Shop Until Your Knees Buckle

Shop Until Your Knees Buckle

1^st August 2011

Thanks to Luci, I wasn’t working in the morning. Somehow she’d managed to get us both the morning off as this was going to be her last chance to visit Barcelona! Getting up at 9.30, when we thought the ship was going to arrive, we got ready to go out into the city. The ship actually arrived at 10. 

Crew aren’t allowed to use the free shuttle bus for the first 90 minutes. Hernan was coming with us to get off the ship for a while so we all jumped onto the city bus. Most of the guests were getting on the shuttle which costs 10€ return (crew go free). The city bus was only 3€ return. Once off the bus we were looking for a large shopping centre we’d been told about.

During the walk we stopped off for breakfast. I know I shouldn’t have done it but I couldn’t resist chocolate and churros. Continuing along Las Ramblas we popped into the shops, some were expensive while others reasonably priced. It was a real mix. 

The summer sales were on which was a bonus. Popping into H&M I picked up a yellow and white dress for 7€ - perfect for the beach. I steered clear of blue as security keep pointing out that I’m always in blue… and they had a point. I’d never noticed it before. Now, whenever I go past security and I’m wearing the smallest blue item (even a blue hair band) they shout out “BLUE! BLUE LOU! MISS BLUE!!” Along with the dress I found a red and blue checked shirt. Smart casual for when I go up to the guest areas. 

It’s no surprise that we couldn’t find the shopping centre, we were sent in all directions but had a good enough time looking through the shops we came across along the way. Along one street there were about five large camera shops. It was paradise! They sold everything: compact cameras, SLRs, accessories and endless amounts of film (black and white, polaroid, colour, colour positive etc). You always know you’re in a proper camera shop when they sell endless amounts of film!! I wanted to kick myself for leaving my analogue camera in England! I really miss shooting film! Digital black and white just doesn’t have the same quality as film.

Along the way we lost Luci. It wasn’t the first time it’s happened. If we’re in a shop and she doesn’t want to be there, she carries on walking rather than waiting for us. So, we had a look around for her but carried on, time was running out and if she decided to separate from Hernan and I, that was her problem. We'd no doubt bump into each other sooner or later.

We found a small backstreet dotted with different shops. They weren’t your mainstream style shops. There were about 4 guitar shops and Hernan was in his element!! The clothes shops didn’t sell the latest fashion. Some were more rock clothing. Going inside I felt so out of place as Hernan and I were the only ones who weren’t covered in tattoos and piercings. I found a small hippy store where the clothes were as cheap as chips and picked up a green-grey jump suit. Sandra will love this shop!

Heading back along Las Ramblas we bumped into Sary, the singer from Boleros. It's the first time I've seen her off the ship and not singing her heart out. She pointed us in the direction of even more great shops she'd come across. Result!

Carrying on, we soon heard “Hey Babaloos”. Looking around it was Luci, she was laughing and asking where we’d gone. She was off to another shopping centre but Hernan and I had to go back to the ship and work. Stopping off I grabbed a couple of Barcelona magnets, they were needed – I have too many photos and not enough magnets!

Barcelona like everywhere else in Spain is dotted with Sex Shops (we didn’t spot any brothels though - a surprise). Hernan wanted to go inside and I got dragged along for a giggle. I’ve been in Ann Summers before which for me is no problem but going into this sex shop made me feel a bit dirty and pervy. Everything is to the extreme. There’s a large cinema area with huge screens showing continuous porn. 

In the middle of the shop floor was a circle “Peep Show”. Quite a few of the curtains were drawn to but only covered half a person’s body. Walking around the shop I couldn’t help but notice a couple of men watching the peep shop had one hand firmly in their trouser pockets as if no one else could see. I wanted to get the hell out of there!! Pure sleaze came to mind. Some of the men on the ship were walking around looking sheepish when they spotted someone else from the ship.

I grabbed a Jamon Serrano roll and carried on walking towards the shuttle bus back to the ship. We didn’t have long left. 

Once we got through customs and two security checks we were back on board. 

Hernan had to dash to the lab to get his Matador costume.  We had two and a half hours of return gangway which is normally pointless… and it was. Within those 2.5 hours we got 150 images. 

Ritesh wasn’t too impressed by the schedule. Jomar had told him to set up a studio inside the terminal, on the ground floor. Trying to get the equipment down the elevator was going to be impossible so they set up just inside the entrance (first floor).

My knees were starting to throb so sitting down for dinner was bliss. Going downstairs I had to get changed into another uniform for the gallery. Standing behind the desk my knees were in agony. The left was particularly bad. Speaking to Luci she gave me a job to do in the back office where I could sit down. She had a look at my knees, the left was swollen like a balloon.

Again the nagging started about not going to the medical facility. The medical facilities answer to everything is to load you up with pain killers which only solves the problem for a short period of time. 

