A Drive Down Memory Lane

Car Photography Exhibition

I am pleased to announce that Chartwell, the family home of Sir Winston Churchill will play host to my inaugural photographic exhibition of my car photography.

Let me tell you more ...

For many of you reading this you will know me for photographing your families and weddings. In February 2015 I will be celebrating 18 (yes that's right 18) years at my studio here in Station Road East, Oxted.

From my past newsletters I'm sure you are already aware that as well as photographing people and events, my other passion is Classic and Supercars, I love them for the way they look, their design and engineering, a beautiful work of art with all their original details.

The American 1950's cars have so much personality, they ooze charm!

What's On Display

The car photography on display is of some of the rarest and most sought after cars in the world. Probably the most famous of all is the Tucker 48. Of which only 51 were ever made in the 1940’s by the great inventor Preston Tucker.

A car from each decade that Sir Winston Churchill was resident at Chartwell 1922 -1965 will be amongst the photographs on display. The exhibition promises to be a car lovers dream. If classic cars aren’t your interest there will also be photography on display of modern day high performance cars such as the Ferrari Enzo and Ford GT.

Chartwell is an ideal venue for my exhibition as it ties in with Sir Winston Churchill's great sense of style and love of the finer things in life.

This exciting exhibition will be open to the public from Monday 13th October until Sunday 26th October 2014. Please check the Chartwell website for viewing times. Admission is free to National Trust members and those with House or Garden tickets. Chartwell can be found at Mapleton Road, Westerham, Kent TN16 1PS.

Thanks for reading, I hope many of you will be able to get along to my car photography exhibition.

I will keep you up to date of other locations the exhibitions will be going to.

My next newsletter will be in two weeks time about a wedding I'm photographing at the Heritage Hanger in Biggin Hill.

Bye for now.

Stella

Wilton Classic and Supercar Show 2014

 I'd been looking forward to going to the Wilton Classic and Supercar Show for a while now. The show took place in the grounds of the Wilton House Estate, near Salisbury.

The Wilton Classic and Supercar Show 2014 is an annual event, now in it's sixth year, and took place on Sunday10th August. The show is the brain child of Lord Pembroke the current resident of this ancestral home and his friend Jay Broom, and was set up to share their love of classic and supercars with the public. The show was suitable for all the family and had something to offer the local residents as well as avid petrol heads. Major car manufactures were given the opportunity to showcase their latest cars, hot off the production line.

This years event hosted a demonstration rally event too.

The weather on Sunday started off wet and windy but it didn't discourage the crowds who travelled from all over the UK to share a little bit of car culture.

Let me tell you more...

What Was On Display

There was a broad selection of cars on display including the only Aston Martin Bertone Jet in the world. McLaren P1 a selection of Ferrari's including a 1957 250 Testa Rossa and the Bugatti EB10 and the car above the 1959 Chevrolet Corvette.

The centre piece for the "head to head" theme for the show, in which classic icons met their modern counterparts, was the Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing and SLS AMG,  and also showcasing the BMW M1 and i8, Lamborghini Miura and Huracan.

The parade of over 150 supercars featured marques such as Bugatti, Pagani, McLaren, Ferrari and Aston Martin. In front of Wilton House’s south façade, on the South Lawn, visitors could get up close to some rarely seen classics, fortunately by this time the sun was out, umbrellas down, coats off and engines roaring.

Rally Car Display

The grounds also boasted a real life high-speed demonstration of superb Group B rally cars on an authentic rally stage, with the Race2Recovery team joining the action in the Bowler Wildcats that they fielded in the gruelling Dakar Rally earlier this year.

My Car Photography Exhibition

I will be launching my inaugural exhibition at Chartwell in Westerham, Kent, the family home of Sir Winston Churchill, featuring some of the most iconic cars from each of the decades he lived there, between 1922 until his death in 1965.

Sir Winston Churchill had a great sense of style and appreciated the finer things in life.

The exhibition will be open to the public for two weeks in October. I will tell you more about this event in forthcoming newsletters.

