For Company at the Kazbar. The guys really know how to work the crowd & the crowd really enjoyed the night thanks to The Action Plan.

Lost Carmarthenshire no3

2009-12-06T23:06:00.003Z

Llangennech Park House has been left to rot away for around 60 years, slowly being reclaimed by the surrounding woodland. This hidden treasure was a seriously big mansion in it's day dwarfing everything in the surrounding , now sadly nearly totally forgotten by all including many who live in the surrounding new build homes.

Josh @ the Clvb

2009-12-05T01:11:00.003Z

Club owner & DJ Josh at his club, Clvb, Llanelli.

Lost Carmarthenshire no2

2009-12-05T00:30:00.005Z

During world war 2 many small, strange yet vital builings sprung up through the UK. These 'pill boxes' were part of the government's defence against the threat from German invasion. Many of these pillboxes still exist today. I like many others pass the one outside the coastal West Wales village of Ferryside but never give it another look, until today!

Night sun!

2009-12-02T23:57:00.001Z

It maybe dark at 9pm on a December evening but with a 30 second exposure dark becomes light! The location is the old grave yard in Felinfoel, Llanelli.

Lost Carmarthenshire no1

2009-11-30T23:32:00.008Z

These are first in a series of lost places in Carmarthenshire. Places & buildings that have been lost to time & long forgotten by most of us. Many sites we pass everyday but we never seem to stop and take a second look.

The first in the series is an old observation post St Ishmaels, Ferryside, built in 1940 to watch for the threat of Nazi invassion.

There are many other reminders of the war in this coastal area due to the close proximity to what used to be the ammunition factory at the now Pembrey Country Park.

The Action Plan!

2009-11-05T21:17:00.008Z

After winning the battle of the bands in August The Action Plan came to collect part of the prize they won, a photo shoot with myself. Being a typical night on the streets of Llanelli it rained! Not being put off we carried on, did the biz & had a great time doing so. My mate Jeff Davies came along to lend a hand & to hold the lighting stand, cheers guys for a wicked night.

The calendar that never was to be!

2009-10-25T23:14:00.000Z

I was commissioned by a local gym to do a calendar girls style calendar of the guys at the gym for charity. Unfortunately head office thought it didn't fit in with their image so it never got to print. Still we all had a blast doing the shoot, maybe next year?

& I was looking forward to the ladies edition!!!!

Barcelona

2009-10-21T22:59:00.001+01:00

Yes it was that time of year again when Jay & I went off for a few days with no kids. This time it was to sunny Barcelona. While Jay had a quick nap at the apartment I headed off to the beach & snapped a few surfers doing what they do best.
We had a wonderful relaxing time soaking up the sun & seeing the sights.

No trip to Barcelona would be complete without a visit to the awesome dancing fountains.

Steve's close encounter

2009-10-13T23:46:00.002+01:00

Out & about yet again on a dark night in Llanelli. This time messing about with off camera flash & a laser pen. Don't try this at home children!!!!-)

Ben

2009-10-10T22:25:00.003+01:00

Out & about with my mate Ben showing him the in's & out's of off camera flash on a wet evening in Llanelli.

The Lights Are On But Nobody's Home!

2009-09-27T22:38:00.001+01:00

Mucking about with painting with light at a remote farmhouse in Glynneath.

The image is made up of 5 separate images layered together in Photoshop.

By the canal

2009-09-27T21:31:00.000+01:00

Still blasting away with my speedlight off camera. This time a little (approx 1 mile) closer to home by the canal in Neath. Jay is such a real pleasure to photograph, thanks darling xXx

Under the bridge

2009-09-20T20:42:00.005+01:00

What better place to try out my new wireless flash kit on a sunny Sunday afternoon but under the local motorway bridge.

Battle of the Bands 2009

2009-08-30T23:49:00.007+01:00

It may not have been on the scale of The Global Gathering or Escape into the Park but the energy from the bands was just as big! Llanelli's first official battle of the bands took place at The Metropolitan & the place really did rock! Gphotography sponsored a prize of a photoshoot to the winners. The Action Plan were the worthy winners & I'm looking forward to working with them in the near future. Why not check back & see the results here.

Pontardawe Festival - Sunday

2009-08-23T02:33:00.000+01:00

Back again to Pontardawe but Sunday was different to Thursday's rock out. No electric guitars, no Mohican's & no sunshine! It was a true folk festival & in true British tradition it rained!

Martyn Joseph

Pontardawe Festival - Thursday

2009-08-20T02:19:00.000+01:00

It may not be the biggest festival in the world but in it's 31st year the Pontardawe Festival rocks! It's a mainly folk festival so it was sightly different for from Escape ot Global but never the less I enjoyed the experience. Thursday night saw The Bami Killers & The Last Republic play the main stage.

Karl Morgan

2009-08-10T01:40:00.000+01:00

Up & coming Swansea singer song writer Karl Morgan approached me to take some new profile & PR photos. After an exchange of e-mails a shoot was arranged. We hooked up in Swansea & I took him to a disused social club in a choice area of Swansea. As you can see from the resulting images the location was a winner, Karl thought the photos were too. I'm looking forward to working with Karl again so watch this space.

