BenGoulter.com - The Blog. (The website's wordy cousin)

QMU Glasgow Christmas Cheese

2011-12-18T15:20:00.000-08:00

It's end of term, it's Christmas, and people are feeling festively freaky. Glasgow University's Queen Margaret Union has the answer... a 12 hour "cheesey" christmas ball.

Once again I was with Valour and Felicity to cover the event. V&F provide awesome photobooth set ups at events and I go along to provide roving shots.

7.30pm - we arrive to set up the booth and Santa's grotto.

8am - doors open!

8.30pm - santa's off having a fag, I go to get some food.

9.25pm - I return with tasty (yet over priced) pizza, Oli wanted ham and mushroom which is difficult to find in Glasgow if you don't want it deep fried.

10pm - I start work.

11pm - sumo santas fight, Glaswegians are experts at this...

12am - Getting tired, time for a drink. Go to the bar to order a pint of "magic". Christ on a bike, that's actually a drink here?! It's wkd and cider... it's rancid. Gulp it down.

12.30am - Tennents this time please, Catherine.

1am - Dj begins the longest set I have ever witnessed. His music taste is hard to stomach, I guess that's why they call it "cheesey".

2am - photo booth closes, a quick discussion between us sees QMU getting the "naughtiest students" award.

3am - roaming photography done. Game over as I submit to sleep in "camp hope" in the tv room of the union. Thankfully I have a sleeping bag.

6.45am - alarm goes, extract myself from sleeping bag, sling camera around neck, ruffle hair to "sexy messy".

6.50am - let's test the licensing hours, order a pint of tennents...

6.52am - ...drink pint of tennents for breakfast.

7am - roaming photography continues.

7.30am - survivors photo!

7.45am - how have you lasted 12 hours in heels!!?

7.50am - last orders

8pm - bouncers kick everyone out.

The R&A

2011-12-12T08:03:00.000-08:00

The university is 600 years old. So what better way to celebrate than to have a 3 year birthday bash followed by a big golf tournament. The peeps in development are working on the birthday invites to this shindig so they asked me if they could sneak me into the Royal and Ancient golf club to take some snaps of their silverware. I'm told it's a rather exclusive club and they rarely open their trophy cases so I was one lucky bunny.

Photographing in the world famous R&A in trainers? Scandalous! Looks like this party is going to end in noise complaints, nudity, and comas in the bath tub. One party bag and a big slice of cake for me then please.

Christmas Ball 2011

2011-12-12T07:58:00.000-08:00

Movember 2011

2011-12-12T07:52:00.001-08:00

During November each year, Movember is responsible for the sprouting of moustaches on thousands of men’s faces in the UK and around the world. The aim of which is to raise vital funds and awareness for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer and other cancers that affect men.

The St Andrews Medical school had a "Tashion show" to exhibit the fruits of a months growth.

All in all we raised £500.

Bongo Ball 2011

2011-12-12T07:49:00.000-08:00

It all began with Bongo. My first event photography gig was the infamously wild Bongo Ball at Crail Airfield. Back again this year for a final nod to the fantastically colorful affair, my last as a student at St Andrews. Perhaps I'll be back for it one day?

Ethnic Dance Society

2011-10-10T14:48:00.000-07:00

It's certainly that time of year again. The time where everything is very busy, lots is happening but I forget to update the blog etc.

It's been a busy summer with trips to Canada and Portugal. Updates all in good time.

For now I'll keep things recent. As a favour for a friend I took some shots for the Ethnic dance society in St Andrews.

The committee

Freshers week 2011 - Jose Gonzalez

2011-10-10T14:45:00.000-07:00

Admiral Fallow

Jose Gonzalez

Greeting cards

2011-08-27T15:51:00.000-07:00

Well blimey, by the looks of this blog you'd think I'm not doing anything.

Greeting cards are now in stock at Bess and the University 600th shop. Or from me. Either way they're limited edition so stock up while you can!

Grad Ball

2011-07-16T05:55:00.000-07:00

Grad ball is a final farewell to the graduates, and a final farewell to student event photography ....until September.

This time I was providing coverage with an event photography company 'Valour and Felicity'

They specialise in photo booth set ups and they're a great bunch!

I'm keeping busy, more news in due course....

Graduation

2011-06-27T14:04:00.000-07:00

Still in St Andrews

2011-06-21T12:57:00.000-07:00

Exams have been and gone, results have been published (I did ok), and the students have gone home.

What the hell am I still doing here?

Well I'm doing a research project in the biochem lab at St Andrews. It's a lot like developing prints in a dark room but the lights are kept on and the chemistry is a lot more carcinogenic.

When I'm not breaking boundaries (careful) and expanding horizons (easy now) in the field of transational virology I'm saying yes to every photographic opportunity that comes my way.

Recently my better half, Krissy (above), and I were invited to a wedding. Always a fan of suiting up we went along and I agreed to take a few snaps for the album.

Other than that I have been helping the university release another photographic chunklet to sell in their 600th anniversary shop. More on that in another post I think, I've just remembered I haven't watched this week's episode of "The Apprentice" yet...

We'll be right back...

