Royal Troon's Postage Stamp

Here's my take on Royal Troon's awesome number eight - the daunting Postage Stamp.

According to the scorecard, the easiest hole at Royal Troon is the eighth. Slightly downhill and at only 123 yards, you wouldn’t argue with the stroke 18 rating. What the guide doesn’t tell you is this innocuous par three also happens to be one of the most devilish you will encounter and certainly one of the most feared in golf.

At least on paper, the Postage Stamp appears to be a cheery knock amid the fiery links of Royal Troon. But it ain’t. This seemingly harmless hole, the shortest on the Open Championship rota, is a card wrecker on a diminutive scale.

In 1997, Tiger Woods arrived at the 8^th during the final round of the Open Championship biting at the heels of the leaders. At 21, he had recently become the youngest winner of the Masters and had been crowned the world’s No 1. Scotland’s west coast air was thick with anticipation.

When he eventually limped off the 8^th green, Tiger’s fallibility had been exposed. He came unstuck when he pitched his tee shot into one of five green-side bunkers. Failing to escape from the deep trap on his first attempt, he scrambled an escape and then three-putted from 15 feet. His triple-bogey six was confirmation that despite its length, Royal Troon’s Postage Stamp could tame the fiercest competitors.

On the face of it, a round at Royal Troon builds towards this golfing L’Enfant terrible. Tackling the Postage Stamp is a feather in your cap and no matter how you play it; there will always be a tale to tell. The reality is, however, that despite the narrow, slither of green banked on one side by a steep dune and a fearful drop on the other, the 8th is by no means the teeth in Royal Troon’s bite. 

Visit http://www.markalexanderphotography.co.uk/Troon/ for more images and info.

Dundonald Interview - part three

Here is the final instalment of an interview with professional golf photographer Mark Alexander regarding a recent shoot at Dundonald Links.

On an 18-hole course, such as Dundonald Links, is there a strategy you bring to the shoot?

Every hole is shot and most holes will be shot from a number of different directions using different lenses and types of lights. I tend to shoot early in the morning and late in the evening. Different light provides different story-telling platforms as each hole will look different in the morning compared to what it looks like in the evening. The way the shadows fall across the fairways or the way the saturated light falls onto the green creates a different emphasis on the design, which, for a beautiful course like Dundonald, you really want to highlight.

What is a day on the course like for you?

Dundonald was shot at the start of October. Although the weather can be more changeable in Scotland, it can also be quite beautiful at this time of year. Number one, the light becomes lower in the sky which gives you beautiful saturation and great colours, and also, it stays lower in the sky for longer throughout the day. Fortunately the sun comes up a little later, so I’ll be out on the course by about 7 am and then the sun comes up by about 7.30am. I normally won’t leave the course until about 6:30-7pm at night.

In the middle of the day, the light is too high in the sky so that’s when I nip off for a bit of lunch and a breather. By contrast, in the summer when the sun is up very early, I have a good period of light at the start of the day (from 4:30am onward) and at the end of the day (until about 9:30pm). During the late morning and early afternoon, the sun becomes too high in the sky. Thus during the summer, the good light is bookended to those two periods. In the winter, these periods of good light almost merge together making it a longer day.

What kind of camera do you use?

I use canon, and have done all my life. On this shoot I was using a 5D Mark II and 5D mark III and my main lenses were a Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM lens and a Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM lens.

Is there much to be done to the photos after you’ve taken them? What kind of processing do they undergo?

I shoot in RAW, which provides me with the greatest quality of image possible and I process them in what is called the digital darkroom, in much the same way as old films were processed. The main purpose of that is to reproduce what I saw in the field and to produce a file to the highest possible standards. It takes a bit longer to do it this way, but I think it is worth it. My objective is to convey what I saw when I was on the course – it is certainly not to put in any detail that wasn’t there originally. 

Dundonald Interview - part two

Mark Alexander discusses the marketing potential and business applications of golf course photography.