Global Gathering, Saturday

2009-07-25T23:08:00.001+01:00

Saturday & back at Long marston airfield for day two of 2009's Global Gathering. The sun was shining & the bass was pumping @ Europe's no1 dance festival. Some of the worlds top DJ's inc Eric Prydz, David Guetta, Judge Jules & Carl Cox were here to keep the party going. Saturday's headliners were veteran ravers Orbital.

Jay @ Global

Orbital

The main stage while Orbital entertain the masses.

Global Gathering, Friday

2009-07-24T22:42:00.001+01:00

The highlight in the Gphotography year is Europe's largest electronic music festival, The Global Gathering. 2009 is the 3 year in a row we have been asked to cover the festival. As usual it's a two day event with this years headliners on the Friday being The Prodigy & Pendulum. An awesome event was made a little more special this year as it was G's birthday.
Pendulum

Utah Saints

The Prodigy

The Prodigy

The Storys, Princess Royal Theatre, Port Talbot

2009-07-10T22:23:00.001+01:00

Do you ever get the feeling you have been here before? Have I photographed The Storys before, I'd say so, once or twice, do I ever get bored with it, hell no! It's always a pleasure when Steve get's in touch & asks you over to share their night.

Quality band, quality gig!

Llanelli v Motherwell

2009-07-09T22:15:00.002+01:00

Back to Parc Y Scarlets again for more of the round ball. This time Welsh Premier League runners-up Llanelli AFC v Motherwell in the Europa League first qualifying round second-leg tie.

Unfortunately for the reds Motherwell beat the home teams 1-0

Rhondda Rocks, the gig

2009-06-28T21:10:00.001+01:00

Following on from the days walk up Darren Y Bwllfa came a gig that was unique & much anticipated. The line up that was about to hit the stage was second to none, Stuart Cable's Killing For Company, The Automatic, Penrys Male Voice Choir & the man himself, Mike Peters to name but a few. This acoustic gig was like the walk in aid of the leukaemia fighting charity The Love, Hope, Strength Foundation. The venue was the Aberdare Coliseum & the venue was FULL!

Killing For Company & Mike Peters

The Automatic

Rhondda Rocks, the walk

2009-06-27T17:04:00.002+01:00

You don't really get to appreciate the stunning Welsh countryside when you drive past it in the car. We joined a group of nearly 100 strong to walk up the stunning Darren Y Bwllfa, Rhondda with Alarm front man Mike Peters in aid of the Love, Hope, Strength Foundation. The money raised from the walk for the charity is staying local to benefit the local community by supporting Tenovus’ marvellous Mobile Cancer Treatment Unit.

Ex Stereophonics drummer Stuart Cable joined Mike Peters at the start of the day.

At the top of the moutain Mike held an acoustic gig that was set against the unique background of the Welsh Valleys, Awesome!

Rhondda road trip

2009-06-21T20:26:00.003+01:00

Well it was Sunday & the sun was shining so off we went for a spin in the car. This week our faithful yellow Seicento Sporting took us over the mountain to Rhondda.

We parked outside Mrs Williams' home & the next thing we knew she was out having a chat. What a really nice lady she was, a real old fashioned valleys girl.

Escape into the Park

2009-06-13T00:10:00.002+01:00

June is here, the sun is out & the dance music is pumping! It can only mean one thing, Escape into the Park 2009 has arrived! This is the fourth year in a row that Jay & I have been at Wales' no1 music festival in Swansea's Singleton Park to review the festival for Tourdates.co.uk

Lisa Lashes stirs up the crowd @ Escape.

Cally & Juice letting Escape know they are there! Below is the view from the back as Cally & Juice play their set.

Judge Jules @ Escape

Jay in the pit @ Escape. A pit virgin but she delivered the goods.

Escape into the Park - Jay's photo

2009-06-13T00:00:00.000+01:00

This year Jay took her Nikon D200 to the festival & got this photo, not bad eh, I'm impressed!

Keep up the good work Jay!

The Big Welsh Night

2009-06-05T23:45:00.001+01:00

Friday saw a new direction for Gphotography when Jay & I attended the Big Welsh Night at Llanelli's 4* Stradey Park Hotel. The night was a celebration of all things Welsh, the food, the drink, the music & the arts & crafts. Jay & I had a stall there selling my work & sell it did! A really good night was had by one & all. Many thanks to those who stopped by to look, buy & compliment.

Wales v Estonia

2009-05-31T22:20:00.006+01:00

A new direction for me, football! Only ever been & photographed one local match before & that was many, many years ago! This time it was the first international footie match at Llanelli's Parc Y Scarlets between Wales & Estonia.

