This was taken with my compact camera under mixed-lighting, so it’s not too bad considering!
BNI Midlands Members’ Day at the Riverside Centre, Pride Park Derby. We estimate over £300000 of business will result from the day, between the 150 members who attended! ch-ching
We had four fantastic speakers so we learned a lot, met loads of new people, and even made some new friends. Oh, and not forgetting the business too 
Flying Start!, originally uploaded by CraigMarston.
Flying Start Rally at Derby University – NCGE* Part of Enterprise Week
*National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship
Posted in Entrepreneurship, People, Public Relations
iTunes Artwork, originally uploaded by CraigMarston.
This is a photograph of a painting on canvas, which is to be the iTunes artwork for Shanty Mansion.
Look out for it soon – it’s for charity mate!
It’s one of those things that’ll make a nice present for someone whom has everything, and doesn’t need a ‘Lynx Deodorant & Shower Gel’ gift set..!
The charity it is in aid of is Plan UK, and they give humanitarian aid to children overseas. Please visit www.plan-uk.org for more information
Ebalta UK – Grand Opening, originally uploaded by CraigMarston.
Grand Opening Celebrations at Ebalta UK (formerly Denaco at Hatton), Castle Donington.
The buffet lunch was lovely, but I missed out on the champers as I was busy photographing everyone drinking it!
Mind you, I’m more of an Asti man really
They pulled out all the stops to re-locate and only endured 1 day of down time!
My mate John from 21C Voice and Data, in my BNI chapter, sorted them out with new mobile phones too as their previous service provider just didn’t work there..!
Posted in Local Businesses, People, Public Relations
Business “stuff”, originally uploaded by CraigMarston.
Optimum Business Supplies (Derby).
I shot this from a metal staircase leading to a mezzanine floor and spent an hour running up and down adjusting the items, and collecting colourful items from the shelves! I was on my own for this shoot as I went straight from our weekly BNI meeting at Mickleover.
They do much, much more than the obvious stationery supplies, but the chairs and fax machines aren’t as pretty as the coloured paper!
Samir is a business colleague in my BNI chapter, and he is passionate about the environment so he loves recycled paper.
He’s very knowledgeable too, so he advises goods that are the best for the job, not the goods that are most expensive! Which is nice 
Posted in Local Businesses, People
Tagged BNI, business, Derby, paper, recycled, stationery, supplies
Lesley Smith, originally uploaded by CraigMarston.
When I first met Lesley she was dressed at Queen Elizabeth the First, and looked quite scary! Having done no history at school (because our school was not brilliant) my only knowledge of QE1 was “ooh pwessies, I love pwessies!” from Blackadder. So, to see Lesley’s theatrical performance of Queen Elizabeth in full costume was something to behold. It is this that leads her to tour up and down the country, and overseas giving talks, in costume, dressed as various other historical figures too!
Because she looks so dramatically different on stage, she has ordered a large print of this image, mounted so that she can display it so the audience can see the real Lesley
Posted in People, Public Relations
Tagged 1st, Britain, British, costume, England, English, first, historian, history, lady, Lesley Smith, Most Haunted, performance, Queen Elizabeth, talk, Tutbury Castle, UK, woman
Shanty Mansion
Artwork for Esteban’s forthcoming single release, which will be in aid of the charity Plan.
We got cold and dirty and finished just before the rain came down!!
Posted in Uncategorized
I received a call late in the evening, (well it always seems later when it’s dark) last week requesting an urgent photo shoot for a forthcoming single release. It was Muel from Esteban and he’d already spotted a location. How could I refuse?
The band met on Thursday night, and on Friday morning I received a message with the arrangements for Saturday Morning’s shoot – fantastic! Liam was going to drive to my place with Stephen, dump their props in the trailer, and head down to Esteban HQ. However, Liam has a new phone, which is nice, but he hasn’t figured out the alarm clock function yet…
I trundled down to Muel’s for a freshly cooked breakfast with him and Rick, and they explained to me about the charity ‘Plan’ and their support of it via the new single. To quote from Plan’s website at www.plan-uk.org,
“Plan is an international, humanitarian, child-focussed development organisation with no religious, political or governmental affiliations.”
I hadn’t seen the location before, so I knew I’d be working off the cuff which is a challenge I love rising to! I was in mild disbelief when I first saw the scene, as I would never have believed the collapsed ruins of shacks / caravans / trailers would be just left to disintegrate and act as a play area for local children. This last point is VERY apt though…
We walked round the setting discussing camera angles, until we found the perfect spot that contained the right elements. I then had to plan the lighting, while the lads dressed the set and changed their outfits.
I had planned to shoot tethered, but the threat of rain was looming with occasional tiny spits, so it was best to leave the MacBookPro safely in its case. I need to invest in one of those mini booths that also shade the screen from sunlight, but that’s another thing for my “Dear Santa” list!
We rattled through the shots, checking on the back of the camera as best we could until the tweaks we were applying had gone from moving lights and members of Esteban, to just changes of expression on members of Esteban! At that point several children dressed in “sports” clothing appeared and began pestering us…
We reviewed the images over a pub lunch (cheers guys!) and all agreed on one shot. I simple blemish-removal turned into childish face mutilation over coffee, and was promptly emailed to Ville at The Animal Farm amidst our tears of laughter…
The Full Stand and ¾ Emma, originally uploaded by CraigMarston.
The Marston Photography Stand in all its splendor!
Unfortunately we were only there for the morning due to other commitments, but it was a great atmosphere and I plan to be there next year! The next trade show is the BNI Members’ Day on November 27th at the Riverside Centre, Pride Park in Derby.
Posted in Uncategorized
Simon Tulitt – Southern Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce, originally uploaded by CraigMarston.
Poor Simon being hounded by my lens again! Winning Business 08 at Drayton Manor
Posted in People
 | johnny on Esteban’s Latest Single … |
 | Craig Marston on Shanty Mansion |
 | Martin on Shanty Mansion |