2011-05-04T14:31:00.000-07:00

Above: A woman wearing a yeti costume stares vacantly from a cafe in Vienna.

I'm currently twiddling my fingers awaiting the next batch of films to be developed (serves me right for shooting this weekend on colour film) thinking it's been a busy semester!

I've had run-ins with pole dancers, models, dirty Daily Mail journalists, royal fanatics, musicians. There's been exhibitions, publications, and the usual website appearances. Mugs, magazines, books (the specifics are top secret) and postcards (now sold out). But now it's definitely time to delve into the textbooks once again and hit the end of semester exams head on.

I will be more or less below the radar for the next few weeks, so don't expect replies to emails but I might pop up for a revision break or two of blogging things I missed out.

After the hiatus however...

A book goes to print

The next batch of greetings cards are designed

and your graduation is photographed!

Cheers Will and Kate for the four day weekend!

2011-05-04T14:13:00.000-07:00

Avid readers of this blog (who don't reside in or around St Andrews) will know that the end of April things in the town take a turn for the traditional.

It starts April 30th with a torchlit pier walk in the name of John Honey, a nutter-hero-alumni hybrid that jumped in the sea to save some sailors one stormy night.

May the 1st is the morning of the May Dip where thousands of bleary-eyed or totally legless students jump into the North sea. This year it was on East Sands (a more seizure friendly beach we're told) and watching people run full on into the sea whilst the rest huddled around campfires or raved themselves warm on the beach.

Here's proof courtesy of Si Watts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ih6uX-n3DQ&feature=player_embedded

Music is love

2011-04-24T02:54:00.000-07:00

Music is love, a St Andrews society, is ran by a very pleasant bunch of students. They host nights of eclectic, twinkley fairy light adorned, sit on the floor type evenings of musical brilliance.
It turns out loads of artists originate from Fife, and music is love have hosted some impressive acts including James Yorkston (below) and King Creosote (above). The latter played as part of on the rocks this week in the King James library of St Andrews.

I very much enjoy photographing these intimate gigs. Each shutter click feels like a noisy interupption so it's a case of getting it right first time, or accepting images that are a little rough around the edges but it's nice to have the chance to sit back and enjoy it.

"Wouldn't sell sh*t to Saatchi" - 'The Saint' review

2011-04-20T05:30:00.001-07:00

"Ben Goulter calls his exhibition documentation rather than art, but his photography, and even his title, play with the controversial question; what exactly is art? Goulter say that “since prehistoric times, man has always had an obsession with ruining a perfectly decent wall (or cave). Only since the invention of the pressure washer have councils been obsessed with the destruction of this work.”

He visited the same wall in London several times since 2008, photographing graffiti artists work and documenting the change art. What is clear from his photographs is that this is art, although urban and London-based, is very unlike Banksy in that it is communal; the paint has converged so that it is impossible to see where one artist’s work begins and another ends. It’s a much more romantic and perhaps less elitist aspect of art, that art can be all around you and how that interplays with the people is captured by Goulter in two photographs. One is of a kid skateboarding surrounded by the street art; so the art has become his scenery and the grey concrete pavement slabs in comparison look very dismal. The lone skateboarder looks like the aforementioned prehistoric man in a dark cave covered in art that means something to him, but is unclear to us. The other photo has captured a woman oblivious or used to the street art on the wall behind her, which is of two men and at first glance it is hard to determine if they are 3D or not. Street art is playful and interested in trickery. This ties in with his title in which Goulter mocks the YBA group that included Tracey Emin and Damien Hirst and their connection with art collector Charles Saatchi.

His best photographs is of an isolated image that bears the message “BELIEVE IN THE SPRAY CAN”; which really sums up Goulter’s position on so-called vandalisation."

- Laura Hamilton (The Saint April 2011)

On the Rocks

2011-04-16T23:52:00.000-07:00

After photographing On the Rocks for a few years I decided to finally contribute an exhibition to it.

The exhibition compiles the shots I have taken of London graffiti. For those wanting to see it, it's in the foyer of the Barron theatre St Andrews and is affectionately titled "I wouldn't sell shit to Saatchi"

Don't just go and see it though, there's plenty more to see and the festival is full of fantastic events. http://www.ontherocksfestival.com

Bute Ball

2011-04-03T09:51:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't want people to think that post-fashion show season everything goes quiet so I thought I'd do a post. That and the renal pathology notes in front of me are making me want to drop kick my own face. The Bute ball is the St Andrews medical school's big annual shindig, I went a long primarily as a medic, but of course a few cameras came along too. Coming up over the next few months is a lot of hall balls and perhaps a cheeky gig or two. Plus the exhibition I have occaisionally mentioned on this blog. I'll also aim to update stuff from the analogue front, which is ticking over nicely. Anywho, wasting precious time, exams loom.

Don't Walk 2011

2011-03-15T13:22:00.000-07:00

The mass media always miss a crucial little factoid in that Prince Will and his squeeze, Kate Middleton, actually met at St Andrews' Don't Walk fashion show and not in fact FS. There were a few of them on the ball but when I said to the ditzy blonde CNN reporter "Will said Hi, but sends his apologies. He can't make it tonight due to a prior engagement" I received a bemused yet distantly hopeful stare for my efforts. As for 'News of the world' they showed up "just in case the two of them make an appearance"... as ridiculous as it sounds, it's bloody hard to track celebs when you don't tap their phones.

