Buckmore Park Launch with John Surtees OBE and Paul Hollywood

On Wednesday 15 July I was invited to the launch of the new Buckmore Park Kart Circuit, in Chatham, Kent. John Surtees OBE who is the only person ever to have achieved world championships on both two and four wheels, has recently taken ownership and wanted to spread the word. This is the track where Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button practiced as youngsters. It is also where John's own son Henry began driving as a child. John's passion and enthusiasm will help to make Buckmore Park a major feeder for youngsters to further their career in motorsport, what better place to start. Buckmore Park is recognised as one of the UK's premier outdoor karting circuits.

A group of enthusiastic friends, associates, press and media individuals watched as John introduced us to the John Button Suite in memory of Jenson Button's late father.

John Surtees OBE founded the Henry Surtees Foundation as a result of a freak accident that ended his 18 year old sons life at Brands Hatch on 19th July 2009. Henry was one of the best young drivers of his era. The foundation was created to assist people with brain or physical injuries caused by accident to help them with their recovery.

The John Button Suite in honour of John Button, Jenson Button's father. These beautiful photographs were unveiled at the launch of them together.

Photograph above of John introducing us to the track with his PA Sharon Bowness on the right and Rebecca Leppard on the left his PR manager.

Paul Hollywood the 'Great British Bake Off ' presenter took time away from filming to unveil a new fleet of 50 karts and demonstrated the 2016 modelSodi RT8 390cc before we were allowed loose on the track. Scott Malvern racing driver, driving the striking blue and yellow Formula 2 car used by John to win the 1972 Japanese Grand Prix. The photographs below show John in the middle with Paul Hollywood on the left and Scott Malvern on the right.

I was amongst the first people to test drive the karts, I felt the adrenaline rush as I prepared in my red race overalls, protective gear and helmet, taking my place in kart number 5. It was a fun 7 laps, I don't think I'll take racing driving up any time soon as I managed to come last in my team. It was great fun, I can highly recommend it! I found it a great opportunity to capture this historic moment and to watch others enjoy it too, there was a lot camaraderie taking place.

For those who preferred to experience the track from the comfort of the clubhouse there was a simulator which was just as popular.

Photograph above of me in kart 5, thanks to Mariusz Goslicki for taking this one and the one below of me with Paul Hollywood and his son Josh.

Good to meet the guys above from The Drone Company who shot this brilliant footage.

Photographs above left Paul Hollywood in a reflective mood with his son Josh and on the right John Surtees OBE looking very proud.

Above on the track, everyone was keen to have a go.

Photographs above a map of the track and my results. A great day out for all the family to have some fun time. Thanks for reading, I'll be back in two weeks with more to share.

Enjoy the weekend! Bye for now.

Stella

Capture the Present, to Create the Past, for Future Generations...

Quick and Easy In this amazing, disposable, digital, instant age we now live in, isn't it remarkable we can capture a moment on our smart phone and share and post for all to be a part of that emotion?

We can record some special times with a click of a button without the hassle of carrying a camera - but do we ever stop - stop and savour that moment, do we ever appreciate it, or are we too concerned about photographing to share on social media?

Don't get me wrong I'm a firm believer that we share these times, with our smart phones we become so connected, but don't let them replace the importance of professional photographs. Now is a good time of year to make time to let a professional capture landmarks in your life, from my experience everyone has been so pleased they did.

Immortalize I love commissions to photograph moments that can never be repeated. My work is my passion, I get to meet so many interesting people who allow me into their lives to capture their families to reflect on and to safeguards their family history.

By going that extra mile, you are capturing the present, to create the past for future generations. In years to come, with printed photographs there will still be that suitcase in the attic full of prints for future generations to rummage through, just to see what great grandma or grandpa looked liked. It's that moment of realisation when you spot a distant relative who looks just like a member of your family.

Then and Now The selection of photographs below show examples of the photographs taken during the early years of when I opened my studio in 1997 to present day.

If I have photographed you before and you would like to recreate the pose, or you would like to start your family visual history, just give us a call, or come into our friendly studio to find out where to start.

