Filming Girls Climb

I love how work is going at the moment. There’s plenty of it and it’s varied which is all I can really ask for. I like to do lots of different things because for me it keeps life fresh and interesting. I’ve been itching to get out and film some projects I’ve had in mind for some time now, but the weather is making that as difficult as possible. I’m trying to think of the rain as an opportunity to get all the editing and adminy done and dusted so when the sun is out I’m ready!

Vicki at Dunkeld, what a day.

It sort of came out on Tuesday, so I joined some friends at Upper Cave crag at Dunkeld to do some filming for my climbing documentary I hope to finish this autumn. I wrote more about it on our climbing blog, so if you’re interested, check it out at All Our Eggs!

The Whirlwind

William's transformer from the FUSE project ©Light Shed Pictures 2012

I get the impression that 2012 is turning out to be a big year for a lot of people, and it’s no different for Light Shed Pictures. This is our busiest year by a mile so far which is nothing if not awesome. Work has come this way with avengence and on top of this I have decided to tackle one big fat life goal this year – to climb The Nose on El Capitan or, put simply, a really, really big rock. So between working and getting ready for the big rock there hasn’t been much time for anything else. But today is a rare day off, so I thought it would be fun to have a good old round up of what’s been going on.

Firstly this year there’s been FUSE, a film project I worked on with Firefly, getting kids with special needs involved with filmmaking. This was something I had never done before and to be honest it was an intimidating prospect. But ten weeks, tonnes of drawings, a jellyfish made out of an umbrella and some wild improv music-making later, we ended up with a portrait of the group that we could all be proud of. Well done FUSE!

Students checking out some Twig films ©Light Shed Pictures 2012

Next came a part-time return to my old editing/writing position at Twig, where I’ve been making short films for primary kids about the natural world. The best thing about this is you learn a lot of good facts while you’re researching topics, for example, did you know elephants are the only animals to have four knees? That is priceless info.

So there’s been a lot of work centred around young people, and there’s a lot more to come with further projects with Firefly, Dimension and youth theatre groups around Glasgow all coming up at a rapid speed. But away from the youngsters I’ve been starting work on my own documentary project in conjunction with Posing Productions called Push It, about female rock climbers pushing their limits. I’ve been talking about making this for the last two years, but this time round it’s going to happen – I’ve got a camera, I’ve got climbers… what more could I need!

Jackie preparing for The Nose ©Light Shed Pictures 2012

Now, since it is my day off, I’m stepping away from the computer and going to relax. Thanks for reading !

Meet Dimension, Sketchbook Video 3

Once in a while you come across something special, like what I’m about to talk about for example. At the end of last month I was meant to go climbing in Northumberland for the day, but when my good friend and dancer Natali McCleary invited me to come along to a youth dance competition with her and her group, something told me I had to go. It was a 7am start and an 11pm finish, but it was worth it.

©Jen Randall, Light Shed Pictures

The group I was tagging along with is made up of 6 boys from 13-15 years old. They were the only male dance group there, had a piece unlike any other, and were defying a million conventions and prejudices simply by being there. I was struck by their enthusiasm, dedication, bravery and team spirit, not to mention their awesome talent. I made a short video of the day, and hope this will be just the first of many projects we embark on together. Good work you guys!

Meet Dimension

Sketchbook Video

©Light Shed Pictures

Sometimes it dawns on me that what makes some films great isn’t the wow factor of the camera work, but the spirit of it that grabs you and sticks in your mind. This isn’t always true of course, but when I feel paralysed by the worry that a piece of work just doesn’t technically cut it, I try to remind myself of all the movies I’ve seen where the budget has been low, the picture quality not so hot… but the story… awesome.

