Sunday 31 May 2015

Day 151: rose for remembrance

Today, even more than usual, I can't help but think about D, and it being eleven long years since he left. Sadly he didn't stick around long enough to read either of my blogs, or see my photography passion flourish. And as I definitely inherited my love of photography from him, I so wish we could have shared it.

He helped me choose my entry level Olympus SLR back in the 80's, but as much as I enjoyed taking photographs, I hated waiting for the prints to return from Boots and then be disappointed to see my vision hadn't entirely been realised. I didn't really understand aperture, f-stops and shutter speeds and just used to randomly experiment. Often with very mixed results.

I leapt on some compact digital cameras when they first became available, but I was frustrated with the lack of creative control. I mainly took photos of food with my beloved Leica C-Lux (procured in July 2006), but then I was writing a food and travel blog. Visiting other people's food blogs made me realise I was due an upgrade to a camera that would allow me to control the depth of field. My first D-Lux was bought towards the end of 2009, rather oddly, the beginning of this blog seems to have disappeared, as this, and my rationale regarding starting this new blog, would have been well documented here. I'd already been on a food photography holiday with my C-Lux, but the photography holidays really became a thing once I had more creative control.

D's photography would really come into his own when we were on foreign soil. On holiday he would disappear with his camera, trying to capture images of the landmarks before being besmirched by tourists. I recall M and I sleeping in at the hotel, whilst D was clicking away in St. Mark's Square, just him, Michealangelo stature of David and many, many pigeons. I didn't take my own photographs in Venice until I returned in April 2006. D sadly wasn't around to enjoy this revisit, it would have been lovely to compare our gondola shots.

Reminiscing to a much earlier holiday in Mykonos in Greece, a local fish dish inspired D to create the tickling game and pet name - Red Snapper. And, with perfect synergy, that thought popped in my mind when creating my new blog. I know D would have smiled at the memory and significance. Not surprisingly there are no red snappers around to photograph today, but an arty white rose shot seemed to capture both the moment and my contemplative mood.

 

 

Y is leaving our team for the shiny new team, so has kindly provided Krispy Kreme doughnuts to mark the occasion. Unsurprisingly I was drawn to the pink sparkly one. Well, at least ftom an aesthetic point of view. I'm not personally a fan of plain doughnuts, the ones filled with tiny cubes of stewed apple I like, but they're not generally so ornate. But reticence regarding concerning consuming sweet fried glazed dough, I can't miss the opportunity to grab a photo in all their shiny glory.

 

Thursday 2 sunset orange

Day 183: tangerine dream

It's one of those evenings when I spot the buildings around me turning golden and have to grab my camera. The only spot I can photograph sunsets on our floor now gives me a narrow window overlooking Southwark Cathedral and St Paul's. And as picturesque the spot is, I want a wider vistas, so that means a lift up to the higher floors. An advantage of getting higher is that I can capture the dying sun reflected off the Thames. So not a bad thing!

 

Friday 3 hare?

Day 184: here hare here!

Outside of one of my clients in Broadgate Circle is a sculptures of a leaping hare, crescent moon and bell. The artist is Barry Flanagan, who is renowned for his exuberant bronze hares. I'm leaving latish on a Friday night and the sky is beginning to bruise, I figure if I get down low I can get a shot of the hare against the blues and purples.

Two Withnail and I references in one paragraph, I reckon if I can squeeze in a "your hair are your aerials" or a "the purveyor of rare herbs and prescribed chemicals", I've hit the jackpot!

 

 

Saturday 4 Reculver

Day 185: Intoxicating sunset

I was at the Robert Canis workshop in Reculver in December when my Leica was very new and I was struggling to work out how to kick in the slow shutter speeds. So much so that I I could only take the post sunset shots by cranking up the ISO. On the train back into Victoria I pored over the user guide that thankfully I'd uploaded to my iPad and fathomed out the issue. I like to have my camera utterly quiet, no revealing clicking noises. It seems that the silent mode on my shiny new Leica, forces on the electronic shutter which then deprives you of the slow shutter speeds. So the answer was simply to have a louder camera.

