Vive le Yorkshire

It's not often that you can nip out of Manchester to watch the greatest race in the world pass by. Massive crowds watched Yorkshire kick off the Tour de France this weekend. Here Blel Kidri of team AG2R Mondiale leads the race as he reaches the summit of Sunday’s biggest climb, Holme Moss. The crowds were amazing, 60,000 people on Holme Moss alone by all accounts.

Le Gendarmerie on British roads

A hero of mine Frenchman Tommy Voeckler

And the day before at the start in Leeds, Cav no more but va va Froome!

Lady in Red

I enjoy the challenge of arriving at a new location and seeking out the best setting for my subject. It didn’t take long this time: the moment Patricia Masters of Westgate CVs opened the door to her rich red hallway I knew where to shoot the business portraits she’d commissioned. I placed my lighting strategically to build some intrigue and create a sense of recession through the arches. And the other week the Northwest British Institute of Professional Photography Awards confirmed that my hallway hunch was right when, in the Environmental Portraiture category, my lady in red won me a gold.

Hero Ride

As a self confessed cycloholic (is that a word?) I had a dream assignment this week at the Manchester Velodrome. I was asked to photograph the launch of Hero Ride on behalf of Help for Heroes. Centre stage were Jon-Allan Butterworth, triple silver medalist at London 2012 Paralympics and Afghanistan war veteran Nathan Cumberland along with other members of Team GB cycling squad.

Why not join the ride. If you fancy Manchester to London it's only 230 miles! You've got 5 days though...

Jon-Allan in action

 And again, I know it's blurred but he was motoring. It's now art!

Is that banking steep...

  Nathan and Jon-Allan next to statue of another cycling legend Reg Harris.

Yes, they train behind a motorbike

And a real treat, Jason Kenny, triple olympic gold medalist and double world champion at full bore in training. Can he move!