Spirit of Normandy 80th Anniversary D-Day Landings Commemorative Journal

With the 80th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings fast approaching, I’m incredibly honoured and proud that portraits from my 39-45 World War2 Veterans Portraits Project were chosen to appear in the Spirit of Normandy 80th Anniversary D-Day Landings Official Commemorative Journal …

Top Row: Laurie Weeden, Allan Scott, Stan Swansborough
Bottom Row: Bob Stoodley, Ted Owens, Gordon Drabble, Victor Urch

The purpose of the project was primarily my way of giving back to the Veterans but also to Honour, Remember and to Educate and so seeing the portraits in such a publication, a personal copy of which will be given to King Charles, is wonderful and serves again to keep the memory of these incredible people alive as their names will be seen and read by those who look through the pages.

Cyril Stanley Ford

Should anyone wish to have a copy of the journal, drop me a message using my CONTACT PAGE and I can then put you in touch with the Editor in Chief who will be able to help you out.

Veteran Portrait Featured in National Geographic

Allow me this moment to feel a bit of personal pride…

This month, National Geographic have a full article, covering the story of the the Legendary Avro Lancaster…

A wonderful article covering the life of the Lancaster from its birth, those who designed it, those who built it, those who maintained it and those who flew it.

Of those who flew it, I had the utmost pleasure of spending time with and photographing World War 2 Veteran, Rusty Waughman DFC AFC Ld’H , RAF Flight Lieutenant, 101 ‘Special Duties’ Squadron, for my 3945 Portraits Project.

Over the years I’ve been fortunate to have my images appear in articles, magazines and as front covers, but to have a portrait feature in National Geographic, feels, well…extra special.

You can check out the full article as well as Rusty’s incredible story HERE

Saddened that World War 2 Veteran Harry Billinge MBE has died

Not much I can add other than, yet again we have lost another of the Greatest Generation, Harry Billinge MBE aged 96 years.

I had the pleasure of meeting, photographing and knowing Harry thanks to my 39-45 Portraits Project.

A slight of a man with the heart of a lion and what was clearly a life mission to ensure that those he served with during World War 2 were never forgotten, in the fund raising he did for the Normandy Memorial.

R.I.P.

Good to be Back! Portraits of World War 2 Veterans

After almost 2 years it felt great the other day to be able to photograph another of our World War 2 Veterans…

Because of the Covid-19 Pandemic it’s not been possible and not been safe to take portraits, especially of people in such advanced years, but thankfully now times have changed and I’m able to resume.

This latest portrait is of 101 year old, World War 2 Veteran, Gordon Short who served in the 9th Devons and was attached to the 4th Battalion the Royal West Kents an served in Burma.

I photographed Gordon at his home in Devon which just happens to be a 10 minute drive from my home in the next village having been contacted by one of his sons who’d heard of my 39-45 Portraits Project.

I kept the set up as had in all the previous portraits to ensure continuity…

• Lighting: Westcott FJ80 Speedlite in a Westcott Rapid Box Switch Large Octa

• Background: X-Drop Background using the Grey Material*

• Camera: Sony A7RIV

• Lens: Sony 55mm f/1.8 ZA

*Ordinarily I would have used my own branded canvas effect background but not knowing how much space I’d have to work in, I opted to use the grey material that comes included with the X-Drop because it folds up to be really compact and when fixing it to the frame you don’t need to roll it out. I then made it look like my canvas background by adding a texture to it in Photoshop.

In the next couple of days I’m heading back to see Gordon and to present him with his portrait, printed and in a mount … cannot wait!

REPLAY: LIVE Broadcast and Tribute To Squadron Leader Allan Scott DFM - Spitfire Pilot

If you missed the LIVE broadcast, here it is...

Celebrating the wonderful man that was Squadron Leader Allan Scott DFM (Spitfire ACE) on what would have been his 100th Birthday.

This is a recording of last night’s LIVE Broadcast so feel free to jump past the 5 minute countdown…

Farewell to a Dear Friend: Squadron Leader Allan Scott DFM

Yesterday we said a final farwell to Squadron Leader Allan Scott DFM who sadly and unexpectedly passed away a short time ago; a truly wonderful man for so many reasons and someone I am truly honoured to have been able to call a friend.

Due to current restrictions numbers of those attending the South Oxfordshire Crematorium were limited to 30; without such restrictions there would have been literally hundreds in attendance such was the respect and high regard for Allan amongst his many friends in both civilian life and the Royal Air Force.

However, the limited numbers did bring a different dimension to the service making it feel incredibly intimate and personal.

Immediately prior to the service it was both incredibly emotional and spectacular to watch as a Spitfire appeared overhead for over 5 minutes performing Victory Rolls in his honour…

As the service, held at the South Oxfordshire Crematorium, commenced Allan’s casket adorned in a Union Flag was carried by RAF personnel in Number 1s along with Standard-Bearers ahead.

The service conducted by The Reverend Matthew Stevens (Padre, RAF Benson) was so incredibly fitting and with utmost respect.

The eulogy read by RAF Gulf War Veteran, Presenter and Author John Nichol was wonderfully uplifiting as he recounted Allan’s Military endeavours and personal experiences on time spent in his company; that both Anne and myself along with Andrew and Sue Perkins were mentioned as dear friends to Allan was so incredibly thoughtful of Allan’s son Murray.

Can’t begin to say how much it meant to me that the portrait I took of Allan for the 3945 Portraits Project was on the Order of Service.

The night before I stayed up until the early hours because of an overwhelming need to create another of my model Aircraft pictures but this one solely with Allan in my mind. The Spitifre used here was a gift from my Mom for my recent 49th Birthday…

The final edit I have this morning printed along with Allan’s portrait and taken to a friend of mine who owns a picture framing shop so that I can have both side by side, framed and hang on a wall in our new home.

If you missed it, here’s Allan’s last television appearance which aired on the BBC One Show on Monday 7th September 2020; the evening before he passed.

Per Ardua Ad Astra

Blue Skies Dear Friend x