The opportunity came up to visit the same spot again, but this time in the summer. For and L(a) had already signed up and when another spot became available, I snapped it up. In the end F had another more arduous cycling commitment, so L(a) and I reverted back to a journey by train. The only slight fly in the ointment was the last train from Herne Bay back into London Victoria departs at just past 10pm all year round. Back just before Christmas, we were shooting in the inky darkness before 5pm, over six months later the sun will just have set 5 hours later. Definitely no light painting of Reculver Tower this time.

But we hoped they'd be plenty of fine photo ops before we had to high tail it out of there.

When we arrived the conditions looked very positive and we each found a spot to set up the tripod and aim for a not too cluttered photograph. This North Kent coast beach gives us a few possibilities. At one end the Reculver Tower provides a distant focal point and behind us are some orangey cliffs. The sky seems to be going on endlessly and in front of us, the waves are breaking softly over the rock pool strewn beach, with the wind farm on the horizon. And above it, an ever-changing sky. It's almost an embarrassment of riches.

I start of by training my camera at the Tower, the sky is a soft cornflower and reflected in the rock pools.

After spinning around 90 degrees, the sky appears so much more dramatic, with a large triangular cloud above me. The dying sun is reflected in the deep ridges in the sand adding a welcome texture.

Turning around again, a trio of woman walking their dog seem to be perfectly coordinated with the blue of the sky and the warm terracotta of the cliffs. And even the white if the dog is echoed in the reflected pools. I loved the fact that in less than twenty minutes the sky is dotted with tiny fluffy clouds that I suspect has been applied by a painter with a dry paintbrush.

Then again I returning as my attention is caught by another dog walker pausing to admire the setting sun. Though I don't seem to caught his dog sniffing around the beach.

I'm now getting dizzy. I decide to find a fine spot to capture the reflection of the cliffs behind me in the pools on the sand. As the sun dips lower the oranges of the cliff walls are accentuated, vibrantly mirrored in the pooling water.

The is getting darker blue streaking with orange, and we've just over an hour before we have to leave. And I really don't want to leave all this.

As the sky gets more dramatic I want to capture more and more of it. I get as far back as I can, and as low as I can and try to record this fabulous multicoloured canopy above us.

Every minute the situation changes, the pink and purple clouds appear, the oranges get hotter and the sand darker. I am twirling around firing off dozens and dozens of photographs in awe of the scene evolving above and around me.

The time is ticking and the gorgeous pinks are intoxicating, but I mustn't get too distracted and miss the taxi to the station.

The scene alters again, the sky has deepening reds, drawn by a thick pastel crayon. It doesn't look real but there it is in front of me or perhaps it should be behind me as I should be heading back to pub to meet the taxi. But it's so alluring! I pack up and try not to look back but I just have to and wish I could stay longer. Those who've driven here are planning to get some shots from the other side of the Tower capturing the last vestiges of the sunset through the ruined windows. Bit I just can't!

We make the station in great time and peel off our waterproof trousers and new waterproof skirt respectively. The long journey home means in my case the opportunity to upload a serious number of photos to peruse. It's been an amazing evening, I feel positively drunk on sunsets. I could never have imagined quite so diverse photography ftom my last visit. What a difference six months and a stunner of a sunset makes.

 

Saturday 30 May 2015

Day 150: a home gnome

Every home needs a gnome! Well I figured so anyway. I was heading to LB's housewarming barbecue and as well as steak, ginger beer and posh chocolates, I couldn't resist this tiny pink pointy-hatted lamp. Thoygh LB never strikes me as a pink person. It does seem to resist our attempts to turn it on until a wooden skewer from one of the kebabs is deployed. The other guests were casting dubious aspersions as to his function...but it was only intended as a random housewarming gift!

I hear after we've finally left in the wee small hours that apparently its reluctance to turn on was only matched by irs aversion to turning off again. Naughty gnomey!