I am in the early stages of planning which photographs to exhibit and who to send press releases to. Amongst the photographs on display there will be classic and supercars, my www.stellascordellis.com website will tell you more about me in this field.

Oh, by the way, the title to my exhibition is:-

"A Drive Down Memory Lane"

Where This All Began

My passion for car photography started when I was a child and shared my brothers' interest in anything with wheels and an engine.

I started my photographic career at just 15 years old when I went to work at a photographic studio in Croydon as a Saturday girl. I left school the following year to start an apprenticeship with a three year day release course at their commercial studio. It's been a long and varied journey and my love of photographing people as well as cars has led me to explore this exciting direction my business takes me to.

The Rolls Royce, Silver Cloud 1963 below was photographed as part of my course work whilst at college, and looking back this is where it all began...

Thanks for reading. If you didn't go to the Wilton Classic and Supercar Show  this year, its well worth going to next year, you won't be disappointed!

My next newsletter will be in two weeks time.

Bye for now.

Stella

Oxted Beer Festival 2014

Where and When

On Monday 14th July the scene was being set for the third Oxted Beer Festival and I was given the honour of photographing the event from construction to destruction and all that happened in between. The event took place at Oxted's very own Master Park on Church Road on Friday 18th,19th and 20th July. The marquees were supplied by Crown Marquees who did a grand job.

The festival took place during the hottest week of the year, thankfully the Westerham Brewery made sure there was enough beer to satisfy the thirstiest punter!

I went equipped with two Nikon bodies one with my 70-200mm lens and the other with my 24-120mm lens and Nikon Speed light. I was dipping in and out of the festival around studio and location work I had booked in. This is my account of what I saw and photographed.

Why?

Oxted Beer Festival  was the brain child of Peter Hanrott, he just wanted to get a few friends together on Master Park for a beer or two with some live music, some cricket on the green to raise money for the good of Master Park and for the Oxted and Limpsfield Cricket Club. This year The Oxted and Limpsfield Community Sports Association (the “OLCSA”) has been created to run the festival and hold all the funds raised so that local sports clubs can apply to the association for funding, thus all funds raised are ploughed back into helping local sports clubs and infrastructure projects including Master Park.

From this tiny thought grew a fun filled community spirited festival that the locals have come to love and enjoy! With the added benefit that Peter can share it with the majority of Oxted now. Without the help of volunteers from the front gate, to the clearing up, the event would not have been able to take place.

Beers, Cricket, Live Music and More...

Local businesses were invited to sponsor a firkin, with over 100 opting to get their name out there and support this well attended and worthy event. This year saw a huge variety of beers to choose from that were sourced from breweries all over the country.  I sponsored "First Light" at 5.5% proof, it was pretty strong even for the discerning beer drinker! I could just manage a quarter of a pint! The bar was manned by volunteers, from the ladies serving the Pimms to the men and women pulling the pints, it was a community coming together at their best, and it showed, everyone was in good spirits.

All sponsors and their guests were invited to a VIP event to sample the beers from 5pm - 7pm on the Friday before the gates opened to the public and the party officially started.

Having photographed the Beer Festival last year this years event was on a much bigger scale and had the same vibrant atmosphere.

The currency for the festival was the "Stilling" where your pounds were exchanged at

"The Beeroo de Change".

Friday night did not disappoint with live music from Payback to get the party swinging, I had to remind myself I was in Oxted and so lucky to have this on my doorstep! 

Just a tip when you are photographing bands in low lighting conditions, up your ISO to at least 1600 or better still 3200, don't use flash unless you want to kill the atmosphere!

The other bands appearing over the weekend, to name a few were Eric and the Claptones, The Reservoir Frogs and on Saturday evening Randy and the Rocketts - they were all so good and got the crowds on their feet.

During the afternoon families were there to enjoy a relaxing time, it was lovely to see so many familiar faces come together for a good time. 

If beer wasn't your tipple then you weren't disappointed as there were pitchers of Pimms to cool you down and wine, Champagne, with soft drinks too!

