One of my favourite events of the year is happening this weekend – 7th, 8th and 9th June 2013. The 1940s event at the Great Central Railway in 2007 was one of the very first re-enactment events that I ever went to and this event is still one of the highlights of my photography calendar.
I shall hopefully be posting photos from this year’s event in due course but before I do that I just wanted to show you the 2013 Great Central Railway Timetable and also the Wartime Weekend Flyer, both of which feature one of my photos on the front cover, the young soldier and the land army girl looking out of the railway carriage window.
Great Central Railway Timetable and Wartime Weekend Flyer 2013
I’m really pleased to see this photo taking pride of place on the front of these two brochures, I just hope I can take some photos of a similar quality over the coming weekend. This shot was the best of a series of similar shots that I took just as the train was arriving at Rothley Station.
Here’s the original in case you missed it before:
“Young Lovers In Wartime” A young soldier and land army girl in 1940s costume
***Update***Photos from the 2013 1940s event have been posted here
My photos from the GCR 1940s event in 2012 can still be seen here, and from the 2011 event here.
Photos from the first event I covered, back in 2007, can still be found here
Here’s a tiny selection from the 1200 plus photos that I took at the London North Tough Mudder event at Boughton House near Kettering in the UK on 4th May 2013.
A mouthful of dirty pond water is not good at all…
Tough Mudder UK London North 2013
Unlike last year, this time my good friend Janet and I were attempting to follow two particular groups of runners, one from the 8:40am start group, and one from the 9:00am start. I must confess, I totally missed Joe and his team at our first obstacle, the aptly titled “Kiss of Mud” despite being in position on time. We both managed to catch Matt and most of his team twenty minutes later though.
Then, a mad dash to the “Island Hopping” before a short trip to the “Underwater Tunnels” at which point we lost contact with our teams as they ventured away from the spectator areas.
We then waited to “ambush” them at “Mud Mile” #2, where I finally caught site of Joe and the team, and then rushed back to catch them as they approached the final few obstacles, including the “Hero Walls”, “Everest” and finally “Electroshock Therapy”.
It was an excellent event to photograph, as it was last year. I could easily have stayed at Mud Mile all day it was so entertaining. The occasional heavy shower with hail stones thrown in just added to the fun.
***Update – December 2019*** for any runners still looking for photos from the London North 2013 event at Boughton House, I have now tagged all my photos from the day with your running numbers (wherever they were visible). Use the search box at the top of the Gallery Page below to check if I managed to tag your number (Saturday 4th May 2013 only):
If crawling through mud under barbed wire wearing only a kilt is your thing, this event is for you…!
Tough Mudder UK London North 2013If crawling through mud is too slow for you, try swimming…!
Tough Mudder UK London North 2013A mouthful of dirty pond water is not good at all…
Tough Mudder UK London North 2013The great thing about Tough Mudder, there’s always someone to give a helping hand, or two…
Tough Mudder UK London North 2013Getting cramp sitting atop of a Hero Wall is not funny. Luckily, help is never far away when taking part in this event.
Tough Mudder UK London North 2013Taking a splash at the Mud Mile, the water was deeper than it looked in some places.
Tough Mudder UK London North 2013Mud Mile – Where did you say that deep water was…? Tough Mudder UK London North 2013OK I found it! Tough Mudder UK London North 2013Even the rain and hail stones didn’t stop these guys helping other runners to climb Everest
Tough Mudder UK London North 2013If ever an obstacle called for team effort, Everest is the one.
Tough Mudder UK London North 2013Sometimes it takes more than one attempt to climb Everest…
Tough Mudder UK London North 2013Finally, a little electroshock therapy to speed you to the finishing line…
Tough Mudder UK London North 2013
Yet another event is cancelled due to the terrible wet summer we are having here in the UK. The Festival of History at Kelmarsh Hall in Northamptonshire, the flagship event in the English Heritage calendar, has suffered the same fate as so many other outdoor events this year.
“Wounded” Soldier, Festival of History, Kelmarsh Hall 2008
It all started in March with the announcement that there were to be hosepipe bans in many parts of the country due to water shortages and the reservoirs being at record lows. I know myself from visits to Rutland Water reservoir that water levels were indeed very low at that time. Little did anyone realise that almost from the moment the hosepipe ban was announced, it would rain almost daily for the next three months. June 2012 was the wettest June since records began in 1908 and July has carried on in much the same way.