The girls from Spa think I have too much fluid in my knees which is caused from standing around for long periods of time. The treatment they’ve all recommended to way too expensive, even with the staff discount. Maybe, if I get a chance during embarkation they can use me as their model so it’s free. Until then, I’ll just have to keep necking paracetamol!

Hernan the Matador

Matador During Return Gangway, Barcelona, Spain

Traditional Vs. Modern - Searching for the Guests

Birthday Presents

Birthday Presents

18^th July 2011

Kusadasi is one of my favourite places to go. There’s so much to see and do in this port. One of the best things to do while in Kusadasi is shop. 

A couple of photographers were thinking about going to the beach but the girls would have to go to “Women’s Beach”. Females aren’t allowed on just any beach, they have to go to designated beaches while men can go anywhere. Men can join us females on the Women’s Beach but we can't join them on another beach. I'm so glad I'm from the West!

It’s my brother’s birthday  in August and there were a few things I wanted to get him in Kusadasi. I was getting the presents early so it’d give me enough time to find a post office in one of the new ports and send everything.

During the morning I was photographing David, dressed up as the Turkish Prince. At first we thought it was going to be a very slow gangway but things soon starting picking up and before we knew it, we were clocking up our counts. 

Just before heading out onto the gangway at 07.00 we bumped into Sanela who wasn’t even in her uniform. We were sure she was on gangway this morning. Asking Sanela, she told us she was free shooting outside the terminal and asked if that meant she had to wear her  uniform. Obviously!! David and I couldn’t believe it. She didn’t even have her camera equipment ready. It was still in the lab and her battery hadn’t been charge. Finally, she got off the ship 45 minutes late… again. This was becoming a habit.

Watching David jump and run around the gangway is always a sight to see! Some of the things he says has everyone cracking up. He put his arm around one person and playfully shouted “Sir, let’s get your picture. Just me and you, right here and right now!” The guy couldn’t stop laughing and stopped for his photo. 

Not only is it funny watching David prat around on the gangway, it’s gives you pointers on what you can do when you’re in costume. Obviously you can’t copy out right, that’d be impossible, David has a natural flare for gangway and with people in general. 

We weren’t the only ones on the gangway. Fede was also out shooting Sandra who was officially the Mariner of the Seas Cleopatra. I’ll have to upload a photograph because she looks absolutely stunning as Cleopatra. A couple of guests have spotted her in the gallery and commented “oh you’re the mini Cleopatra”.

David and I were in the lead with our image counts which is a first. Fede is a much faster shooter than I am and David had me running all over the place as he chased after guests. Overall, it was a great laugh and a brilliant way to remember our last gangway in Kusadasi.

Once gangway was over we all nipped up to the mess to get something to eat. A couple of us wanted to get some bits and pieces from the shops so Luci, Ritesh, Fede, Sandra and I headed out into the port. Ritesh wanted a pair of trainers, Luci wanted a pair of shoes like Sandra’s for her cousins back in Brazil, I obviously had to get my brother his birthday presents and Fede was just coming for a walk around. 

The strangest thing about walking around Kusadasi was that people remembered us from walking past two weeks ago! They’d call us and say “Lady, I remember you, you wanted these boots” etc. 
They have a bloody good memory. I find it hard remembering what a guest’s face looks like after five minutes!! 

As I walked past, the men were coming out of the shops shouting “Excuse me, Russian lady”. Me? Russian? No chance. I wouldn’t have said I was a stereotype of a Russian. One person thought I was Dutch which was probably more likely. I couldn’t help but smile either way. Popping into a shop I changed my “Fuck Google… Ask Me!” shirt for a smaller size. Fede bought a copy of evening shirts while Ritesh got a pair of jeans.

Walking around a little more we walked down a small back street where we found a little shop selling typical Turkish jewellery. The earrings are much cheaper and funkier than the ones you can get in England and dare I say it, but the quality is much better than Claire’s and any other accessory store. Choosing a pair was so hard, I wanted the lot! In the end I managed to get some chandelier earrings the girls wear in Turkey. I was thinking about getting a pair for Anna, back in England, but wasn’t sure if she would be able to wear them as they weren’t silver or gold.

With my brother’s presents finally stashed away in a bag, we carried on walking around until we’d done a full circuit of the shops. I even managed to get something for my Mama which I’ll send her once I finally get to a post office. Maybe I’ll be able to find one in Barcelona.

There were only a couple of hours remaining until we all had to board the ship. Heading to the port I stopped off at Hardward Café, a lovely bar with a balcony over the sea. It’s a relaxing place to sit and catch up with the family online. Unfortunately, because of the time difference, my Dad had only just woken up as I was about to leave to go back to the ship.

I found out today that Becks who I met at the Image job interview and trained with in Miami had been fired from Image due to “under-performing”. She wasn’t given any warning or notice, just sent straight home. 