This years main sponsor Natterbox  supplied the glasses in half and one pint sizes which were given out on entry and kept by each person for the duration of their stay and to take home as a souvenir of the occasion.

You could even watch the golf, cricket and F1 on the TV in the main marquee, so there really was something for everyone.

Each day there was cricket on the green to watch, 

Oxted & Limpsfiled CC XI played 3 times, once with each of the following:- 

Kalibazar Wanderers, Old Hamptonians CC and Reigate Priory CC who entertained the crowd.

I had the opportunity to photograph the cricketers in action, some of whom were professionals from Jamaica.

There was even a streaker who interrupted the game on Saturday evening, and disappeared as quickly as he arrived!!

For the first timeThe Riot Bar was introduced in a separate marquee, for those who wanted to chill out and sip cocktails to a different beat.

As well as supping pints there were food stalls to curb those hunger pangs including Oxted's very own "Gurkha Kitchen" and the new "Thai Pad" restaurant (well worth trying), there were pizzas prepared and cooked on site, dim sum, burgers, curries and Jamaican patties, something to suit every taste.

Thanks for reading, if you didn't go this year, its well worth going to next year, you won't be disappointed!

My next newsletter will be in two weeks time about my experience at the Wilton Classic and Supercar Show in Salisbury.

Bye for now.

Stella

The Masterpiece Marie Curie Party.

Where and When

On Monday 30th May I had the pleasure of attending The Masterpiece Marie Curie Party at the Masterpiece Art and Antiques Fair, located on the South Grounds of The Royal Hospital, Chelsea. I always look forward to visiting the fair because of the diversity of pieces for sale and the history behind them, they each have a story to tell.

For sale were museum-quality art, antiques, jewellery and a whole host of exclusive designs covering different eras, a collectors paradise. Each item at the fair was individually vetted by 26 committees of independent experts and specialists to guarantee authenticity.

Mid Summer Party

This years Masterpiece Marie Curie Party was supported by watch manufacturer Jaeger-LeCoultre. For the second year Marie Curie Cancer Care was selected as the beneficiary of funds raised at the party.

Ambassador Heather Krezner hosted the Champagne, cocktail and canapé reception and greeted guests who included David and Catherine Bailey, Tina Cobley and her husband Oliver Wheeler, Clive Owen, Monica Lewinsky, Princess Beatrice of York, Kirstie Alsop, Rachel Hunter, John Caudwell, Amanda Eliasch and celebrity photographer Richard Young to name only a few of the celebrities who attended.

The general public were invited to attend too and paid £95 per ticket to this prestigious event. There was the option to purchase luxury goods and experiences in the silent auction, including a painting lesson with Ronnie Wood, all proceeds to the chosen charity. There was also a raffle to win a brand new MINI convertible and an exclusive pair of fine earrings by Niquesa Fine Jewellers, at only £20 per ticket, a bargain for the lucky winners.

After the drinks reception the celebrities were privately entertained to a dinner and auction which raised in excess of £900,00 for Marie Curie Cancer Care that depends on events like this to fund their nursing care. It was so lovely to see so many of the nurses and staff from the charity at the event, and the local Chelsea Pensioners too.

My Photographs

I photographed the atmosphere which was buzzing, as well as the guests, there was a lot going on which really set the party scene from a graceful ballerina to Robin Harris' London Dixie and Jazz Bands and snippets of wonderful characters through time from Gideon Reeling.

I particularly like going to visit Long Sharp Gallery this Indianapolis based gallery features works from Picasso and Andy Warhol to Pop with a huge variety of innovative art too.

I was introduced to The Masterpiece Fair by my clients Chris Jowitt and Ray Russell from WW.Warner who specialise in 18th and 19th century porcelain. I have had the privilege of photographing their exclusive pieces for the BADA catalogues and always look forward to seeing what I'm going to photograph next. For example a Worcester porcelain lobed dessert plate (as shown) hand painted at the London atelier of James Giles . Circa 1768-70, at nearly 250 years old it's a strange feeling working with such fine quality that has withstood the test of time.