Chariot Racing, Festival of History, Kelmarsh Hall 2009
It was ironic that last Sunday, the day I was planning to go to the Festival of History, turned out to be one of the best days so far in July with plenty of sunshine. Sadly the field where the festival was to take place was already under water by then and the event had reluctantly been cancelled after the downpours of Thursday and Friday nights added to the already wet conditions under foot.
Part of the WWII battle re-enactment, Festival of History, Kelmarsh Hall 2009
It’s a real shame, not just for me, but especially for the organisers and the re-enactment groups and living history groups who have no doubt been planning this event for many weeks and months in advance. I know of at least two other events that were cancelled on the same weekend. Only the Burton Latimer Annual Duck Race survived, it would appear that the current weather is absolutely perfect for ducks, even the yellow plastic variety!
One of Prince Malik’s Lancers, Festival of History, Kelmarsh Hall 2011
Oh well, I hope to have some new photos to share very soon, August is looking very busy with the Battle of Bosworth anniversary re-enactment and the Crich 1940s weekend already in my calendar. In the mean time, here is a link to my photos from some of the recent Festivals of History:
Before I talk about my visit to the Great Central Railway 1940s weekend, I want to share some good news about two photos that I took at this event in 2010. I recently entered these two image in the Great Central Railway Print section of the annual exhibition run by Leicester and Leicestershire Photographic Society.
This picture of an engine driver looking out of his cab was commended:
“Engine Driver British Railways” Great Central Railway 2010
This picture featuring a young soldier and a beautiful land army girl, which was a grab shot taken as a steam train was drawing into Rothley Station, was awarded second place in the same competition:
“Young Lovers In Wartime” Great Central Railway 2010
This year (2012) was the fifth time that my good friend Barry and I have photographed this event in the last 6 years. Not only is it a great event for photographers, but it is a great day out with plenty to see and enjoy, good food and interesting people to meet and share experiences.
Members of the Pitsford Home Guard Living History Unit at Quorn and Woodhouse Station, Great Central Railway 2012
The weather turned out so much better than expected with the forecast for Sunday being wet and windy. As it turned out, it was a beautiful day for re-enactors and visitors alike.
A British Spy attempts to escape by running along the railway track – Great Central Railway 2012
I don’t think there were quite as many period costume “characters” as there were last year but there was still plenty going on, certainly on the Sunday when we were there. The Das Heer re-enactment group were on patrol at Rothley Station as in previous years.
A member of Das Heer Living History Re-enactment Group fires a warning shot – Great Central Railway 2012
At Quorn and Loughborough Stations we encountered the Pitsford Home Guard Living History Group who carried out various exercises, parades and drills throughout the weekend. There was also a rarade featuring members of the Royal British Legion and guest dignitaries including Montgomery among others.
Members of the Pitsford Home Guard Living History Unit on patrol at Loughborough Station – Great Central Railway 2012
This was my first re-enactment of the year following a long lay-off due to my back problem earlier in the year. It was great to be out taking photos again and I hope to be able to cover more events through the remainder of the year now that my back is improving.
Standard Bearers of the Royal British Legion at Quorn and Woodhouse Station – Great Central Railway 2012
All the photos here were taken with my Canon EOS 5D (Classic) and EF 80-200mm F2.8L lens. All photos were shot in RAW format and processed using Lightroom Version 3.6. I’m still using Windows XP and so I am unable to upgrade to the latest version of Lightroom but to be honest it doesn’t concern me that much.
Loughborough Station in the 1940s – I love the shadow pattern being projected onto the carriages by the platform canopy – Great Central Railway 2012
As always, credit must go to the event organisers, especially everyone connected with the Great Central Railway, including all the volunteers.
A Well-Dressed Professional 1940s Style – Great Central Railway 2012
Also thanks to all the living history groups and re-enactors, both military and civilian, who make these events such a great photo opportunity for the many enthusiast photographers like myself.
