WRESTLING: Does it happen in Hants?

Like most people with siblings, I am sure that I did my own fair share of wrestling as a child.  In fact, one of my fondest memories is of my ex-soldier and double amputee grandfather, propelling himself from an orange armchair to tackle my three year old brother and tickle-wrestle him into submission.  In fact, when I stop to reflect on my growing up, wrestling was a major part.  My Nana Morton was a big fan.  Fag in one hand, cup of tea in the other, she spent many hours yelling encouragement at Big Daddy (and others) as they regularly appeared on the television in the corner.

So, what I want to ask is - where has wrestling gone?  It's obviously still  happening - it's an Olympic sport for goodness sake - but it no longer seems to play an important role in the national psyche.  Actually, was it ever really a national passion, or was it one enjoyed by the working classes more than any other?  I wonder, did the pleasure in wrestling disappear as we all became more upwardly mobile?

I'm called to ponder these questions because I am having no luck finding a Hampshire wrestler...  There is a club in Slough, and one in Bristol and some in London.  But Hampshire?  And what am I going to do if I can't track one down?  I can't even call in my brother as he lives in Berkshire!

It's obvious from the image of Leon, that wrestling now is for athletes and not just performers...  So, if you are out there, somewhere in the county... Please come forward and let A Sporting Chance help to celebrate your sport.

Image of British Olympic hopeful, Leon Rattigan, taken from http://www.sportspeopleaspeople.com
shot by Sam Bowles and David Middleton

To find out more about GB Wrestling, click here

History, Exams and Hampshire Life

Today has been great.  Firstly, I got to meet Tony and learn a little about early 19th century warfare and the history of Southampton and then I photographed two sportsmen who 'should' have been at home revising for their GCSEs and AS levels respectively...  So, thanks for taking a break to come and be photographed: I very much appreciated it.

It also looks as though I might have been able to get a little interest in the project from Hampshire Life magazine...  So, here's hoping that the July edition will include a mini piece about the exhibition...

It's off to London for a photo event for me tomorrow, and then back to Newport to work on my university project for my hand-in.  I shall be back in Hampshire at the weekend and really hope I have managed to track down willing volunteers for the following portraits by then:

table tennis, wrestling, weight-lifting, beach-volleyball, diving, basketball and archery...

Less than two months to go until the show.  How exciting!

The Willis Museum Website and Football

It was really great to hear that the exhibition is now being advertised on the Willis Museum and Art Gallery website.  It's only a little page, but is a massively important milestone for me...  You can see the page in all its glory by clicking, here.

I was also really interested to see that the exhibition that is on at the same time (but in a much bigger room!) is by an artist, illustrator, photographer and graphic designer who has worked for international musicians and even on a couple of Harry Potter movies: how cool is that?  Dave McKean's work can be seen in advance on his website.

Anyway, I've been out a couple of times already today.  Once to photograph Alex, who is representing football in the exhibition, and Bob the badminton player.  I'd like to say a big thank you to Alex's mum and dad for bringing him to the Memorial Park and send a huge good luck message to Alex for his Taekwondo grading this afternoon.  Thanks too to Bob and to John, the Community Manager at Everest Community Academy for letting us use the space for the shoot.

If you want to see what sort of things go on at Everest, click, here.  When we arrived, the Punch and Judy man was packing away and John and his team were setting up for a Dance-a-thon tomorrow: it's a busy and vibrant place.

A busy few days ahead...

I am now back in Basingstoke for a few days and am really happy to have the opportunity to make some more portraits.  By the time I go back to Wales on Tuesday, I will have ticked off eight more events!

I continue to meet some lovely people and want to say again, a huge THANK YOU to everyone who is giving up their time to take part in the project: I really am very grateful.

Here's another 'out-take'; this time it's from my shoot with Dusty, the Bluefins water polo player:

I'm still on the hunt for someone to represent the following sports...  

Archery

Baseball

Basketball

Fencing

Gymnastics

Judo

Sailing

Diving

Softball

Table Tennis

Weightlifting

Wrestling

So, if you have any suggestions, please do send me an email:  denise.sportingchance@gmail.com

A lovely day to be out on one's bike

Thank you, Barry!

Sunshine on the sea wall

Thank you to Caroline for a great shoot down in Lymington.  How pretty it is in the sunshine!

Good luck and all best wishes goes out to Caroline and everyone else running in the Lymington Lifeboat 10K today.  May the wind be in the right direction!

p.s. I must say that I am enjoying capturing these candid, 'What is happening behind me?' shots and I think they might just have to find a place in the exhibition.  Perhaps in a grid?  We shall see...

Anyone for tennis?

Delighted, delighted, delighted!  Firstly, the sun is shining today, which means that shoots will not have to be cancelled due to the wettest April/possibly dampest earliest May on record.  Secondly, I had a really lovely time this morning with two fabulous young tennis players and their super mum.  Thank you for turning out at 9.00 am on a lie-in weekend day, and thank you for being so easy to photograph.

Later on, I am heading down to Lymington to catch up again with triathlete, Caroline.  I am taking TWO cameras, just in case...

If you want to see the real shots of these guys, don't forget...  July 14th to August 11th at the Willis Museum!

And if you feel like a game...  I can recommend Totally Tennis in Basingstoke.  Lovely staff, great facilities and happy tennis players: what more can you ask for?

http://www.totallytennis.co.uk/basingstoke/home