Photographed in my studio using Nikon's 24mm-120mm lens and one soft box to light the subject, I find it picks up the fine detail synonymous with art of this era, propped against a neutral grey background, the perfect contrast. The artwork shows a traveller on horseback with his dog at his side. Post production on these images ensure the colour reproduction is as accurate as possible.

This was a wonderful evening enjoyed by so many to raise funds so needed to support Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Thanks for reading, my next newsletter will be in two weeks time about the Oxted Beer Festival.

Bye for now.

Stella

Sonisphere Festival 2014

When and Where

On Friday 4th July I was very excited to be going to the Sonisphere Festival.  It's a three day music event for rock and heavy metal fans.

I drove to Knebworth House in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, it's been the home of Sonisphere since it started in 2009. I found out that Knebworth House is celebrating 40 years as the home of British rock music and I can see why. The park is vast with a natural bowl shaped arena and easy to get to with great links from the M25 straight onto the A1(M).

I was invited to enjoy the festival by K2, the event owner and had an access all areas pass to photograph a little bit of history, and boy was I in for a treat.

(I am writing this on a high on the Monday after the night before) Let me tell you more about my experience.This year for the first time Iron Maiden and Metallica  were headlining at the same festival.

My Experience

It had been a while since I had attended a rock festival, so I prepared well and made the most of my three days.

On arrival I was directed to the guest car park, which was close to the main stage (Apollo), so there was no danger of forgetting where your car was parked or having to walk miles to get to it!l 

The layout of the festival was well structured. A few days prior, this was just park land, and now there are porta cabins as dressing rooms, toilets, showers, marquees for food, drinks, crew catering, guest hospitality, and two huge stages (Apollo and Saturn) and three smaller stages (in marquees). You could get a new tattoo, buy a new outfit and have a ride on all the fairground attractions. 

There were bands performing from morning until late at night, with a choice of exciting entertainment until the early hours (they even had a silent disco!).

It was interesting to see the array of accommodation on site, which ranged from a one man tent, to very comfortable Winnebagos complete with all the mod cons, home from home to chill out and recharge. There really was something for everyone. 

The array of food kiosks available was enough to suit any diet and palette, I was spoilt for choice.

You could sense the excitement and fever in the air, the 50,000 plus fans were there for a good time and they weren't disappointed.

Behind the scenes was very calm. Everyone got on with their duties; the production team, the caterers, the engineers, sound and lighting, hospitality, press office the golf buggies ferrying crew to the main stage and the limousines driving the artists back stage to take centre stage.

On Saturday, Iron Maiden's front man Bruce Dickinson had taken to the skies and flown a 1977 fokker tri plane as part of the First World War memorial. He was joined by members of the Great War Display Team, who together staged an eight-plane dogfight above a wooded area next to the festival site, with commentary and machine gun fire playing throughout the display, this really got the crowd in the mood for what was to come later.

Apollo Stage

Just before 9pm the fans gathered in anticipation in front of the Apollo stage. Iron Maiden were playing their last concert of a three year tour. The roar of the crowd as they joined the stage was incredible. From back stage I was escorted through the crowds with precision weaving, to take my position in the mixing tower a few hundred feet away from the stage.

I felt so privileged to have been able to take photographs from this magnificent viewpoint, with a sea of fans below either side.

I was swept away by the pure theatre and precision of their performance, it became very clear why they have been so successful for the past thirty plus years, and are one of the most well respected bands in the world!

And they're British too!!

In The Pit

I got a snap shot of the end result and photographed the artists doing what they know best during the first three numbers of their performance. Especially during Metallica's performance, I could feel the music reverberating in the cavity of my chest - the atmosphere was "on fire".

Seeing around 50,000 people of all ages, all walks of life and countries having a good time was a surreal experience, enhanced by the sun going down.

I was able to take time out behind the scenes and speak to the crew and band members about their experiences, including Martin Mickels from Oxted who was playing with his band Empire Kill and with his "roadie" Randy from Oxted's very own Randy and the Rockets.

I got to photograph Iron Maiden, Metallica, Deftones, Gary Numan, Limp Bizkit, The Lounge Kittens, Little Matador and others, it was an experience to listen to the bands, some I hadn't heard of before.

