Pixalo Photography Community - View Single Post - Any Manchester based members that can help?

VikingPhotography · 13-04-2007, 09:58

Thanks Steve - turns out almost all the B&B's listed over at yell.com were fully booked... something about it being a football weekend? I did mangage to find one (link Map showing HOLLY LODGE in M9 5XS) for £25/night... my only other option would have been a stay at the Premier Travel Inn down at the GMex centre... there were two others available in the city centre but they only had smoking rooms, and I didn't fancy putting up with the smell of that for the duration... not for the £60/night that they charge anyways!

I'm taking the train down for the duration since I far prefer public transport - that way I don't have the worry of finding a parking space... all I'll do is jump in a cab and I'm off.

The laptop etc. fits in the camera bag and I've got a 3G card for it, so I can wire images on site straight after the press conference and weigh-in. The night of the fight will be a different matter since I won't be able to send anything until after the last bout, and I'll probably do that from the comfort of my hotel room.

The only unknown issue that I'm facing is lens rental: we've been advised that photo positions for the fights won't be allocated until the 20th - and some of the spots are above the arena shooting downwars. The email advised that all photographers should have access to a 600mm lens and tripod in case they're allocated one of these spots, so I've put a reserve on a 400 f/2.8 from Calumet.... just over £60 for the weekend hire, but a £5K deposit required

I've got the deposit covered but would prefer to be shooting ringside... and this also means I have to lug my tripod down with me just in case. That's now been four occasions in the last year where I've needed the use of a 400mm, so it looks like I'm going to have to stump up for one of my own soon; I can just feel the hole that's going to leave in my bank balance. Fortunately the missus agrees that it's a necessary purchase

All that I need to do now is find out the decent places to grab a lunch and dinner at - there's always the safe options of Starbucks, BK etc. but I prefer "real" food such as Chinese, Italian and so on...

BTW: I have many, many relations in Germany, spread all over the country - whereabouts do you call home over there?

13-04-2007, 09:58	#3 (permalink)
VikingPhotography Forum Regular Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Just south of Glasgow, Scotland Posts: 801	Re: Any Manchester based members that can help? Thanks Steve - turns out almost all the B&B's listed over at yell.com were fully booked... something about it being a football weekend? I did mangage to find one (link Map showing HOLLY LODGE in M9 5XS) for £25/night... my only other option would have been a stay at the Premier Travel Inn down at the GMex centre... there were two others available in the city centre but they only had smoking rooms, and I didn't fancy putting up with the smell of that for the duration... not for the £60/night that they charge anyways! I'm taking the train down for the duration since I far prefer public transport - that way I don't have the worry of finding a parking space... all I'll do is jump in a cab and I'm off. The laptop etc. fits in the camera bag and I've got a 3G card for it, so I can wire images on site straight after the press conference and weigh-in. The night of the fight will be a different matter since I won't be able to send anything until after the last bout, and I'll probably do that from the comfort of my hotel room. The only unknown issue that I'm facing is lens rental: we've been advised that photo positions for the fights won't be allocated until the 20th - and some of the spots are above the arena shooting downwars. The email advised that all photographers should have access to a 600mm lens and tripod in case they're allocated one of these spots, so I've put a reserve on a 400 f/2.8 from Calumet.... just over £60 for the weekend hire, but a £5K deposit required I've got the deposit covered but would prefer to be shooting ringside... and this also means I have to lug my tripod down with me just in case. That's now been four occasions in the last year where I've needed the use of a 400mm, so it looks like I'm going to have to stump up for one of my own soon; I can just feel the hole that's going to leave in my bank balance. Fortunately the missus agrees that it's a necessary purchase All that I need to do now is find out the decent places to grab a lunch and dinner at - there's always the safe options of Starbucks, BK etc. but I prefer "real" food such as Chinese, Italian and so on... BTW: I have many, many relations in Germany, spread all over the country - whereabouts do you call home over there?