80eight - New Ident

So, in between the mince pies, nuts, cake, wine, crackers, strong cheese and an impending heart attack we just finished our latest bit of promo work for 80eight. It's a little different to most photography promo's as it doesn't feature :

- Dreamy harps and cello's

- Heart shaped vignettes/borders around the photo's

- Selective colouring of black and white photo's

- Absolutely no mention of 'Capturing your precious moments'

Why? Because we do things differently here and we do it with passion. Have a look at the promo, check our websites out and give us a call. 

Finally, best wishes to all for 2011!

Generate Radio

Duns and The Scottish Borders can, on the surface, appear to be a tranquil, pastoral kind of place where the pace of life is slow, the fields green and lush and the air humming with birdsong.

But wait! What's that sound? 

From their roof top eyrie in Duns Town Square, Generate Radio are broadcasting great sounds, with local presenters and a real community spirit. And more to the point, they are making stuff happen and have big, big, ambitions. Generate Radio should be applauded and you know what, it's run by a couple of teenagers, Kyle and Oscar who not only have created something wonderful, but have done it all themselves, with a little help from their friends.

So now, 80eight will be supporting Generate Radio in anyway we can - whether it's video, photography, food, tidying up or even Colleen presenting every so often. Rumours that this is just a devious way of trying to sneak some 'Van Der Graaf Generator' on to the playlist, are entirely unfounded!

Give them a listen. Give them some support. Generate Radio.

More Lost in Audio // Poster and Photoshoot

Lost in Audio are ramping up for the gig of their lives on February the 11th....They are headlining The Liquid Room in Edinburgh and it's gonna be big! With that in mind, we whizzed up to Leith to meet up with the band and get a few shots for their gig poster. With us we had Skye Jefferson who is a young, up and coming photographer from The Borders who wanted to get some experience of how things happen and come together. 

It was a rushed shoot it has to be said....due to time (er, snow) constraints we didn't have time to recce the locations and we had to squeeze the shoot in between ours and the bands other commitments. But you know, it's all about getting that one shot. That's all it needs. So here's the poster - and it's a blinder.

Also, checkout Skye's gallery here for some behind the scenes shots - unfortunately they do include rare sightings of er, me...So be warned! More of Skye in later posts!

Now we don't do websites // Part 2

As mentioned previously, we don't do websites. So here's another one! This time for Lost in Audio...And what's with the feathers? Well, I can't say a thing, but it's going to be well worth waiting for. Lost in Audio have shifted in to top gear and are about to launch something very special....

Latest Portrait Shoot :: Danielle & Kieran

Despite the snow, the cold and the best efforts of the elements trying to thwart them, Danielle and Kieran visited us last week for a portrait shoot. Danielle (who used to deliver our vegetables for us) was wearing a particularly great pair of wellies, so after the usual studio shoot, of we course we dragged the pair of them outside for a few photo's in the snow. Not what you might expect, but you know, this is 80eight...

Here's a few and it wasn't that cold really....

Latest Music Website : Jason Kyrone

Now, we don't do websites, but we provide the content, photo's and idea's for them. We relented this time though and got our hands dirty with a simple little website for Jason Kyrone - a very talented singer songwriter from Edinburgh. Mr Kyrone, amongst other things, is famed for his selection of hats, so of course we just had to make a feature of them. The site is photographically driven as you might expect but hopefully it conveys just what Jason is about both musically and from a personality perspective. And yes, he's a born performer! A man of many talents, Mr Kyrone also created his logo which I think suits him and his music perfectly. www.jasonkyrone.com

Oh No! And it's only November!!

Two days later...

Music Video : Currently in Production

We're increasingly getting involved in video production which is something we really enjoy. It takes the telling of a story from one frame to telling a story in thousands of frames. I now have a very high regard for cinematographer's given they have to think about framing, light and composition for every frame in a movie and not just for a single shot. It's very exciting though and adds a new dimension to the work we're doing, and of course, we're determined to bring the 80eight ethos of quality, imagination and value to the moving image.