Don't Walk is known for it's raunchy, "less is more" attitude to clothing. It's no surprise, therefore, that when Middleton walked down the catwalk back in 2002 wearing what can only be described as a fishing net, the prince got a little hot under the collar.

I can assure you, 9 years on, the fishing net was still there.

23rd March 2011:

A week after posting the Don't Walk 2011 images online I received a number of facebook warnings and was subsequently blocked from uploading images to facebook for 7 days after a few of the images were flagged as "innapropriate" and "contained pornographic material". Well, "Haute couture", what do you have to say for yourself? You got me in trouble!

FS2011

2011-03-02T03:01:00.001-08:00

The St Andrews Charity Fashion show. Rapidly becoming my favorite event of the year, it throws a corporate sponsored budget at student creativity, the result being a bastardized love child vaguely resembling a fashion show.
It's not without pretention, I witnessed more than a few champagne fights, but with a university recovering from the giddying high of a royal visit what do you expect.
Those who remained down to earth were treated to a stunning display accompanied by a soundtrack that could be clearly heard a mile away at my house. A playground for cameras... although if anyone wants to sponsor a replacement for the 24-70mm f2.8 lens that bit the dust during the event, do drop me a line... Check it out the official FS2011 home page here

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-26T09:03:00.000-08:00

First off, merry christmas to you, dear reader.

To celebrate the nail biting state of snow-bound travel I got some friends together to take some snowy gown shots. Obviously hot chocolate and wooly jumpers followed. Thanks and merry christmas to Clare, Ali, Leah, John, and Si for their help!

So that just about wraps things up for this year. However, I will be continuing into next (after January exams) with another sneaky trip somewhere perhaps and an exhibition (to be announced).

As per usual I'll be frequenting events as we enter hall ball and fashion show season. Watch this space for updates.

Until then, all the very best

Xmas Ball 2010

2010-12-22T16:29:00.000-08:00

This year I covered the Mermaids Christmas ball with a colleague, Oli Walker.

Oli is probably best known for his work as design and marketing officer at the St Andrew student union but over the past couple of years we have collaborated on a few "rainy day" projects and it was with him that I produced the postcards last year.

Oli has been a huge help, not just with his knowledge of "bleed margins" etc. and is one of the most imaginative characters I know, and brutally talented with photoshop. It was a pleasure working with him on this one.
Mermaids Christmas Ball photos from both Oli and myself are now available at www.bengoulter.com/myphoto

McIntosh Stripped

2010-12-22T16:25:00.000-08:00

I totally forgot about this one, it was over in a flash (pardon the pun). For the third year in a row I was asked to do the McIntosh Stripped charity naked calender. What was new in 2011? Well... this year's lot were certainly game!

"The Tribe" - Make up shoot

2010-12-22T15:09:00.001-08:00

When St Andrews' independent online magazine, "The Tribe", invited me to do a make up shoot for them, I accepted happily. The plan was to get some simple shots making the face plaster the focus, so I split the shoot 50:50 with half on high key white and the other with a more low key black.

Full Article: http://www.thetribeonline.com/5-dressing-room-christmas-make-up-looks.html

Credits:

Make-up Artists: Emily Hague and Olivia Mackay
Models: Diane Cooke and Rosie Steer

The dark arts

2010-12-07T04:05:00.000-08:00

With Scotland caught in a giant snow drift, and hiking utility bills keeping a mitten clad hand away from the boiler's "on" switch what better place to be than in a nice toasty dark room that smells of cat wee?

Since July I've been dabbling in analogue. Having campaigned to reopen the St Andrews darkroom, we now have the coveted facility back up and running.

These days, even at events, there's always a film camera in the bag. I certainly don't profess to be an expert in the field, I'm enjoying playing with different films and developers and seeing what I get. Not having the digital safety net is a learning experience and one that is only of benefit to the more commercial side of the .com.

The photo above on the right was taken in Portugal this summer on ilford FP4, olympus om1.

The one on the right was at opening ball on ilford delta 3200, Pentacon 6 (medium format).

Upcoming stuff:

Results of a makeup photoshoot for "the tribe"

and next semester... an exhibition.

2010-12-07T04:00:00.000-08:00

Yes, well. Nobody's perfect. Nothing wrong with taking a break from the awkwardly nicknamed "blogosphere".
Where have I been, you (some of you) ask? Well mostly at the medical school building but I never say no to a bit of debauchery. Raisin weekend hit like an abusive parent and the entire student body took a few days off protesting the tuition fee hike to get the first years (and themselves) quite frankly rat arsed. Bobbing for apples from vodka covered in sharpie and shaving foam fights, can't wait until next year!

Bongo Ball 2010

2010-12-07T03:49:00.000-08:00

Bongo Ball 2010, back with the camera for the third year in a row. This one never gets old, having a good old rave amidst the revellers dressed as bananas, monkeys, elephants, and a few rather politically incorrect costumes too.
Proceeds went to the Xavier project, educating Congolese refugees in Uganda.
The website advertised "that Bongo feeling", certainly wasn't lacking that.