 

Friday 29 May 2015

Day 149: newborn Leica

So as much as I love my camera it has proved itself to be a bit of mucky pup. It not only has suffered from dust on the sensor but after each clean, the problem has actually worsened. And considering my camera doesn't have interchangeable lenses, dust on the sensor is actually quite a rare occurrence. I was delighted when Leica felt my camera should be exchanged for a new one, and mine be sent back to Germany to the Leica naughty step for a serious talking to.

So I box mine up and head back to Red Dot Cameras and avail myself of a shiny new one. There really is a special moment when you open the box first time to reveal your newborn Leica. I have taken mine out of the little bag so it can pose for its first portrait. I can almost see the allure of the unboxing videos you see on YouTube.

I'm positive my issue with the previous one was an aberration, so let the new dust-filled adventures begin.

 

Thursday 28 May 2015

Day 148: blingy ninja throwing star

When this little beauty popped up in one of my eBay searches, I was stopped in my tracks. Surely what was missing from my life is a Champagne diamond and black spinel ninja throwing star! I don't hand over any significant amount of money without doing some due solid and was initially a little concerned by the seller. I'd had dealings with them before, was very happy but mysteriously, they'd had received no feedback for several years. They explained that they has resurrected an old profile to sell in Europe and the one I'd seen before, for trade with the US market. Their explanation seemed plausible so I asked them to make me the pendant. I paid and placed my order on 8th May, they worked on the piece and it was shipped from India on Monday 26th. Because they used UPS I didn't have long to wait. After the first attempt at delivery I was able to pay the inevitable duty and got to have it in my hot little hand today. And I must admit, the pictures I'd seen didn't do it justice, it's more beautiful in the sparkly flesh, as it were.

For its close-up, I couldn't resist deploying my camera's inbuilt star filter to see if it captured some of the extreme blinginess, and it does. A few people have commented that they thought it'd be bigger after seeing my photograph, but really it's big enough and, extraordinarily sharp. So if it were super-sized, there is a very real possibility that a small mis-step could result in a punctured lung. Impaled by a rogue diamond pendant seems a dramatic but curiously fabulous way to go!

 

Wednesday 27 May 2015

Day 147: a possible octopus

I spend a fair amount of my late evenings at Westminster Station. The last tube home runs later than my last mainline train, so if I'm cutting it fine, the tube always wins. Westminster is a relative new station, of the concrete cathedral style. It has an austere industrial feel, banks of escalators, plenty of curved satin steel, exposed cables, pipes and services, criss-crossing braces and a slightly urban futuristic appearance. But it's also very leaky. The front end of the Westbound District Line is a host to a plethora of buckets capturing the constant drips. And this doesn't seem to coincide with rain storms, so it must be coming from somewhere else.

It's still a great place for people watching though. However if you tend to favour the very last tube each day, there are few people to watch.

Tonight I glance up at the ceiling, dramatically lit by up lighters, and espy what I suspect is an octopus. Not just any octopus, but an orange toy one which I suspect is sticky due to where was suspended. The orange is a perfect pop against the dark grey and I'm assuming someone threw it into the air with some force, and this is its final resting place. I'm trying to imagine if it was a child trying to see how far they could throw or an exasperated parent having confiscated said eight-legged creature, and tossed it to one side somewhat vigorously. I wonder if the stickiness will wear off one say and some unfortunate passenger will be awaiting the tube, and get a fright of their life when the orange tentacles work themselves free and it plops onto their unsuspecting head. Hmmm something to ponder whilst I will the last tube to arrive.

Tuesday 26 May 2015

Day 146: feeling blue!

I haven't heard back from Leica regarding my errant dust magnet of a D-Lux so I think I better gather some more evidence and reach out. I have a photo I took on the way to Bruton Place last time, showing the second set of dust blobs, plus the one I took the moment the camera returned from its sojourn from its extended stay at the Leica spa. I had been surprised and gutted to see a third set of four distinct new blurry blobs courtesy of the sensor. It's hard to fathom how it can go from being pristine to full of dust again whilst all wrapped up en route via courier from the workshop. The conclusion drawn by the engineer is that something internally was flaking off and causing these distracting blobs visible when usng smaller apertures.

