andyhallphoto

This Blog has moved...

2011-02-20T23:57:00.000Z

You can now follow my irregular meanderings at this new location:www.andyhallphoto.com/blog/Well, after Google dumped FTP publishing a few months back, I decided to migrate to another platform. So it's goodbye Blogger, hello Wordpress.

The Woods

2011-01-14T00:13:00.001Z

We sometimes hid in these woods and played on the lethal homemade rope swings rather than completing the cross country runs inflicted on us by the sadistic games teachers. (Another shot from the 'new' XA)

The Fellowship

2011-01-14T00:09:00.002Z

The rather bleak scene at what I suppose was technically my 'local' when I lived back in the west country.

Forever Film

2011-01-06T21:47:00.002Z

Just had first few rolls back from the 'new' XA rangefinder. Results with the flash are a bit wonky but all in all, it's still a pretty awesome little camera. I'll be uploading a whole bunch of snowy nonsense onto my Flickr stream later this week.

The XA

2010-12-12T23:28:00.004Z

After months of dithering, I have finally picked up an original Olympus XA - the much respected rangefinder version of the XA series. There are lots of resources about these excellent cameras online but for a start here is the photoethnography one. I've been shooting with the fixed focus version – the XA2 – for a while now, and the quality of the optics on these tiny point and shoot cameras is amazing.

Admittedly I carried a Lomo LC-A around for years, but they've now become such a cult item that they retail at close to £300! So in my opinion any aspiring 'street photographer' would be better off picking up an XA2 (which has almost identical fixed focus zones / AE mode as the Lomo) on ebay for a tenth of that price. I know people dig the Lomo's vignette-ing and light fall-off but seriously... £300 for a now largely plastic camera built in China? The XAs give you all the camera-in-pocket convenience and spontaneity but with a hugely superior lens.

Famous Five

2010-10-18T00:25:00.005+01:00

My good friend Marcus recently gave me his original Canon 5D to experiment with (an extremely generous gesture obviously!). We had a decent EF 85mm prime lens at the studio so I've been enjoying putting it through its paces. This shot and the ones from Nick's show were all taken with it.

Patagonia Through a Pinhole

2010-10-18T00:08:00.004+01:00

I took a few shots at the launch party of Nick Livesey's photography exhibition at the Royal Geographical Society recently. The show is comprised of a selection of black and white pinhole photographs (that's the MDF camera above) depicting the remote terrain of the Chilean landscape. More details at Nick's website.

Tomb-stoning

2010-09-16T12:12:00.001+01:00

These rascals are engaged in the highly dangerous pusrsuit of "tomb-stoning". This involves jumping off very high battlements or rocks on the sea front at Plymouth Hoe. You can see a shot of this guy jumping off here. It's obviously become fairly popular, prompting the local council to erect signs in hot-spots warning of the very real risk of death or serious injury. We watched them for a little while but just the site of their perilous descent made me feel quite queasy in the pit of my stomach.

Shark tank

2010-09-16T12:11:00.002+01:00

This young lady is cleaning the inside of the Reef Shark tank at the National Maritime Aquarium in Plymouth. While the three scuba-cleaners swim about, removing fish poo and other assorted grime, a fourth diver patrols the circling sharks armed only with a small plastic tube with which to bop them on the nose should they come too near. A pic of one of the sharks is on my Flickr.

The glorious Gorge

2010-09-16T12:11:00.000+01:00

Along with the local Burger King (where we used to smuggle in packets of Jammy Dodgers to drink with our three cups of tea), this cafe / restaurant was a favourite haunt back when Matt, Dom and I were art students in Plymouth. Named The Gorge, its bright orange walls and ceilings are meant to look like caverns, and are modelled in what looks like Blue Peter-style papier mache.

Shooting the Parade

2010-08-20T00:19:00.005+01:00

I spent a pleasant morning in the company of guitar maestro, regular Blues in London journo and all round good egg, Mr mark Harrison recently. I took a bunch of medium format shots at his home in North London. We first encountered a fairly timid Mark playing in the acoustic slot at the very first BiL jam at the Green Note where he got up and did a few instrumentals on his beloved wooden-body resonator guitar. Fast forward a few years, and he's got an album out containing all original material, and jolly good it is too (graphics by Frank Design of course). Find out more about Mark and his long player 'Watching the Parade' at: www.myspace.com/markharrison
Also check out my Flickr set of additional shots.