Finally, a new blog post – my first since January. I’m going to start with a confession: Up until the week before this event, I had never heard of Tough Mudder and didn’t know anything about this type of event.
Tough Mudder – Leaving the Fire Walker – Boughton House, Northamptonshire, UK
It was my friend Janet who introduced me to the world that is Tough Mudder. A friend and colleague of hers, Marianne, was taking part in the event and Janet wanted to go along to offer support and hopefully take some photos at the same time. After doing some research on the event website, Janet thought that it would appeal to me as a photographic opportunity, and duly sent me the link.
Delight at seeing a familiar face – Tough Mudder “Fire Walker”, Boughton House, Northamptonshire, UK
As it happened, I also knew someone taking part in event, though I didn’t know it beforehand. A colleague from work, Joe, spotted me on the approach to the Hay Bale Pyramid, one of the early obstacles. I also managed to photograph him jumping a ditch a little later, but then all but missed him running through the Firewalker. With hindsight, I would love to have caught him at the mud mile as I would have got a lot more photos at that location. Maybe next time…
My work colleague Joe at the base of the Hay Bale Pyramid – Tough Mudder, Boughton House, Northamptonshire, UK
It turned out that this particular event, held at Boughton House, near Kettering in Northamptonshire was the very first Tough Mudder event to take place in the UK, following enormous success in the USA and other countries worldwide. So what is Tough Mudder all about? In essence, the event consists of a twelve-mile run across country with an obstacle to overcome roughly every half mile or so.
The Funkey Monkey – Tough Mudder, Boughton House
The obstacles varied in their difficulty and their level of sadism. Some, like the Berlin Walls and Hay Bale Pyramid, provided a physical barrier to scale and overcome. Others, like the Mud Mile and Log Bog Jog were designed to sap the energy out of the competitors and test their stamina…
The “Mud Mile” – Tough Mudder, Boughton House, Northamptonshire, UK
Other obstacles such the Funkey Monkey and Walk the Plank tested the physical capabilities of the runners in respect of their strength, balance and agility. As for the Electro-Shock Therapy, well you can make your own mind up about that one…
Many of the obstacles are designed with teamwork in mind, none more so than the Everest Wall, the last but one obstacle consisting of a quarter-pipe roughly 12 feet high which proved to be almost impossible to scale single-handed but turned into an object lesson in using team-work and camaraderie to overcome the seemingly insurmountable.
It’s all about working together to reach the top of Everest – Tough Mudder, Boughton House
It is this sense of teamwork that sets Tough Mudder apart from many similar types of event such as Tough Guy. Tough Mudder is not a race as such, it is a challenge above all else, both a personal challenge and a team challenge. Add to this mix lots of mud and the fact that most of the entrants were also raising large amounts of money for good causes at the same time and you have the reasons why this has become such a successful format.
Happy as Mudders in Mud! – Tough Mudder , Boughton House, Northamptonshire UK
As a photographic opportunity, this was a great event for me and just what I needed after a long lay-off suffering from back muscle spasms. With hindsight, I probably missed some of the very best obstacles in terms of facial expressions, the Arctic Enema and the Spiders Web for instance. However, this was the first time I had tried to photograph an event like this and I think I did ok for a first attempt.
The Boa Constrictor – Tough Mudder, Boughton House
In truth, I did not know what to expect in terms of spectator access to the obstacles, which was actually much better than I imagined. Because of this uncertainty, I decided to take my old but trusty Canon EF55-200mm F4-5.6 zoom. This is a great lens for the money but doesn’t quite give that 3D effect that my regular EF80-200mm F2.8 would have given. All shots were taken with my EOS 5D (or 5D Classic as it is referred to now). One equipment decision I was pleased with was footwear. Janet and I both chose to wear our wellies and we were both very glad that we did!
Walk The Plank – Tough Mudder, Boughton House, Kettering
One thing I wasn’t prepared for was the sheer number of competitors taking part. 8,000 runners took part on the Saturday when we attended, and another 5,000 on the Sunday. Any attempt to photograph all those taking part was clearly futile. Even the official event photographers who had cameras located at various locations around the course struggled to get shots of everyone taking part.
