Just a little image that may put a smile on your faces at this time when everyone has concerns far greater than brass band contesting...

Photographer Lorne Campbell has picked such a moment in time — with a wonderful picture that made it to the pages of the Daily Telegraph newspaper on the 18th May 2019.

All about it

He told 4BR how it came about: "I arranged to do a photograph of Strata Band at their bandroom in South Yorkshire as a preview picture to send out to the national newspapers and the brass band press, for the Spring Brass Band Festival in Blackpool.

It was a Thursday evening and the contest was on the following Saturday.

Terry Hardy, Lisa Hardy, Terry's daughter-in-law (baritone), and Joanne Darwin (horn) were the three players featured.

We did the pictures just outside the bandroom. The red of the uniforms, and the blue sky, with the warm colour from Terry's tuba, gave the picture rich tones."

Laugh

Lorne added: "I asked them to have a chat to each other while I took the photographs. I then suggested they maybe have a laugh and some animation. In the blink of an eye, Terry gave the most hearty laugh imaginable, and I got my picture.

He's a big character, and effortlessly, he gave me the picture I wanted. For that reason, it was one of the most enjoyable brass band shoots I've done.

He's a lovely man, and as his son Rob, who plays percussion in the band says, his father's glass is always half full. To see it printed big in the Daily Telegraph on the Saturday, and on-line was very rewarding."

I then suggested they maybe have a laugh and some animation. In the blink of an eye, Terry gave the most hearty laugh imaginable, and I got my pictureLorne Campbell

The man in the middle

Terry Hardy (68) first joined the then, Ireland Alloys Band in 1985. He has played tuba ever since.

On 6th February 2007, the day before his son Rob's birthday, he was told he had bowel cancer, and was given up to five weeks to live, if he wasn't operated on.

He has since made a full recovery, and is currently chairman of the band. He is now retired. During his working life, Terry was managing director of a Sheffield steel industry company, and then became manager for a security company.