The thing that struck me was that she is a trained photographer, her ship was doing badly anyway and in a previous meeting with her BM they said she was doing a good job. Not only that, during the cruise in which she was fired, she was also given a good comment. It really didn’t make sense. A couple of us guys from the Miami training (we still have a group message going on Facebook) think they might have been trying to make an example of her. Either way, she had no notice, nothing. 

It’s a good job she still lives at home. If it was someone in my case, I’d be sent back to England with pretty much nowhere to go. Obviously they don’t think about that. It’s made me wonder about a few things, that’s for sure. I was really hoping I’d be able to do my second contract with her. Looks like that’s not going to be the case. 

It’s sad as this was the job she really wanted to do: take photos, travel the world and get paid for it. Now that has all taken away within a couple of hours. The more and more I see and hear about the way things work around here, the more I realize that Stuart was right in more ways than one.

Later on, I found out that both Hernan and Zoran got an "Opportunity Log" because they had a low image count in Athens (3 negative opportunity logs is a warning). Hernan signed his and at the side in brackets put “Not Agreed”. Luci, the new AMS, even agreed with Hernan and didn't think either deserved a log. 

Zoran hadn’t even had his good comments logged, just the negative. Luci soon changed that and added them to the log. 

My three good comments from the previous cruise had finally been added to the log. So many of us got good name comments last cruise. Sandra and I lead the way with three each. One lady gave both Sandra and me a good comment. Sandra’s was for being a great help when the lady bought the canvas (of a photo I took on a Centrum). Mine, was for going the extra mile while shooting her daughter on the Centrum on Deck 4 (which was later made into a canvas).

This particular guest told Jomar that I didn’t have a ladder but went running around looking for one anyway and was determined to get a great shot. The girl had a white, puffy Holy Communion style dress on. Deck 4 Centrum has a large circle pattern on the floor tiles. I got the girl to sit down, spreading her dress out within the circle. All the other tiles provided leading lines in towards the girl. Standing up on the ladder, just under the soft box I got a fantastic shot of the girl looking up at the camera. 

It might not have been the most original but it provided an effective final print and the guests loved it. Plus I’d never seen anyone else do it on any of the Centrums. It’s just as Stu once said to me before shooting LSP “you’ve got to think outside the box that the box is in”. 

That’s three more days off for good comments. I’m planning to use them to my best advantages when we start the 7 day cruises next week in ports and countries I’ve never been to before.

Cleopatra

Luci and Cleopatra

Working the Gangway: Newman (Guest Relations), David (Turkish Prince), Me (Shooter) and Sandra (Cleopatra)

Shopping

Shopping!

15^th July 2011

Waking up late I knocked on a few cabins to see if anyone was around and if they were, what they’d be doing today. We’re in Ashdod again and for the final time. If you’re not on tour, there’s not a great deal to do like there is in the other ports.

David wanted to get off the ship before he went nuts. That made two of us! 

Grabbing a bite to eat before heading out, we jumped on the shuttle bus and headed to the shopping centre. David was determined to get some new shoes of some sorts. I think his mind was set on a new pair of Converses. 

Arriving at the shopping centre, we had a look around and it wasn’t long until we’d mentally spend a huge sum of money. Looking around for what seemed forever, we finally found someone to exchange our dollars and euros to shekels. 

Heading back to the shopping centre, I bought a new bikini top – I’m hoping for a couple of hours at the beach at some point! Going into another shop, David bought a pair of black trainers which didn’t even make it into the box! He walked out wearing them, telling me his new trainers were so comfortable it felt like he was walking on air!

It wasn’t long until we bumped into Hernan and Eve who were walking about doing a bit of shopping. Eve wanted a hat but couldn’t find anything she liked. She didn’t know which type she wanted and just said, “I’ll know when I see it”! I saw a lovely shirt but $80 was a bit over my budget!! 

Popping into a few more shops, David and I separated from Eve and Hernan. They were going to the beach for a few hours. Eve had the entire day off while Hernan didn’t have to work until the late evening. 

The best place to buy electrical equipment is definitely Israel. I was so tempted to give my credit card a good hammering!! It was just under €60 for a 1TB external hard drive. In the end, I managed to contain myself and walked out with an 8GB SD memory card for €13. Looking back on it, I really wish I’d bought the external hard drive. Mine is only 500GB and it’s rapidly filling up with obscene amounts of photographs!! Oh well, you live and learn.

We spotted Hernan and Eve again. David and I were off to the ship for an hours nap before we started work. Hernan and Eve were still trying to find a way of getting to the beach and didn’t fancy waiting 15 minutes for the free shuttle bus and were contemplating getting a taxi which would cost about $10-15. In the end they went for the cheap and cheerful option and joined us on the bus.

