It's 6am and I'm up and about, I ruffle dog number one's ears and realise there is a tick dangling from one, I remove it deftly, she yelps slightly, dog number two laughs (probably).

I try everything to stifle a yawn and fail.

Flat-footed, duck padding to the kettle like a zombie. I'm ready thirty minutes later.

Today the shit gets real. Forty-four sessions across locations in Bournemouth sounds easy, but the first eight are all at 10am, so those padding duck feet will be having to rotate at some speed I can tell you. Road Runner springs to mind.

Thankfully, the ever dependable Baily is here today, so, at 08.30 we have a quick briefing (well a divvy up really), I'll raise you two sessions at St Peters Church for three in Bobbys, that sort of thing.

I have another briefing at 09.00, this time with Jess and Aysha, two photography students from Bournemouth and Poole College. They are excited but also apprehensive, it's written all over their faces, it is a live job after all and a big one, one of the biggest, most intense. They are asked to be respectful and discrete in the sessions, this sinks in well I feel.

Then we go live. Observing for the first session, I show them how I'd do it, not just here, but at every event Solid cover. You creep about, trying not the disturb the speaker. I'm sure they now get it, so into session two, and they, after a bout of embarrassment, begin snapping away.

It's a great, great thing seeing young people just click, you know, when it dawns on them that the can do this thing, this whatever. It's very pleasing to experience that moment of realisation. 'Actually, I like this, I can do this, cool'.

They happily plan their day with the schedule I gave them each on a little clipboard - the script, so to speak, that we'll all be using during the day.

They, and we, Baily and I, will be ticking the sessions off as we go as we pride ourselves on covering every single event, that way, each speaker receives proof that they attended this wonderful event. And of course, everyone gets to see our special photos. (just wait until you see Bailey's, amazing, just amazing - and she's still only 19 - raw talent personified). 

We all crack on brilliantly and Baily comments part though the day how we have this nailed now, we know what we're are about and this shows in our renowned efficiency. 

I keep popping back for a series of headshots which have been booked in throughout the day. And suddenly, feet aching and tiredness swamping me, the day is just gone again.

But, of course there's always a but.

The evening.

Bourn Jammy supplied the improv background music to some brilliant poetry supplied at random by the audience, and the Bournemouth Writing Prize Winners got to perform their inspirational pieces, and of course, MC Gramski does what MC Gramski does best, just kills it, literally smash Bournemouth to teeny, tiny bits. 

A superb day two of this astonishing home grown event could not have been rounded of any more poetically.

Jon  

DSCF5977 DSCF6022 DSCF6014 DSCF5998 DSCF5970 DSCF6040 DSCF6029 DSCF6103 DSCF6172 DSCF4851 DSCF4855 DSCF4879 DSCF6269 DSCF6323 DSCF6280 JBX14926 DSCF6473 DSCF6580 DSCF5056 DSCF6624 DSCF6857 JBX15263 JBX15268 JBX15275 JBX15334 JBX15413 JBX15602 JBX15655 JBX15760 JBX15878 JBX16100