What Destination?

Every journey has an A and a B, but so often we forget what is inbetween. What Destination? is what this is all about, the bit inbetween.

Finished the photographs today for Daniel.

Meeting up at one of the dodgiest studios I think I could imagine. Bang in the centre of Salford - not the nice bit - in a pretty scary looking old mill converted into units. There was a nice little set up with backdrops and flash guns and the noise of gushing water coming from the roof. We got the shots needed after dismantling and rebuilding a handful of bikes. The shots will be turned into screen prints onto steel sheets and will be shown at two exhibitions across Manchester. Daniel kindly gave me one of his T-shirt prints he’s had printed recently. Its always good to get free stuff.

Thanks Daniel

Check more of his work out at www.dnylne.com

Pinarello Screen Print Collaboration

Thanks to Sam over at The Bike Rooms for giving me the opportunity to have a wander around the shop to take some photographs for an upcoming collaboration.

I went in there thinking parts of the place would be out of bounds and no touching, that kind of stuff, but there was none of that. Sam let me move wheels about and wander around the place freely. The other guys in the shop were happy to chat bikes and even made me a brew which I totally didn’t expect. I took the photos I needed, I could have spent ages in there. So as not to over stay my welcome - and I could see the guys were busy with customers - after an hour of shooting, chatting and drooling about and over bikes I made a move.

The photographs are for a guy (Daniel) who liked my photographs at an exhibition I held a couple of months back. He’s working on screen printing project whch ties in the rotation of bicycle cranks and wheels with the rotation of a new way of screen printing which Daniel has developed himself. I’m really looking forward to seeing the outcome.

Today I rode the Manchester Velodrome with my good friends Pat and Paul and Rich Salisbury of Pedal Precision. Although I didn’t have a great start to the day, as I got half way to the velodrome and realised I didn’t have the gift voucher I got for my birthday! However I ended up having a pretty good day. I came back with my voucher this time and got suited and booted. There was only one other guy there who hadn’t been on the track before and we’d all rode track bikes before, so the briefing was fairly short. Off we went it was a little daunting at first, especially with an unfamiliar bike that had flat tires and a squeaky seat but after 20 minutes I was rolling round with the regulars who were doing a bit of early morning training. I got a few photos of the guys but forgot to get one of myself doh! Back on the track for another 40 minute stint, just as I was getting warmed up the session was over. I had planned on riding to the track to warm up before hand but had some framed photographs for Rich to put up in his bike fitting lab Pedal Precision so drove instead.

In all I had a really cool morning. I had my first session at the velodrome, a nice ride and a chat with friends and got my photos hung up in Rich’s lab. I need to get the next session booked now.

A big thank you to everyone who made it down to Pop Up Bikes on Friday night for the exhibition opening, and thanks especially to Dipak and the guys at Pop Up Bikes for hosting the event. A great night was had by all and thankfully the free beer didn’t cause a riot! For my first event I’d say it was a pretty successful evening. The two weeks leading up to it were a tad stressful to say the least. I had a close relative pass away and my 6 month old son was sprouting teeth at a rate of one or two a day, so sleep was hard to come by. I managed to get my head together and organise, advertise and host a half decent open evening for my exhibition of cycling photographs. Free beer was on offer, which drew the crowds in and worked a treat as about a hundred people passed through the doors of Pop Up Bikes. I wasn’t really in it to sell or make money, but to get the word out about my photographs and to see if people were actually interested in them - it turned out a few people were - and hopefully it will lead to future work. Rich Salisbury of Pedal Precision has asked if I will put a few up in his lab at the Velodrome in Manchester with details of price etc. on them. I did say that I wasn’t really in it to sell anything - and I wasn’t - but I was persuaded to put a book up for sale. I had a limited run of 50 printed that I intended on handing out to people interested in potential work. The rest I have for sale at Pop Up Bikes and there are a few bike shops around Manchester that I’m going to try and have them stocked in. I managed to sell 6, and two of them to went to a guy who produced The Cycle Show on ITV4 and a friend of his who is a camera man covering bike races such as The Tour Series and The Tour of Britain on the back of a motor bike, so I couldn’t have asked for more for my first event. If these guys are interested I think I’m doing alright so far. Through publicising the event other avenues have opened up too, so here’s to the future. Cheers

A big thank you to everyone who made it down to Pop Up Bikes on Friday night for the exhibition opening, and thanks especially to Dipak and the guys at Pop Up Bikes for hosting the event. A great night was had by all and thankfully the free beer didn’t cause a riot!


For my first event I’d say it was a pretty successful evening. The two weeks leading up to it were a tad stressful to say the least. I had a close relative pass away and my 6 month old son was sprouting teeth at a rate of one or two a day, so sleep was hard to come by. I managed to get my head together and organise, advertise and host a half decent open evening for my exhibition of cycling photographs. Free beer was on offer, which drew the crowds in and worked a treat as about a hundred people passed through the doors of Pop Up Bikes.


I wasn’t really in it to sell or make money, but to get the word out about my photographs and to see if people were actually interested in them - it turned out a few people were - and hopefully it will lead to future work. Rich Salisbury of Pedal Precision has asked if I will put a few up in his lab at the Velodrome in Manchester with details of price etc. on them. I did say that I wasn’t really in it to sell anything - and I wasn’t - but I was persuaded to put a book up for sale. I had a limited run of 50 printed that I intended on handing out to people interested in potential work. The rest I have for sale at Pop Up Bikes and there are a few bike shops around Manchester that I’m going to try and have them stocked in. I managed to sell 6, and two of them to went to a guy who produced The Cycle Show on ITV4 and a friend of his who is a camera man covering bike races such as The Tour Series and The Tour of Britain on the back of a motor bike, so I couldn’t have asked for more for my first event. If these guys are interested I think I’m doing alright so far. Through publicising the event other avenues have opened up too, so here’s to the future.


