Clive Bolger has been a  good friend to me and to Stony Stratford for the last few years. He recently returned to his beloved Ireland. Leaving me to find a new drummer for my band.  Hard act to follow. This was taken on an amazing day that Clive brought a few of his Irish friends over to play on St Patricks night.

Being one of the photographers at Togfest and StonyLive! gives me access to an amazing range of musical talent. One of the most entertaining is the amazing Jimi Volcano who appeared in Togfest 2004. Digital editing software (Photoshop) allows you to manipulate the photograph in the name of art. The original of this was not that good. But with a bit of tweaking, the stark black and white and the cropped expression on the guitar players face make this an ultimate rock and roll shot.

Actually not a lone voice, but Bob Bryant, lead singer of Unit 6  and The Great Big Pig, Pink Floyd tribute band. The light trails vividly demonstrate the photographic "rule of thirds".

This is Nicky Prince from the band RPM. Its a funny thing about performing music, the best is created when you really believe in it. Nicky is believing every word in this shot I was lucky enough to be there to capture it. Again a lot of help from Photoshop to give the right effect.

This is the only "wet & soggy" photograph in the collection, although I scanned it in to clean it up in Photoshop. This was taken about 14 years ago in the vaults bar in the Bull Hotel Stony Stratford. For longer than  30 years the man in the corner, Matt Armour has been presiding over the talents of the local musicians. This guy saw me sing my first song in public and gave me lots encouragement to make sure it wasn't my last. You can still see Matt (and all of us) every Sunday lunchtime in the Vaults.

The other best Music festival in Milton Keynes, StonyLive!, Also gives me many musical moments. I love the way that Jazz musicians focus on the music and the moment. Just looking at this gentlemen's face you can almost picture the note that is coming out of his Saxophone.

The night I took these "JAZZ" pictures generated quite a few of favorite music shots. Both these people are members of the Dave King All-stars. Whilst most digital photographs are taken in Colour, there are so many tools available to me to create the atmospheric music shots, with Black & White. 

When people come together to share music, beer and general bon amie! magic is created. No two sessions and no two musical contributions are the same. People play along to things they have never played before. Traditions are maintained, feelings are expressed, smiles prevail. These Gentlemen from the Rose & Castle Morris, came to the Fox & Hounds in StonyLive! to Dance, but it always generates in to a session afterwards. 

StonyLive! is not just about music. Many other things go on during the week. You can catch the Stony Stratford Mummers, at various points during the festival. This "little devil"  was on his way home after a mummers play performance. I love the way that life was going on around him.  That's Stony Stratford.

When Formula 1 came to London as part of the promotion of the British Grand Prix. I was one of the hundreds of thousands of people who stood in Regents Street to try and catch a glimpse. There was so many people that I didn't see much of the cars. This shot was taken by me holding my camera above my head. Later examination showed there was someone doing the same thing. You can in fact see the photograph he was taking. Somewhere on someone's computer is that picture.

As I couldn't see many cars at the Formula 1 event in London, it did give me an opportunity to take lots of pictures of people doing the most amazing things in order to see the racing cars. There were people climbing up walls, standing on signs, hanging from scaffolding, I had a lot of fun and got a lot of amazing photographs. The ability to manipulate a digital photograph enables you to provide some interesting perspectives. Leaving the stop sign on red while making the rest of the picture Black & White, seems to make the people look as they are deep in thought.

The man who is going to marry my eldest daughter plays for Bletchley Rugby Club. He always ends up in the local paper much to our amusement. I went down one day to see if i could get some good action shots. This one was achieved by accident as I was running to keep up with the action.  The blurring caused by  camera movement, seems to enhance the frenetic nature of this gentlemen's game.

I saw this busker on the streets of Eindhoven in the Netherlands. I again used the marvelous digital capability of Photoshop to  blur the background. This helps frame the main subject. Is it cheating?... no its art!

As part of the music celebration in StonyLive! we either start or finish with a sister festival called Folk on The Green. I love the way that about a thousand people turn up with their picnics, bottles of wine and very wide smiles to enjoy an afternoon of musical entertainment. This is a shared moment between I assume a mother and her daughter, enjoying the atmosphere. Use of Photoshop to blur the background also helps frame the shot.

This was taken on the Bay of Biscay coast in France, near Biscarosse. Fantastic sunsets, big waves and brisk breezes make this one of my favorite seaside places in the world. You don't have to use Photoshop to get the shot. This one is as I took it in my camera.

There is something about old wreaks that I find fascinating. They all must tell a story, someone sailed them once. How did these boats end up here?. I must admit this is actually a fake. The sky I put on myself from another photograph. Reason... because I can.

This is another angle on the same boat above. This time no fake skies, but I made the background sepia, and used the colour trick to bring focus to the two tender tied up to the wreak. Both shots were taken in Eastney in Portsmouth harbour, where I have my own boat moored.

Still on the theme of forgotten boats, I saw this boat apparently abandoned on the river Tay, on one sailing trip. Much to my amazement, I then saw smoke coming out of the funnel. Someone was living on board. If you look carefully the editing techniques used on this picture make it look like an oil painting. Again Photography or art?

This is currently the only photograph I have ever had published in a magazine. Digital Camera Techniques. Again taken at Biscarosse. Relying heavly on the rule of thirds. I have used special filters to simplify the picture, and carefully painted the light from the sunset back in. My mother, who is a very talented painter, is actually painting this for me. Another illustration how I can become a painter without having the ability to use the brush.

When I have occasion to go down to Brighton, like the abandon wreaks, I find the state of the West Pier very sad. Every year there is a bit more fallen into the sea, or there has been another fire. As I used to go to this pier a lot when I was a kid, its like my childhood is falling into the sea with it. This photograph was taken just as the sun peeked through a storm. Boosting the colour a little bit allows the boats to generate hope that it will soon be over.

Another picture of the West Pier, this time framed with a piece of sculpture on the beach. Again careful boosting of the colour gives a surreal quality to the decay of the Pier. The lens glare also gives rise to some hope. Another rule of photgraphy, never walk away from the opertunity of a natural fram to bring life to subject.

It seems only appropriate to finish this exhibition with the place that brings a lot, fun, music, food, friends and flags?  Stony Stratford. This sunset was taken while I was charging  between two StonyLive! events. It  brought me to pause for just a minute, on just how wonderful life is!  -