Wednesday 26 April 2017

Now live - Southampton Half, Marathon,10k and fun run, Brutal 10k Windmill Hill, REP Bluebell, and Heart of the Wolds Sportive 2017

This will seem uncharacteristically brief, so apologies in advance !

All go at the start of the inaugural ABP Southampton Marathon, just before the Half and 10k
 The much anticipated 209,000 image gallery from the ABP Southampton Half, Marathon, 10k, and fun run is now live and online here, as well as the rest of the races and rides from this weekend:



http://sspimg.com/2017-REP-Bluebell - free race downloads - just add the free ones to your order basket and check out



Four great events with fantastic sportsmanship, effort and commitment being shown by many of the race marshals, event directors, and even some of the competitors as well. 

On a weekend that is dominated by the London Marathon, it's always fantastic to see more people out at events taking advantage of what was perfect weather for running, even if the April sun was quite strong.

As it's been the hardest Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday that I can remember in a long time, I'm only going to put a handful of images here and off to get some much missed sleep.

Well done to all of you especially if it was your first one, your PB, or your regular running/riding or health commitment to yourself. They are all special.


It was very well attended, even St.George on his National Day.

The Kids fun run was very well attended.


The longer races went though the stadium

Itn's not a hill, it's the ichen Bridge...

These were the Brutal Hills

and they forgot to use the bridges

But it's ok there were lifboat men

meanwhile at the bluebell woods you could fly along

well, sort of fly along like an emu

nothing beats a good trail run through the Bluebell woods at this time of year

Apologies for the brevity, I'll try to put together a better one later in the week, otherwise very well done to all of you, enjoy re-living the moments of the weekend one more time !

until next time

Anthony



Thursday 20 April 2017

Folkestone 10, Grand Union Canal Half and HONC Ride 2017



The start of the Folkestone 10, in Hythe.

These three superb events were live very quickly, and we updated twitter @uksportphoto and our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UKSportPhoto/ - so apologies for the Blog delay - it can take a lot of time to put the information, links and other data together in a readable format !(and those captions take a hell of a long time to write too)

Recent Galleries
Date Event Gallery page
Sun-09/04/2017 PP Grand Union Half http://sspimg.com/PP-Grand-Union-Spring-Gallery-2017
Sun-09/04/2017 HONC http://sspimg.com/HONC-2017-Gallery
Fri-14/04/2017 Folkestone 10 http://sspimg.com/Folkestone-10-Gallery-2017

In fact all of April's Galleries are all here - http://sspimg.com/April-2017-races with the latest races all loaded, and future races all there waiting for your lovely faces !




Proper Archives
You can always go back to any of the races from 2017, 2016 and most of 2015 on our new gallery here, including almost all the races from 10 years ago - 2007 and once you have figured out what your race number was - searching is easy !
http://gallery.sussexsportphotography.com/gallery-list

Future races entries?
You can also see future races that we are covering in the months and weeks ahead on the gallery - so if you're thinking of entering an event - just go and take a look - we put the race entry website links in the info there too, as well as a bit of a list here for you:

Date Race or Ride Event Website
Sat-22/04/2017 Brutal Windmill Hill http://www.brutalrun.co.uk/dates/brutal-windmill-hill/
Sun-23/04/2017 Southampton Half and Full Marathon and 10k http://bit.ly/southampton-half
Sun-23/04/2017 REP Bluebell - Free race photos !! http://rawenergypursuits.co.uk/?p=3938
Sun-30/04/2017 REP Steyning Tri - Free race photos !! http://rawenergypursuits.co.uk/?p=3947
Sun-30/04/2017 Oswestry Half Marathon - Free live race photos with Pic2Go https://www.ukrunchat.co.uk/oswestry-half-marathon/
Sun-30/04/2017 Ranelagh Half http://bit.ly/Ranelagh-Half
Sun-30/04/2017 YMCA Fun Run http://www.ymcaeastsurrey.org.uk/funrun/
Sun-30/04/2017 3Forts http://bit.ly/3-Forts-Challenge
Mon-01/05/2017 Hart Tri https://www.everyoneactive.com/event/hart-sprint-triathlon/
Sun-07/05/2017 7Oaks Tri - Free Race Photos http://www.7oakstriclub.co.uk/7oaks-tri-race.html
Wed-10/05/2017 Mundays 5k- Free Race Photos http://mundays.co.uk/who-we-are/corporate-and-social-responsibility/princess-alice-hospice/charity-5k/
Sat-13/05/2017 The Little Welly - Surrey http://www.thelittlewelly.co.uk/Guildford-2016
Sat-13/05/2017 London Revolution Ride Sat  - Free live ride photos with Pic2Go  http://www.london-revolution.com/
Sun-14/05/2017 London Revolution Ride Sun - Free live ride photos with Pic2Go http://www.london-revolution.com/
Sun-14/05/2017 Oxford 10k http://www.townandgown10k.com/oxford/
Sun-14/05/2017 EG Tri http://www.egtri.com/index.php/race-home
Sun-14/05/2017 Kelly's Cycle Challenge - Free Race Photos https://charity.kellystorage.co.uk/Events/2017/Cycle-Challenge
Sun-21/05/2017 REP Arundel Tri - Free Race Photos http://rawenergypursuits.co.uk/?p=3944
Sun-21/05/2017 Fareham Tri https://www.everyoneactive.com/fareham-triathlon/
Sat-03/06/2017 AAT The Hurt 2 http://aat-events.com/race/the-hurt/



Do we do a good job ? (I'm hunting for that one quote for my year end review with the boss - well, not quite yet)

We regularly are invited back to cover races each year by race organisers, which is handy because that's important to how we feed our families. We like to think it's because we do a good job, but once you have taken the "that's a technically excellent photo of me" necessity out of what makes a good photography service we like to think it's these sort of things:

  • Galleries up quickly, which are easily searchable
  • Lots of photos from lots of locations around the course, at different angles (we usually take about 4-5 times as many photos as the other companies)
  • Great value collections of all your images in a choice of resolutions (which can be ordered online)
  • Choice of digital products from screen resolution available instantly to Original resolution finished carefully in photoshop and emailed to you
  • Fast and stable gallery that can cope with post-race visitor hits and demand 
  • Professional team on the day that gets involved with the event, and has multiple backup systems
  • Good project management in the back office, documentation and planning
  • Easily contactable (advertised landline phone number)
  • Technically good photos that you like - with timing and composition
  • Marketing and advertising of future races for entries
  • and of course our Pic2Go technology if sponsors want you to have your photos actually during the event
If you can think of what we do that makes our service one that we should be proud of - then reply to this blog and let me know ! (it will also cheer us up too).

Some pictures from the last three races then:

Always good to see a photobomb at the front of the field

All going ok, even with a tri belt

The long view along the front

so far so good

she's almost as big as his arms...

talking of big arms

borrow a friends arm

concentrating too much for arms

carry your friends over the line
 Meanwhile at HONC
up the hill

riding out

Take the corners at speed

some lovely countryside lanes and hedged paths

Big tyres downhill. At speed. Must check brakes...

Air was had.


a quick rinse instead of taking the bridge (in the background)

Along the hills

Leading the way across the bridge
 meanwhile at the purple patch Grand Union Canal half marathon, special spring addition with warmth and sun at a totally different angle to usual
Paced his friend around, but didn't want his time on powerof10 so took his chip off. Good of him to enter - many people we see don't think they need to when they are pacing their friends around races.