My camera kit consisted of:-

2 Nikon D700 bodies 1 with MB-D10 battery pack

1 wide angle 15mm-30mm lens

1 telephoto 70mm-20mm lens

1 standard 24mm-120mm lens

1 Nikon speedlight SB-910 with spare batteries

3 Memory cards 32mb

All I can say is WOW, and WOW -  what an amazing, exhausting, exhilarating experience!! A huge, huge thanks to my hosts for looking after me so well and enabled access all areas to what was a first class festival. I can highly recommend Sonisphere to all you music lovers out there for next year, you don't have to be a big rock or metal fan, I wasn't, but I certainly am now. 

Thanks for reading, my next newsletter will be in two weeks time about the Masterpiece Fair in Chelsea.

Bye for now.

Stella

Edenbridge Car Pageant

Where and When

On Monday 26th May I drove a few miles south to Edenbridge to see (and hear) for myself what the car pageant I had read about had to offer. The weather was overcast and wet, not ideal for such an occasion. The event was organized by the Eden Valley Chamber of Commerce as part of the Edenbridge Fun Day. As a member of the Oxted Chamber of Commerce I caught site of an email from our chairman letting us know what another local chamber were up to over the Bank Holiday weekend. I’m very glad I took note of this because what unfolded filled me with delight and added so much to my visual and mental portfolio of cars! All on my doorstep in Fircroft Way, Edenbridge, Kent.

John Surtees OBE

Edenbridge is the hometown of Motor sport legend John Surtees OBE.

This year John is celebrating 50 years since he won his Formula 1 World Championship title as well as his 80th birthday. John Surtees OBE is a one off; the only person to have won World Championships on both two and four wheels. John proudly showcased his F1 bikes and cars outside his Bradford shop, Station Road, the Surtees team factory and business base for the past 56 years. The cars were built at this address and mainly by local residents. Edenbridge High Street was closed to allow the parade to take centre stage. It was led by John in the Ferrari 158 which he won the 1964 Formula One Driver’s World Championship, and was followed by Team Surtees Formula 1 cars of the Seventies driven by Scott Malvern and Robbie Kerr.

Exhibition and Book

John will be launching his book "My Incredible Life on Two and Four Wheels" on June 19th 2014. The book contains over 250 photographs some of which were on display at TOPFOTO Gallery also in Fircroft Way. The photographs are an incredible account of an incredible man. The majority of the photographs were taken by John Topham a documentary photographer who lived in Edenbridge until he died in 1992, please follow the link to find out more about him http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Topham_(photographer).

The book can be ordered from Evro Publishing.

The exhibition was an added bonus to my afternoon as it showcased some of John's finest moments, even better, it was an opportunity to own a limited edition print signed by John Surtees and very reasonably priced too, £50 for an unframed A3 print.

Fund Raising

The event raised funds for the Kent Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance Association and The Henry Surtees Foundation.

The foundation was set up in memory of John’s son Henry who was tragically killed in a freak accident at Brands Hatch in 2009 aged just 18 years, whilst competing.

The Pageant

I was pleasantly surprised to see so many owners turn up with their cars and bikes, they had travelled from all over the country to take part in this prestigious event. I chatted to a few of them who were happy to tell me the history of their cars, one man told me he bought his MG when he was just 18 years old and has owned it for the past 36 years, and was passing it over to his son to enjoy.

Amongst the parade were Ferrari, Aston Martin, MG, Corvette Stingray, Lotus, BMW, Morris Cowley to name just a few. They followed John's parade of cars and gathered at the Lingfield Road recreation ground, the other end of town, for all to enjoy as part of the fun day.

It was a very enjoyable Bank Holiday Monday afternoon, thanks to all involved who made this the great success it was, despite the great British weather.

All part of my other passion in life photographing Classic and Super cars. You can see and read a bit more about this on my website www.stellascordellis.com

If you would like to commission me to take photographs of you, your family, or your cars, then please get in touch.

Bye for now.

Stella