Scott Ellison

Thanks for visiting my fundraising page.

So... I have some how ended up signed up to do a 26 mile walk for Cancer Research on 17th April 2010.

This all started with a colleague sending an email round work with the details. The Shine Walk, a 13 or 26 mile option walk throughout the night in Manchester to raise money for Cancer Research UK. Being the impulsive person I am straight away I agreed to do it as most of the others in the office were signing up for it. I thought walking 26 miles, that's easy, running yes I can understand being hard but a walk would be no problem.

A few months have gone by since signing up. I've had the training programme through, and it's a lot to keep up with. I've now also heard the horror stories come through of very fit and very healthy people struggling on the "Moon Walk" for breast cancer in London last year. So now... I'm bricking it! And added to that, it's a walk in the middle of the night through and around Greater Manchester... no sane person does that.

Why? Well firstly it's a challenge, I've come to realise I'm bored of being fat and needed something to aim for this year that would get me fixing up and looking sharp and this was the start. Also on the books is a triathalon in May, 60 Manchester to Blackpool bike ride in July and a half marathon RUN in October. And thankfully as a result of this pressure I've not been to shoddy in the gym. Nearly a stone lost since just before Christmas.

Also, I'm sure we all know or know of someone affected by cancer. Some with amazing stories of recovery and others that were not so lucky with their fight. And I'm sure that we'd all liked to have helpped those people in any way we could.

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Cancer Research UK gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.

So please sponsor me now! And honestly even if it's 1p, £1 or £5 no matter how much it's more than welcome. And remember I need to be reminded of how much you would all love to see a hobbit looking fella suffer in pain at the sight of physical exhersion. So go on, go on, go on... Go on!

Also just as a bit of a thank you! If wanted, for anybody sponsoring £10 plus :) I'll do some photo's for you. Whether that's just you, you n your better looking half or a family photo. But keep in mind that I can't promise I'll make you all look good, I know some ugly people ;) And I might need a month in rehab to get feeling back in my feet and legs... oh and I want be able to get to those of you that are missions away, you can have IOU's :)

Just wanted to see if anyone knew of any studio's in or around the Manchester area that offer courses. I've just moved back up north from Down South.

The studio's I like the look of down there were
The Trained Eye for their professional but modern look on photography.

and

Garage Studios for their shear coolness fun and artistic take on photography.

I feel I need to take a course to get the confidence to get back out their. I have booked onto the 2 day portrait workshop at The Trained Eye but they are a little far to be doing regular courses. So if anyone knows of any similar studio's in Manchester please please please give me a shout.

Much love

A few months back I started going along to the Warrington Photographic Society weekly meetings. WPS hold a monthly contest so I thought I would try my luck in their 2nd competition of the season. I entered 3 photo's which were judged by Tony Pioli and below are the original photographs his comments and a revamp version of the photograph.

1. Chilling Buddha...

Originalscored 12/20 it was described as one of the weaker images in the competition. Flat subject as the lighting from behind does not give any modelling to the subject. There is too much space on the right hand side and that the subject should be on the right. Tony felt that the dark patch in the background was distracting.

Revamp

2. Meditation...

originalscored 16/20. To improve it could be cropped bottom to take off some of the floor. He liked the lighting around the statue and the symetry of the image.

revamp

3. Thoughts...

Originalscored 15/20 thought that the background was not related to the subject, it did not tell the viewer anything about the subject or what they were looking at. He would like to have seen less crop at the bottom to see more of the note pad, good lighting shadows a bit dark. Subject was strong but is let down by background. Too much negative space to the right of the image.

Revamp

So... There you have the result of my first competition entry. I'd love to hear from people to let me know what you think of the revamp images, if you agree with Tony or not or if you have other criticisms just shout at me in the ccomment box below.

Last night I took a very brave step for me... As you might have noticed my photography over the last few months since the move up North back to Warrington has been pretty non existent. So last week I had a flash back. In my last job I got talking to one of the old boy's I knew from one of our other offices, he was taking the photo's for a conference we were running. We got talking camera's and photography and he advised me to join a photo club.

As I said my photography has taken a slide for the worse so I wanted to ad some drive back in. I've been on flickr and there does not seem to be any Warrington groups on there that interest me and no local "photowalk" clubs either. I had this flashback and did a Google search and found The Warrington Photo Society which meets just round the corner from my home and the season was due to start again last night, 8th September. So I figured it would be rude not to check it out and see what they were up to.

