Wednesday 30 March 2011

The City of London, midday - # 55/2011


"Waterloo sunsets (I am in paradise)" is a famous song by the Kinks.  French impressionists (I think I'm right) have painted it. 


This is "Waterloo lunchtime" - at noon.


Many will recognise it and love it. Those of you who have no idea about London will now see.  This is London in March. On sunny days London's nice, but on grey days it's, well, just Grey!  London has enormous amounts of culture and entertainment to offer the tourist, but the overall sense of London is "Business and Commerce"; "world Business"; and that's how I like it.


I am standing on Hungerford Bridge looking East towards Waterloo Bridge and the City of London in the distance. St.Paul's Cathedral, with its distinctive dome, is more or less in the centre and the towers of the city are clear on the right of it.  On the extreme right we see the rising central core of the new "Shard" - the skyscraper going up at London Bridge.

Wednesday 23 March 2011

Another one - 54/2011


I'm not going to bore you with endless naff shots of Spring flowers.  Unless something really super materialises, this narcissus will be the last one.  But, it is indeed wonderful to be enjoying a very pleasant Spring.  It's mild, the sun is shining: dare we hope that this will be an end to three years in a row of very bad doses of "eternal grey cloud". (At least that's how it has seemed to me).

Tuesday 22 March 2011

The Go-Faster Tulip - 53/2011


Spring!  I started a few weeks ago by announcing a little series aimed at showing the transition from Winter to Spring.  Suddenly Spring is here! It is magnificently manifest in the "go-faster" red stripes of this tulip which survived the attacks launched by slugs in February. 

Sunday 20 March 2011

The Bar Fly meets The Stand-up Comedian - # 52/2011


I enjoy "Stand-up".  It's often a bit crude (and sometimes it's unnecessarilly crude). It's certainly not "politically correct" and that's good in a world where political correctness has got out of hand and needs a rap on the nuckles. 

I have to thank the comedians at the Ram Jam Club at the Grey Horse in Kingston for kindly allowing me to photograph them in action, using only "available light" .  This is the most charismatic image I captured during a laughter-filled Friday night.

Sunday 13 March 2011

The 1930s - # 51/2011


I regularly walk past this doorway which is typical of the calming, elegant style of 1930s Britain.  It's hard to imagine that at the same time the industrial towns of Britain and continental Europe were still, by today's standards, quite horrible.

Wednesday 9 March 2011

Oak under winter skies - # 50/2011


Pen Ponds, Richmond Park, winter.

Tuesday 8 March 2011

Roofline - # 49/2011


I am greatly attracted to rooflines in towns. Living high up in an attic also has a similar attraction.  You can gaze out over the roof tops like a falcon, spotting your prey.  (This photo also treats you to a good view of that "Great British Institution", the Surviellance Camera.  There's an absolute masterpiece of the art on the pole, looking out for it's victim in all directions and angles at one quick glance of its multiple eyes.)

Sunday 6 March 2011

Red rider - # 48/2011


The grey and the damp are still with us but the Spring is definitely in the air. The days are getting longer and the sun is breaking through. On the plus side the cool air is envigourating and provided you are well wrapped up and assured of a warm home and a good hot tea on the table when you arrive back, it's OK!  (Oh, and don't you just love that flat grey sky?)

Friday 4 March 2011

Winter colour pallette - # 47/2011


Some mud, some leaf compost, water to reflect clouds and sky, damp grass, waiting for warm sun to liven it up. Some grey, some blue, some green, brown, yellow and tones in between.

Thursday 3 March 2011

It's that time of year - # 46/2011


February high tides flooding the banks at Ham as usual.

Wednesday 2 March 2011

How to take a photograph - # 45/2011


The other day I counted about eight serious amateur photographers within about 200 sq meters.  They were almost tipping over each other.  I nearly tripped over this one!

Tuesday 1 March 2011

Crossing over (Transition from Winter to Spring) - 7 - # 44/2011


It's rude to stick out your tongue! (This one didn't quite come out as I intended, but it's colourful and fun).  Anyway, it's a spectacular flower inhabiting the Winter Border around Pembroke Lodge in Richmond Park.

Crossing over (Transition from Winter to Spring) - 7 - # 44/2011


It's rude to stick out your tongue! (This one didn't quite come out as I intended, but it's colourful and fun).  Anyway, it's a spectacular flower inhabiting the Winter Border around Pembroke Lodge in Richmond Park.