The rest of the evening was spent in the gallery and studios. The night itself was so slow. For sure we aren’t going to make much money this cruise. No one is buying and we’ve got our fingers crossed that somehow, things might just pick up on the last day or towards the end of the cruise.

HOT day in Ashdod, Israel - David, Eve and Hernan

David, Me and Hernan

Sexy White Skin

Sexy White Skin!

2^nd July 2011

As I’m such an awesome chick I’ve got the day off! Well, that’s not entirely true. Last cruise I got a good name comment. David got one too and in typical Stu style, he got 5! Jomar latest incentive is to give "days off" if anyone gets a good name comment. By "Day off", Jomar didn't mean the entire 24 hours, but you do get the morning off. Let's face it, that's nothing to be sneered at! So, today I've got the morning off and free to do what I like until 17.00.

I had an accidental lay in. My alarm was set for 09.00 but I dragged my booty out of bed at 11.00. Washing and changing, Luci waited while maintenance fixed the door. It’s not great but at least we can open it now! Luci had the morning off too so we heading out we decided to do a bit of retail therapy.

Kusadasi has some excellent shops believe it or not. Of course you get the usual tourist crap but you can find some good bargains if you know where to go. Going into one shop I got a lovely maxi dress. 

Moving on we stopped off for a typical Turkish lunch, I can’t tell you what I had but either way it was delicious! We literally were taking a stab in the dark at what to eat. The food was amazing though! 

In front was one of the many t-shirt shops. Going inside, we found a t-shirt fit for Fabio which said “I DO NOT HAVE A DRINK PROBLEM. I drink. I get drunk. I fall over. No problem.” Next time we are in Kusadasi, we’re going to get it for him. I found two novelty shirts that I loved and had to buy. One said “Fuck Google! Ask me!” which I was originally going to buy and send to my brother. The second “Sex, drugs and Sausage Rolls”. The third was a Spanish football shirt. I did look for a Spurs shirt but couldn’t find one. It would have made my Daddy so proud!!

While walking past the shops, the Turkish guys outside always have something to say. Usually it’s something like “hey lady, can I say something”, “good price lady. Where are you from?” Sometimes they come out with something original that makes you crack up. One guy called me and said “I love your white skin… very sexy. I love it, please come into my shop. Good prices”. Luci and I were rolling up! Another guy tried something similar straight after and failed miserably!!

Next stop was the Harward Café to use the Internet. Luci went to Starbucks for the internet but Harward is much better, cheaper prices, better connection and great music! What more could you want? 

Checking my Facebook, I had a quick chat with Becks who is currently in Helsinki. Next time, if I come back for a second contract, we are going to try and get on the same ship together. It’s a must!!

Stu had finally contacted me. He’s doing good and on his way to do the world’s highest bungee jump! He’s the biggest adrenaline junkie I’ve ever met. I’d so love to be there. The main thing is he seems to be happy he’s finally at home. We still miss him and wish things hadn’t gone the way they had but I guess that’s just the way the cookie crumbles. I have a message for the rest of the team so I’ll pass that on when I’m back on board. There’s also one for Jomar… which I’ll pass on with great pleasure!

Hernan has just joined me in the Harward Café. He’s also been shopping and bought some clothes but I still got a better price. Girls can get away with so much more! His shirts are freaking awesome though. Very smart. So, I’m going to make the most of my final hour off and enjoy a beer and sun with my hermanastro (step-brother) by the sea. I’ll update later if anything else happens but until then… CHEERS!!

Good Morning Kusadasi!

Last Timers at Messina

Last Timers

29^th June 2011

Once again we are back in Messina, Sicily, but this time it’ll be our last.

Hernan thankfully woke me up this morning. The alarm did go off but I just couldn’t be bothered to get out of bed and fell back to sleep. 

Hurrying to get ready, I grabbed my camera gear and then realized I’d borrowed my second memory card to Zoran. My main memory card was in the lab. Shit! 

Hernan was running towards the lab with 10 minutes to spare because he didn’t have his costume for the gangway! What a nightmare!

For once I wasn’t dressing up. On this particular occasion I was shooting David who was dressed up as a Pizza Chef. This is the first time I’d seen anyone other than Stu and Hernan as the Pizza Chef. David certainly has the personality to pull it off though. It just didn’t seem right not having Stu around shouting out Italian phrases he’d learnt from Fabio. 

Hernan was dressed up as a Sailor with Zoran shooting him. The Sailor and Zoran were first on pool decks before heading to the gangway. David and I were in the Lotus Lounge waiting for the tours to exit before joining Hernan and Zoran outside.

Each shooter had to reach a target of 400 images. If and when they got their target, they’d be able to finish up so David and I were on a mission. By the time we were due to head out to the gangway we already had 176 images. Problems arrived when David couldn’t find his shore pass! South Africans need shore passes for pretty much every country we travel to. 

