Archive for February, 2011


Posted on February 22, 2011 - by

New Shetland home page www.hameaboot.co.uk

New Shetland home page www.hameaboot.co.uk

CU Marketing have just released a new website for all things Shetland. It is designed to provide one place where you can find all the Shetland businesses and Shetland websites. It is growing steadily as businesses add themselves to it (free).

It’s handy to use as a home page because it has everything most people use every day (Google, news, weather), plus extras (a Shetland directory, local business updates and Shetland search – which produces its results from those who have added their businesses to the site).

You can customise how the site looks by picking one of six photos by Shetland photographers as your background.


Posted on February 18, 2011 - by

Tall Ships Races 2011 – Archive Collection #4

KRUZENSHTERN

Pictured above is the Kruzenshtern leaving Lerwick Harbour in 1999.  The Kruzenshtern is on the list of ships which will be visiting again for Tall Ships Shetland 2011.

Here is some more information:

The Krusenstern or Kruzenshtern (Russian: Барк «Крузенштерн») is a Russian four masted barque and tall ship that was built in 1926 in Bremerhaven-Wesermünde, Germany, as shipyard number “S408″ under the name Padua (named after the eponymous Italian city). She was given to the USSR in 1946 as war reparation and renamed after the early 19th century Baltic German explorer in Russian service, Adam Johann Krusenstern (1770-1846).

Of the four remaining Flying P-Liners, the Ex-Padua is the only one still in use, mainly for training purposes, with her home ports in Kaliningrad (formerly Königsberg) and Murmansk. After the Sedov, another former German ship, she is the largest traditional sailing vessel still in operation. Originally, like all P-liners, she was painted according to the colours of the German national flag of the German Empire era, black (hull above water, topsides), white (waterline area) and red (underwater body).

The Kruzenshtern led the international procession of tall ships into New York Harbor for Operation Sail on Sunday, July 4, 1976.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krusenstern_%28ship%29

For a full list of visiting ships visit http://www.tallshipsraceslerwick.com/visiting-ships.

This is the fourth installment in my Tall Ships 1999 archive collection.  If you would like to view previous entries please visit http://www.benmullay.com/blog/tag/the-tall-ships-races-2011-lerwick/.

-Ben


Posted on February 8, 2011 - by

SMUHA Race Night Fundraiser

I am delighted to announce that Ben Mullay Photography is sponsoring one of the races at next Saturday’s South Mainland Up Helly Aa (SMUHA) Race Night.  The event is a fund raiser for the second SMUHA which takes place on the 11th March with Brydon Robertson as this year’s Guizer Jarl.

Dale Smith from the SMUHA committee explains what the race night will entail:

SMUHA RACE NIGHT

Every voluntary organisation needs funds to operate and SMUHA are no different. The Festival, which involves the entire South Mainland of Shetland, will be holding their second Up Helly Aa on March 11th.

A fund-raising Supper/Race NIght is planned for Bigton Hall on February 12th.

Race Nights are surprisingly popular in Shetland given that the nearest race course is hundreds of miles away in Perth.

Knowledge of horses and racing is absolutely NOT required at these events. Races are shown on a large screen and tickets for the horses are purchased before the race DVD is even chosen. There’s no form, draw, going, trainers or jockeys to worry about, you simply buy a ticket or tickets for the number between 1 and 8 you hope will win. If you win you will be paid out depending on how many tickets you hold.

It’s a fun-filled night as the “punters” usually get more animated as the night wears on, roaring home their favourites.

There are nine races in total. The first seven have have owners which have been sold before the event.

The horse owners in the eighth race are chosen from the losing tickets. If you’re unlucky in any of the first seven races you write your name on the back of your losing ticket(s) and put them in the “loser’s” bucket. Eight owners will be drawn for the 8th race and the winner receives £20.00.

The ninth, and final race is an auction race. Individuals, or more commonly tables of punters bid against each other to become horse owners. There’s usually enough money raised at auction to pay out to the first three horses home.

This race is definitely the highlight of the night as a good result can see you leaving the event with a profit.

Entry is pay at the door, £3.00, from 7:30pm with racing starting at 8:00pm.

Dale Smith

So, if you fancy a bit of fun on Saturday 12th February, head to the Bigton Hall.

-Ben


Posted on February 6, 2011 - by

Up Helly Aa 2011 – Off With Its Head!

I hung around after the crowds had dispersed to capture the head of the galley as it eventually fell to the ground.

This is the final blog post from Up Helly Aa 2011.  I hope you have enjoyed them.  To view all my Up Helly Aa 2011 blog posts in one continuous thread click here and to view my gallery pages click here.

David Gifford has an amusing post on his blog titled ‘Press Gang’ showing me and other fellow local photographers during the day.  He also has some excellent photographs from the event himself.  To view click here.

Well done again to John Hunter and his squad for leading an excellent Up Helly Aa.

-Ben


Posted on February 5, 2011 - by

Up Helly Aa 2011 – Torch Lights

I must admit this picture was a bit of an accident, but I actually like it!  This picture was taken immediately after the torches were lit before the procession began.  I like the way it emphasises that the only visible light is from the torches as the street lights are killed to add impact to the procession.

-Ben


Posted on February 5, 2011 - by

Up Helly Aa 2011 – Torch Trail

The image above shows the route torch carriers take as they enter the burning site.  The Raven Banner is fluttering nicely at the Town Hall which I must say is a beautiful building, especially when it is illuminated.

-Ben


Posted on February 2, 2011 - by

Guizer Jarl John Hunter aka Johan Sanderrevet of Valsgärde

Guizer Jarl John Hunter stands in oven like conditions to pose for photographs after the burning of galley Jägere.

I heard John mention to a reporter earlier in the day that this was the proudest day of his life.  Throughout the day John and his Jarl Squad were a credit to the event.  The amount of work that went into the organisation of the event, not mentioning the fantastic Viking outfits, must have been immense.

-Ben

If you would like to purchase this image please click here.


Posted on February 1, 2011 - by

Up Helly Aa 2011 – In The Ring of Fire II

The Guizer Jarl safely departs the galley and then the brass band summon all the guizers to throw in their torches.  The clatter of torches hitting the bottom of the boat is heard before the flames grow and grow – an impressive spectacle indeed.  You can see at the bottom of this photograph the line of camera LCD screens and at the top the sight of camera flashes firing as spectators capture the moment.

Interesting article today in the Scotsman about Up Helly Aa which can be viewed here.

-Ben

P.S. If you would like to purchase this image please click here.


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