Opening Ball

2010-10-12T01:48:00.000-07:00

Hi folks,

Opening ball photos available now at www.BenGoulter.com/myprints

Thank you for your patience!

Become a fan on facebook here:

http://en-gb.facebook.com/pages/Ben-Goulter-Photography/114185428612100

Welcome Back St Andrews!

2010-09-20T08:24:00.000-07:00

Freshers week has arrived!

It's good to be back. Lots of new faces and plenty of friendly old ones. I'm back on the event circuit, and back in the house by the sea in St Andrews, living off pop tarts and bottles of wine.

The web update is underway. Analogue is going well, I'll be in the darkroom soon.

Become a fan on facebook, and I'll see you all soon!

35mm

2010-07-21T07:41:00.000-07:00

I'm often asked if I use 35mm film, and embarrassingly I have to say I don't. This is mainly due to the fact that I rely on the speed and the quick turn around of the digital format. Also it's not economically viable, at an event I would likely use between 5 and 20 rolls of film.

However, recently I have acquired an Olympus OM1, so it's time to introduce the analogue format. Also in the bag is a very old kodak 620 brownie 'D' box camera so expect to see something from that too.

Also coming soon is the long awaited website update, thank you Stefan from Prettyklicks for the behind the scenes work.

America

2010-07-21T07:31:00.000-07:00

Before graduation I took a little vacay to the Eastern shores of the USA. Flying into Washington and out of Boston, couch surfing with friends in between. Thank you to everyone for your being so nice and friendly. I'll put some photos on the website if I ever get round to it.

Graduation

2010-07-21T07:27:00.001-07:00

I got back to a blisteringly sunny St Andrews and had a lot of fun snapping graduates and their families. I'll be back for the same next year so keep an eye out for that.

Also, postcards are now being stocked in the St Andrews branch of Waterstones

...and he's off again

2010-06-07T03:11:00.000-07:00

The lease has expired on the little shack by the sea in St Andrews, I've packed up and reluctantly left the bubble for now.

So another good year for photography in St Andrews. Postcards are now being stocked in Bess, so go ahead and rekindle the art of writing.

Future plans? Well selling more postcards, a series about drummers, and I'm back to snap graduates in grad week (email for more information). All that and more in Edinburgh.

Tomorrow I hop on a plane to the USA for another walk about. Washington to Boston, couch surfing. So I'm off to saddle up the camera, I haven't started packing yet.

ttfn.

Batten down the hatches

2010-05-05T05:41:00.000-07:00

Ben Goulter Photography is on hiatus until after exams.

Thank you for your continued support, feel free to send ideas or requests for anything happening after the 19th of May.

Hope to see y'all down the lens soon...

Dear mum, uni is great, send condoms

2010-05-03T11:51:00.000-07:00

They've finally arrived! Postcards, thousands of them! Filling up my living room.

The (unintentional) theme of them is the university red gown and they will feature in shops soon. So if you know an interested shop keeper or if you fancy a few drop me a line.

There's lots of other news and developments but I've been far too busy taking the photos and slogging my way through a hefty copy of Gray's anatomy to update y'all.

Later folks

Don't Walk

2010-03-18T13:52:00.000-07:00

Don't walk, another epic night in the St Andrews social and fashion calendar. Usual thing, end of the cat walk stuff.

FSX

2010-03-18T13:44:00.000-07:00

Time for a much needed update. I seem to be living at the end of runways on tight deadlines. The much anticipated FSX hit like a freight train, in a relatively baltic abandoned paper mill, two cat walks were set up almost overnight in a v-shaped arrangement. The rowdy crowd packed in, insane house music blared and models did their thing. A great night with some great additions to the porttfolio.

FSX the venue

2010-02-22T12:35:00.000-08:00

Today I had the honour of going along to the FS venue to scope it out ahead of Saturday's big show. The venue is a disused paper mill just outside St Andrews. Since it's closure in 2008 workers have been dismantling the site and shipping the machinery to buyers in India, and Jordan amongst other places. The other workmen on site are Northern Lights, working their sound a light magic for the big day, and some structural engineers making the building fire safe. FS director Robin Paijkull Knapp joked, "We might be the biggest employer in Fife right now!".

I spent a few hours wondering around the mill, it's full of rusting equipment, redundant signs to workers, newspapers dated July 2008, dials frozen in time, roosting pigeons, dripping pipes, and collapsing steel ladders.

I can assure you it far surpasses last years PVC palace venue. It's the most amazing venue I've seen used in this town.

Above is a picture of Colin. As I was walking about he stopped with me for a chat, and told me all about the working of the mill he used to work at. Up to it's closure the company had a full order book, amongst their customers was the NHS, they made the paper for the prescription pads. They were forced to close after cash flow problems from their bank which was in the middle of the recession. Now as the machinery is sent abroad so has their business.