On Jomar’s orders Zoran ran back onto the ship to change into David’s outfit. If David found his shore pass then he’d return as a shooter. I was now teamed up with Hernan. Working on the gangway with Hernan can be frustrating if I’m honest. He’s very chilled and laid back. He’d quite happily walk around, talking to guests and crew while letting everyone walk past. I was smudging as best as I could while Hernan simply stood there, looking around. If guests were coming off the ship, he’s come and stand at my side to talk to me rather than standing in position in front of the camera to get a photo with the guests. I was losing patience and didn’t want to keep telling him to stand in the way of the gangway exit and smudge. He joined at the same time as me so it doesn’t seem right to tell him what to do. Usually when I’m a character I will just put my arm around people and almost pull them in for a photo. Hernan wouldn’t do that, he didn’t seem to want to smudge so it was left to me. I was determined, almost desperate to get 400 images so we could finish work early and go out. In the end, it wasn’t meant to be. Jomar came out to see how many images we had 45 minutes before we were due to finished. David and Zoran had about 280 while I had 332. We did however get to leave gangway 45 minutes early though!

After jumping in the shower and grabbing my things I headed out in search of something to eat and the internet. As it was the last time we’d be coming to Messina, I stuffed my Canon SLR in my bag. 

Bumping into some of the Brazilian shoppies, I joined them at the bar on the plaza (Dolce Vita). The internet connection was diabolical so we packed up and moved to a place down the road. The internet was so much better there, unfortunately they didn’t do food. 

An hour or so later, I got a message from Hernan, he was on Facebook, therefore off the ship. He and David were at the plaza. Packing up again I ran back over to the bar on the plaza to join them for pizza. Still the internet was slow even though there was hardly anyone in the bar. Taking a few photos and having a giggle, we decided to go for a walk around. David was determined to get to The Foot Locker.

I went for the bill, walking back to the table something didn’t seem right. All three of us went over the bill and then it clicked. Only half of what was on the bill was ours. We don’t know where the other half came from but there was no way we were paying €65 for 2 pizzas and 5 coca-colas. 

Taking the bill back inside, I told the guy behind the counter that the bill wasn’t ours. He automatically pulled out another bill with 2 pizzas and 5 coca-colas for €32. The guy didn’t say a word, just handed me the new bill. With what’s been going on for the past couple of days I wasn’t in the mood to take any shite from a bunch of Italian waiters. Looking more than a little miffed the guy said “ok, so this is your bill”. 

After paying, as I was walking out the guy had the audacity to call out “thank you, see you soon”… Was he having a tin bath?? Turning around, I just laughed at the waiter and shook my head before walking out. Would you go back to a place where the people working there try and charge you double?? I might be blonde but my grey cells do function!

We had our photos taken in the plaza before Hernan got it into his head that he wanted to do something a little different. Asking David to take his photo, Hernan stood in front of the church, with plenty of American guests around, he pulled his pants down, mooning at the camera. David was able to compose himself enough to take the shot before we were all rolling around laughing. An American guy was standing nearby, watching us with a disgusted look on his face. That just made us roll up more! That and David’s laugh!

Walking around a few places Hernan had more photos taken of his hairy arse. Just thinking about it while writing this is making me crack up. I’ve gotta get the photos from him and upload some to the blog.

We didn’t get time to go to Foot Locker as we couldn’t remember when we all had to work. We made it back to the ship with an hour to spare (we found this out when we got into the photographer’s corridor and checked the schedule on the wall). Rather than going out again, David went to sleep and I joined Hernan in his cabin. He was blasting his music and singing while I took the chance to update my blog.

Today, I was calmer about Stu leaving. Don’t get me wrong, I was still upset and angry about what had happened. Still, you can’t change the past so I tried focusing on the good times. Without a doubt I couldn’t have asked for a better person to train me, no matter how severely he kicked my arse over the smallest things. So yes, I was lucky enough to work with someone like Stu, even if it was for a short period of time. He was a great co-worker as well as trainer. 

On a personal level, Stu was a fantastic friend who always gave us a laugh or something to smile about. No matter how bad things were, or how much I tried not to, I couldn’t ever resist laughing at the dancing eyebrows (if you know Stu, you’ll know what I’m on about). It’s better to have the experience than not have it at all. Without a doubt Stu will be successful in whatever he does, whether he goes back to working on ships or commercial diving, I don’t know. I’m guessing it’ll be commercial diving though.

Either way, I hope to see him again soon. Maybe it’ll be in England, maybe South Africa… or maybe another port on the opposite side of the globe. Until then, take care of yourself and good luck with everything that you do. Even though I’ve said it before, thank you for everything that you did for me while on the ship. I couldn’t have asked for a better trainer and friend… now, don’t let this go to your head Geez or I’ll have to knock you down a peg or two.