Photographs below taken 'Then' in December 1999 and 'Now' in December 2014

Photographs below taken 'Then' in September 1997 'Now' April 2015

Photographs below taken 'Then' in September 2002 and 'Now' February 2015

Photographs below taken 'Then' in December 1998 and 'Now' January 2015

Photographs below taken 'Then'  December 1998 and 'Now' October 2014

Thanks for reading, I'll be back in two weeks with more to share. Enjoy the sunshine! Bye for now.

Stella

Summer Photographic Exhibitions

This is my favorite time of year, with the Summer Solstice on Sunday 21st June. What better way to spend 16 hours of daylight than outside with your friends and family and camera in hand. The perfect opportunity to make the most of the early morning light from dawn 'til dusk. Inspiration

If you need a little bit of inspiration it's worth making the most of the various photographic exhibitions not too far from home. I have chosen a few that may interest you in London, but firstly one in Kent, at Hever Castle this Sunday for Father's Day.

Stella Scordellis Automotive Photography at Hever Castle on Father's Day Sunday 21st June, a family day out and to see the cars and bikes racing legend John Surtees once drove and to meet him too.  On display are a selection of my Limited Edition framed automotive photographs and on sale for the first time. This link will tell you more.

Beneath the Surface at Somerset House until 24th August, the photographs on display are of a watery theme dating back to Victorian times, some rarely seen and from the V & A collection.

Fresh Faced + Wide Eyed at the Photographers Gallery is dedicated to recognising and nurturing new talents on until 5th July.

Ernst Haas: Reconstructing London at the Atlas Gallery showing images by this iconic photographer of London in the late 1940's some of it still recognisable, on until Saturday 4th July.

Audrey Hepburn - Portraits of An Icon at the National Portrait Gallery from 2nd July, a selection of more than seventy images taken by, Terry O'Neill, Richard Avedon, Cecil Beaton, Norman Parkinson and Irving Penn, this isa must if you love portraiture.

 A History of Photography Series and Sequences Victoria and Albert Museum until 1st November. V&A’s internationally renowned collection, which chronicles the history of photography from the 1840s to the present day. In 1852, the V&A became the first museum in the UK to collect photographs and in 1858, the first to hold a photography exhibition.

Would You Like to Understand Your Camera Better? If this applies to you please get in touch. Twice a week I save the time to teach, on a one to one basis, how to understand your camera better and how to achieve professional results. Often this is bought as a gift voucher to present to someone special (like your dad for Father's Day).

Thanks for reading, I'll be back in two weeks with more to share.

Enjoy the sunshine! Bye for now.

Stella

Bond in Motion London Film Museum

On Monday evening I was invited to enjoy a private view at the London Film Museum, Covent Garden to see the 'Bond in Motion' exhibition. The evening was hosted by Clive from Prestige Promotions for his members to see the largest official collection of original James Bond vehicles ever staged in London.

This exhibition is certainly worth a visit, you can immerse yourself in movie history, I was in my element. The best part for me, other than the cars, was that beside each vehicle you could watch footage from the particular movie it appeared in. I felt like I wanted to go and watch all the movies again from start to finish!

Can you guess which movies the above vehicles featured in? Bottom right photograph Serena Gordon and Philip inside the DB5 with the original scene in the background.

Aston Martin DB5

Amongst the cars on display I particularly liked the Aston Martin DB5, this iconic car has appeared in many of the movies, however this particular DB5 was from the 1995 movie 'Golden Eye'. It featured in the chase with a Ferrari 355 in Monte Carlo with James Bond (Piers Brosnan) driving and his passenger Caroline (Serena Gordon). The added bonus to photographing the car was that Serena Gordon came to the event, it was lovely to meet her. I photographed her next to the DB5 and also inside, this time it wasn't with Piers Brosnan but with Philip, who came as a guest and bid £600 to sit next to her in the very seat James Bond once sat in. Serena said it brought back many memories of that eventful journey in Monte Carlo twenty years ago, looks like a hair-raising experience to me! This Youtube link is to that scene. The £600 goes to a charity close to Clive from Prestige Promotions heart, to support three primary schools in Kenya's Masi Mara which is where he hosts their annual Celebration of Wildlife safari in early October when the great migration is heading back from the Masai Mara to the Serengeti.

