Archive for January, 2011


Posted on January 31, 2011 - by

Up Helly Aa 2011 – In The Ring of Fire

Up Helly Aa 2011 - In The Ring of Fire

Pictured above is the moment when all the guizers encircle the Jarl in the galley before the burning takes place.

The sheer scale of the event is evident here as the park fills with guizers having marched around the streets.  If you click on the image to enlarge, have a look at everything that is going on from the locals watching out of their windows to the many camera flashes of people recording this fantastic spectacle.  If you look closely you can see Jarl John Hunter standing in the galley.  The view he experienced must have been amazing.

If you would like to purchase this image please click here

More pictures to follow.

-Ben

P.S. For all blog entries associated with Up Helly Aa 2011 please click on the link here


Posted on January 31, 2011 - by

Junior Guizer Jarl Silhouette

The next photo in my Up Helly Aa 2011 collection is a silhouette of Junior Guizer Jarl Rory Johnston. Thanks to Rory for posing for a few photographs as it was fiercely hot.  The silhouette emphasises the outline of the wings rising on either side.

A lot more information on the history of the Jarl Squad regalia is available on the official site here.

-Ben


Posted on January 31, 2011 - by

Save Shetland Coastguard

The Save Our Station campaign got a boost on Tuesday as the Guizer Jarl signed the petition in front of the bill head.  Organisers of the petition (pictured above) are protesting against the threatened closure of the Shetland Coastguard station due to government cutbacks.

I believe many people signed the petition which is very encouraging to help preserve this vital service.  According to the Save Shetland Coastguard website, over 5000 signatures have now been received.   To register your signature visit http://www.gopetition.com/petition/41468/sign.html.

I wish them good luck and will be keeping a close eye on future developments.

-Ben

Links

Save Shetland Coastguard – http://saveshetlandcoastguard.com/blog/

Facebook Page – http://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-Shetland-Coastguard/184535398223787



Posted on January 30, 2011 - by

Up Helly Aa 2011 Junior Guizer Jarl

This year’s Junior Guizer Jarl Rory Johnston standing proudly in front of the blazing galley.


Posted on January 29, 2011 - by

Junior Up Helly Aa 2011 Galley Burning

The Junior Up Helly Aa galley is left to burn after all the torches have been thrown in – an awesome sight indeed.  After the junior procession is over the organisers have a quick turnaround to prepare the burning site for the senior event shortly after.

-Ben


Posted on January 28, 2011 - by

Junior Up Helly Aa 2011 Torch Light Up

The street lights are killed and the signal fires to indicate it’s time for the light up to begin.

Pictured above is the torches being lit at this year’s Junior Up Helly Aa which took place at 5.30pm on Tuesday preceding the main event at 7.30pm.

The wonderful array of colours generated during the light up is amazing – defintely one of the procession highlights.

More Up Helly Aa photos to come…

-Ben


Posted on January 27, 2011 - by

Up Helly Aa 2011 Jarl Squad

Up Helly Aa Jarl Squad 2011 - All photos by Cecil M J Hughson

Pictured above is the design we put together at The Camera Centre of the entire 2011 Jarl Squad which is visible in the shop window.


-Ben

Links

Up Helly Aa 2011 (Daytime) - http://www.benmullay.com/blog/2011/01/26/up-helly-aa-2011-daytime/

Up Helly Aa 2011 Gallery – http://www.benmullay.com/gallery/index.gallery.php?gid=36

Up Helly Aa 2011 Build Up Photographs – http://www.benmullay.com/blog/2011/01/25/up-helly-aa-2011-build-up/


Posted on January 26, 2011 - by

Up Helly Aa 2011- Daytime

As I came into Lerwick on Tuesday morning I thought the beautiful red sunrise was very apt for Up Helly Aa day.

This year Jarl John Hunter (aka Johan Sanderrevet of Valsgärde) had the freedom of Lerwick as he took his 65 strong squad around town after years of planning and preparation.  I learned a bit more about Jarl John Hunter’s viking name on the Shetland News website:

Johan Sanderrevet was a restless Swede in the 9th century who sailed west on board his galley Jägere only to be hit by a storm of such severity that all but three of his fleet of longships were driven off the cliffs of Fugaey.

The viking believed he was saved by his magical armlet woven gold called Svíagris; but this armlet was lost as he wintered on the isle of Oxna west of Scalloway.

More than a thousand years later a gold bracelet less than three inches in diameter was found by a young James Fullerton on that same island, a bracelet which can now be seen in Edinburgh’s National Museum of Scotland.

Today copies of that bracelet adorned the chest of every member of John Hunter’s squad.

Source: http://shetland-news.co.uk/2011/January/news/Burns%20night%20Shetland%20style.htm

I met up with the Jarl Squad at the Toll Clock Shopping Centre.  The Lerwick Legion was the next port of call which was followed by the morning procession march along the Esplanade, then Commercial Street pausing at the Bill located at Market Cross and finishing at the Bressay Ferry Terminal for photographs.  I then went along to the Guizer Jarl’s next appointment at the Shetland Museum and Archives where a large crowd had gathered.

Please feel free to leave your comments below.  Whether it’s a comment on the photographs on show, or your highlight of the event, it would be great to hear from you.

Viewing suggestion:  To view the images below I suggest you click on the first photograph which will open up a separate window.  Click on the right/left arrows at the side of each image to progress.

All the images below are available to buy in my Up Helly Aa 2011 gallery page which can be accessed here.  You’ll notice the individual photographs taken by Cecil Hughson have also been uploaded.

Photographs from the evening procession will be uploaded soon.

-Ben

Up Helly Aa Jarl Squad 2011


Links

BBC Report by Mike Grundon – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-12287230

BBC Picture Gallery - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-12279829

Shetland News Review – http://shetland-news.co.uk/2011/January/news/Burns%20night%20Shetland%20style.htm

Shetland Times Review – http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/

Official Up Helly Aa website – http://www.uphellyaa.org/


Posted on January 25, 2011 - by

Up Helly Aa 2011 Build Up

This year I helped Cecil with the individual Jarl squad photographs.  John Hunter is this year’s Guizer Jarl and we met him and his squad at the Whiteness and Weisdale Hall on Sunday.  The outfits are terrific this year and I was particuarly impressed with the design on the helmets.  I managed to capture a few candid images below to give you a flavour of the atmosphere.

Individual photographs of the Jarl Squad will be available to view and purchase in a range of different products at The Camera Centre from today.  The images on show here are available to purchase online in my Up Helly Aa 2011 gallery which can be accessed here.

All the best to John and his squad for a fantastic day (and night!).

-Ben

Links

Official Up Helly Aa website – http://www.uphellyaa.org/up-helly-aa-2011


Posted on January 22, 2011 - by

Inverness Reflections

Pictured above is another image I shot when in Inverness for New Year.  I liked the way the street lights were reflecting off the roof of the cars.

-Ben


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