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Category Archives: Journalism
Brian Griffin – Photography
Brian Griffin photography 3rd October 2012
The Jubilee Hall in Hull is hosting a series of visiting speaker lectures. Brian Griffin happens to be the first of many. He came to Hull today to discuss his career of Photography.
He started of his lecture with how he started his career. In short his girlfriend left him for a co-worker and he turned his hatred into a passion that was photography. He is also the oldest creative Photographer in England to date.
A key point that I found incredibly interesting was that people hired him a lot because he could get a perfect camera exposure and focus. However, now that technology has developed cameras come with auto exposure. Brian was left with his skills in photography since this development happened. He stated that few people really know how lighting in photography works, this appears to be a huge deal to him as most of his successful photography has come from his lighting skills.
Brian went on to list a few of his proudest projects, here are a few –
Business men portraits
Iggy Pop album art in the late 70s
Billy Idol – Rebel Yell album art
Depeche mode
Politician photography
Photographs of Film stars
Brian said that ‘it is amazing how photography is not regarded as an art form.’ And ‘I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth’. What he meant by this was that he didn’t have the richest upbringing, however, his interest in factory work brought his photography to life. He was asked to hold an exhibition in Paris. He decided to create a project about his life when he was young. He hired himself as his father as there is a huge resemblance and he called a favour from a film friend to find a match for his mother. This exhibition was hosted back in 2010.
Brian spoke about his inspirations and said that we should all look for other places for it. Primarily because when you try and think of something to create from the top of your head it doesn’t always go according to plan and that if you mix your ideas from simple likings of someone else’s work that your own work will go far as there is a lot of thought and creativity within. Here are a few of his inspirations that he mentioned. –
Art Galleries give him inspiration, an artist called Stanley Spencer give him the idea of looking down on people.
He said that when his father died all he thought about was sliced white bread.
He hosted a series of England’s 2012 Olympics but he created them differently to the generic style of photos of athletes in competition.
He wrapped up his performance by saying ‘Going to sleep gets in the way’. Important things happen when you sleep such as job opportunities via email or social networking as he co-ordinates himself as a freelance photographer via his Mac.
Hull market pub (un-named)
23rd March 2012
Today the PSI group investigated a public house in Hull. The owners of the pub wish for it to remain anonymous for reasons that cannot be stated, but claim to have paranormal happenings.
The Landlord claimed that a key was thrown at him whilst he was working in the cellar. However, nobody was around that specific area at the time and suspiciously the key does not fit any lock on the premises.
Firstly, we visited the Games Room which is on the first floor of the pub. The group called out asking if there was a presence in the room, and if so, to come forward or show a sign that their being was among us. No one wanted to come forward. However, a member of the team sensed that the back of the room had an unusual atmosphere. She felt like there had been a fire at the property and the name ‘Charles’ came into her head, although she did not know what connection to the pub Charles had, when we quickly researched the pub we found that a Mr.Charles Jackson owned the pub in 1966. Prior to this, a fire had happened near the staircase on the first floor and the roof in the early 1900’s.
The group then set up a trigger object on one of the pool tables using two pool triangles to create a hexagram. They then placed six coins on all of the points to see if a coin would be moved. We also placed a coin on its edge next to the hexagram and left them for several hours.
Leaving this room we worked our way onto the ground floor to explore the stock room and existing cellar. Whilst we were in the existing cellar the landlord showed us exactly where he was stood when the key was thrown at him. The rooms felt eerie but nothing unusual happened.
Although the existing cellar was interesting the group was intrigued by the cellar that used to be. The landlord gave us permission to enter the underground cellar. We opened the hatch that led down to the cellar and entered it. The cellar was a small abandoned room which led to another room of the same size.
The derelict feeling that the cellar had was enough to know that the pub had a lot of history. We were then told that they were two tunnels that ran across the back of the room; these tunnels were used by smugglers. The smugglers trafficked a lot of different things when they were in operation, from alcohol to food and even slaves. The group began to explore but nothing unusual happened or was sighted so we decided to carry out a séance.
When the séance was in progress a member of the group picked up thoughts and feelings of a woman and a child as did myself and others. However, no spirits wanted to come forward therefore we ended the séance and returned to the ground floor.
Having returned to the ground floor we all sat in front of the bar and a few members of the group decided to segregate into different rooms.
A group went back into the Games Room where it was revealed that A few coins had been moved from the trigger object which can be seen on CCTV. Shortly after this the 2p that was placed on its side fell over quite a distance from where it was placed, indicating that there was a presence amongst us and the pub.
Meanwhile, a group of investigators where using a glass as a form of deviation to contact any spirits that wanted to come forward. The glass was lightly touched by the landlord, landlady and their son.
Over a period of time the glass began to move when requested and it became apparent that it was the landlord’s mother. They asked her a series of questions such as ‘Do you live here with us’ and did you throw the key? The mother replied no to living with them. However, when the question ‘do you visit us occasionally’ was asked she replied yes. The mother also admitted to throwing the key at the landlord.
A short while later the owners and the group came to the conclusion that the key belonged to an old cupboard that was in the owner’s bedroom. Sure enough the group investigated, the cupboard contained documents belonging to the pub.
Over the group lead a very interesting investigation, they answered a lot of questions for the owners and experienced unexplainable happenings he
Goalball pictures
Goal ball article
Goal Ball
The Hull Outreach Goalball Club, is situated at the Hull university sport and fitness centre, the club currently only has three regular members and therefore struggles to build a team for practice matches. However, members have won several tournaments and continue to strive for success, as the team are currently preparing themselves for a courageous tournament which is taking place on the 24th of March.
They are training vigorously for this tournament and working together, doing a great job on building their team skills and making their weaknesses their strengths.
Coach Chris Oakley has been involved with club since it was established in 2007. Having played the sport for five years, he still says that he “feels a Sense of liberation.” Chris explains that “Having a visual impairment makes it difficult to take part in other sports” but Goalball has allowed him to pursue his sporting ambitions. He achieves this when he was scouted in 2010 by a GB coach and now hopes to compete for a place in the 2012 Paralympics.
The sport is aimed at anyone as you don’t have to be visually impaired to play. The sport involves specialised equipment such as goggles, a goalball and padded clothing, meaning everyone is of the same visual ability.
The club is also home to England’s oldest goalballer, Colin Baxter. Still an active member of the club at the ripe age of 68. He aims to continue playing goalball for as long as possible, he gets a “tremendous buzz from playing the sport.” Colin has officially been playing for 5 years and has participated in several successful tournaments. Over the past two years the club has won the intermediate championship and are hoping to make that a third win later in the month.
Similarly, Liam Wilson, 18 has also won several tournaments since he has belonged at the club and says “ I really enjoy the sport and the most I get out of it is exercise, being healthy and paying in a team. ” Liam first got involved with The Hull Outreach Goalball Club when he was 14 and has been playing ever since.
Goalball is strongly encouraged by Chris Oakley as the sport “is great because not having to deal with sight is fantastic for those who are visually impaired.” The sport is a great opportunity to build up your confidence and help with an active lifestyle. Learning how to play the sport with only four senses is challenging but Fundamentally helps to develop your strategies of how to over come being visually impaired.
As Goalball is not a popular sport to the masses it is often mistaken as football for the blind, but Goalball is an individual sport in which you use your hands to bowl the ball and use your body to defend the goal. The existence of the sport needs to be further publicised as the club has great potential. For anyone wanting to try the sport there are amazing opportunities to play for free with fantastic facilities at the Hull University sport and fitness centre.
Jade Stipetic 