Waiting to tackle the big one – Everest! Tough Mudder, Boughton House, Kettering
Janet and I had a great day out photographing this event. Not just because it was a beautiful day weather wise but because it was such a great event both to witness and to photograph. There were times, especially at the “Everest” wall when I had to stop taking photos just to enjoy and appreciate the unbelievable effort that the competitors were making in order to complete the challenge.
A desperate lunge for a pair of grasping hands, Everest, Tough Mudder, Boughton House, Kettering, Northamptonshire, UK
We both left Boughton House full of respect and admiration for everyone who takes part in these events. The levels of commitment, dedication and teamwork were clear for all to see. Now that my eyes have been opened to this type of event, I very much hope to be able to cover more of them later in the year, hopefully in Scotland on the 14th and 15th July, and at Cholmondeley Castle in the North West on the 17th and 18th November.
Tough Mudder 73848 in the “Mud Mile”, Boughton House, Northamptonshire, UK – May 2012Tough Mudder 71478 demonstrating one way to get noticed, Boughton House, Northamptonshire, UK, May 2012
***Update – December 2019*** for any runners still looking for photos from the South-East/Midlands event at Boughton House, I have now tagged all my photos from the day with your running numbers (wherever they were visible). Use the search box at the top of the Gallery Page below to check if I managed to tag your number (Saturday 12th May 2012 only):
Well, I can’t hardly believe how long it has been since I updated this blog. In fact, my last post was at the end of August following the battle re-enactment at Bosworth. So, what’s been happening while I have been away I hear you ask? Well, not a lot really in terms of my photography, hence the extended break. However, I have attended 5 University open days with my daughter Sophie over this period, all of which I have really enjoyed, but which have taken up quite a lot of my spare time, particularly at weekends.
Alan at Tutbury Castle Medieval Photographer's Day, October 2011
Back in June, my good friend Barry and I were approached by someone whilst visiting the Great Central Railway 1940s weekend asking if we would be interested in attending a special photographer’s event at Tutbury Castle in Staffordshire. It was short notice but we decided to give it a go and it turned out to be a very interesting day with a number of models dressed in a variety of costumes at this excellent location.
Tutbury Castle Medieval Photographer's Day, October 2011
When I heard that Tutbury Castle were planning a similar event in October, to run from 2pm in the afternoon all the way to 9pm at night, and with a medieval theme, I knew I had to get a ticket. I was delighted that five other members from Desborough and Rothwell Photographic Society also made it over for the event, along with myself and Barry.
Dawn at Tutbury Castle Medieval Photographer's Day, October 2011
I love doing people pictures as you know but my natural shyness occasionally stops me from approaching people at events and getting the shots I would like. The opportunity to photograph “models” in historic outfits who were there for the sole purpose of being photographed is surely every photographer’s dream.
Alan at Tutbury Castle Medieval Photographer's Day, October 2011
The opportunity of taking photos during the evening, at dusk, and then by floodlight was an added attraction for this event and made it extra special. I must also congratulate Lesley Smith, the curator at Tutbury Castle, not just for organising the event, but also for being the star attraction, first as Queen Bodicea and later as Nell Guinn. Lesley certainly throws herself 100% into the characters she portrays , which also included Queen Elizabeth I back in June.
Lesley as Queen Bodicea at Tutbury Castle Medieval Photographer's Day, October 2011
The day ended with a photo shoot in the Great Hall with only candle light for illumination. This turned out to be a source of some disagreement between the photographers attempting to take the shots, some equipped with tripods and looking to take a long exposure, whilst others without tripods had to use flash to supplement the candle light in order to get a sharp image.
Dusk at Tutbury Castle Medieval Photographer's Day, October 2011
The source of the “conflict” was that the flashes from the tripod-less photographers was affecting the exposures of the tripod users who were shooting long exposures (several seconds I would guess) in order to get their shots by candle light alone. In the end the flashers, including myself I must confess, were asked to pause while the tripod users took some shots sans flash.
Lesley by candle light (and bounced flash!), the Great Hall, Tutbury Castle, October 2011
As always, the photos here represent only a small portion of the images taken on the day. I have posted many more over on my website. I do hope that Tutbury Castle will be planning some more photographer’s days for next year. From the feedback I have heard, everyone that attended had a brilliant day.