As usual when it got to yesterday I armed myself with the usual excuses for procrastinating which were only going to be used on me but I often lie to myself. But alas. I did not give in to "peer pressure" stop being lazy and actually went down there.

It was WPS's first meeting back after the summer break. I walked into the community centre on New Thelwall Lane just oposite Latchford Locks where the Warrington Photo Society meet just before the 7:30pm start time expecting a couple of people not up to much but I was faced with a reasonable sized room packed full of people. I attempted to sneak in and take a seat right at the back once I'd checked I was in fact in the photo club meeting and not an OAP meeting as most of the people were around 30 years my senior. I was ready for this, although hoping it would be packed full of super cool photographic 20somethings females, I was kind of expecting this and had excuses not to go back if it was full of "the older generation"

1. They won't be into the same kind of photography as me
2. We'll have nothing in common
3. They want like me... a younger person thats no relation to anyone whose a member
4. etc. etc. etc.

My sneak in was foiled. Batman I am not! Accosted  by a quick off the mark committee member who greeted me and gave me a programme and lead me away from the back seat and sat me next to two gents, Colin and David. David is a six year member of the Warrington Photo Society but that's nothing in comparison to Colin's mighty 40 years of membership. These were the nicest people ever. All of the group were. But David and Colin kept me feeling very welcome, told me the in's and out's of the society and gave me some amusement about talking to someone in, maybe, their 70's about photoshop and lightroom. As soon as I spoke to these two gent's I'd made my desision to come back. No excuses now. Although we may not be into the same kind of photo's or the same culture I knew that I'd be able to learn a lot from the group.

The evening would for somebody with non interest in photography be as boring as hell. But although I had listened to many podcasts about the history of photography and the development to digital I found it so interesting listening to a) a british person talking about it and b) see them in the flesh. It was so interesting listening to how the president, Ken, developed his photography from the late 70's to the digital age talking about things I had never heard of, forgotten had existed or that I used for totally different reasons. Being able to see the progression in his print work was really interesting too. And that excuse of us not being into the same photography got kicked through the door when I saw two of his images, a female behind a screen that cast three shadows in red, blue and green onto the screen and another of a family of clothes hanges with the same outfit, just different sizes, both were amazing and I will find out his secret for them.

All in all I am really glad I went along last night. The WPS run competitions for it's members which is a great excuse to get out shooting. The seminars/talks that they have on their weekly meetings will inspire me a lot. I would definitely recommend anyone in the Warrington area with an interest in photography to go along. Even if it's just to chat with Colin and David.

Whilst in there I felt like a bit of a geek but I don't care everyone is a bit geeky for something :) Try it you might just like it!!!

I have “a cunning plan”… Last weekend I went for snowboarding lessons and my friend has told me about the Snowball Rally 2009 43 slopes in England over 3 days. To enter the rally team members are required to raise a minimum of £250 each. I hope to improve my skills on the snow so that I’m “good” enough to take part in a team with my mate’s boarding crew.

My plan to raise my £250 minimum is to run a photo fund raiser. I’d like to set up shop somewhere and charge for £1 portraits… Well £1 per person and they get a group and individual portrait. By doing this I hope to be able to easily raise the money if not more which will help take inner city at risk of offending young people on Snowboard camps as a diversion activity from the drugs and crime around them.

I was hoping to hear from people that have ran similar photo projects that can give me some pointers. Maybe yours went really well and want to encourage me or put me off because you burst a blood vessel when attempting it or maybe you haven’t done anything like this but would still like to give me some information, pointers, links to blog articles etc. Either way it would be great to hear your views.

The way I see this is that it’s a win for everyone, people that would not usually have family, team or individual portraits will get several photographs for £1 available for them to download from scottellison.net. I will raise, hopefully, the £250 minimum entry fee to the rally, get invaluable practice and experience of portrait work and get some more photographs for my site. But the most important thing would be the young people get to access a sport that will offer them amazing opportunities and in effect potential save lives.

I can’t wait to take part in this Rally. But most of all I can’t wait to take lots of photo’s and raise money for young people to GET INVOLVED in something amazing!