FS is always one hell of a spectacle with charitable motivations, (this year is the Watoto charity) but this years venue I think adds another angle. Because while you are drinking yourself into another plane of existence (that's if you're lucky enough to have a ticket) in the now derelict pulping room of Curtis fine papers, what you won't realise is that you are partying in the shell of a once prosperous local business, a victim of the recession.

FSX is coming

2010-02-20T07:05:00.000-08:00

One week to go until the big show. The committee is hard at work. Sponsors are being enticed, designers are delivering clothes, student designers are putting the finishing stitches to their hard graft, event coordinators are making sure the top secret venue will dazzle on the night, and the opening tune has been selected, while the gas board dig up my back garden. As part of my contribution I pointed a camera at the fruits of the student designers' (mentioned above) labour.

Everything you need to know about the event is here: http://www.standrewsfashion.co.uk/

It's sure to be a bold event, the only question is... will the workmen outside ever find the gas main?

London - Revisited

2010-01-26T06:06:00.001-08:00

January 2010

Back in 2008 I photographed a popular graffiti site in London, I took the same shot in 2009 to see how it had changed. During an unscheduled stop over whilst travelling back from India, I continued the project.

April 2009

August 2008

Photo of the week

2010-01-15T21:39:00.000-08:00

With the UK still in the midst of a cold snap (or so I hear, I'm currently in India) the University is using one of my snowy shots as St Andrews University homepage's coveted, nay, adorned, photo of the week. A photo from the may dip also features on their homepage slideshow, so it's a double whammy so to speak.

India 2010

2010-01-06T13:18:00.001-08:00

I'm leaving for India tommorow, keep track of progress on the BenGoulter.com blog spin off that can be found by clicking here or the image below.

That was christmas, this is new year, here comes 2010

2010-01-01T14:32:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a merry christmas and and even merrier end to the decade.
The festive season brought on a relentless onslaught of ice and snow. While this is bad for anyone who drives or is too tight to put on their central heating, it was pretty damn good for photographers who happened to be kicking about in St Andrews.
So I'm finishing up the last few shifts at the full time job before returning to life as a student, it'll be nice to be back to slightly less aggressive early starts.

...and what to expect from BenGoulter.com in 2010?:

Well firstly another last minute impulse adventure has been booked not leaving time for innoculations. This time to India, Dehli to Kolkata. There's something intriguing about arriving in a completely foreign country alone with just the bag on your back, and health insurance. Once again no hotels, or transport (other than flights) have been booked, makes things more interesting. Leaving on the 7th of January, so look out for the photos from that one.

Secondly is an ongoing project to release a set of postcards of St Andrews, whilst catering mostly to tourists and students writing home I'm hoping to freshen up the frankly out-dated current selection on offer. Look out for them in shops before next academic year.

Photos from events will continue to be uploaded to the shop.
Photographic equipment is becoming more expensive to buy and maintain, so please support your student photographer and buy a snap or two. Pass it on.

Christmas Ball 2009

2009-12-19T09:40:00.000-08:00

So yet again things start to wrap up as another semester ends. Students scurry home for some home cooked christmas dinners and some bloated revision before exams in January. Time for one last party. The christmas ball is put on every year by those creative thesbians "The mermaids", a society who support theatrical talent in St Andrews. The party hosted some local talent including "Th alley cats".

I do events, me...

2009-12-15T13:41:00.001-08:00

Commisions are coming in thick and fast for events next year, due to upcoming projects (including the degree) BenGoulter.com will be unable to accept anything on short notice. So this is your last chance to get a guaranteed booking for events next year...

Raisin Mondays

2009-12-15T13:20:00.000-08:00

Firstly, I must apologise for not uploading anything for a while. The website is in need of a clear up, as is my house. Secondly, I must apologise to anyone who saw me on Raisin Sunday... if you saw anyone running around town in a pirates hat, filled with condoms as "Captain safe sex" that was probably me but the truth is I wouldn't be surprised if I wasn't the only one. Yes that time of year came and went with a hazy recollection of last year.
As a pseudo-second year I wasn't bearing cans of the "best a man can get" at the foam fight, instead I took a few cameras. As did quite a few newspapers, however, this commited photographer however was not content with capturing the event with a zoom lens from the side lines, so I trusted my fellow students and dived into the action. Whilst for the most part left alone a few stray shots saw my camera enveloped in foam, and the cleaning process of one proved too much and it decided to die. To cut a long story short turns out if you keep them in a plastic box with dried rice for a few days it'll come back to life. Phew.

Calvin Harris

2009-11-12T15:13:00.000-08:00

Calvin Harris in St Andrews.
Not just another backstage pass, and my tribute to strobists, an off camera flash in front of the decks to make lighting the night easier.

Bongo's back

2009-11-04T15:10:00.000-08:00

Bongo returned riding on the wave of last year's success, selling out in it's first day of ticket sales.
Invited along I was more than happy to experience the madness and sheer boldness of the event once more. The derelict venue was pelted with rain but managed to stay watertight, it was a great atmosphere and a welcome return for DJBJ

Town vs Gown (...and an unrelated photo)

2009-10-14T14:48:00.000-07:00

Whilst currently still in town, I'm taking a leave of absence from university studies. Replacing studies with a full time job I'm not presently a student, I'm a fully qualified human being... a townie.
Unfortunately this does have some knock on effects on my availability, most of the time it's not a problem. Whilst still very much active on the St Andrews photography scene and more than happy to take on new commisions, your patience would be greatly appreciated when it comes to slotting you in.