Last weekend was the occasion of the Battle of Bosworth Anniversary Re-enactment. The Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre near Market Bosworth in Leicestershire was the venue for this event.
The King addresses his soldiers before the battle, Bosworth Battlefield 2011
The Battle of Bosworth took place here in 1485 and the battlefield at Bosworth is famous as the place where King Richard III was defeated and lost his life and his crown to Henry Tudor, the first of the Tudor dynasty.
Receiving orders before the battle – Bosworth Battlefield 2011
This battle followed the “Wars of the Roses”, a series of battles between two rival dynasties, the white rose of York and the red rose of Lancaster, for the control of the English throne. Between 1454 and 1471 the houses of Lancaster and York fought thirteen battles with the Yorkist Edward IV winning the eventual victory.
Marching into battle – Bosworth Battlefield 2011
Richard III was Edward’s youngest brother and succeeded him to the throne in 1483. Just 2 years later, he rode into battle at Bosworth in Leicestershire on the 22nd August 1485 where he met his death and lost his crown to Henry Tudor.
Man to man combat – Bosworth Battlefield 2011
If you are a fan of Shakespeare, you will recall that the bard immortalised King Richard III as he lay defeated on the battlefield with the famous line: “A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse.”
No quarter asked for or given – Bosworth Battlefield 2011
I must admit, this was not the easiest assignment I have been on. The battlefield itself was surrounded by tents and spectators on all sides making backgrounds a problem. The other problem is that you can only ever be in one place at once so of course you can only photograph what is in front of you.
A pause for refreshment – Bosworth Battlefield 2011
As it happened I was quite well placed for both of the day’s big battles and hopefully managed to capture some of the atmosphere and action of the day. The living history encampments at either end of the main arena provided further photo opportunities throughout the day.
After the battle – Bosworth Battlefield 2011
I have posted many more photos from the day, including the excellent Jousting Tournament, over on my website
One of my all-time favourite places to visit at any time of the year is the National Tramway Museum at Crich, up in the Peak District near Matlock in Derbyshire. Twice every year the museum, which depicts a traditional english village complete with working tramway and rolling stock, is transported back in time to the 1940s.
A domestic goddess – 1940s style! Crich Tramway Museum – August 2011
Not only are there lots of period vehicles on display, but there are also dozens of individuals and groups dressed in authentic 1940s costume. It is these re-enactors, some in military uniforms of the period, and some in civilian outfits, that make these events such a wonderful opportunity for us enthusiast photographers. The attention to detail of these re-enactors, together with the location, brings a unique chance to capture the look and feel of the 1940s in our photographs.
Fun and Laughter 1940s style – outside the Red Lion Public House at Crich Tramway Museum – August 2011
Unfortunately, I missed the Easter 1940s weekend in April of this year so I made a point of not missing the August event. I was accompanied by my very good friend Barry who not only drove us all the way up from Northamptonshire but also paid for both of our entrance fees. How could I not enjoy such a day? My contribution? Paying for lunch and tea – a fair deal I think.
The lovely Lola Lamour – brilliant entertainment 1940s style – Crich Tramway Museum, August 2011
The forecast was for a fine if cloudy day after an early morning shower. Perfect conditions for outdoor portraiture, cloudy bright, was exactly what we enjoyed for most of the day save for the odd sunny spell in the afternoon which added some welcome warmth to the day which started a little bit chilly for short sleeves.
1940s style and elegance – Crich Tramway Museum – August 2011
As we had been to this event several times before, we talked on the way up about strategies for the day i.e. how to get something a little bit different to the usual photos taken at such events. I had already decided I was going to look for candid shots first and foremost, using my longest lens to diffuse the backgrounds which are inevitably busy at all these events.
What’s going on here? A sophisticated 1940s lady showing off her knee in public – outrageous! Crich Tramway Museum – August 2011
Using my long lens and a wide aperture enabled me to take pictures from across the street without being in the faces of the re-enactors and that was really useful in getting some natural looking candids. Unfortunately, when certain activities were taking place, especially the 1940s wedding, I was limited to head and shoulders only for some shots due to the closeness of the watching crowd and other photographers. That’s how it is with these events, you win some and you lose some.