Dundonald Links is recognised as a must-play links course. Professional golf photographer Mark Alexander reveals his approach to capturing the natural beauty of this stunning Kyle Philips design.

Once you’ve captured a series of photographs and processed them, how do you convert your artwork into a marketing tool?

Once I’ve delivered the high-resolution and thumbnail images to my client, it’s up to them to utilise the images the way they see fit. This is something I can advise them on, but this could mean looking at a new website, using the images for media inquiries, creating social media content or producing art to decorate the clubhouse.

It’s important to note that golf magazines always find it very difficult to find good photography. So, if you have decent photography, you’re one step ahead of the pack. Editors want something that sparkles and prompts a response from the viewer, and if you are able to give them that, they’re far more likely to use it, especially on a big spread. With this kind of photography, you’ll often find that suddenly your course has been put on a more prominent page. 

Likewise, tour operators and people who promote golf courses and destinations also struggle to find imagery that stands out from the crowd. So if you have a selection of professional images, they will be more inclined to proactively promote your club.

In addition, the images provide the potential to open communication channels to spread your messages. I often help my clients work through these opportunities, but from my side of the fence as a photographer, when I am creating the images, one of the key things is to capture a good variety of shots. To ensure that each photograph has a different atmosphere, I shoot with different lenses, at different angles and at different times of the day. For example, you can have highly architectural images which look at the movement of the land and the way the fairway changes, and you can also have images that look at the broader environment in which the course is set. So, by capturing a variety of shots, I ensure my clients have a selection of images that can be used to tell different stories.

When you are asked to provide a consultancy service, what is your first approach?

First, I like to sit down with the client and discuss their objectives; what they want to achieve, and by understanding their rational, we can work forward towards a clear goal. I like to explore different options like creating adverts, e-brochures, new websites or pamphlets. Whether the goal is to attract new visitors, get more coverage in magazines or go up in the top 100 lists, when I start to understand my client’s objectives, I can tailor the marketing strategy to suit their needs.

Stay tuned for an insider’s look at a day in the life of professional golf photographer.

Mark Alexander photographs Dundonald Links

This is the first instalment of an interview with professional golf photographer Mark Alexander regarding his most recent shoot at Dundonald Links.

The Kyle Philips-designed course at Dundonald in Ayrshire, Scotland opened in 2003 and is now recognised as a must-play links course. It has hosted a number of professional and amateur tournaments, notably pre-qualifying for the European Tour and the Senior British Open Championship, and most recently the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open. In line with Kyle Philips’ design directive, professional golf photographer Mark Alexander reveals his approach to capturing the natural beauty of Dundonald links.

Kyle Philips’ ambition when designing Dundonald was to create a championship links that felt as though it was an old, established course. Having covered every square inch of the layout, do you believe he achieved his goal?

"Yes, absolutely. The first thing you appreciate is that the links have been worked so well into the landscape. Before it was very flat and nothing to write home about; but, what they’ve created is a very special landscape that genuinely has the look and feel of an established links. 

"It’s a beautiful, playable course. Everything is laid out in front of you so when you stand on the tee you can envisage how the course will play, which really heightens the excitement."

Kyle Philips also designed Dundonald with the philosophy that a golf course’s character and personality should be derived from the site. How do you capture that in a photo?

"I like to shoot from the golfer’s perspective so when they look at the image they can feel the club in their hands. To do this, I look at the playability of the course and the hole in terms of where I’d like my ball to land on the green or where I’d like it to land it on the fairway. But equally, I like to capture the broader view, which encompasses the dangers involved in terms of the bunkering, the dunes or the rough which adds colour and defines the hole.

"I try to incorporate both the fairway and the greenscapes as well as the rough and dunescapes. The two blend so well at Dundonald, it’s really quite spectacular."

Next week we’ll hear about the business side of Mark’s artistic trade. 

