Chris Gravett

A couple of weeks ago I did a job at the Land Rover Owners International Show at the East of England Showground. It was my first assignment for a new publishing client. As I know (knew) nothing about Land Rovers, Range Rovers and their fanatical owners, I approached the job with just a little trepidation. I'm pleased to say my clients feedback on downloading my output was...

 " Thanks for the images, they are excellent. Just what we wanted.Some crackin' images."

Phew!

It was a most enjoyable day and opened my eyes, as my photography activity always does, to a whole new world I was unaware of. I'll share just a few pics with you today.

First of all I went to an off road course where Land Rover Owners pay £15 for the privilege of taking their vehicles round a mud and hill course and usually letting testosterone overtake common sense and then face the embarrassment of having to be towed out of a mudhole or even blowing their engine up!

You can no doubt see this driver's partners hands over her face as he plummeted all too slowly into this puddle. She had something to say about 'boys and their toys' when they had to be towed out a few minutes later!

The driver of this 'Defender'(a term I learnt on the day) was more competent, cocky even, as he covered the marshall with mud - not sure that was advisable!

Meanwhile back at the show there is all sorts of excitement. Land Rover Owners display their vehicles, promote every kind of add on and customised version imaginable and even buy and sell second had bits and pieces. They take their vehicles into the show ring and talk about them with a passion I did not believe possible. And for the non petrol head families and friends who have been dragged along there are trick cyclists, sheep dog trials and even sheep steeplechasing - The Lamb National! - for entertainment. But the piece de resistance was the Twist Off. The idea is, I assume, specially adapted vehicles compete to drive one wheel up a FlatDog ramp. The vehicle that gets the highest without tipping over wins. Tricks like deflating tyres, disconnecting suspension and going either forwards or in reverse all appear allowed.

Well here is a meaty looking motor which was an 'also ran' but the photo shows a good example of what I learnt is called 'articulation' (something which appeared to excite the LROs and means all the wheels facing different directions at the same time)

Next up is one of the masters - and this one managed not to turn over - in fact only one vehicle did and I'll spare their blushes by not publishing the photo - well not today anyway!

Here's the rear view - a bit premature in saying 'Game Over' but none the less a very good effort.

Well as you can see a lot of macho stuff going on at the LRO but earlier in the show ring as owners showed off their Rovers a certain Kev, owner of a rather old beige Range Rover asked the compare for a few moments with his microphone. His wish was granted and no sooner was he down on one knee...

..and proposing, publically to Anne, owner of an equally ancient light blue Range Rover (that may well have had a bed in the back). I was privileged in finding myself right next to them on this special occasion and able to capture the event. At this point I, along with the crowd, paused to wonder what the answer might be...

'I will' declared Anne to our relief and the happy couple embraced. Ahh!

Well, with that we will say congratulations to the happy couple and leave them to plan the marriage, which I can only believe will be shared with Range Rovers in one way or another. Contact me Kev/Anne if you are looking for a wedding photographer who now has a certain empathy with Land Rover Owners. x