Choosing a wedding photographer.

Some advice for those choosing a wedding photographer (from a wedding photographer)

1.  Look at some work they have done, this really is vital!  Try and see a full wedding, not just a few shots from each of half a dozen, it's easy enough to get one of two good shots, much harder to keep the standard up for the whole wedding.

2.  Dont book on price alone, all too often I've seen photographers booked because they are the cheapest, look at the quality of their work as well  Price isn't a good guide of quality either, just because the photographer is dearest doesn't mean they are best, theres good cheap photographers as well, thats why you must chect the quality.

3.  Find out what plans the photographer has for things like a camera failing (it does happen) a decent photographer will have a back-up camera and lens, if they look baffled when you ask walk away. Also ask what they'll do if it rains, now this can be tricky, some like me carry studio lights to shoot indoors, but this isn't always the answer, some venues simply don't have any room to set up a studio.

4. Don't choose a photographer by his/her style then give them a list of photos (sometimes with pictures) and ask them to copy those, if you like the other pics book the photographer who took them.

5.  Please please book a photographer who actually does wedding, don't use uncle Bob just because he has a good camera.  You can buy an F1 car but it doesn't make you an F1 driver does it!.  Remember the cameras just a tool, it's the photographers skill your booking, uncle Bob may be great at taking landscapes but a wedding is different.

6.  Don't use one of those stupid lists from the bridal magizines telling you questions to ask your wedding photographer, I've seen a few and most of the questions are pointless and won't help you decide.  Look at the quality of his/her work, talk to them, see if you get on, remember your spending most of the day with them.

Finally remember, after the wedding the only things you'll have left is the dress and the photos/video, don't spend more of the cake or flowers, they are gone by the end of the day.  If your on a budget cut the chocolate fountain or sweet trolly, or something, don't try to save on the photographer then wonder why your wedding pics are crap.

Phone hacking

The phone hacking trial has started here in the UK, interestingly while 3 newspaper people are facing trail for hacking a few celebs phones the US government who hacks every body's phones are being ignored.

Spam update.

I recently posted about a dodgy tin of Spam I'd bought and was mouldy inside the can, well the update is both the supermarket I bought it from and Spam have been in touch.  I had a nice letter from both and a full refund from the supermarket Tesco (and a goodwill gesture from Spam) 

Now to be fair to both it wasn't obvious from the outside that there was any problem with the can, and I've been told that even a tiny pin-hole in the can could let in air causing the problem.  The can was one of those ring pull ones so it only needed the ring to catch something, or someone to pull the ring on the shelf in the shop and you have a problem.

So a big thank you to both Spam and the supermarket Tesco for taking the matter seriously and dealing with it, it's nice to see good old fashioned service is still alive and well!

Cwm Mawr waterfall, southerndown.

A bit tricky to find if you don't know where it is.  The first time I went looking I went miles along the cliff top before coming back to it on the beach, as theres no obvious way down (and I couldn't get around the point in southerndown bay itself due to the tide)  The way to find it is to follow the path through the gate by the bottom car park and up towards the castle tower, then circle around back towards the beach, note the paths been diverted by the lookout point due to a cliff fall but follow the divertion (not far) and on the left you'll find a small gate, this leads to a path and steps to the beach, the bottoms a bit of a scramble so take care.
Then cross the beach and small valley and you'll see the waterfall running down the rock face.

Note be aware the the tide comes in fast and theres very few places (especially further along the beach) to get off if the tide comes in, people have drowned!  Always check the tides before going onto the beach, and keep a good eye on the tide, if you've doubts don't do it.

Air crashes

I've studied quite a lot of air crashes over the years, as well as tv documentaries and books I've had the benefit of reading the proper accident reports of many crashes.  There's a fairly common theme in many.  It seems once the flight crew come off the automated part of the flight, unless it's a normal landing they tend to have issues
It seems that the crews in many cases simply can't fly the plane manually if there's any kind of problem.  I think they've got so used to the computer doing it all when it comes to a problem they forget even basic things about actually flying the aircraft, they don't watch the instruments, they often even forget which way the controls work (pulling back the stick to gain speed for example) 
In a recent case I saw a 747 had a simple engine problem and the crew lost control trying to fly on 3 engines, something the 747 is quite capable of doing.  Yet during WW2 poorly trained pilots with only a few hundred hours often flew back from bombing missions shot up and on 2 of their 4 engines, yet one would expect a properly well trained modern crew with thousands of hours to do a lot better. 
My suggestion (and it's a risky strategy)  is to have the crews fly most of the flight manually, at least that way they'll get used to actually flying the aircraft.

Spam (the food)

I haven't bought a tin of Spam for ages, don't know why, it's nice enough I suppose, so the day beofre yesterday I bought one.... Thats where it went badly, the tin I bought (and opened the next day) was mouldy as hell, well dodgy (see pics)  So somehow I can't see me buying another one in the near future.

By Any Means (tv series review)

The plot is fairly simple a sort of undercover police unit using ex criminals to catch serious criminals using 'any means'
The goodies who consist of a pretty girl, a computer nerd and a mild hard man (with a few others) take on the baddies with high tech surveillance and all sorts of clever tricks.
The series reminds me of the Hustle, with it's clever twists and turns, just when you think it's all lost the team pull it back and save the day.

Waynes rating 7/10  well worth a watch