Tramps of tomorrow?

2010-07-28T09:44:00.013+01:00

So my shot of Dom Bridges got used for a 'Stars of Tomorrow' feature in Screen International. Apparently all the other future "stars" turned up for a posh photo-shoot at celeb hang-out The Ivy, but not our Dom. Afterwards, at the accompanying industry bash, their portraits were all projected on a big screen, prompting one audience member to ask "Who's that homeless guy?" when my shot of Dom appeared amongst them. Priceless.

Laurent Le Mans

2010-07-22T00:19:00.003+01:00

Stunning set of images from the Le Mans Classic motor race by photographer Laurent Nivalle here»

I scream, you scream...

2010-07-13T23:16:00.002+01:00

I took this with a Lomo LC-A at Mount Batten in Plymouth a while ago, and always thought it had a nice retro feel to it. Also just in the process of uploading a set of other ice cream images to Frank Design Fotos.

E.D. and T.L.R.

2010-07-04T21:50:00.002+01:00

The kids are always intrigued by the periscopic reversed image stylings of the viewfinder on my Yashica twin lens reflex camera. This shot taken with a Mamiya 6 rangefinder and 150mm lens.

Generalissimo Lee

2010-07-04T21:38:00.002+01:00

I used to really love the Dukes of Hazzard TV show, so was amused to see this little car (a Fiat I think) pimped in the same style as Bo and Luke Duke's Dodge Charger, 'The General Lee'. Some more recent pics with the XA2 now online here»

And another one gone...

2010-06-05T18:50:00.003+01:00

Brian Duffy, hugely talented but notoriously ill-tempered photographer died on the 31st May. Duffy was most famous as part of the 60s 'black trinity' of East End geezer-snappers (along with David Bailey and Terence Donovan). But he also shot some pretty iconic stuff in the 70s too, including the cover of Bowie's Aladdin Sane amongst others. Look at more of his greatest hits here >>

Goodbye Dennis Hopper

2010-05-30T21:39:00.002+01:00

Hollywood maverick Dennis Hopper sadly passed away on Saturday. As well as being a great actor, he was also a damn fine photographer. You might recognise this shot of Dennis' which ended up being used as the cover shot on the Best of The Smiths album.

Loving the XA2

2010-05-10T23:44:00.002+01:00

Currently really enjoying using my latest 'walking-around' camera, the 1980s-era but still very cool Olympus XA2. It's a very simple beast and behaves much like a Lomo LC-A, but with vastly superior optics of course. The original version (the XA) was a rangefinder camera and apparently had a very good rep with professionals as a high quality early generation 35mm compact. Nigel recently picked one up from the camera stall guy in Old Spitalfields Market, and early results look promising, particularly this pasty-faced shot of me!

Mr Bridger

2010-05-01T00:07:00.002+01:00

Took some shots of old pal and uber talented film director Dom Bridges the other day. Unfortunately I don't think they made the final cut for inclusion in the Shots magazine article about him, but hey ho... a couple more on my flickr

Green Note Jam

2010-04-26T21:30:00.008+01:00

Mark Harrison
More pics of Mark and others playing at April's jam are available to view at the Jam's Blog here
Next Jam is on the 12th May... Green Note, 106 Parkway, Camden

Lucia Cardenas

2010-04-15T12:36:00.002+01:00

Had a very appreciative email from photography student Lucia Cardenas the other day. We eventually met up at the studio and discussed the various issues and factors involved when shooting gigs and portraits using film. She later sent me some great B&W images she shot of The Bonfire Band (see above). We also went along to the Blues in London acoustic jam at the Green Note last night, so will hopefully be uploading some more pics soon.

Seasick denied

2010-04-15T12:12:00.001+01:00

I missed out on a photo mission to Seasick Steve's house for Guitar World last week. I was actually on holiday and completely by chance only a short distance away from where he now resides in North Cornwall. A bit gutted to say the least...

The Wolfman

2010-03-23T23:49:00.002Z

I was asked to contribute images of Robert Belfour for the promotion of a state-sponsored blues event over at Theatre NXS in Missouri last week. I said yes... more info here

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2010-03-22T21:24:00.001Z

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