going strong

yes, he's from Dorking

All good at the finish

come on Mummy, you're late

Always good with a bit of bling

when the wind changes this will stick

Almost got the bunny ears in the right place

wired for sound

enjoying the river bank

The unknown photobomb wins again

You too should run along with this view

Just starting to get that mild sense of worry and anxiety for the rest of the week. Not because of the possibility of winning an award at the Running Awards (although thank you to whoever nominated me for the blog section, it turns out I have to know and get people to vote for me to even get into the second round, and it might have to be my full time occupation, like Zoella, or someone who's rumoured to be moving in nearby soon along with their 9 million followers, the neighbourhood is ruined I tell you), nor am I worried because they've never had a category for race or event photography, and neither am I worried for all the races we work with - because they are all fantastic anyway (that's why we work with them).
Am I worried about the London Marathon ? nope, not going to be there, what I am worried about is being at the Southampton Half, Full and 10k races - it's going to be massive, and amazing and if you want to see how busy it's going to be at the finish - then check out this race animation I've done
http://sspimg.com/southampton2017-route-animation
And I rightly get a bit nervous before the big and busy events ! It's good to have a bit of worry - then you check things - lots. With the added complexity of the marathon it's changed all the logistics from the last two years, plus we have a reversed and different route direction - so it's all as good as new again - another reason to be slightly concerned !! But I'm sure our teams experience will bring us through ok !
It's going to be a long day with 7 hours of continuous shooting - if you see our team (or me) frozen to the spot staring continuously down the camera into the distance without blinking a bit like a zombie - bring them coffee. Urgently. Thank you.

Until next time - very good luck to everyone at London too, and also to all the supporters at all the races - it's an absolute challenge to get around and support everyone. Sometimes it's best to just stick to one point where you can fetcheveryone to one place.

laters
Anthony






Tuesday 4 April 2017

Paddock Wood Half Marathon 2017 now live - and other stuff

Spring has sprung properly at last, and welcome to the first Half of April !
All go at the start in sunshine for the Paddock Wood Half Marathon 2017

The Paddock Wood Half Marathon with 2164 finishers in perfect running temperatures was the first time this year I've put a bit of sunblock on to stop myself from roasting. Yes, I think that's when the clouds started to filter over gently, sorry about that. Otherwise everything ran very smoothly with excellent levels of marshalling and medical cover around the course, as well as good food at the Elm Pub for the supporters !

The fully searchable gallery for Paddock Wood is available here:



Past the fire station and off out of town

Almost 80,000 images from the race were online Monday, all fully catalogued and searchable, (even the ones where your numbers are hidden), taken by our intrepid team of four photographers with 9 cameras (if you don't count the live facebook feed we ran from a phone in the countryside) across 7 locations.  This compares very well to another similar sized event that took place on the same day but unfortunately we were not there to provide the coverage (instead they had 16,000 images, 4 locations with 3 photographers, 3 cameras - with only one on the finish).
lots of coverage everywhere, even here

Next weekend we are at the PP Grand Union Canal Spring version, and online entries close today (Tuesday) so get yourself signed up now ! (entries on the sunday cost £3 more, but the weather forecast is already set perfect for the day, so book with confidence and plan a bit)
Bournemouth Bay Run
In other news, apologies to all the enquiries we have had about coverage of the Bournemouth Bay Run, after covering it for 9 years, we were not successful in our bid to be there this year, even though we cover it for free and raised quite a lot of money for the BHF from picture sales. We did try to be there - who knows what will happen for next year... Last years 2016 gallery is here: http://sspimg.com/BournemouthBay2016-Gallery

Other recent galleries you need to check yourself out for
Sat-25/03/2017Bolt round the Holt (free race downloads) Sponsored by GUTS - Fighting Bowel Cancer http://www.gutsfbc.co.uk/ 

