All the images I had taken up to this point were digital, this was for ease, speed and economy. Digital does a few things to the photographer which I know I am guilty of myself, it makes for a photographer who relies to heavily on digital manipulation and clean up after the photograph has been taken rather than getting the exposure and composition right in camera. It also makes for an undiscerning photographer who takes far too many images hoping that through quantity of images taken that successful images through a sheer weight of numbers, will emerge.

I wanted this to be a project with a core strength based on solid photography that is technically accomplished so as not to distract from the images content. The lighting conditions as they are in the bars darts is played exposure at a minimum of ISO 1600 is a must, you can’t use flash as people are competing in a sport. My DSLR has a ISO 1600 setting but even with this, shutter speeds as low as 80 or 60 were required to get a exposure. Even with this most of the exposures were muddy in colour needing allot of correction in Photoshop and had a very heavy and unacceptable digital noise in a vertical linear pattern, they just weren’t looking that good. I also didn’t like the idea of heavily correcting the images to make the colours look right, I wanted to do it in camera, I needed film.

With this in mind I was naturally led to ISO 3200 black and white, due to it being cheaper I opted for Kodak TMAX 3200 over Ilfords Delta 3200. Whilst trying to work all this out and what form they would inevitably take, I took some photographs of the dart boards themselves.

This blog is a diary of sorts, it chronicles my photographic work with the Aberdeen

darts community and my approach to the project. The first few posts are retrospective to get up to speed, then they will be regular updates of the project so far. Meets I go to, the images I take, the approach, the film and the kit I use. I hope it proves an insight into the process of a project as much as helps me understand the work I make.

C Kellie 3/2010

Got to Start Some Where

I came across the Aberdeen darts community a few years ago now, the youth darts club have a weekly meet in the hotel I work in. It iss also the venue of the Granite City Open the largest open tournament in the north east of Scotland. The first time working the Open I thought to myself this would make a great photo project, the darts scene seemed to have so much potential. The enthusiasm, joy and passion for the sport mixed with the genuine life long friendships it inspired made me think of so many possibilities, but, like so many great ideas it is just an idea until you do something about it. It wasn't until the following year (last year) and another Granite City Open that I was convinced that I had to make images and work with this community. Plus I was looking for a new project to keep momentum with leaving art school at the start of that summer.

So I approached Derek Weston, Derek is the organiser for the GCO and the Youth darts so I already knew him through the hotel plus he is an approachable guy. (a great quality when you are looking for a contributor in a community that you know almost nothing about) I pitched the project, a documentation of the darts community letting players and enthusiasts tell there stories through my photographs, interviews and video. He was up for it and with a level of enthusiasm that surprised even me invited me to a special GCO organisers and supporters mini tournament and party night to meet everyone.

So I went down and took some rough research images and video as to be honest I didn't know how the hell I was going to photograph this.

It was such a  welcoming atmosphere, I was surprised how easy they were with me photographing them, no one stopped,flinched or showed unease at me taking thier picture. Some people asked why I was taking thier picture but when I told them they were more than happy. I found this when interviewing offshore workers that people are always happy to have someone listen and take interest in thier stories, it rarely happens in real life.

I had a starting point now, I was more convinced than ever that I had to make these photographs.

Well got some good news in the InBox, I have been awarded the funding I applied for to complete the project. So thats film stock, scanning kit and all the varied other sundries needed on a long term project like this. Its incrediable news and lets me get on without worrying if I have the film or papers.


Brilliant.