Shooting raw

I do not often make significant changes to the way I work at a game: I have had the same kit for some time, and know most of the features I need. However, I have always saved my pictures on the camera as jpeg files, and have been generally satisfied with the results. Think of a jpeg file as like a print, but one you can edit. The camera adjusts things like white (or colour) balance, brightness and noise, then compresses the file. The alternative is to save as a raw file, a bit like a film negative. You get all the information from the sensor, which gives much more control over exposure and lighting, and changes are saved to a separate file, so you always keep the original without having to make multiple backups.

Last week, I was feeling curious, and wondered how much extra work was involved processing from raw, and realised the answer is - not much. Photoshop Elements can open files from most cameras, so it is just a couple of extra steps. I then went to take some pictures of general subjects for test files, and quickly decided the extra control for non sports work is well worth it.

For sports the equation is more balanced: as I process about 100 - 120 images from a game, even a minute or so per image can add an hour or two to the job. I decided it was worth a try at Prescot Cables' game at home to Ossett Albion.

My SD card was a bit old and slow, and I was only going to get a new one if the test was successful. When shooting frames in raw in quick succession, a fast card avoids having to stop for the buffer to empty. I was doing just that, and missed the first goal, from Lloyd Dean.

Lloyd Dean

Once I got the images on the computer, adjusting the white balance required some practice to avoid making the players look puce, or, failing that, green. After a short while, I started to get usable images, and as there was even cloud cover throughout the game, once I had got it right, I could stick to the same settings.

James McCulloch

I continued my experiment from the previous week, and spent some time behind the goal, before going to the gasworks side, ending up at the half way line.

George Mannion

In a couple of pictures, the players seemed particularly sharp - you can judge for yourselves whether this survives the conversion on the computer and upload to Google+.

Joe Evans

We went a second goal ahead just before half time through the good offices of Rob Doran.

In the second half I went to the half way line again, which was probably a good position, as the half was quite evenly matched until the balance fell decisively in our favour 10 minutes from the end with a second goal from Rob Doran. There were some good saves from Marcus Burgess, never easy to capture, even standing closer to our goal than I am accustomed.

Marcus Burgess

With only moments to go, Rob Doran completed his hat trick, and I got a decent sequence. It is all very well knowing the technology, but you still have to capture the action.

The rest of the pictures from the game can be seen here.

Final score Prescot Cables 4 (Dean, Doran 3) Ossett Albion 0

Double pie, double peas

In London pie and mash shops, the ordering convention is "double pie" if you want two, and "double mash" for two portions of potato. On arrival at Farsley Celtic for our FA Trophy game, I headed to the tea bar, which was serving fresh local Growler's pies. I only had toast for breakfast, so, having had the steak before the match, I have to admit to also having the pork at half time. This being Yorkshire, the traditional accompaniment is peas rather than mash. The food and drink offering was completed by Wadworth's Dirty Rucker, advertising an event in a different sport, on hand pump in the bar. The name will have had people in these parts wondering what a ruck is.

The hosts made four changes from the league game the previous week. We made one, replacing Sam Staunton-Turner, who has returned to Skelmersdale.

I travelled on the team coach, so, unusually for me, arrived well before kick off. Whilst books talk about taking time to find a suitable position, in football the location of the goals and and stand, and where the sun is shining are the main considerations. I have been to Farsley enough times too know the ground well, and I was mindful of my observations last week about moving around, so I decided to experiment. I started in front of the tea bar.

Rob Doran

This was not the best place, as it was one of the more populated parts of the ground. I prefer less crowded areas, as you avoid somebody leaning in front of you for a better view at the crucial moment.

After some time in the conventional position behind the goal, I moved to the far side and worked my way along.

Phil Bannister

I went beyond the dugout and alongside our own half and was happy with the results. Farsley's performance was stronger than the previous week, so I was rewarded with some closer pictures than normal of our defence.

Marcus Burgess

I captured some movement forward from the queue for the second part of lunch. We went in at half time a goal behind.

Lloyd Dean

I decided to move around around again for the second half. This was complicated by the sun's being out. The first half had been cloudy, with the mist from the morning only fully lifting just before the start. We were playing with the sun behind us. I started on the stand side where I was mainly shooting across the sunlight.

James McCulloch

I then worked round behind the goal we were attacking, ending up between the dugouts.

George Lomax

The sun appeared to bring some moisture out of the ground, so, looking into it, the mist had returned. It is possible to remove this almost completely on the computer, but I tried to keep the effect.