I wanted to make sure there was no glass possibly adding its own dirty blobs to any images so I thought I'd grab some lunch on the fourteenth floor and nip out onto the balcony for a spot of photography. However all the doors leading to the balcony seem to be locked for some reason.

So I dash downstairs and out onto the plaza for my test images. I look straight up into the sky to capture both the Shard and our building looking very much like they'd fit together, should it be needed. The sun is really shining and it's tricky to see through the viewfinder. I can see the tiny aperture is causing the sun to burst from behind the Shard and curiously everything seems bluer. But it's not until l get back in the lift I realise the white balance is utterly off-whack and the kelvin setting is strangely high.

I decided that the increased blue cool temperature would add an appropriate hue to my sad dust-filled image, as the problem is causing me a degree of desolation. I have cloned out the blobs, hopefully for the very last time, and await Leica's final conclusion. Fingers crossed!

Monday 25 May 2015

Sunday 24 May 2015

Day 144: quote of the day

We're stood in Richmond Athletic Ground watching the rugby players vying for the City Sevens trophies. One of the many, many aeroplanes on their familiar flight path roars over our heads and Y asks with beguiling innocence, "is there an airport near here?"

Saturday 23 May 2015

Day 143: midnight run

Maybe this photo of the day should be strictly Friday but as I didn't actually start descending the escalators to reach the Jubilee Line platform at London Bridge Station past midnight it could definitely count as Saturday. And due to the extreme sleep deprivation I've inflicted on myself prepping, executing and following up on the big training session, Saturday pretty much involved sleeping, with the odd nap do no other photo opportunities.

Even when I'm dashing for the last train, the escalators are full of others making similar journeys. But after waiting a little, all the other passengers cleared except one, and I could capture those intriguing converging lines.

 

 

Friday 22 May 2015

Day 142: a greener Shard

For some curious reason since working almost next door I have only tripped over to the market to grab lunch on a handful of occasions. And often it's a Friday that the thought occurs, and of course that's the busiest day. Well weekday anyway, as Saturday used to be like the Waterloo and City line in rush hour but with nicer smells. I haven't headed to this neck of woods on a weekend for a seriously long time, so I don't know if it's quieter or even more rammed now. But Friday can still bring a lot of visitors shuffling slowly from stall to stall and I have my eye on the prize in the shape of fabulous fresh truffles tortellini courtesy of the Italian pasta stall. As I approach the glass entrance to Borough Market where the live demonstrations take place, I was struck by the reflection of the Shard behind me mingling with the greenery on the inside of the glass-fronted seating area. Yep it's that pointy building again.

Thursday 21 May 2015

Day 141: Berry berry

Just another close-up of the local flora. This time the soft white bloom on some green and purple berries.

 

Wednesday 20 May 2015

Day 140: Shard peek-a-boo

The lure of some tasty food with friends has gotten me out of the office at a reasonable time and as a bonus, the sun hasn't set yet. And trust me, that's a rare sight for me. As I cross the road I observe the Green Cross Code, look left, and see the ever-present pointy building peeking out from between our building and the above the hostelries on the other side of London Bridge Street. And the cornflower blue sky with the sun hitting the terracotta bricks at the roof top just compelled me to stop and take a shot. I had to a stand in the middle of the road to get my composition, but luckily I had enough time before a black cab started heading towards me.

 

 

Tuesday 19 May 2015

Day 139: a black day for us all

It’s been a dramatic day at work today, restructure, redundancies etcetera, and as if in some accord, the dramatic sunset reflects the mood on the inside outside.

It was one of those nights when I take what I think are some nice sunset shots, but am frustrated by the angle and the recalcitrant blinds so zip up ten floors to get a more uninterrupted view of the Thames, the bridges and St. Paul’s. I think I am finished but then less than fifty minutes later the whole atmosphere shifts entirely and I have to rush back up to the top floor to capture the much more appropriate photo of the day.