Previous Messina Gangways

Back from Tour: Fede & David

David

David & Prashant (Security)

David & Fabio

With the Guests: David and Fabio

Me and Prashant

Photog's Favourite Barman!

Working on the Rail

All Fun and Games Working with David

Luci

This Messina Gangway

The Pizza Chef!

David - Pizza Chef

Fede, Sailor Hernan, Sandra and David

Fede, Sailor Hernan, Sandra, David and Pizza Chef Zoran

Fede and Zoran

Walkabouts in Messina with David and Hernan

Pizza!!!

Pizza and Drinks at the Plaza, Messina (Italy)

David & Hernan

Me, Hernan and David, Messina (Italy)

Hernan

Knight on Trial

Knight on Trial

9^th June 2011

Here we are again in Rhodes.

Stu was on the gangway first thing in the morning dressed as a knight in shining armour. This was the first time he’d dressed up as a knight (Crusader in Israel, with a different outfit) so it’d be interesting to see the image count he got.

I was free shooting the ring which along with the rail (which Jeni was shooting) didn’t get a huge count. To add fuel to the fire, I had completely lost my voice so smudging was almost impossible!! Everyone’s been joking I sound like El Padrino (the Godfather) and that soon got changed to La Madrina (the Godmother). To be honest, I don’t blame them… if I had a voice, I’d be taking the piss too!

After gangway Fede and Stu headed up to the mess for something to eat while I jumped in the shower. It was sunny out so I could finally give my new dress a whirl… I’m turning into a girly girl! Once they were back we headed out into Rhodes. Stu went into a bar to use the internet. I’d promised Fede I’d help him find presents for his numerous female family members and friends. He had no idea what to buy and he knows them! What chance did I have of being any help? We got some bits and of course I found another magnet. This magnet had nothing to do with Rhodes. It was a cow with dangly legs – I loved it!

Alright, so I know I promised myself that I wouldn’t but the picture I wanted from the armour shop until I was Photog2. Walking past the shop, my competencies and checklist completed, the urge got the better of me. After spending 20 minutes talking to the lady in the store, I walked out with the picture for 6euros less and a message for Stu: pop in next time you’re in Rhodes to say hi. The girl is lovely, it’s a real pleasure talking to her. There’s another picture that I want… that one will either have to wait until I’m promoted to Photog2… or maybe even Photog 3!

With just over an hour and a half to go before we had to board the ship, Fede and I went to join Stu. Fede hated my picture! As soon as I walked into the bar where Stu was, and he saw the carrier bag I was carrying, he smiled. Jokingly, I slipped the bag behind my back and put on a sheepish face. He knew I’d bought the picture and laughed when he pulled it out the bag. Like me, Stu thinks the picture is awesome. It’s two against one… therefore, the picture is awesome! I’ll get a photo and post it on here as soon as I can.

Heading back to the ship it was time for a quick snooze before set up. During set up we had LSP set up training from Stu. He’s fed up of people not setting the studio up properly so Ritesh the AMP gave him permission to show us how it’s done properly. Originally my studio was supposed to be set up on Deck 3 along with LSP. Halfway through set up Ritesh decided he wanted it up on Deck 5. So Zoran and Hernan (I was helping the new girl Sandra) set up her studio.

Tonight I was shooting on the black backdrop. It wasn’t the usual poses, Reuben wanted close ups which wasn’t a problem. Rather than having people simply standing I was swapping between a dining room chair and a prestigious looking, purple arm chair. Following Stu’s previous advice and training I was tipping the arm chair in all directions. Some turned out brilliant where others didn’t work so well. It wasn’t really a problem, it would give me more of an insight as to what to avoid for next time or a night where it’s busy such as formal night.

The biggest challenge was trying to pose guests with a fading voice or none whatsoever. Some people were quite easy going and understood the hand gestures while others didn’t. Just as I was closing down the studio, a Scottish guest I’d previously photographed popped in. He handed me four Strepsils for my throat and wished me well. Grateful wasn’t even the word. It wasn’t long before my pain in my throat ebbed a way a little. My voice didn’t quite return though but I could live with being silent for a few days. No doubt the others could do with a break from me talking too.

After my break I asked David if he could swap with me. He’d shoot in my studio and I’d take his place in the gallery. I’d need my voice far less in the gallery and could quite easily busy myself condensing or displaying prints.

Although the head cold has faded a bit since Athens, it seems to have passed down to my chest. I’m starting to worry in case it turns into a chest infection. Not what I want or need so I’ll have to play it safe for a while and keep wrapped up.

On a brighter note, from what I displayed in the gallery, the knight in armour was a success on the gangway! Unfortunately for Stu, his gauntlet investments are “falling apart” and he’s having to super glue the metal onto the glove... maybe they are more for show than gangway!