Jonah O'Reilly

Unfortunately, the result was not as good as the pictures: Farsley came out stronger after half time, and their second goal probably sealed the result, with our looking unlikely to come back, and in the event being unable to prevent two more goals.

The rest of the pictures from the game can be seen here.

Final score: Farsley Celtic 4 Prescot Cables 0

Naming names part 3

When a club folds a new club founded in their place has to adopt some variation of their name. Farsley AFC, formed in 2010, had until recently been in such a position. I am not sure of the rules regarding how long a club has wait to revert to the old name, or whether the FA consult the traditional entrails, but the club obtained permission to revert to Farsley Celtic this season.

The visitors have had a poor start to the season, only recording their first win in midweek. However, they have been a strong side in the past and I suspect they will not finish the season in their current position.

Joe Herbert added himself to our happily growing list of scorers for the season. One problem with your number 4 going round scoring, especially if you photograph from behind the goal, is that if you do not get the goal, you do not always have a decent picture of the player to substitute. Whilst I do not have a hard and fast rule for whether a picture of a goal works, as a rough rule of thumb, if the ball is more than the player's height away from him, it is unlikely to be of use as a single photograph. This one did not quite make it: the distance between ball and player is enough that even Joe might not remember it as his goal.

I was pondering this whilst listening to the excellent Forward the Hamlet podcast, which had an interview with one of the official Dulwich Hamlet photographers, Duncan Palmer, in which he discussed moving around the pitch, and getting better shots of the defence and goalkeeper, which I think I should do more.

A second goal came from Lloyd Dean, a more familiar presence at my end of the pitch.

Lloyd Dean

I could have done with following the approach of looking at the defence for the second half, as the visitors came out more strongly.

Marcus Burgess

Not that we were without action in the half we were attacking.

Rob Doran gets away from Farsley's Harley Wigley

Our new kit has shirts numbered up to 22, which came in handy, as our physio Nicola was kept busy with two blood injuries in quick succession, with Joe Herbert suffering a nosebleed, and, as soon as he was back on the pitch, Sam Staunton-Turner sustaining a cut to the face.

We had a couple of new faces coming on from the bench.

George Lomax

Aiden Kirkbride

Our third substitute, Jamie Hayes, had joined us under Neil Prince, and then been injured, which gave us a spot of bother identifying him on the team photo - when you see a player again it is a relief to know you got his name right the first time. Once he was back in action, he quickly established a claim for a place.

Jamie Hayes

The result left us scratching our heads - none of us could remember the last time we won three games in a row!

The rest of the pictures from the game can be seen here.

Final score: Prescot Cables 2 (Herbert, Dean) Farsley Celtic 0.

A birthday win

Prescot Cables' game away to Mossley coincided with Dr Phil being back in the country for his 30th birthday. A number of us took our traditional 10:22 to the Station Buffet in Stalybridge. A couple of our party decided the queue looked a bit long, and led us to seek refreshment elsewhere. I was not entirely happy, as I had been looking forward to the selection in the buffet, but, it transpired, this was the only establishment in town that was open before midday.

On our return, we took advantage of the pleasant weather in the outdoor drinking area, the platform now being out of bounds for safety reasons, and awaited those who were coming on other trains. A couple of years ago, pubs on the Rail Ale Trail took measures to avoid being a major destination for stag parties, with some success, as the other customers seemed mainly to be real ale drinking supporters of FC United of Manchester and Stalybridge on the way to their game.

Unusually, there was a cider at less than 4%, so I had an Orchard Pig Marmalade Cider, a pleasant product, with the marmalade not overpowering the apples, although a bit rich for more than one in a session. Once in Mossley, after a more traditional beer in the Commercial, it was time to climb to the ground, a trap for the unwary: one turning looks as though it is not going anywhere, so it is easy to go in the wrong direction. I have done this in the dark, and have now done so in daylight with ten people following me.

Our Dutch friend Thom was with us: he has nearly finished his research in Liverpool, so will return to Nijmegen (and rejoin Dr Luke) thinking football at this level is played clinging to the side of a hill.

We have been fortunate with the weather in Mossley over the last few years, and it was again bright and sunny. We started playing into the sun.

Andy Paxton and Andy Harper

The supporters were in good spirits. Some spectators' attention wandered, being interested in Shane Glean on the wing...

... but less so by a Jonah O'Reilly free kick.