Swansea Live

2009-05-24T23:55:00.002+01:00

Jay & I went for a shopping trip to Swansea but we didn't get much shopping done. We took a walk into the city centre & into the middle of the city's one day music festival Swansea Live. A really good set of bands & a crowd that was up for a good time, this combined with cracking sunshine made Castle Square the place to be.

Catching a train

2009-05-03T23:31:00.004+01:00

A spur of the moment photo shoot at the old railway sidings, Swansea.

Exposure Music Awards

2009-04-26T20:23:00.003+01:00

What a great night we had last night when we went to the Exposure Music Awards in Cheltenham. The second year of awards & we were there last year to capture the best of the best unsigned bands rock!

V0iD photo shoot

2009-04-14T22:22:00.000+01:00

Hot from their recent gigs in Belgium V0iD were eager to get some new pix as a four piece band after being joined by Wayne Esmonde on guitar. We took a spin to the exotic wilds of Neath to get these rockin photos. Looking for a new look we tried a few ideas but finally these came out on top.

If you go down to the woods...........!

2009-04-12T23:58:00.004+01:00

Jay & I took a walk to the woods today & came back with a few pix.

Private parking

2009-04-12T12:56:00.001+01:00

Messing around at our local Tesco. Will she, won't she, yep she did! Well we are never stuck for a parking space now!!!!!!-)

No Fit State Circus

2009-03-15T01:50:00.005Z

Tonight Jay, myself & the kids went to the circus. This was no ordinary circus this was the No Fit State Circus. No animals, no clowns just non stop big top action all to the soundtrack of a live band!

Not the easiest job I've ever done, no flash, 1600 iso & fast & furious action with my lens on f2.8 but I think I managed to pull it off.

The Storys @ The Brangwyn

2009-02-27T23:50:00.000Z

Back with my mates in The Storys, this time at their Brangwyn Hall gig in Swansea.

It's snowing!

2009-02-03T17:28:00.007Z

Well for once the weatherman was right, he said we were going to get some white stuff & down it came! Like any photographer, when it snows out comes the camera. Below is a photo of Town Hall Sq, Llanelli.

Scarlets v The Barbarians

2009-01-31T22:25:00.001Z

Yet another trip to Parc Y Scarlets, this time for the official opening of the ground. With a crowd of 14,450 it was just short of the 14,870 max. Again I was there not to photograph the rugby but to document the event. Pictured here is Welsh singer & president of Plaid Cymru (the Party of Wales) Dafydd Iwan. Dafydd's song 'Yma o Hyd' (Still Here) is the theme song of The Scarlets & is played at the start of every home game.

The Storys in the studio

2009-01-29T23:00:00.004Z

I was invited to join The Storys while they were recording a few new songs in Tim Hamill's Sonic One studio.

Around the World

2009-01-27T00:35:00.002Z

Mucking about with Photoshop & trying to get an unusual take on 'Around the World'.

Scarlets v Cardiff Blues

2008-12-20T23:30:00.002Z

Another trip to Parc Y Scarlets this time to cover the Scarlets v Cardiff Blues. As usual I left the rugby shots up to the long lens boys & girls of the regular press. I took a wander to get those more unusual shots at the ground.

Stereophonics @ Cardiff International Arena

2008-12-07T20:56:00.014Z

What a great gig with the phonics last night @ the CIA & also an awesome night with Jay. The usual first three songs with no flash in the pit & then we had balcony seats for the rest of the show, QUALITY! The Phonics as usual were nothing less than awesome with a mix of electric & acoustic songs. I hope the photos of Kelly & the boys on my web do the gig justice. As usual we were there to review the gig for Tourdates.co.uk & Jay did the biz HERE. Cheers Deano for the usual help mate.

Parc Y Scarlets

2008-11-22T22:00:00.000Z

A couple of shots of the new Parc Y Scarlets home of Llanelli RFC & The Scarlets.

Jay & myself went along to the ground at the invite of the

The Scarlets during an open day for local photographers.

More shots of the day are on my site.

Llanelli Christmas carnival 2008

2008-11-21T22:25:00.000Z

A few shots taken at this years Christmas carnival.
Again I used my fave Nikkor 10.5mm fisheye lens.

Last game at Stradey Park

2008-10-24T23:00:00.000+01:00

Stradey Park is known the world over as home of Llanelli RFC & The Scarlets. One of the worlds oldest rugby grounds has been replaced by the Scarlets new home of Parc Y Scarlets. The very last game at Stradey was the Scarlets v Bath match but the game played second fiddle to the event & I was there to capture the historic event.

Amsterdam (Jay's birthday)

2008-10-17T12:00:00.000+01:00

Jay & I celebrating her birthday in style! Jay & I flew to Amsterdam to celebrate her birthday. Neither of us had been there before but soon made up for it.

Jay in our apartment.

& you thought Holland was flat, not through my fisheye it's not!

London, a family trip & photo shoot

2008-08-12T23:00:00.005+01:00

Jay & I took the boys for a weekend away & their first trip to London. We did the tourist things & I managed to pop a few arty shots in along the way. I hope you like them, full gallery coming soon.