Monday 28 February 2011

More Comic Relief - Red Globe Night





My second press photoshoot for the Wales Comic Relief team was at The Globe in Cardiff. New bands and a first time stand up comedian were on the bill for what proved to be a very successful fundraiser for the 2011 appeal. If anyone is interested in booking me for a photoshoot, please email me at rhysjones@ntlworld.com

Sunday 27 February 2011

Climate Change Poetry in Pontardawe


I had a message last Friday lunchtime to ask if I would be free to take some photographs that evening for Awel Amen Tawe a South Wales community energy charity who were holding a ceremony to announce the winners of their Climate Change poetry competition at Pontardawe Arts Centre. The event was organised by Emily Hinshelwood, a former winner of the John Tripp Spoken Poetry Award in 2003 and contained readings by National Poet for Wales, Gillian Clarke, the internationally acclaimed poet Menna Elfyn, Susan Richardson, one of BBC Radio 4's resident poets on 'Saturday Live' and 2009 John Tripp Award winner Dafydd Wyn. The English language entries for the competition were judged by Gillian Clarke and the Welsh language winners judged by Menna Elfyn. It was a very well-attended event and a first return for me to Pontardawe Arts Centre for almost a year. I've attached a selection of images of the poets who read and the prizewinners of the competition I took which I hope give a flavour of the event.





Saturday 19 February 2011

A Little Bit of Comic Relief

I had an interesting assignment this week in Cardiff bay. The Wales Millennium Centre was the focal point for the launch in Wales of Comic Relief 2011. BBC Wales weatherman Derek Brockway pressed a 'red nose' on the Wales Today programme and the lights on the WMC and other buildings in Cardiff Bay turned red for the evening. I was given a brief by the BBC Wales Comic Relief team to take some press photographs which were sent out with a press release to editors within an hour of the event. Red Nose Day is on 18 March and is one of the UK's major fundraising appeals which anyone can take part in. I'm doing another photoshoot for the Comic Relief team on 28 February at The Globe in Cardiff at a gig which features new Cardiff bands and musicians. So if you'd like to help click on the link and request a fundraising pack and register to get started. I was pleased to do my small bit to help in 2011!



Friday 11 February 2011

Japan

I've been invited to have a small exhibition and give two talks about my work in Japan. I'll be leaving March 9th. My first week will be spent in Osaka where I'll be speaking at the Welsh Cultural Festival on March 12th with a Japanese photographer. Both of us will be presenting our personal views of Wales. I'll be presenting again to the Academic Society of Welsh Studies in Tokyo on March 19th. I'm keen to present a view of Wales which reflects what it is like to be a resident and which tackles some of the sterotypes. Wales is a small country with traditions which go back well into history and yet we have to be realistic that it will not be a country that will be well-known to most people in the world other than through its exports and these have been coal, products of heavy industry and various celebrities like Tom Jones, Richard Burton, Shirley Bassey and Anthony Hopkins. So there is a lot of material that can be presented which will be new to most audiences.