Stuart as the Knight in Rhodes, Greece

Knight in Shining Armour

Knight in Shining Armour

28^th May 2011

Today was one of the best days so far and we did relatively little. Rhodes is growing on me more and more. It’s moving up the list and becoming one of my favourite places to go along with Naples. 

Stu, Fede and I headed out for our free time. Fede went off to use the internet while Stu and I were on a mission to improve the knight gangway costume. Stu had an idea in mind, it was just a case of finding the necessary goods to pull it off.

The sun was shining and the place was a busy as ever. We walked down the main strip heading to one of the few shops which sell armour, knives and unique ornaments. Stu spotted a gauntlet which he loved and had to have. 

Stu's usual knight gangway pose is balling his fist up and either pointing it towards the camera or holding it up to his chest (as if protecting himself from a punch). He normally wears a black glove but it doesn’t really look very effective. Putting the gauntlet on, he did his two usual poses and even though he was dressed in his usual clothes, you could imagine how it would look on gangway. The guests would love it!! Instead of getting one gauntlet he decided to get both! The Australian-Greek lady working in the shop gave him a good discount too. 

While looking around the tiny shop we spotted a shield. Stu could have used the shield with one hand while wearing the gauntlet on the other, pointing towards the camera. It must have been quite funny for people walking passed, seeing us imitating gangway poses! We were deciding on what the hell to buy when Stu remembered a chained head piece (he told me the name and I’ve completely forgotten). The piece goes over and covers the head, leaving a small area of the face exposed. The knight’s helmet then goes over the top. One thing is for sure, Stu certainly knows his stuff when it comes down to armour! Again, Stu loved it and decided he wanted it straight away. 

The funniest bit that made my day was when Stu got the head piece stuck on his head. It slipped on easy enough – getting it off was another story. There was a technique to it – slip your chin out first before sliding it off your head! It took us a good 15 minutes of trying, fits and giggles to work out that technique. 

Now it was case of deciding what else to buy. For some reason my opinion was highly valid… and so was my debit card! We could have quite easily bought the shop. Stu had only bought a certain amount of money with him as he only intended on buying one or two gauntlets so I was lending the difference (which wasn’t a huge amount). Finally, after much deliberation, we waltzed out the shop with two gauntlets and the chain head piece. The lady working in the shop took a large chunk off the price when we said we worked on the cruise ships. Crew member discounts - another bonus to ship life.

She was interested in the idea we had for the costume but worried we wouldn’t get the money back. We knew we wouldn’t but Stu wasn’t fazed – he saw it more as an investment and he had a valid point. If everyone dressed in a costume, looked the part and different from the others featured on cruise ships the more people would have their photo taken and buy more. In the long run, the more photos the guests bought, the more money we’d earn and to be honest, Stu would get his money back, plus extra on top, very quickly. Both Stu and I were like kids at Christmas – we couldn’t wait to come back to Rhodes to try out the entire costume and see the results. Without a doubt it’s going to go down a storm!

One question that was playing on our minds was whether we’d be able to get the armour through security. If push came to shove, it’d be taken off Stu and he’d have to collect everything each morning we docked in Rhodes. After gangway he'd have to hand it back into security. Either way he wasn’t too fussed. In the end he managed to get the armour through without a problem.

In the armour shop were gothic paintings wrapped onto black scrolls. It may sound odd but they were stunning! One in particular, featuring a girl-cum-dark angel. She reminded me a lot of Amy Lee from Evanescence. It was 26 euros which I didn’t think was a bad price, especially as I loved it. I was thinking of where I could hang it on the ship. I was too tempted to buy it and Stu was constantly telling me to get it. Instead, I decided I’d buy it for myself when I finally made it to P2. It's my incentive.

Leaving the shop we headed to our new local internet place, Four Seasons. Reuben took Luci and I there after the team lunch. The people are friendly, decent prices and fast internet. For some reason I can’t get on Skype to talk to my parents but Stu could. Luci and Fede were already there surfing the net. 

Before anything I logged onto ImageU to start my competencies. I had two left to go. Again I failed one buy one question so I had another crack. I was determined to own that painting!! On my second attempt of the day I passed it with 8 out of 9. The final competencies was much harder so I needed a little help from Fede who explained a few things to me. Having another go, I passed it! My competencies were sent off to Image. I did my little jig while Luci, Fede and Stu cheered that I was soon to be P2. All that's left to do is wait for Image to send a checklist to for Reuben and the other managers to sign. Once Photog 2, more money will start rolling in and I can make a start on up the ladder to Photog 3.

To be fair, I wouldn’t have been able to do my competencies as quickly as I did without the help of Stu and Fede explaining things and helping out in general. Stu is more like my trainer and was almost literally kicking my arse to get my competencies done. Thanking Stu for helping me out he said if I was P2 by the next time we come to Rhodes he’d buy me the painting as it was a fair deal for helping him out with money for the armour. Result!