Spot me next at the now sold out Bongo Ball 2009

Mr Hudson and the opening ball

2009-10-11T05:58:00.000-07:00

This years opening ball (ran by the notorius kate kennedy club) was a great success not least for photographic opportunity as Mr Hudson (responsible for that "supernova" tune) showed up after his live lounge gig earlier that afternoon and played a surprisingly epic set.
Photos are now available from www.BenGoulter.com/myprints

FSX

2009-09-26T06:29:00.001-07:00

The juggernaut of student charity fashion shows returns this year after the success of fs09. This year's "fsX" is to be bigger than ever.
I have been selected as the show's official photographer. One shoot down, it's sure to be good. Watch this space.

I'm back

2009-09-19T03:02:00.000-07:00

Hello!
Freshers week begins today, the orientation tshirts have been distributed and nervous freshers tentatively move into halls with their proud parents in tow.
This week I am under the command once more of the university publication department. Within my brief is the instruction "get some photos of freshers looking lost around town", right. The real challenge there is how to candid shots around town without looking creepy.

2009-07-19T02:57:00.000-07:00

Photos from my trip have been uploaded to the site, and I've lost the expedition fuzz.
Watch this space for new projects

The wanderer returns

2009-07-14T09:15:00.000-07:00

I am finally back in the real world, much to my despair. Nothing much has changed since I've been away; there's still an economic crisis, it still rains in summer, and I still get emails regarding viagra and penile enlargement gadgets.
Something has changed though, Michael Jackson has passed away, the news took a while to reach me, we've lost a musical genius, but at least we can still listen to his albums, which are pretty bad ass.
So I'm currently working on the photos I got in Hong Kong and Vietnam, as I shot in .RAW they all need to be converted before they're even watermarked etc etc. After they're done, unfortunately that will conclude my current photographic projects and I'll need to find new ones. I'm currently looking for some commissioned work.

Ecommerce Launch

2009-06-05T02:52:00.000-07:00

The final stage of the online launch is complete with the addition of an ecommerce system, allowing customers to buy prints online. It's powered by photobox so all the stressful logistics of taking orders, printing, shipping, invoicing etc is taken out of my hands, giving me more time to take the photos. It's also cheap. Crowd shots from all events will be posted on the site and print can be ordered from as little as £1.25 each and can be ordered in a range of sizes up to A4.
Just click on the basket icon below which takes you to the shop.

Past, Present, and Future

2009-05-25T03:25:00.000-07:00

May 10th - Amidst some controversy over the Kate Kennedy club and their assocition with the university, the gents still managed to get the funds to throw an ambitious event. With live performances from The Brent Flood, Andy Knox, The Gentlemen, and The Audiobullys, outside the venue were funfair rides and inside the venue there were four free bars (the highlight of the night!). I went along on behalf of sound and lighting wizards EOSproductions (the same people ho rigged the FS09 show back in March).

So back to the present...Exams are over, most of the St Andrews population are packing up and clocking out for four months. I'm just tying up some loose ends here and there as the year's photography jobs dry up in St Andrews before I put myself up for hire in the increasingly competitive Edinburgh photography market.
The website's hit rates are doing well, drawing a world wide audience. I'll be putting up some more albums over the next few days.

And what about the future? Saturday morning, I decided I wanted to get out of the country and get some life experience. Sunday afternoon, flights to Hong Kong and Vietnam are booked for June.
The plan is to hit HK with friends then backpack around North Vietnam for 10 days. I'm flying to Hanoi and I want to make sure I spend a few days in Ha Long bay but other than that I'm going to spend some time as a drifter. Just me and my camera.

2009-05-10T11:08:00.000-07:00

The new site is up and running!
A few tweaks needed here and there to ensure the galleries are accessible, but other than that the rebranding is going well.
A huge thank you to pretty klicks and clansman code for their unbelievable effort on the site. Thanks must also go to Hylton, my web hoster, who has been supporting the site and my photography from the word go.

As I said in my last post 2/3rds of the hits to my website so far has been from people looking up my site after I have watermarked images. Thank you for being so patient with the watermarks and I hope that with this new site the business aspect of my photography will continue to grow.

Mylo.tv

2009-05-10T07:33:00.000-07:00

So a while back I was at an Erol Alkan and Mylo gig (hosted by destroy disco). Whilst there I got some snaps of Mylo and Erol, not really knowing what to do with the results I sent some unwatermarked high res versions to here there and everywhere, including Mylo's management.
Present day and as I tinker away trying to get ready for the new site I found a tool that monitors the hits on my site and where they come from, to my surprise I had hits from Russia, Bosnia, Japan, India, EU, Germany, Turkey. 2/3rds of the hits to my site come from watermarking my images the other 3rd comes from links on various networking sites amongst the sites that people were coming from was from Mylo's official web page (mylo.tv) which was using my image exclusively and had a link to my page at the bottom. It is quite an honour to have a world class DJ's web page built around an image you took.
Website coming soon. Watch this space....