Currently in production is a music video for Ramzy Ross for his single which will be released early in the New Year. Here's a little peak :

Latest Family Portrait :: The Ayling Family

Joanne and her lovely family came in for a portrait shoot earlier on in the week. The kids were delightful and the adults were alright too! Joanne owns the fabulous Joanne Ayling Ladies Dress Agency in Kelso, which is full of wonderful clothes and other items for the discerning lady that I don't understand. Fascinators? I don't really know what they are but Joanne has the best!

Anyway, enough of me talking about things I don't understand - here's a shot of Joanne and her husband, James.

Latest Musician Portrait : Jason Kyrone

We had a great shoot and listened to some quite stunning music at the weekend, when Jason Kyrone came to see us. This is a singer / songwriter who quite simply, lives and bleeds music. Currently living in Edinburgh he's a very special talent, a natural in front of the camera and more importantly very compelling to watch and listen to. He's currently working on a new release and getting his MySpace and website up to scratch, so for now, if you're curious we can only point you in the direct of : www.myspace.com/jasonkyrone

His voice is deep yet soaring, sensitive, yet emotive - and he put me in mind of Alexi Murdoch with the guitar playing of Richard Thompson. Comparisons are odious though and Jason has his own distinct and wonderful sound. Check out 'Counting Raindrops, One Dollar Bill and Little Black Book' on his MySpace and listen to the sound of the next big thing.

Live Music Video :: The Acoustic Warehouse /2

Here's another video from the acoustic set by The warehouse Announcement a couple of weeks ago. This time, it's "Keep on Movin" which when done acoustically really swings. A great song...And you download this track and others by TWA by visiting : www.warehouseannouncement.com

Take One Minute Guest Video :: Dr Thomas Senderovitz

In addition to the 'commercial' part of 80eight, there is also a vocational / non profit making side called 'Take One Minute'. Here we produce short video's that have a message for anyone who is ill, particularly from Parkinson's Disease but also relevant to any patient with any condition. I film and edit, Colleen speaks - it's art imitating life :)

We've now introduced a slot for guest speakers and our first video was with Doctor Thomas Senderovitz who we met up in London last week. Dr Tom is a great person and has a lot to say, but even though he was restricted to one minute only, he packed in a lot of thought provoking messages about the changing relationship between clinicians, pharmaceutical companies and their patients. As he says it's about "Creating Health, not just thinking disease".

Latest Musician Portrait :: Ames

Ames came to visit us yesterday with a view to getting some additional shots done on location. We did try this a few weeks ago but it was blowing a gale and despite her best efforts, Ames couldn't help but look as though she was freezing to death - mainly because she was. Now the 'blue skin' look can be a good effect sometimes, especially if you're say Marilyn Manson, but that's not really Ames' thing...Anyway, this time we wanted moody cloudy skies and what we got was a perfect and cloudless November day! So we headed to the beach as you do and got some really lovely shots. Although it was a very bright day, we managed to change the atmosphere completely with a very high powered flash in order to over power the sun, so aside from the B&W, what you see here is what came right out of the camera. Here's a taste.

The Acoustic Warehouse

Accompanied by Ames, who was down from Edinburgh for a promo shoot, we went along to see The Warehouse Announcement play an acoustic gig at 'The Barrels' in Berwick-upon-Tweed. Also on the bill that night were 'Moonlit Sailor' from Sweden, and more of them later.

So....TWA, purveyors of loud, melodic and grungy yet funky rock music were sat down on stools and plucking at acoustic guitars, while on drums, Robert was gently brushing away...It was a little like the shock of Bob Dylan going 'electric' but in reverse. Well, it was an absolute triumph. Songs that are fabulous as pure rock songs were revealed as pieces of absolute beauty and subtlety. Slowed down, warm and intimate, from strong beer and vivid light, to a good red and a warm fireside. But no passion lost. I loved it. And I loved 'The Barrels' - I've never been there before but will be going back. It has a great feeling (I'm too old to say vibe), Angus was welcoming, enthusiastic and tall, while the beer on tap, is delicious. Here's a few pics - video to come shortly.