I was absolutely over the moon – you cannot imagine it! The day couldn’t have got any better!! I’d finished my competencies which was a huge weight off my shoulders, Stu and I had a great laugh shopping, the sun was out and everyone was in a fantastic mood. We were enjoying the day and spending time together as friends rather than colleagues. What more could we ask for?

Talking to Stu I commented that I was nervous about shooting LSP (Lifestyle Portraits). You can do what you want on the white background. It sounds easy but you can’t take forever thinking of how to position guests and some are wooden at posing. LSP is Stu’s studio, it’s where he’s normally working, especially on formal nights. He gets the best results and his advice: “think outside the box that the box is in”. To give me a hand or train me up a bit, he suggested I popped around to his cabin later and he’d help me with a few simple but effective poses.

Later on at Stu’s he was showing me a few poses using the white stool. He made it look so simple. It was funny watching him posing as a lady doing dainty hand positions. 6'7 and dainty don't go together too well! 

There was a question I’d been meaning to ask Stu for a while but hadn’t wanted to. As everyone was in such a grand mood and we were having a laugh posing I didn't want to spoil anything. Having said that, the "why are you so hard on me?" question was niggling away in my head.

To be honest, Stu doesn’t have to train me the way he does anymore. Zoran, our Croatian new hire has finally arrived. Shouldn’t Stu be concentrating on him? Still, after nearly two months, if I do something wrong, Stu tells me about it, sometimes coming down quite hard on me. Other times, before I even do something he’ll make sure I know how to do it or tell me a way to improve. Although I’m grateful (and I’ve said it a hundred times) he seems to come down harder on me and get on my case more than he does Hernan. Sometimes you can't help but feel that you’ve done a really shit job. 

In the end, the question popped out my mouth. Stu simply looked at me and smiled before shaking his head. Stu said the reason why he was on my case so much was for a number of reasons, one being because I could take his criticism and that he means it constructively. He also said that he can see the images I produce and how I go about it.  Apparently, Stu thinks, along with the others and BM (business manager) that I have real potential to be a great photographer. All I needed was more time, experience and training. Because of that he is taking it upon himself to train me. The others help out too, don’t get me wrong but Stu will spend as much time as he thinks necessary to go through things until it’s engraved in my brain. In all honestly, I was amazed people thought I had potential to do well at what I love doing. It was a massive confidence booster to say the least!

Later on LSP, I was so nervous and it showed in my cropping. The poses weren’t too bad but the cropping needed to improve. I needed to calm down. I asked Luci to come over and have a look at my work. She said the images were great and not to worry so much. Taking the camera she got me to go onto the scene and started posing me. Stu had shown me how to pose using the stool. Luci showed me a few floor poses for singles and couples. 

A lady and her son came over so she stood with me while I posed them and even added a few poses to give me a hand. I'm so lucky to have people like Luci and Stu around to help me. The gallery was dead so Stu came over to see how I was getting on. Trying to pose on LSP with both Luci and Stu watching was making me more and more nervous. At one point Stu saw I was bricking it. Luckily he jumped in and positioned the last shot for me. I was about to lose the ability of speech!

Afterwards I had a 30 minute stint in the gallery with Stu and Luci. Both were telling me to calm down. Stu's advice was to relax and have fun. 

A couple came over who wanted their photo taken on LSP. They thought Stu would be in his studio so he turned around and introduced me to them. They were all joking that the pressure was on and not to cock up the shots as they had high expectations. My face must have been a picture as Stu took one look at me, burst out laughing and gave me a hug!

Back in the studio the couple came over, the guy said he wanted something original. His wife laughed and told him to lay off a bit. When he asked why I looked so worried I explained it was the second time I’d been on LSP and the first I could work freely, without doing the usual formal poses. I was nervous I was going to bugger it up and everyone is so used to Stu being there I’d automatically be compared. 

Stu’s work would win hands down without a doubt. Like the few couples that I love, they were patient, let me experiment, gave me their ideas and on a shot or two posed themselves to give more ideas. Some of the shots were absolutely fantastic. I loved it! They were pleased with the photos too - bonus!

Luci came over later and wanted Stu to pose with me so I could get some extra poses for couples and see the photos. Unfortunately although the gallery was quiet the guests were trickling in so he couldn’t leave and there wasn’t anyone else to pose on the backdrop.

All in all it’d been an absolutely fantastic day! My BM was pleased I’d finally finished my competencies and said he’d let me know once Image sent through my check list. Hernan saw on my Facebook profile that I’d finished my competencies and came over to give me a huge bear hug and congratulate me… he’s becoming more and more like a big brother brother. An Argentinian step brother. 

Today really couldn’t have been any better and it’s all thanks to the team I have around me!

The Knight in Shining Armour of Rhodes, Greece