Cheers

Hey people how often do you get offered a FREE BEER? Well here’s a FREE BEER! Come down to POPUP BIKES next Friday 22/02/13, have a gander at my photographs, a beer and maybe a chat. You can turn up from 8:00 pm onwards, I’ll be riding the Critical Mass ride to get some of the guys to come along so I’ll be there about 8:00 pm. Look forward to seeing you.

Hey people how often do you get offered a FREE BEER? Well here’s a FREE BEER! Come down to POPUP BIKES next Friday 22/02/13, have a gander at my photographs, a beer and maybe a chat. You can turn up from 8:00 pm onwards, I’ll be riding the Critical Mass ride to get some of the guys to come along so I’ll be there about 8:00 pm. Look forward to seeing you.

I am a very lucky person.

This is what I got for Christmas.

This is Lindsay, my wife and my son’s Momma. She surprised me with a set of photographs from a secret photo shoot with the help of friend and fashion designer Cheryl McMaster. I kinda knew what I had coming, but to what extent I did not know!

I came home from work one day - on time which is unusual - and Lindsay answered the door looking like a 1950s pinup. I was wondering what the hell was going on, I wasn’t complaining but it was a bit strange. She had to tell me that she’d been to the shoot and had some photographs taken but could only afford three of the photographs as they were super expensive. There were loads that she could have chosen. I thought this was the end of the story, oh no. On opening presents on Christmas morning, this bound book comes out of one of my presents with Lindsay on the front AWESOME she had all the photographs from the shoot made in to a bound portfolio for me to keep.

Very happy indeed

NWCCA Macclesfield Supacross


I’ve not had chance to update my Tumblr blog for a while, so I’m gonna get a few out now. I’ve been pretty busy introducing cycling to little Ewan James with the 1974 Giro d’Italia, taking photographs of bike races and work.


Well, I sold my first photograph of a bike race, which was of the Macclesfield Supacross: they can be be found at www.sportsunday.co.uk. I wished I was riding, it was so cold I needed something to warm me up. I thought I was having a hard time taking photographs with my fingers exposed to the freezing air, until I heard that Paul Oldham who happened to be racing that day, came off on a corner and dislocated his shoulder, popped it back in and carried on for another lap but had to pull out as it was too painful to ride on.

A great performance from Jack Humphries getting third place, behind two legends David Fletcher and Nick Craig .

My legs are bald I shaved my legs for the first time today. Partly to see what the fuss is all about, but mainly because of the cold. I’ve been riding my bike for years every day through rain, snow and shine. I’ve always said that as I don’t race, I don’t need to shave my legs and I’m not going to shave my legs just because I should, or because that’s just what cyclists do. If I do it, it will be for a good reason. Normally if my bib tights and shorts combination aren’t enough to keep me warm, usually around 0 degrees and below I just chuck a pair of jeans on, but this isn’t great for riding as they’re either too restricting or act as a parachute slowing me down and then if they get wet they get heavy and stick to my legs. Solution: embrocation, and if I’m going to be rubbing this into my legs every day I need smooth legs. I remember using wintergreen when I was a kid on cold Sunday mornings before football matches, but back then I still had very little hair on my legs so it wasn’t a problem, now its a different matter. Massaging hairy legs is not pleasant. Also it kind of feels nice and looks a lot nicer too. http://www.flickr.com/photos/pdavy/

My legs are bald

I shaved my legs for the first time today. Partly to see what the fuss is all about, but mainly because of the cold. I’ve been riding my bike for years every day through rain, snow and shine.

I’ve always said that as I don’t race, I don’t need to shave my legs and I’m not going to shave my legs just because I should, or because that’s just what cyclists do. If I do it, it will be for a good reason. Normally if my bib tights and shorts combination aren’t enough to keep me warm, usually around 0 degrees and below I just chuck a pair of jeans on, but this isn’t great for riding as they’re either too restricting or act as a parachute slowing me down and then if they get wet they get heavy and stick to my legs. Solution: embrocation, and if I’m going to be rubbing this into my legs every day I need smooth legs. I remember using wintergreen when I was a kid on cold Sunday mornings before football matches, but back then I still had very little hair on my legs so it wasn’t a problem, now its a different matter. Massaging hairy legs is not pleasant. Also it kind of feels nice and looks a lot nicer too.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pdavy/

 Critical Mass Manchester

I tagged along with the Critical Mass ride last night through the streets of Manchester. WOW it was cold! I think it was around about -2 or -3, cold enough for the feeling in my feet to disappear.

It was my first critical mass, so didnt really know anybody apart from Dipak - owner of POPUP BIKES - which is where about 8 of us set off from after warming up on tea and coffee.

I’m not really used to riding slow, so found it a bit strange rolling along on my track bike and ended up on the front of the pack not knowing which direction to take. Although it was fun and quite liberating, I also found it quite bizzare riding around town with onlookers cheering and whistling, and cars beeping horns it did put a little smile on my face.

As usual I was here for a reason, to spread the good word about my photography. I got speaking to a few guys looking for sponsorship to start up a track team for the Revolution series and handed out plenty of my mini portfolios. 

Hopefully in the near future - maybe before Christmas - I’ll be having an exhibition of my cycle photography at POP UP BIKES in Manchester, so keep an eye out for details.

More photographs of the Critical Mass ride and others can be found here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pdavy/

NWCCA Round 9 - Horwich Humdinger

Horwich Humdinger Cyclocross Photographs now up at Lots of mudtaches for movember!! :{