Sunday 17 May 2015

Day 137: Christening spoon revisited

Eight and a half years ago I discovered a craftsman in a Cambridge market that uncovered vintage silverware and reimagined them. We worked on a design for a christening spoon for my fairy goddaughter, KK, born on my birthday in 2006. At my behest he cut a fairy godmother (naturally) surrounded by butterflies and stars, finished with a message and a heart. In honour of her first holy communion I asked my favourite jewellers in Richmond to restore the silver to its long forgotten former shiny glory. I'm delighted with the result, worrying unnecessary that the inscription would be erased and really hope that KK is too.

I have since discovered that the craftsman has gone upmarket somewhat, the Christening spoons he makes now are highly polished and laid in a bespoke box. And understandably his impressive prices now reflect that. How lucky I discovered him before his service became a bit too rich for my blood.

 

 

Saturday 16 May 2015

Day 136: alley diving

There is a little passageway that leads you to the side entrance of Waitrose. I have walked down there countless times and have found it to be a rich resource for flora and flower photography. One of the reasons for it being a top spot is the vibrant variety of blossom and flowers that hang conveniently in easy reach of a close-up filtered camera lens. Secondly the stone walls elevate lots of smaller flowers into a more optimum position without having to get down on the floor, which would undoubtedly be most annoying for others nipping down this small alley.

After replenishing the fridge and cupboards from Waitrose, I head down there to sate my photography appetite and also, to get a bus back home. Today the daisies surrounded by smaller purple flowers catch my close-up filtered eye. I am fond of daisies; they have a ubiquitous quality couple with an elegant purity.

 

Friday 15 May 2015

Day 135: May showers

It’s been raining heavily and now it’s over I am drawn to the rather battered and bruised rock roses to see how they fare post-onslaught.



Saturday 16th daisies and purple flowers
Day 136: alley diving

There is a little passageway that leads you to the side entrance of Waitrose. I have walked down there countless times and have found it to be a rich resource for flora and flower photography. One of the reasons for it being a top spot is the vibrant variety of blossom and flowers that hang conveniently in easy reach of a close-up filtered camera lens. Secondly the stone walls elevate lots of smaller flowers into a more optimum position without having to get down on the floor, which would undoubtedly be most annoying for others nipping down this small alley.

After replenishing the fridge and cupboards from Waitrose, I head down there to sate my photography appetite and also, to get a bus back home. Today the daisies surrounded by smaller purple flowers catch my close-up filtered eye. I am fond of daisies; they have a ubiquitous quality couple with an elegant purity.

Sunday 17th spoon
Day 137: Christening spoon revisited
Eight and a half years ago I discovered a craftsman in a Cambridge market that uncovered vintage silverware and reimagined them. We worked on a design for a christening spoon for my fairy goddaughter, KK, born on my birthday in 2006. At my behest he cut a fairy godmother (naturally) surrounded by butterflies and stars, finished with a message and a heart. In honour of her first holy communion I asked my favourite jewellers in Richmond to restore the silver to its long forgotten former shiny glory. I'm delighted with the result, worrying unnecessary that the inscription would be erased and really hope that KK is too.

I have since discovered that the craftsman has gone upmarket somewhat, the Christening spoons he makes now are highly polished and laid in a bespoke box. And understandably his impressive prices now reflect that. How lucky I discovered him before his service became a bit too rich for my blood.


Monday 18th leaf rain
Day 138: crystal sprinkled ivy

More rain, and the ivy caught my eye this time.

Tuesday 19th dramatic sunset
Day 139: a black day for us all

It’s been a dramatic day at work today, restructure, redundancies etcetera, and as if in some accord, the dramatic sunset reflects the mood on the inside outside. It was one of those nights when I take what I think are some nice sunset shots, but am frustrated by the angle and the recalcitrant blinds so zip up ten floors to get a more uninterrupted view of the Thames, the bridges and St. Paul’s. I think I am finished but then less than fifty minutes later the whole atmosphere shifts entirely and I have to rush back up to the top floor to capture the much more appropriate photo of the day.

 

Thursday 14 May 2015

Day 134: a reluctant iPhone photographer!