Above a selection of images I took during the evening, the bottom right photograph from left to right, Clive Thomas, Serena Gordon, Philip (the gentleman who bid £600) and Imogen Stubbs.

Above Clive Thomas and Serena Gordon with the DB5 from the movie 'Golden Eye' and footage on the screen.

Rolls-Royce

Now this one didn't appear in any of the James Bond movies, but it can be yours.

Thanks for reading, I'll be back in two weeks with more news. Enjoy the sunshine!

Bye for now.

Stella

The Elite Show London 8 and 9 May 2015

On Wednesday and Thursday I photographed the setting up of The Elite Show London, a luxury lifestyle experience, set in the opulent surroundings of Rizon Jet at Biggin Hill Airport. The scene has been set with an array of super cars and jets on display amongst a select variety of luxury goods.

Below are a few of the images I took just to whet your appetite.

HDR Photography

The photograph above was taken using 5 images spliced together, this is called High Dynamic Range.

The reason for taking a series of images at different exposures is because it's not possible to get a consistent exposure in one single shot. The light inside the hangar is much darker than outside.

By taking 5 images in rapid succession at varying exposures and processing in Photoshop one image with an even exposure is made.

The images below starting top left and finishing bottom right show the five images that were used to create the final one.

Spitfire

The spitfire below is on display at Intrepid Design alongside some innovative furniture created using decommissioned and recycled aircraft parts. You can even visit the guys from the Heritage Hangar to book a short flight in a Spitfire too!

Yesterday Afternoon

The photograph below is how it looked yesterday afternoon, before the cars and jets arrived. The lodge back right is by Waterside Holidays, by the end of the day I felt like curling up and going to sleep, it's so homely! If you get the chance to visit, either today Friday 8 May, or tomorrow Saturday 9 May you're in for a luxurious time.

Thanks for reading I'll be back next month with more news.

Bye for now!

Stella

London-Brighton Jaguar Car Run

On Sunday 26 April I went to the 17th annual London-Brighton Jaguar Car Run which started at Chartwell, Westerham, Kent - family home of Sir Winston Churchill, to photograph the start of the run.

The run is organised by Jaguar World magazine in association with the Jaguar Enthusiasts' Club.

There were over 300 Jaguars scheduled to drive through Westerham starting at Chartwell for breakfast, getting ready for their start times between 8am and 10am. The route they followed took them on the B roads and finished at Madeira Drive in Brighton where the presentations were due to take place in the afternoon.

You may remember that after the heat wave during the week, Sunday morning was forecast to be a cold, very wet, wintery day and the forecast wasn't wrong!

I arrived at Chartwell at 7.30am equipped for the rain with camera bodies and lenses protected with plastic bags (I find the small Boots ones are best, turned inside out). This allows you to work fast without the worry the rain will seep into the equipment, leaving enough room to look through the viewfinder and operate the controls, and most importantly the freedom to walk fast without the worry that anyone is trying to shield you with an umbrella. Might sound crazy but it works!

The weather didn't stop the owners of this Jaguar C-Type Enduro/Proteus Replica 1953 taking part from the Netherlands!

There were a huge variety of Jaguars, too many to mention, in particular the three Union Jags. The styling of the Union Jag is based on the stunning XK8. This luxury convertible was inspired by Jaguar’s famous old XK-E (E-Type) sports car of the 1960s.

Car of the Run Award

I hear it was a smooth run and sunny in Brighton, well done to all who took part! Car of the Run Award was presented to Peter Hall with his MK 9 1961 Jaguar, presented by the Mayor of Brighton.

The Elite London8 and 9 May

If you enjoy the finer things in life, this could be just the ticket at Rizon Jet, Biggin Hill Airport. I'm looking forward to photographing the construction of this prestigious event and will feature more in my newsletter next week. If you would like up-to-date news about the event please follow me on Twitter and Instagram @StellaSMS

The Elite London now in it's second year - will celebrate the luxury lifestyle world by showcasing jets, super cars and featuring stunning brands from fine art to fashion and luxury gifts to exquisite jewellery.  Visitors will be treated to a selection from the world's most respected companies and sought after brands. To book your tickets please click here.

Photograph below supplied from last years event.

Have a great Bank Holiday weekend, I'll be back next week with more news.

Bye for now.

Stella