And 'Moonlit Sailor' ? How to describe them? Melodic and soaring - they make a guitar driven sound that while I'm not religious, provided the sort of visceral yet gentle ecstasy which I imagine comes with a certain kind of faith. Skilled, passionate and enthusiastic, they are worth checking out. They have great haircuts also.

Lost in Audio // The Video

We've just finished editing the footage from Lost in Audio's gig at Electric Circus over the weekend and here it is. The band played an excellent set, they sounded great, looked great and the audience went absolutely wild. It was real privilege to be there, especially as it feels like the start of something about to happen. How the real world feels for Joe, Murray and Ewan after a night like that I can't imagine. 

Personal thanks from me to Ross for escorting me through the crowd to a great vantage point (I've never had my own minder before) and to Emma at Electric Circus for putting up with my requests to use the video wall for our band graphics. Cheers and that's enough from me.

Lost in Audio // Single Release @ Electric Circus

More to come, but Lost in Audio's gig at Electric Circus on Saturday night was just fabulous. The place was jam-packed, sold out and going crazy. The band played superbly, looked great and are definitely the ones to watch during 2011. Plans for next year include even bigger headline gigs and a new EP release. There's a video to come, but in the meantime here's a few shots.

Latest Musician Portrait // Ames

We were contacted by Amy, otherwise known as Ames a couple of weeks ago with a view to getting some profile / promo shots for her. Ames is a very talented singer / songwriter currently living in Edinburgh and this year is making a real big push to get her music noticed. Last week she took a week off work and started to record songs, build a blog, write more material and also she came to see us. We spent most of the day with her - we talked about her music, listened to her songs, looked at many different types of photography and then got down to some studio and location shots. Following that she treated us to an acoustic version of her latest recording 'White Coats' which was simply wonderful. Ames has a strong and distinctive voice, while her lyrics are meaningful, personal and very affecting. We think she's great. For more info check her blog out here :: http://amesjc.wordpress.com/about/ 

We'll be doing a full location shoot with her soon, but in the meantime here's a few from last week.

Latest Family Portraits // The Courtney Family

We had a great shoot with the Courtney family last week - Cheryl, Scott and their young son Owen. Oh, and two dogs! Owen has the most amazing blue eyes, he was very patient, didn't cry and was really well behaved. The dogs were the same - so we'll definitely be working with animals and children again :) Cheryl and Scott have a lovely family and it was great meeting them. Here's a few shots.

Lots Coming Up / Sold out Gigs for Lost in Audio

Well, we've gots lots of stuff on at the moment, we're busy, it's great and we feel we're really delivering something special for everyone we've been working with. At the weekend we had a lovely family shoot with the Courtney family (pictures soon) and later on this week Amy, a talented singer from Edinburgh is coming to visit for us for a photo-shoot and of course, the GIGS of THE DECADE - Lost in Audio playing at Captains Rest and Electric Circus in Glasgow and Edinburgh Friday & Saturday respectively. Also, at the end of the month, Ramzy Ross is coming to see us about video's, photo's and new recordings so it's all very exciting.

Both Lost in Audio gigs are now fully SOLD OUT, which not only is a great achievement for the band, it also shows how popular they are getting. They've worked really hard during the summer - gigging like crazy, putting up posters, building up their mailing list, recording and writing new songs. Well done to them and both Colleen and I are looking forward to the gigs immensely. I'll be there getting a few shots and some video, so watch out for those shortly.

The Legion of Doom / Video

As promised, here's the video of The Warehouse Announcement playing at the British Legion in Duns, otherwise known as the Legion of Doom. The track is 'Life without Sleep' and it's fabulous. No stage diving on this night but there is a minor stage invasion towards the end.

Duns // Roof Blown Off by Rock Music

Yes it's true. The Warehouse Announcement swept in to Duns last Friday night and blew the roof off the Royal British Legion. According to The Berwickshire News, slates and tiles were found scattered on the slopes of The Cheviots. In a completely metaphorical sense of course.....