I've been suffering from separation anxiety. My little baby had a brief trip to the Leica spa as it seems to have some sort of predilection for attracting dust on the sensor, it was supposed to be only a few hours but a misunderstanding meant I was deprived for 2 1/2 long, loooong days. On returning, its magnetic attraction to fluff is sadly still evident, in fact worse, a rare feat for a camera with a non-interchangeable lens. Leica feel somewhat thwarted and have offered me a brand new, hopefully very dust-phobic, replacement. Fingers crossed that we can reach a resolution.

In the meantime, due to extreme deprivation, I did something I very rarely do, take a photo with an iPhone. I was crossing the road this morning and was struck by the dramatic shadows the early sunshine was casting and was obliged to turn around and try and capture it. Even though the entire world around me is using iPhones, Androidsand bizarrely iPads to record every waking moment, I feel uncomfortable doing it myself. I so prefer putting my camera to my eye and seeing clearly what’s happening at the edges and corners of my image. I guess it’s not so long ago that my Leica had no EVF and I had to purely rely on live view. I bought my first EVF in August 2011 en route to a crazy photography weekend in Cambridge. And as soon as I had one, I couldn’t fathom how I had managed without one up until then. This earlier model could very easily fly off so I fashioned some sort of Heath Robinson construction to tie the EVF on securely onto the camera and prevent accidents.

Earlier in April I had been on a photography holiday to Berlin and the sun was so strong I shot most of the photos without really seeing what was happening on the back of the camera at all. And curiously, I am very fond of some of these photographs, especially the harsh shadows in the poignant Jewish Memorial. I am well overdue a return visit to Berlin and it would be interesting to see what has happened to my photography in the interim. The second thing I love about my EVF (and even more so with the Typ 109 have a built in one) is being to review previous taken photographs, unhampered by bright sunlight and the failing eyesight I suffer from. I am not sure immediately what difference this photograph would have if I my trusty Leica by my side and I appreciate I am in the minority, but I just cannot get my head around camera phonography!

 

Wednesday 13 May 2015

Day 133: new holly, older Holly

In honour of the fabulous Holly, who’s birthday it is today, I couldn’t resist a close-up of some baby holly!

Tuesday 12 May 2015

Day 132: more extreme close-up

I found a pair of Tiffen 43mm close-up filters but they didn’t arrive in time for the macro photography workshop at Kew. I have kept my stack of 39mm B+W close-up filters from my previous Leica but the need to step down really causes a vignetting problem sometimes. When I have time I will set up a tiny subject, a tripod and run a comparison test between the superior optics, smaller filters with the new larger (both in stature and close-up ratio) Tiffens. It will be interesting to see how marked the difference is.

I wanted to try them out on something small so this insect on a daisy seems as good as subject as any. With such magnification my thoughts turn to focus stacking that Heather taught us about last week. That means a foray onto the wen seeking reasonable focus rails to sit on top of your tripod and give you the precision for the focus slices.

 

Monday 11 May 2015

Day 131: just a pink orchid

Today a simple shot of a pink orchid. The table the orchid was stood was a rather scary orange-y wood so I toned it down a little. I think the resultant photograph is more balanced.

 

Sunday 10 May 2015

Day 130: you can have your bird and eat it!

We organised a surprise stylish and sophisticated ‘hen-party’ for another J yesterday. I figured I could include one of the images today, as the day didn’t actually finished until the wee small hours of today, when we called upon our chariots, or Uber, to whisk us home.

 

Our first port of call was the Mandarin Oriental for afternoon tea. Each table had a golden metal tree from which our cage of sandwiches and cakes, desserts and pastries could be hung. The plates had beautiful hand-painted birds on them and knowing someone who loves birds, I return later to score one as a souvenir of the day for another J. Amazingly, the hen party was civilised enough for no porcelain to be damaged during our various travels around the west end.

In between the waves of sweet treats we had just warm-from-the-oven scones with cream and preserves. We then had a quick vote and decided quickly which would be our top recommendations from the sweet section. And the winners were the ooh so darkly fruity cassis macaroon and the delicate meringue nest filled with an unctuous mixed berry mousse studded with raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and scattered with flowers. They Rosebery Room waiting staff were kind enough to replenish these until we were fit to burst. Also a take home bag was prepared for us, but I suspected the nests would not travel well, they didn’t!