At the risk of sounding like a food and drink post, I was most satisfied with the chips and gravy from the tea bar at half time. In some places the gravy has an at best tenuous connection with meat, but Mossley's left the diner in no doubt, having tasty little bits of lamb floating in it.

This has not been a good hunting ground in the last few seasons, and it looked as though it may be the case again with a good performance not leading to goals. We had maintained a clean sheet, so a point was looking a distinct possibility.

In the 84th minute, Lloyd Dean, in his first game back from Clitheroe, struck for goal.

Lloyd Dean

I was by the side of the pitch, which is usually a good position to capture a goal. I did not get anything on this occasion, but I was in good place to capture the celebrations from the players and supporters.

After the goal we lived dangerously, allowing Mossley to break a bit too often, and looking as though we might come away with just the one point. However, some good saves and good work in defence ensured we kept our lead.

Marcus Burgess

The rest of the pictures from the game can be seen here.

Final score: Mossley 0 Prescot Cables 1 (Dean)

Someone else scores some goals

Towards the end of Prescot Cables' game away to New Mills, I thought I might be in what would be a most unfortunate position position if I were just there to take pictures. There had been eight goals, and I was unsure I had a decent picture of any of them. However I was there to support the club, so there was a compensation: we scored seven, which always makes for a pleasant afternoon.

The first goal came from Phil Bannister, which was a relief as it was our first goal this season not to have been scored by Rob Doran. Not that I have any objection to Rob's goals, they are always welcome, and greeted with his trademark inscrutable demeanour. However, you cannot rely on one player to score everything. Rob had no intention of being absent from the score sheet, putting away one of his own a few minutes later.

We had the advantage of the slope in the first half, although that can be a mixed blessing: the hosts are quite good at sending the ball uphill and letting visitors tire themselves out chasing after it. In the circumstances, I felt it would have been a probably decisive advantage to have a third goal before half time. We achieved this when Rob Doran was fouled on the edge of the area, the referee played advantage and Phil Bannister duly obliged, and, as it turned out, I had a photo.

Phil Bannister shoots for goal as the referee indicates advantage

Playing uphill in the second half, we continued to attack with a second goal from Rob Doran after five minutes. In this situation where I have a picture of a player on the run that led to a goal, but not anywhere near the point of dispatching the ball to the net, I find the phrase "sets off for goal" quite handy.

Rob Doran sets off for his second goal

Just as Rob scored, it started to rain. One speaks of rain being of biblical proportions. although one cannot be entirely sure how hard it rained for Noah. This rain sent everyone scuttling for cover, but the duration was less than biblical by about 39 days 23 hours and 55 minutes.

Andy Harper

The hosts scored a consolation goal a few minutes later, although there looked to be little prospect of its affecting the result. Thus matters remained for about half an hour until a goalmouth scramble in which the New Mills keeper made a couple of saves before James McCulloch slipped the ball underneath him, and I managed to get a picture.

A further goal came a minute from time when Danny Flood put in a pass which perfectly found the advancing Joe Evans.

Danny Flood

The final goal came from a Joe Evans corner in injury time.

Joe Evans

The goal was attributed in the record as an own goal from New Mills' Jordan Cooper; however, I have looked at my own photograph...

... and the video from @owy67, taken from the opposite side, and cannot entirely make up my mind whether it was an own goal or was scored by our own George Mannion, but I am tending towards the latter.

This was a morale boosting performance that attracted a fair amount of attention, including being the non League Team of the Day on the BBC Radio 5 Live 606 programme.

The rest of the pictures from the game can be seen here.

Final score: New Mills 1 Prescot Cables 7 (Bannister 2, Doran 2, McCulloch, Evans, Mannion)

Dropped points

Last Tuesday saw Prescot Cables at home to Radcliffe Borough. Realistically, the visitors are one of the six or seven clubs with whom we are competing to avoid relegation. They had made a similarly slow start to the season, having yet to gain a point, so the game was an opportunity for our new management to pull ahead of our rivals.

The spectators were joined by two of our players who have moved onwards and upwards, Jack Phillips of Accrington Stanley, and Connor McCarthy, now at Southport. It is always good to see players like Jack and Connor when their clubs do not have a game, as they remind able and ambitious players that a good way to be spotted is to play well at our level.

This was the first opportunity to see how the new kit came out under the floodlights. Sunset was at around kick off time, so for the first few minutes, the lights were supplementing the remaining natural light. I took up position for a short time behind the goal...