CONSULTANT PARTNER MARK ALEXANDER FOLLOWS "HEATH & LINKS" STUDY TOUR

Tales from the tripod

With two full-frame cameras, flashes, four lenses and a specially acquired rain suit, I boarded the flight from Edinburgh to London to join the "Heath & Links" Study Tour. I was tasked with capturing the frivolities of the week including the highs and lows of a keenly contested golf match.

The job was a departure from the 4am alarm calls and weather watching needed for my day job. After all, golf courses need a special kind of light to bring out their subtle nuances. Eighty architects, some jet-lagged, many hungover, needed more than that.

I took over 2,000 images eventually whittling down my tally to 480 shots. The four days took their toll - broken zips, a missing lens cap and the occasional faltering flash were a concern, but the overriding memories were of beautiful courses, keen competition and blossoming friendships. A tour to savour!

To find out more about Mark’s photography, please contact him at info@markalexanderphotography.co.uk

Photography equipment for sale

Recent updates to my kit have left some of my photography equipment surplus to requirements. So if you're looking to ramp-up your set-up with professional-grade lenses and bodies, then read on.

Needless to say all the equipment listed below has been cared for as if they were my own children. More importantly, they deliver incredible results.

1) Canon 1DS MK III, boxed in mint condition. I’ve used this excellent camera in conjunction with another body mostly in single-shot mode. If you're looking at this, you probably know about the pedigree of the 1DS MKIII, so I won't go into the specifications. I have used it professionally and it has created stunning images that have been published in numerous magazines. It is in excellent nick and I should point out that cameras in this condition don’t come up that often. 

Included in the sale is: 

- original box including usual instruction manual and software CD, USB cable etc - Double charger - Neck Strap - 2 x original batteries 

Price: £1,000


2) Canon 550 EX speedlight flash, packed with features including high-speed sync etc. Comes with manual. £70

3) Sigma 100-300 F4 EX APO IF HSM for Canon. An extremely flexible lens in great condition. Complete with tripod ring and padded Sigma bag. £325.

4) Hoya 77mm Pro1 Digital PL-Cir. £35.

5) Hoya 77mm UV. £25.

Post and packaging costs will be applied. Give me a call to discuss any of these items (01337 858 807).

Link up with the European Institute of Golf Course Architects

Some exciting news from the European Institute of Golf Course Architects - great to be associated with this fine organisation. See EIGCA's press release below...

PHOTOGRAPHER MARK ALEXANDER BECOMES LATEST EIGCA CONSULTANT PARTNER

The European Institute of Golf Course Architects is delighted to announce that Mark Alexander has become a Consultant Partner.

Mark is an award-winning golf photographer whose work is used to bring marketing and advertising campaigns to life in leading golf and travel magazines.

Commissioned by golf clubs, resorts, tourism bodies and magazines, Mark’s photographs capture the beauty of some of the world’s best known golf courses. He is also an accomplished architectural, reportage and portrait photographer and has been commissioned by global organisations to shoot personalities and projects for worldwide audiences.

During the Scottish Open at Gullane an exclusive set of Mark’s photographs, capturing some of Scotland’s most admired golf courses, was exhibited at Gullane Art Gallery.

EIGCA Executive Officer, Julia Green, welcomed Mark as a Consultant Partner, saying: “I am so pleased that Mark has become the latest to join our growing list of Consultant Partners. Mark has had a close association with the EIGCA for a number of years and I am delighted that he has decided to formalise that relationship by becoming a Consultant Partner. We very much look forward to welcoming him officially at our Annual Meeting in April next year.”

Consultant Partners are given the opportunity to meet and interact with EIGCA members and the wider golfing industry at the EIGCA annual meeting and may attend continuing professional development events. They are also included in the Consultant Partner database on the EIGCA website. Only EIGCA partners are granted direct access to the membership.

For more information on the Consultant Partnership Programme please click here

For more information on Mark Alexander’s work, please go to www.markalexanderphotography.co.uk