This was the case for me and the little film I’m now setting loose, which didn’t even have a title until today. I started making it when we got our dog from a rescue centre two years ago, catching clips here and there of him… well, here and there. I soon realised the camera I’d just spent a lot of money on wasn’t as good as it promised in terms of video – the picture was wobbly and a little fuzzy no matter what I did. A bit gutted, I decided to restart the whole idea to make it perfect, but the new stuff I shot lacked the spark of the original footage and eventually the whole thing lost all momentum. My ignorance at university had given me confidence to just make stuff with whatever camera and be proud of it. I made tonnes of ‘sketchbook’ videos to explore ideas and well,  just for the hell of it. So here’s the first of what I intend to be a new batch of sketchbook videos that I hope will losen me up a little in terms of just making work and getting it out there. Not every single film has to be a masterpiece, sometimes just the spark of an idea is enough. Although I think this one is a mini masterpiece in its own furry way.

Crux – Sketchbook Video

Wedding Flowers

Awesome couple. ©Jen Randall, Light Shed Pictures

Last October I had the pleasure of photographing the wedding of two of the smiliest people I know – Kris and Steph. The fun of that day came flooding back to me when Amy Annand, their florist, sent me a link to her shiny new website showcasing her work, including some shots of Kris and Steph’s big day. When I met Amy last year she had just moved North from London to start her own business, and it’s great to see she’s doing well. Check out her stuff: Amy Annand Flowers.

I can’t wait for this year’s wedding shoots!

Awesome Illustration

I wish I could draw. I spent a lot of my childhood drawing pictures and writing stories, but when cameras got involved, the drawing pretty much stopped. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m too impatient to spend time creating a picture when I can go out and take one that’s already there or if it’s just that I’m better with a lens than a pencil, but my mind goes blank when I think about drawing stuff these days.

Avoiding Gaze ©Eleanor Meredith

Eleanor Meredith doesn’t have the same problem. She’s an illustrator who isn’t afraid to highlight the awkwardness of life or have some one barfing on some one else on the home page of her website. Her drawings look immediate, natural and maintain an air of silliness – the very things I aim for with my films and photos. Check out her stuff, it’ll make you smile!

Eleanor Meredith Illustration 

The Climbing Academy Glasgow Climbing Competiton

Yesterday I photographed the Junior Qualifying round at TCA Glasgow’s second climbing competition – some inspiring kids! Check out more photos from the day on my climbing blog here.

Thanks Lukasz!

Happy.

I’m very grateful to have been given the chance to write a guest post on world class photographer Lukasz Warzecha’s blog. Lukasz must be one of the busiest people on the planet. Every climbing magazine I open are full of his pictures, taken all over the world of all different athletes. His is the kind of career I aspire to – he has a great style, he’s friendly and obviously pretty talented, so it was a fantastic feeling getting some encouragement from him. I felt this picture of Crux and I reflected my feelings about the situation. To read the post, click here.

Inside/Outside

Last year's blossom in Kelvingrove Park, taken with a Fuji Mini Instax ©Jen Randall, Light Shed Pictures

It’s only just the end of January and it’s frosty this morning, but there are flowers starting to poke out of the ground, and that gets me excited for Spring. Things have been busy lately, but in a filling-out-applications and planning kind of way more than a go-out-and-shoot-stuff sort of way. To be honest I enjoy both, but now that I’ve been in my cupboard filling out forms for a month, I’m pretty up for going outside now.

February's Climber Magazine

This month I had a short article about LImekilns in Climber magazine. Looking at it and the shots we got of our friends climbing there over the last couple of seasons also gets me excited for the adventures being planned for this year. While it’s fun taking pictures of the events going on at TCA, nothing quite beats getting outdoors.

Inter-forces comp at TCA Glasgow, ©Jen Randall, Light Shed Pictures

But 2012 isn’t only going to be about climbing rocks. I’ve recently been trying my hand at teaching an after-school film club for teenagers with special needs with the wonderful Firefly Arts which, although daunting at first, is proving to be a lot of fun and as satisfying as I hoped it would be.  In eight weeks time we should have a film to show the world, so watch this space!

In the meantime, here’s some frost I took a moment to appreciate with my old Miranda 35mm SLR, the first real camera I ever had, courtesy of grandad. It’s still fun to take her out for a spin now and again!

©Jen Randall, Light Shed Pictures

I Call This One ‘Poor Bird’

©Jen Randall, Light Shed Picture