The bride and groom – wedding day 1940s style at Crich Tramway Museum – August 2011
Overall, I am very pleased with the set of candid pictures I took on the day, and I hope that if the people in the photos eventually find themselves on my website, they will be pleased too. I think they are a refreshing change from the posed smiley photos that appear on many photographer’s sites. I realise also that some people won’t agree and that’s fair enough.
1940s elegance and sophistication, Crich Tramway Museum – August 2011
There are many more of my 1940s photos from this event on my Flickr Site
It’s fair to say that the Festival of History held anually at Kelmarsh Hall in Northamptonshire is the jewel in the crown of the English Heritage events calendar. I had been looking forward to this event for a long time so it was with some trepidation that I watched the weather forecast for the weekend on the Friday night which warned of heavy rain showers on Saturday followed by more heavy rain showers on Sunday.
The Story of the British Army, Festival of History, 2011
As it turned out, Saturday morning was a wash-out as it rained almost constantly right up until around 1pm but from there onwards it stayed more or less fine for the rest of the day. I had already decided to take my chance on the Sunday and that turned out to be a day of sunshine and mostly light showers so not as bad as forecast.
Roman Soldiers, Festival of History, 2011
The Festival of History presents many opportunities to the enthusiast photographer, but also some challenges. On the positive side, there is so very much to see, so many people and events to photograph and so much going on all the time. The enormous number of re-enactors taking part, the different periods of history portrayed and the variety of set-pieces and encampments to explore is mind-blowing.
The Boar War Battle Re-enactment, Festival of History 2011
It’s the sheer size of the event that presents one of the major challenges. At any given time there are at least three different places you need to be. Another problem is trying to isolate your subject from the background which at times can get a bit messy with white tents, members of the public (refered to as MOPs by the re-enactors), other photographers (grrr!), videographers (is that a word?), trade stands, caravans etc.
The challenges of taking photographs at the Festival of History
The problems continue when trying to shoot the big battle re-enactments in the main arenas. Every photographers worst nightmare, the safety ropes – white this time, a welcome change from blue you may think – are there to ensure that almost every photo you take will contain at least some portion of the dreaded rope.
“The sheer variety of re-enactors facial hair is mind-blowing”
Despite all the above, I love this event. There are so many photo opportunities all around you but you do have to keep a close eye on procedings and you do need to be lucky sometimes in order to be in just the right place at the right time.
German Half-Track Commander, Festival of History 2011
In the event I was very lucky with the weather, one sharp shower in the afternoon but only a few spots of rain for the rest of the day. A very enjoyable day and it was good to catch up with some of the people I had met at previous events.
Update January 2020: You can find many more images from the event over on my website here.
Photographers from Desborough and Rothwell Photographic Society, of which I am a member, were recently invited to photograph a 10 mile sponsored walk held in memory of the Desborough Rifleman Aidan Howell who was killed while serving his country in Afghanistan in 2009. He was just 19.
Marching On Together for Aidan Howell
Aidan was a big Leeds United fan and the walk was appropriately called “Marching On Together” the title of the famous Leeds United Football Club song. This was the second running of this event after the huge success of the first one in June 2010. All proceeds from the event go to the Aidan Howell Memorial Fund.
Runners from 3rd Battalion, The Rifles about to start their second run
Among the people taking part were servicemen from 3rd Battalion, The Rifles, some of whom were not content to do just the 10 mile course, but instead completed 2 runs in the same day, and others who ran the undulating 10 mile course with fully loaded backpacks strapped to their backs.
Marching On Together with Fully Loaded Backpacks
The course took the runners and walkers from the start at Desborough Town Football Club through the villages of Arthingworth and Harrington, and back to the finish at Desborough via Rothwell. Three photographers attended the event; myself, Trevor Rudkin who is the Chairman of the Society, and Philip Gott. The society’s auditor, Richard Coe, took part in the walk itself.
I’m really glad that we supported this worthy event. I must confess to feeling a little apprehensive at the starting line as I don’t live in Desborough and I never knew Aidan myself. Once we got out on the course though, it definitely felt as though we were supporting the walkers and, for the most part, they appreciated us being there to cheer them on.
Photographer Geoff Oliver 