Joe Nicholson

... before moving to my usual evening vantage point on the gasworks side.

Joe Herbert

The visitors were in red and black stripes, which did not look as though it would reflect much light. A dark back can have the disadvantage that player accidentally direct passes to the referee: Radcliffe avoid this by having a large white number, stripes on the lower back, and red shorts.

Marcus Burgess makes his second headed clearance in as many games

As I have agreed to contribute photographs to TheNonLeague magazine (not many from evening games unless the editor spots something of interest in the public collection, most of my night photos are a bit too grainy for print), I need to pay attention to opposition players' names. All Radcliffe's players are called Stewart Fell.

As in the Scarborough game, an early goal left us with an uphill task particularly without the injured Rob Doran.

There were more new faces, with Tom Ince starting ...

Tom Ince

... and Sam Staunton-Turner coming on from the bench to replace the injured Joe Herbert.

Sam Staunton-Turner

Unfortunately, Joe was injured near the half way line and slightly closer to the touchline on the gasworks side, so had a long walk round half the pitch to the changing rooms, even though it was plain when he got up after treatment that he would be playing no further part in proceedings.

After a lacklustre first half, we performed better in the second, but were unable to convert this into goals. In the short term, the result hands an advantage to Radcliffe as they pushed us back into the bottom two, but it is early in the season, and the week reminded us we will probably drop points we might have hoped to gain, and pick up others where we were not expecting them.

The rest of the pictures from the game can be seen here.

Final score: Prescot Cables 0 Radcliffe Borough 1

Herding cats and repelling seagulls

Before Prescot Cables' home game against Scarborough Athletic, I had been prevailed upon to take a team photograph. In the game, action happens in front of you, you point the round thing on the front of the camera in the right direction and keep pressing the button on the top. Provided you get everything you want in frame, and you are not trying to produce an arty A2 print, the computer is your friend when it comes to cropping. For the team photo, you need to direct the team to where you want them, normally the manager's problem.

The players gather for the photo

You think everything looks symmetrical, then a couple of people join from one side. Add to that it was a sunny day, and I was having bother getting the flash to work (spending my photography time on activities where flash is unwelcome, I forget even the basics). With the assistance of Mr Photoshop sorting out the lighting, I think I produced a presentable result.

The end result

I also did head and shoulders pictures of the players and management, the first time we have done these for the website. 

Andy Paxton

Whilst the players went to warm up, I fortified myself with a Whiter Shade of Pale, from the Melwood Beer Company, and a pie from the tea bar. There is money to be made in some sort of contraption to contain a portion of food and a disposable glass without the need to put the pint down every time you want to pick up the pie.

We were wearing our new kit for the first time. Puma used the ground in the summer for a photoshoot with Mario Balotelli, and the club elected to receive payment in kind. Our colour is amber, which has covered a range of shades over the years: my friend Roger, who first brought me to Cables, reminded me that when I started watching in 1991, it was a pale yellow. This is the orange end of the spectrum, and shows up well in sunlight.

Phil Bannister

For players who like to wear an undershirt, I am not sure about the availability of these in orange, and the trim is probably not enough to make black acceptable to a picky referee.

There were some new faces, some of whom I am fairly sure had not been there an hour and a half earlier. Things move quickly these days.

Ryan Stewart

Warren Bellew

After the good performance at Glossop, which was not quite enough to secure a result, we were hoping to go one better this week. An early goal from the visitors put us on the back foot, but parity was restored before half time by Rob Doran, still our only goal scorer for the season.

Rob Doran

The second half saw some determined pressure from the visitors who, up to this point had a 100% league record. Keeper Marcus Burgess, on loan from Salford, made some good saves, and from the visual point of view made them wearing smart plain black boots. As a traditionalist I approve, although it might make life more difficult if outfield players started doing it, as comparing boots is a handy way to match numbers on backs with the fronts that make it in to the pictures.

Marcus Burgess

After the game, I was contacted by TheNonLeague magazine for permission to use my photos of Marcus Burgess and invite me to become become a contributor, so I will have to pay more attention to the names of opposition players (numbers on the front of shirts, you know they make sense). Not that I needed to do so on this occasion: Scarborough is outside the magazine's catchment area.

A successful second half meant we were able to secure our first point of the season, and were not without chances to take all three points.

The rest of the pictures from the game can be seen here.

Final score: Prescot Cables 1 (Doran) Scarborough Athletic 1