My stint as "assistant" to Borderfox today

Arciphel · 01-04-2009 10:24pm #1

Just in case anyone is interested - I tagged along with the ever-gracious Borderfox aka Keith today to take some pictures at a function in the Mansion House.

The event was to mark the 15th anniversary of the setting up of the Irish Tourist Assistance Service (ITAS) or Tourist Victim Support as it was then known; and was also attended by Guido Nasi. Guido was just 17 years old and on holidays in Dublin from his native Italy when he was left paralysed after being hit over the head with a bottle 10 years ago in Fairview Park. He is now confined to a wheelchair and cannot speak, instead using a keyboard to communicate.

This was my first kind of photojournalist type of event so I was in the dark at the start - but thanks, again, to super-patient Borderfox for showing me the ropes (as always). Trying to juggle two camera bodies and not miss any shots was quite a challenge!

Some pics are below,and the full set is here if anyone is interested. Also. we were on the six o'clock news too if you were looking hard enough...

smelltheglove · 01-04-2009 10:47pm

Paul congrats, glad to see you did well, I had seen the post as soon as border put it up but already had appointments, I think you made more of it than I ever could, it is a fantastic set of high level shots, very journalistic, no falseness, perfect! Congrats again.

RoryW · 01-04-2009 10:52pm

Congrats

I saw this on the news. I remember when Guido was injured. Very tragic.

My brother can be seen in a few of the photos in the background !

Howitzer · 01-04-2009 11:06pm

My God it's been 10 years? I remember this horrible incident. God Bless anyone who can smile through such a rough time like that.

Good pics - well done. 30 is a good number for a flickr set to give someone a feel for the event.
You can make out 'I LOVE YOU' on the keyboard device. Interesting shot.

Like your frame / presentation.

Paulw · 01-04-2009 11:08pm

A really brilliant set of photos. Looks like you did a totally professional job. Well done.

Borderfox · 01-04-2009 11:18pm

Great job by Paul and as said above he presented the shots well and handled himself perfectly. One of my ones should be in the Irish Sun tomorrow. I will stick some shots up on Friday, wedding tomorrow so pretty busy.

Borderfox · 01-04-2009 11:23pm

Forgot to mention too, seen Paul on the news.

Buzz Lightyear · 02-04-2009 12:44am

Well done Paul. Considering you were out of your comfort zone you produced some excellecnt shots. Roll on the photo journalist

.

As for the 10 year marker - holy smoking cow, I remember this lad being clobbered, the investigation and all. Seems like only a couple of years ago. How time flies. You seem to have gotten fairly up close and personal with the chap. Did you get to chat to him at all ?

kensutz · 02-04-2009 1:04am

Good work Paul and certainly a good effort at something completely new to you.

democrates · 02-04-2009 7:08am

Great set, you captured some really poignant moments there which isn't easy at all as I found out at the recent gas explosion in Blackrock.

It's a relief to see Guido smile, partly that's me being selfish because the thoughts of him having a life of pain would be upsetting. It's also the natural concern for ones fellow man, and that theme comes accross well in the set as we see Gardai, politicians, volunteers, and ordinary people rally round in support, wishing it had never happened but now hoping he can find contentment.

Like others I look at the images and wonder just how you get on with such a different life. I think you'd go mad if you focussed only on the injustice and comparing what is with what you had expected. Maybe one way of looking at it is that if this burden had to be carried by someone, would you volunteer to carry it in place of a loved one? Maybe Guidos sacrifice took a brutal thug out of circulation who might otherwise have killed someone.

Thankfully Guido is still with us, and his visit back to Ireland has once again had a positive impact. Like ripples in a pond the waves spread through the minds of people, tipping the scales away from insular negativity towards open fellowship. It's a timely reminder in the economic downturn where jobs are being lost, not to turn on people who have arrived relatively recently and are just trying to make their way in life like we Irish have done accross the globe.

As time goes by Guido becomes more of an inspiration, and I'm sure we all wish him well in the future.

seanybiker · 02-04-2009 7:15am

bloody hell that was a very quick 10 years. I thought it was only 4 or 5 for some reason. Remember when it happened, wanted to burst the people who did it to him

AnCatDubh · 02-04-2009 10:16am

very nice stuff there lads. I heard his story earlier yesterday morning on the radio - a very humble individual with no ill feeling whatsoever towards the country - quite to the contrary.

well done.

shepthedog · 02-04-2009 10:55am

Very well done arcipel... All well composed and sharp as a tack. Did you do much processing?

@border, let us know if shot is in papers today...

Arciphel · 02-04-2009 10:58am

Shep, I was shooting in Raw on two Nikon bodies, D700 & Sigma 24-70/2.8 with an SB-800 speedlight and a D300 & Sigma 70-200/2.8 with an SB-600 speedlight, then processed in Lightroom. I had about 250 shots by the end of the day but felt these were the strongest. I am sure the pro's (like Keith) probably have a much higher ratio of shots used compared to the amount they have taken