A report by Neil Maughan
Twice a year in late March / early April and at Halloween, Goth folk (plus people from the Steampunk and Cyberpunk communities - do a Google search if you want to know more about Steampunks and Cyberpunks!) arrive in numbers in Whitby. This year the event is staged over two weekends: last weekend and this forthcoming weekend (2nd/3rd April).
Going to bed at midnight on Friday night didn't seem such a good idea when the alarm went off at 5.30 am on Saturday morning….however, I quickly shook off the fatigue when my tired brain realised that the reason I was getting up so early on a weekend was because I was heading off to the Goth Festival at Whitby for a day's photography. I'd packed the camera bag the night before so after a reviving shower, a slice of toast, cup of coffee and a quick check on the Internet for the latest weather forecast, I was soon reversing the car off the drive to pick up Tony Griffiths and Ian Stafford.
The advantage of the early start meant that the roads to Whitby were quiet and we were able to get parked in some of the free spaces at West Cliff, near to the Pavilion Theatre, so avoiding the rather hefty parking charges in Whitby town centre. As the first Goth's don't normally start appearing on the streets until about 9:30 ish, we headed off to a town centre cafe for a fortifying bacon buttie and cups of fresh coffee. As Tony, Ian and I entered the cafe at 8:30am, we found our President David Trout holding court with members of the Pentax User Forum. David, a leading light in the Pentax Club, had already scoffed a bacon sarnie and was calling out to the waitress for more coffee as well as chatting about all things Pentax. We hadn't been there long when fellow Durham members Tony Devlin and Barrie Forbes turned up and the conversation turned to what we were hoping to photograph plus the odd bit of banter with the Pentax people about the merits of Nikon, Canon and Olympus cameras! A great start to the day!
As 9:30am approached, we all left the cafe and headed in separate directions, armed to the teeth with cameras, lenses and empty memory cards, in search of Goths, each of us hoping to capture some great images. I headed back to West Cliff to meet Stephen Bell who had very conveniently brought his own Goth - daughter Samantha - at the Pavilion Theatre. The weather was grey and overcast, which was great for portraits as there were no harsh shadows to deal with. But it was cold and the wind blowing in off the sea made it feel even cooler than it was. I made a mental note not to have the Goths I was photographing standing around for too long in the cold while I fiddled with the camera controls!
After spending the morning taking pictures of Sam in her new Goth outfit, Stephen and I headed down into the town to meet up with Tony and Ian for fish and chips. We're creatures of habit and always head to the same fish and chip shop on the harbour front. After all, photography does make you hungry so it's especially vital to keep re-fuelling. Or maybe it's just that we're pigs! Whilst we were standing there stuffing our faces, other Durham members wandered past and stopped for a chat. After the fish and chips were demolished, we headed up the 199 steps to St Mary's Church and St Hilda's Abbey for a final couple of hours.
St Mary's graveyard really is a great place to take pictures of Goths as the background setting is so much more dramatic and evocative than the town centre. Plus of course, it seems appropriate as St Mary's and the graveyard gave Bram Stoker the inspiration to write his book, Dracula. The only problem of course is the number of other photographers and it can get a bit hectic as people try and grab the shots they want. Fortunately Goth folk are very patient and willing to pose for quite a long time so every photographer can get the pictures they want. It is extremely rare for anyone to refuse to have their picture taken. I've been going now for over 5 years to both the Spring and Halloween event and have taken thousand's of pictures and in all that time I can count on one hand the number of times a request for a picture has been refused. Every Goth who goes to Whitby knows that they will be asked numerous times during the day for their picture so there really is no reason to be shy and not ask. Some of the costumes that people wear - and the makeup - is very photogenic and it's rare not to get a good picture.
For those who haven't been before, why not give it a go this forthcoming weekend or at the Halloween event later in the year? All you really need is one camera and a lens that covers a focal range from about 28mm (for group shots) up to about 85mm/100mm for head shots, plus plenty of empty memory cards. If you only have a few hours, head up the steps to St Mary's church, that's where you'll probably get the best shots - just be prepared for the number of photographers! One other essential piece of "equipment" you'll need is a pen and paper (or your card) so you can take the e-mail details of the people you photograph as they will always appreciate a copy of any pictures that you take of them.
It really is a good day. Not only can you get some great photographs but if you are with other members of Durham PS, it’s also a great social event. If you want more details about this forthcoming Saturday and Halloween, point your browser at www.darkdaisypromotions.co.uk. Also keep an eye on Stephen Bell’s "Hot Dates" section of the Blog. Alternatively, if you have a word with any Durham member who was there last weekend, I'm sure they will be willing to offer advice and help. Enjoy!
No comments:
Post a Comment