2009-05-01T12:38:00.000-07:00

The start of May in St Andrews for some reason is a sleepless affair.
At sunset on the 30th, the Kate Kennedy club host "The Gaudie" - a torchlit procession along the pier. It's bad that I can't remember why they do it, but it looks good.
After an all-nighter of drunken debauchery it's time to watch the sunrise at castle sands, accompanied by a dip in the tropical north sea. It is said to cleanse you of academic sins such as commiting academic incest and the like. Walking down to the beach is like stepping into a world war two beach landing; screaming, bonfires, figures flailing in the water or running onto land as quickly as possible.
After warming up around a bonfire, it's back to bed... for a few hours then off to lectures.

2009-04-28T16:37:00.000-07:00

Fireworks in front of the castle in St Andrews. I hopped a fence to set up my tripod, so I was standing on top of a cliff with a camera in the middle of the night. Worth it.
The event was the finale of the St Andrews student film festival "On the Rocks". The event for me was a chance to put a new camera through it's paces.
At the moment the website has been replaced by a rather rudimentary "under construction message". This time it really is under construction - webdesigner "Pretty Klicks" in association with coding guru "Clansman Code" is rehauling my web presence which will provide an interactive way for clients to view my portfolio.

"The Tunnel"

2009-04-09T05:10:00.000-07:00

"Imagine a city where graffiti wasn't illegal, a city where everybody could draw wherever they liked. Where every street was awash with a million colours and little phrases. Where standing at a bus stop was never boring. A city that felt like a party where everyone was invited, not just the estate agents and barons of big business. Imagine a city like that and stop leaning against the wall - It's wet."
-Banksy (from his book "Wall and Piece")

I had heard rumours of this place so I thought I'd go check it out, it's a tunnel underneath Waterloo station. At the openings there are signs saying "Graffiti artists will not be prosecuted beyond this point". It was the venue for the "Cans" festival, where Banksy and a few other sreet artists were invited to come and go wild, then after three days they painted over it to leave a blank canvas for anyone, so long as they took their empty cans away with them.

London - Revisited

2009-04-08T14:34:00.000-07:00

April 2009

"Despite what they say graffiti is not the lowest form of art. Although you might have to creep around at night and lie to your mum it's actually one of the more honest art forms available. There is no elitism or hype, it exhibits on the best walls a town has to offer and nobody is put off by the price of admission." - Banksy (extract from his book "Wall and Piece")

August 2008

Back in august I went to London, whilst there I stumbed across graffiti heaven (bottom). I went back down this easter break and went to see if the same picture this time would be different (top). To my delight it was.

Thank you Royal Mail

2009-04-02T12:30:00.000-07:00

Cheers for that.

Refet Afrique

2009-03-23T15:14:00.000-07:00

So, the juggernaut of fashion shows that was the £100000-budget FS09 was a month or so ago but I was invited along recently to another fashion show that I think humbly bitch slapped FS09 with it's audacity. Refet Afrique, an african themed fashion show, supported by the "Catwalk the world" foundation was a colourful and vibrant affair, showing there is room to squeeze in another fashion show into this town.

STAnza Poetry Festival

2009-03-23T15:08:00.001-07:00

Like everyone in town, I get starry eyed when celebs come to town. We have the Dunhill Cup which attracts the likes of Hugh Grant and Samuel L. Jackson but there is another annual event that brings a more subtly famous bunch. The organisers of the poetry festival "STAnza" asked a team of photographers (including me) to go and get some snaps.

iWalk. iRun. iRide.

2009-03-15T05:12:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the photoshoot for the "iWalk. iRun. iRide." charity event.
The shoot went well, a beautifully sunny day provided limitless light and the shoot was quick and efficient and everyone got their sexiness on. Nice one chaps.

Rectorial Drag

2009-03-08T08:35:00.001-07:00

Once every 3 years a new rector is installed at St Andrews university. As part of the installation process he is dragged around the town in a carriage (this year pulled by members of the athletic union) to various pubs, halls of residence, and the union. I skipped a lecture and went to take some snaps of this historic event.

FS09

2009-03-05T07:55:00.000-08:00

Trust St Andrews to put on a spectacle like this! With a budget of £100,000 the FS commitee knew they would put on another sell out event. All in the name of "Pen" charity.
Cat walks are common place in the fashion concious bubble, but most shy into insignificance when the FS09 team invited the big corporate dogs out to play. IBM, Max Factor, Armani, DKNY, G.H. Mumm came to frolic in the sand pit of extravagance.
Hosted in what can only be described as a PVC palace on the Lower college lawn the night kicked off with an acrobatic display involving a white sheet accompanied by Justice - Stress.
Myself and 3 other photographers auditioned and were accepted for the role of "FS09 photographer" and were given one of the most coveted press passes in the St Andrews social calender.
The night was a huge success, and my new sigma 28-70mm f2.8 enjoyed every fraction of a second, which confirmed my decision to start saving up for more fast glass, telephoto next I think...