But yes, it was a great night, good music and all for a good cause - Light in Africa. Ably promoted by Straw Puppet Promotions, all four bands played extremely well and the audience enjoyed every minute. There's a video to come shortly, but in the meantime here's a few shots. 

Gig Alert / 2 / The Warehouse Announcement & Friends

The next must see gig in October is a charity gig in Duns featuring The Warehouse Announcement, Espionage of the Loc and lots of other local bands. It will be a fabulous night of great rock music and for a very worthy cause :

In order to raise funds for a group of kids to go and assist in orphanages in Africa, with the charity Light In Africa, Straw Puppet are proud to present this charity band night!

Light In Africa October 15th 2010
The Royal British Legion, Duns
Doors: 19:30, Start: 20:00
£4 Entry

Live Music From:
- The Warehouse Announcement
- Espionage of the Loc
- Overflow
- Iain Petrie
- Soul Stone Tavern

Gig Alert / 1 / Lost in Audio

Ok, if you love good rock music and want to see a band on the verge of the big time, then you need to go and see Lost in Audio play  headline gigs in Glasgow and Edinburgh on the 22nd and 23rd of this month. The gigs are to support the release of their latest single 'Back Home' and although everyone says this...The tickets are selling out fast.

Here's our poster for the gigs, but more importantly, what do they sound like? Rock-Pop with killer chorus's, great riffs and lyrics that really mean something. In the studio they are polished and accomplished, while live, they turn into a seriously loud and tight rock band. Think Foo Fighters with songs about you. They've been gigging like crazy this summer and are building up quite a following. 2011 is going to be big. And yes, while we do their photography, we're also fans. See us at the front!

For more details : www.myspace.com/lostinaudio

Stock Photography : Bubbles & Splash

I was taking some stock photography for our library on Alamy at the weekend....Messing around with perfume bottles, orchids and bubbles as you do. Anyway, I really wanted to create a 'water splash' effect which usually involves such wizardry as infra-red triggers and such. After a lot of research (surfing) I came across a very talented photographer over in the US called Alex Koloskov who produces amazing photographs and then very kindly shares his technique. Click on the link above to see how it's done, but essentially it's a question of degree...Or rather 180 of them..

Personally I think these type of shots really elevate product photography to something special and eye-catching. So if you're in the States, give Alex a call, but if you're in Scotland or the UK we're closer :)

Latest Musician Shoot // Ramzy Ross

Ramzy Ross, a talented singer / songwriter from Glasgow, got in touch with us a few weeks ago, with a view to giving him a few idea's about his look and helping him with his press pack. We liked his music, we liked him so we swung into action last weekend. Over plentiful supplies of Lebanese food, we got through a whole load of work with Ramzy and his girlfriend, Jenny. We ended up with a plan, some great photo's, a logo, a look, the makings of a press pack, a demo video and a website holding page - all in just a few days. Ramzy is buzzing! He's heading to the recording studio next week and between now and February we're going to be creating something very special for him.

As the blurb on the website says, we don't just take your photograph - call us now if you're a band or musician looking to step up a gear or two.

Band Photography :: Latest Shoot with TWA

It's been a very busy and productive weekend....First up we had another shoot with The Warehouse Announcement in their home town of Berwick. The idea was to get everyone on the beach in deck-chairs, having a beer with endless sands stretching in to the distance. When we got to the location we found gale force winds and waves the size of double-deck buses, so we had to change the remit a little! Not before I and willing volunteers for the day, Jenny and Ramzy got soaked though :)

The Warehouse Announcement turned up with beer cans that had their name and logo on, stripped down to T-Shirts then happily sat around on the beach, much to the amusement of passers-by. It was a great shoot though, really enjoyable and yes, some great photo's came out of it. Thanks to Jenny and Ramzy for all their help....And more about Ramzy in the next post! Here's a taste ::