Artsfest 08 http://www.artsfest.org.uk/ was off to a very wet start last night, although that didn’t seem to dampen the spirits of G.Mall of the Dhol Blasters who had just played to a large crowed in front of the wonderfully illuminated Birmingham Council house as part of City of Lights.

Just after this shot I called it a night and with the amount of water on the ground decided to go a collect animals two by two! Just in case!

Well it was fireworks a go go for the Saturday night at artsfest (and the rain had stopped) with the CBSO providing the rousing musical backdrop! I got these images by hanging out/onto the side of the spotlight tower……so a nice and comfy job there then…not!

We were also given a performance by Birmingham Royal Ballet, who I always like to shoot, but I’m not to sure how it went down with some of the crown who I would say were just there for the free fireworks!

Its the Sunday night gigs then and there was a great set from Envy and other sins who I had seen before at last years Gigbeth http://www.gigbeth.com/ festival and they didnt disappoint, but most of the crowd were there to see the Levellers.

The last time I saw the Levellers was some 15 years ago, as an art student at Bournville art college, when they played the Wolverhampton Civic Hall. I just remember it being a great gig of mosh pit fun but just didn’t see myself wanting to get into any of that sort of action!

These are just a couple of images from a recent shoot with Leaps and Bounds theatre company for youth theatre, who work with a wide range of performers from different social backgrounds. There most hight profile project to date is probably the Bally Hoo project with Birmingham Royal Ballet which was featured as a channel 4 documentary (that might be the wrong channel though?)

Just got back from a week in Cornwall and yet again we were very lucky with the weather, just like the week in February when we were out on the mountain bikes in T shirts!

We were staying about 4 miles from lands end in a barn conversion and it was very nice to! We did the usual stuff of good food and wine with some great walks in about the best spells of sunshine I have seen for ages in what seems like a summer of rain rain rain!