Inspired by STEVIE467 repeat plea for international football photography, I would like to present some of my offerings.
At the turn of the century, I went on a trip organised by the British Trolleybus Society, to do bus tunnels in the Faroe Islands.
Come 2012 and a couple of new tunnels had opened. I had an agreement with my then girlfriend that every three years we had a holiday to somewhere without trains, so we therefore agreed to ventured north west to the Faroes (I didn’t mention the bus tunnels to her, but did clear them). In addition to the buses and ferries, I had also seen a lot of spectacular photography of football grounds on the islands, so the plan was to get some stadium pictures as well.
However, the ferry to the Faroes no longer calls in at the Shetland Islands, and as I don’t fly, it was a lengthy journey; the Harwich – Esbjerg ferry was taken, for a train to Hirtshals in northern Denmark, for a three day ferry journey to Torshavn. The good news is that I won a Danish chopping board in the afternoon bingo.
My intention in the Faroes was to use public transport to get to the grounds. I knew the buses were pretty infrequent but I can while away many happy hours in local bars, awaiting public transport.
On arrival, I was hampered on two counts. Buses aren’t just infrequent, they are pretty much non-existent, just running once in the morning and afternoon for the benefit of schoolkids.
Secondly, bars are also pretty much non-existent as prohibition existed until 1992 and most villages are only a few houses so the culture isn’t there. Sitting around drinking cans in the sun was also complicated as there are only six off licences, all run by the government, and it rains on 96% of all days.
This meant my photography had the following restrictions:-
- Photos were taken from a moving bus.
- Crowded full of school children.
- In either dawn or dusk.
- In the pissing rain.
A further development occurred with by sole outer garment being a black hooded top. Whilst this may not seem too much of a problem, my visit coincided with that of the Greenpeace anti-whaling protestor Paul Watson and his ship, the Sea Sheppard. The crews chosen apparel was also a black hooded top so whilst taking the photos, I was often under quite a tough cross examination from a load of 8 year olds as to what I had against whaling.
Anyway, all the above contributed to some of the most appalling football ground photography ever seen.
Here, for the first time is my Faroe Islands football ground portfolio. I precede each with a picture from another source of what the ground should look like, then my efforts.
07 Vestur
As it should be…
….my efforts.
AB Argir
As it should be…
….my efforts.
B71 Sandoy
As it should be…
….my efforts.
Nólsoyar Ítróttarfelag
This is slightly different as mine is quite a good pic, but it is very hard to see the ground. However, I did get a decent photo of the 3G pitch sheep shit scrubber.
As it should be…
….my efforts.
Sandavágur
As it should be…
….my efforts.
SÍ Sørvágur
As it should be…
….my efforts.
SÍ Sumba
As it should be…
….my efforts.
Víkingur Gøta
As it should be…
….my efforts.
At the turn of the century, I went on a trip organised by the British Trolleybus Society, to do bus tunnels in the Faroe Islands.
Come 2012 and a couple of new tunnels had opened. I had an agreement with my then girlfriend that every three years we had a holiday to somewhere without trains, so we therefore agreed to ventured north west to the Faroes (I didn’t mention the bus tunnels to her, but did clear them). In addition to the buses and ferries, I had also seen a lot of spectacular photography of football grounds on the islands, so the plan was to get some stadium pictures as well.
However, the ferry to the Faroes no longer calls in at the Shetland Islands, and as I don’t fly, it was a lengthy journey; the Harwich – Esbjerg ferry was taken, for a train to Hirtshals in northern Denmark, for a three day ferry journey to Torshavn. The good news is that I won a Danish chopping board in the afternoon bingo.
My intention in the Faroes was to use public transport to get to the grounds. I knew the buses were pretty infrequent but I can while away many happy hours in local bars, awaiting public transport.
On arrival, I was hampered on two counts. Buses aren’t just infrequent, they are pretty much non-existent, just running once in the morning and afternoon for the benefit of schoolkids.
Secondly, bars are also pretty much non-existent as prohibition existed until 1992 and most villages are only a few houses so the culture isn’t there. Sitting around drinking cans in the sun was also complicated as there are only six off licences, all run by the government, and it rains on 96% of all days.
This meant my photography had the following restrictions:-
- Photos were taken from a moving bus.
- Crowded full of school children.
- In either dawn or dusk.
- In the pissing rain.
A further development occurred with by sole outer garment being a black hooded top. Whilst this may not seem too much of a problem, my visit coincided with that of the Greenpeace anti-whaling protestor Paul Watson and his ship, the Sea Sheppard. The crews chosen apparel was also a black hooded top so whilst taking the photos, I was often under quite a tough cross examination from a load of 8 year olds as to what I had against whaling.
Anyway, all the above contributed to some of the most appalling football ground photography ever seen.
Here, for the first time is my Faroe Islands football ground portfolio. I precede each with a picture from another source of what the ground should look like, then my efforts.
07 Vestur
As it should be…
….my efforts.
AB Argir
As it should be…
….my efforts.
B71 Sandoy
As it should be…
….my efforts.
Nólsoyar Ítróttarfelag
This is slightly different as mine is quite a good pic, but it is very hard to see the ground. However, I did get a decent photo of the 3G pitch sheep shit scrubber.
As it should be…
….my efforts.
Sandavágur
As it should be…
….my efforts.
SÍ Sørvágur
As it should be…
….my efforts.
SÍ Sumba
As it should be…
….my efforts.
Víkingur Gøta
As it should be…
….my efforts.
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