2009-02-26T09:34:00.001-08:00

Last saturday night an events hosting company called "Destroy Disco" presented some world class DJs at Kinkell Byre near St Andrews.
AAA pass in hand I snapped away. Coming away with some gems of Mylo and Erol Alkan.
It was a truly epic night.

2009-02-26T09:05:00.001-08:00

Last week was host to the St Andrews Charity Campaign's "RAG week".
With a week's worth of events to cover it was pretty busy.

2009-01-05T13:25:00.000-08:00

Because I love to procrstinate I thought i'd upload these photos.
I have 1 blog follower and i'm sure he'll enjoy it.

2009-01-04T14:08:00.000-08:00

I would feel a miss if i had not posted a cliche photo of a red bauble with some out of focus fairy lights behind it before the season is officially out, xmas tree has been taken down, and the attic begins it's boxed festive season. so here you go: festiveness

Follow the yellow brick road.

2008-12-26T16:27:00.000-08:00

Recenty been working on a new student publication called "The Andrean".
In addition to getting photos from other photographers (a good chance to see what is on offer in St Andrews) I contributed some stuff myself.
Here's one that accompanied the article it is running at the moment on the Libraries of St Andrews.
I'll do another post when the magazine is out.

Flash! Ah aaah...

2008-12-26T16:12:00.000-08:00

The studio flash kit has arrived, now all I need is some models to test it out on then it will be ready for commercial use!

2008-12-21T10:04:00.000-08:00

Life on the links has published a set of photos from the Christmas Ball 2008 (look here) and a photo shoot for Pride and Prejudice (look here)

2008-12-19T13:37:00.000-08:00

So that brings everything up to speed on where I am at the moment, I have plans for next semester but right now it's time for festive fun and a lot of work for exams.

2008-12-19T13:24:00.001-08:00

Recently i have been doing a lot of event photography, there are loads of balls and events happening here and they're all wanting photographers to grab some snaps for promotional use, I was more than happy to oblige.
After sending the results to "The Saint" I was taken on as a "Halo!" photographer.

Through Halo i got a press pass to the christmas ball, one of the most prestigeous events on the St Andrews calender.

2008-12-19T13:24:00.000-08:00

If i were to advise anyone on how to get into the photography scene, the simple answer would be to apply for everything, attach a few photos on an email and ask if they need somebody. That's pretty much how the naked calender happened. Another charity endeavour with the residents of McIntosh Halls of residence, it was a good laugh.

2008-12-19T13:21:00.000-08:00

First to reply was "The Saint" the St Andrews student newspaper who welcomed me aboard their team. Then somebody said i should run for St Andrews Charity Campaign photographer, so i had a few drinks and merrily gave my speech at one of their weekly meetings and got the job. My job with them is to follow around the mascot "Rory McLion" and take photos wherever he goes.

2008-12-19T13:10:00.000-08:00

My summer was slowly drawing to a close when exam results came out. I was accepted to study medicine at St Andrews Univeristy and when i got there i was greeted with sunshine and a photographers playground. After a few weeks of drunken debauchery all in the name of settling in with new people my camera resurfaced and i snapped on the zoom lens for the Dunhill cup and for a few birds that flapped my way. Wasting not a minute of sunshine i took walks with friends on the beach in bettween lectures. The photo of Mr Jackson got me onto the St Andrews photography scene. I sent the photo off to several local newspapers and awaited a reply.

2008-12-19T13:00:00.000-08:00

August, and I decided to take a break from work and go to sunny London town (which wasn't sunny) to visit my sister. She was working during the day so i grabbed my camera and went wondering, by far the best photo from the trip was this one. This underpass type thing by the river was covered in graffiti and these two were just finishing off their contribution. I managed to fire off a few exposures before i was no longer welcome, this is an example where a little bit of level adjustment in photoshop salvaged the image from the cruel smack of the delete button.

2008-12-19T12:48:00.000-08:00

After returning from Canada i decided it was time to raise some money for University, so i got myself a job in a local bar, in a local coffee shop, as a car parker with a event management company (SEPevents), and a mystery shopper (which is awesome!).
In my spare time i went into the big wide world and took some photos of this that and the other.

2008-12-19T12:44:00.000-08:00

Another Canada Photo, A sunken ship. Taken with a circular polarizer to cut out water reflection. No Photoshop required.

2008-12-19T12:37:00.000-08:00

Went to on tour to Canada in July with my school (at the time) Merchiston Castle School.
It was another chance to hone my skills and have a laugh with some lads from school before i left for university.

Kit?

2008-12-19T12:31:00.000-08:00

Currently I am using a Sony Alpha, fantastic piece of kit and worth the money.
I'm constantly on the equipment binge, punishing my student loan.

Blog?

2008-12-19T12:20:00.000-08:00

Ok, so to begin...

You have been sent to this blog or have stumbled upon it's wordy goodness by accident, either way your are now thinking "what the fudge?". So i'll start by telling you who i am anyway as it's pretty important for the whole thing anyway.

My name is Ben Goulter and i live just outside Edinburgh. I study medicine at St Andrews university and six months ago tommorow i started photography.

Which leads me onto the next question...Why Blog? i can't afford a website so this is as close as it gets for now. So take a snoop, have a read, email me.