Katie Price flashing with her ipod range

I had an unusually early start (for me) last friday - 20th August. Katie Price launched her iPod range and the photocall was in Parsons Green. After a usual wait past the published start time, Katie Price arrived saying "I've got them out today". She obviously knows what she needs to do to get her picture used and ultimately promote her new ipod range.

Tech-Info:- As a photographer I made an error to start with. I left my flash on auto. With the bright reflective outfit, the camera thought the scene was too bright, therefore didn't emit the amount of flash required to light the scene properly. Luckily shooting in RAW and using Aperture 3 I can recover quite a lot. However, with the large number of press photographers attending, I caught someone elses flash with provided enough light for me and a better lit picture. I soon changed my flash to the settings I needed once the podium was moved. We were quite a distance from her. With full length shots being taken on a 70-200mm lens. This also used up quite a bit of flash power.

As usual, All pictures are taken by myself including the pictures the first link (clicking on the picture) takes you too. They are all available for commercial and probably individual blog use via Famous pictures.

Big Brother Semi-Final and Final Josie Gibson wins

Mathew Firsht and Davina McCall

As many followers of the show will know the winner of Big Brother is Josie Gibson. I'm sure you have all seen pictures in the news by now. It is my aim to show you something different. At all the shows I have been to in the last few series there is always a warm up guy, Mathew Firsht. Mostly he tells the same stories and jokes each week. He does a great job of getting the crowd going. Rarely we see him with Davina McCall, as shown in the shoot to the right. Clicking on the picture will take you to the full gallery of pictures from the Big Brother Semi Final.

Camera Operator

Lastly from the final show. I've always noticed a few camera operators up high. They can't go anywhere once the show starts, if it rains tough. So below one of the many camera crew that bring you Big Brother. Finally a picture from the Final of Big Brother; Josie Gibson, the winner.

Davina McCall with Big Brother 11 winner Josie Gibson

More housemates enter the uk big brother house - 2010

More new housemates entered the big brother friday. Would you have chosen the same ones to enter the house. Click the picture for link to more pictures from the event.

Just as I went to push the post to blog button, my late catch up of big brother revealed that Laura (2nd from R) had already left the house. No staying power some of these contestants. Not that I'd want to go in the house.

T4 on the Beach - 2010

The Saturdays

I was lucky enough to be asked to cover T4 on the Beach at Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset (UK). Great, I couldn't wait. Apart from an early start which is never good for me. I managed to get up at 4:15, the press coach picked us up from Hammersmith Apollo at 6:45am. That is very early for me. We were looked after very well by the PR team. There was a down side, there were so many acts on we had to do our best to fit the live performances with the press runs backstage, where many of the artists pose for pictures as well. This was a great opportunity to photograph the acts on the other stage. For most of the day the weather was great, it did rain, quite heavy towards the end while JLS were performing. I gave that a miss, plus they were on the same time Diana Vickers was due backstage for the press run. The Saturdays (R) were minus Mollie King due to illness and performed as a four piece. They did looked a bit nervous at the start.

Diana Vickers

My notes for the day and future occasions I should do this event again. As a photographer we can take the live performance pictures from the golden circle. In the golden circle are also other members of the public. It's easy to get head in the way of your shot. Take a small step to get above them. The next point, don't try to cover both stages. The second T4 session stage is quite a distance to walk, plus we shot from the crowd, not even closer like the golden circle on the main stage. Finally, trying to edit pictures on a moving coach made me feel sick. Do it either before I get on the coach or at home.

Tech notes:- The main shots were taken on the canon 70-200 lens using the canon 1d mk111, while the shorter lens picture, eg backstage, were taken on the canon 1d mk11n and 24-70 lens. Many of the shot were shot using plus 1-2 stops exposure compensation as I was shooting against a white cloudy background. I have included an HDR image at the bottom of The Saturdays (still with the demo softwares watermark) which shows more how the scene really was; overcast. Clicking on the picture will take you to the shot submitted to Famous pictures. All RAW processed using aperture 3 (excpet the HDR shot). Which brings me to a final note, when the lap top is on battery power, the screen goes darker, remember to take that into consideration when editing pictures, otherwise they all come out a bit bright.

The Saturdays

So there you have it, a brief run down on the event and all the points I need to consider in the future. Also, please note all direct links supplied are pictures taken by myself and sold by famous pictures. They are not other photographer pictures. Clicking elsewhere on famous pictures will show pictures by other photographers.

I hope you enjoy. Click on the picture for the full gallery of images I took and sent to Famous Pictures.

Sunshine evicted from Big Brother then is goes dark

Yvette Martyn, better known as Sunshine in the last series of Big Brother, became the third housemate to be evicted from the house. If your a big brother fan, you will know that already. Moments after her eviction there was a power failure in the area and the house was in darkness. The live episode went off air. As the eviction is filmed for a few reasons, 10-15 minutes a head of transmission, viewers would have got a blank screen before hand, In fact just before Bens stand up comedy piece

Click on the picture to see this and more of my pictures taken from the third eviction Big Brother 11 eviction. Most of my celebrity pictures are available through Famous Pictures and Features agency.

Tech info:- lens used 17-40 and 70-200 for the head shots and distance shots (on the stairs). All processed through Aperture 3.

Holly Valance and Gemma Atkinson all in black

Gemma Atkinson

Holly Valance

Gemma Atkinson (R), an actress who use to be in Hollyoaks and grace the pages of many lads magazines is trying to lose her usual vivacious look wearing a black dress with no hint of cleavage at all. This shot was taken at a premiere for a film she is starring in called "Baseline". It was a rather low key premiere with just a few of the key actors and actress' in attendance.

At another event for Elizabeth Ardens 100th anniversary, former Neighbours actress and singer (remember Kiss Kiss?) Holly Valance (L) and others attended. 

As nice as black outfits are, nice colourful ones would be much better. It's summer and a time to be bright and colourful.

Rock Choir to Queen of the Desert and some Wimbledon action

A quiet week for me at the moment. A really rewarding job on Sunday took me to Hammersmith Apollo to photograph the Rock Choir. 4000 plus people singing in tune together, amazing. Unfortunately transferring the sound to pictures isn't easy. The Photo is of the choir sitting in the stalls and standing on the stage. Click the picture to go to the complete gallery. This photo was made from 9 shots stitched together in photoshop. Exposures were 2 seconds hence some movement and blurring to some people.

Rock Choir
© Nathan J Hulse

Zoe Salmon

Ben Richards' opening night in "Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical" in London on 22 June 2010 brought out a few stars and some bright coloured costumes. Pictured is former Blue Peter presenter Zoe Salmon. Again, click on the photo to view to complete gallery at Famous Pictures. 

Kirsty Gallacher

Another interesting event was a slazenger party for Wimbledon. Slazenger are the ball providers for the yearly sporting event. The actual party was interesting with John McEnroe and Pat Cash playing a quick game of tennis in the street. Sadly, I wasn't expecting to take any sporting photos. Using a wide angle lens (17-40) at night with a flash isn't the ideal lens and camera set-up to capture the action. Pictured is Kirsty Gallacher. Click on the picture to see the full gallery of my pictures at Famous pictures. I found it mildly amusing both tennis players were using dunlop tennis rackets at a Slanzenger event.