Just add the free downloads products to your order basket to get them for free [I think that's clear enought - Ed.]
http://sspimg.com/Bolt-2017-Gallery
Sun-26/03/2017The MABAC Cranleigh 15-21http://sspimg.com/Cranleigh-2017-Gallery
Sat-18/03/2017Kelly's Clandon Park Runhttp://sspimg.com/ClandonParkRun-2017Gallery
Sun-19/03/2017Richmond Half and 10khttp://sspimg.com/RIchmondHalf-2017Gallery
Sun-19/03/2017Hastings Half Marathonhttp://sspimg.com/HastingsHalf-2017Gallery
Sun-19/03/2017Brentwood Half Marathonhttp://sspimg.com/BrentwoodHalf-2017Gallery
Sun-19/03/2017Fleet Half Marathonhttp://sspimg.com/FleetHalf-2017Gallery
Sun-19/03/2017ETL Spring Badger Halfhttp://sspimg.com/BadgerHalf-Gallery2017



Discount corner
I'm also duty bound to tell you about a few events we are covering this year - which I think you really ought to know about, if you missed my little mid-week post last time...

Race to the Tower Discount code of PICTOWER
June 10th and 11th - 
Race to the Tower - Along the Cotswold Way in Gloucester from Stroud to the Broadway Tower 
click here to go to this race website to find out more and enter: sspimg.com/RaceToTheTower 
Your 15% discount code is "PICTOWER" (there was a small blip with this discount code at the weekend - it's now fixed)


Race to the Kings Discount code of KINGPIC

June 24th and 25th
Race to the King - Along the South Downs from Slindon near Arundel in Sussex to Winchester Cathedral.
Click here to go to the race website - sspimg.com/RaceToTheKing
Your 15% discount code is "KINGPIC"

Enter these races- they're great and well organised, and we'll be there to shout you on !
Sun-09/04/2017HONC - mountain bike endurohttp://www.winchcombecc.org.uk/honc/
Sun-09/04/2017PP Grand Union Half (One off - Spring special)http://www.purplepatchrunning.com
Fri-14/04/2017Folkestone 10 (Easter Friday)http://www.folkestone10mile.co.uk/
Sat-22/04/2017Brutal Windmill Hillhttp://www.brutalrun.co.uk/
Sun-23/04/2017REP Bluebell (Free Downloads)http://www.rawenergypursuits.co.uk/
Sun-23/04/2017Southampton Half, 10k, and Marathonhttp://marafunuk.com/
Sun-30/04/2017REP Steyning Tri (Free Photos)http://www.rawenergypursuits.co.uk/
Sun-30/04/2017Oswestry Half Marathon (Pic2Go Live Photos)http://www.ukrunchat.co.uk/
Sun-30/04/2017Ranelagh Halfhttp://ranelaghhalfmarathon.webs.com/
Sun-30/04/2017YMCA Fun Runhttp://www.ymcaeastsurrey.org.uk/funrun/
Sun-30/04/20173Forts Half and Full Marathonhttp://www.threefortsmarathon.org.uk/
Sun-07/05/20177Oaks Tri (Free Photos)http://www.7oakstriclub.co.uk/
Wed-10/05/2017Mundays 5k (Free Photos) wednesday evening run around the parkwww.mundays.co.uk



And now - some of the race pictures from Sunday

run with style and voom

All ok at the front. probably because he's not running

Always wave to friends

Hello friends

easy on the downhills

Enjoying the run so far

hip hop happy

top twisting

when you spot the remote camera and nobody else is looking

Lead Lady, surrounded by bodyguards determined not to be beaten.

All going OK

we are clang

Good teamwork at 10 miles

no selfie stick, so surrendered

Experience shows the right way to do it

"come back Dulwich....!"

Complete the sentence... (any comments about tri-belts obscuring things and not working will be acceptable.)

A good general shot of how busy these thing can be out on the course

Mr Rencontre reconnoitring the course

Finishing with friends is fun

Checking the clock - did she make it ?

Job done - training on target

Mike can do big hugs

Ahead of the crowd
So we have two more quieter weekends, and then it all kicks off for a very busy end of April with the Southampton Marathon and half amongst others, and then a very very mad May. Hopefully I'll get the accounts sorted and squared away in time to get a little bit of rest and get ready for the onslaught ahead, and hopefully I'll see you out there doing your thing too.

Anthony