Gleitschutz bei Eis und Schnee - # 105/10

This year I'm prepared for everything.  Well, I think I am.

Westminster meltdown - # 104/10

Did I mention how perishingly cold it was last Friday? It really dampens one's enthusiasm for waiting for the "right" moment.  Finally I could wait no longer and snapped the Houses of Parliament at sundown in this way.

The result looks as if a nuclear explosion is developing nicely inside the chamber of the House of Commons, and the central spire, on the extreme left, between the Lords (out of shot) and the Commons has already developed a nasty lean-in towards the structure already weakened by the first stages of the catastrophe.

However, in the centre background, the square tower of Westminster Abbey (flying its little flag) built almost 1,000 years ago by William the Conqueror, is standing solid, and the ultra-secure brand new Portcullis House  (On the right with the chimneys) full of MP's offices etc will probably survive.

This shot is a good example of "learning by doing".  Meaning that afterwards I was well and truly done in.

Suspended - #103/10

Friday I went to London.  Here's my interpretation of the "London Eye" - the Big Wheel on the South Bank erected for the Year 2,000 celebrations and still going strong, earning a fortune for it's owners.  It really is the finest way to "see" the whole of London.

The Wheel just begs to be photographed. This time it was the clean forms of the gondolas against the open sky that attracted my eye. 

Fungus - # 102/10

I said I'd show the fungus, so here it is. Looking closer I realise that the photo doesn't really do it justice, and more time should have been spent in true photography mode creeping around the site and taking 100 shots from numerous angles and at various settings.

But never mind.  What startles and impresses me is the brilliant white edge of the fungus. There is no flash lighting. This white edge is natural and I suppose that it comes from some property in the organism that responds to light, gathers and emits light.....or what ever.  I don't know.  But it is another miracle of the natural world.

Another striking image - # 101/10

.......tomorrow we'll do fungus.

Winter wild flower - Poppy - # 100/10

.....another wild flower snapped in the Wild Flower Meadow at the London Wetlands Centre this weekend.

Reed Heads in Black and White- # 99/10

We're staying at the London Wetlands Centre while I run through a selection of the images I took there, this weekend.  Being a "wetland" there are lots of reeds waiving in the wind.  Here are some of them.

Winter wild flower - # 98/10

Not a perfect shot but still arresting (a slight breeze made focussing tricky).  I was surprised to see that at the London Wetlands Centre, Barnes, http://www.wwt.org.uk/visit-us/london that there are still some fine wild flowers hanging on in the meadow areas.  I love going to the Wetlands. It is a truly marvelous re-creation of different wild environments as they are found around the world. There is also the benefit that as more and more birds discover and populate the centre they also visit the neighbouring areas as they fly around, exploring London.

For the technically minded: Lens - Olympus 50-200mm at 200mm (equivalent to 400mm on 35mm format) set at maximum aperture f3.5 to get that marvelous defocused background and the unrivalled Olympus in-camera processed jpeg colours. Camera: Olympus E3.

The Panther - # 97/10

Look closely at the Chinese vase.....yes, it's really old........and see the delightful panther prancing.  He's enjoying a little bit of grooming before he's put to bed for the winter.

Still life in the workshop - # 96/10

Fun.

Wet day in Richmond - # 95/10

It's Sunday, but everything is open except for the specialist and second hand book shop (there's more than one small flourishing private book shop in Richmond - some of the rare surviving miracles of 21st Century "developed world" commerce).

The damp weather is keeping customers away from the stainless steel imported Italian-style cafe tables.

Enlarge the picture and enjoy the green moss on the tiny tower-top beneath the cross on the church which was "renewed" in the 18th century. Admire also the original late Victorian white painted window frame on the Alhambra Cafe.

Teddington Lock - Autumn sunshine - # 94/10

Who can resist capturing the intense golden light as the sun sets on Teddington Lock?

Total disregard - # 93/10

Everyone doing their own thing, and only I am watching. Or am I the only one?

Memorial Sq through to Church St, Kingston on Thames - # 92/10

Come to think of it this would make a very nice B&W print.  However, it's done now, so I'm not going to change it.

This is one of my favourite views of Kingston town centre.  I really enjoy the harmony, the proportions, the human scale and overall shaping of the buildings and the way the street curves and gives a glimpse into the next one, and so on. When I'm in Kingston I like to just stop for a moment and slowly take it in.

It's getting late on the 29th October, so things are rather grey. But the town is still lively. 

Towards Richmond Park - # 91/10

Looking from Melancholy Walk, beside Ham House, across the Ham Polo ground towards the west facing escarpment of Richmond Park - Autumn.

Autumn light at Ham Pond - # 90/10

Ham Common pond in the evening light. The reeds are catching the setting sun and the natural brown of Autumn turns to gold. (The red car is now, unfortunately, a permanent fixture in any worthwhile of the pond, darn the ruddy thing!!! I shall have to start experimenting with the cloning and removing tools.)

Towards The Hill - # 89/10

First, I should thank those of you who so kindly replied to my message on yesterday's posting.

Today, let's continue the very simple return to old fundamentals.  This is the view towards the famous Richmond Hill as seen from the footpath alongside the old St. Peter's Church, which dates from Saxon times.  A Christian church has stood here for about 1,000 years, and even before that men were dwelling around about close to the river and on the heights above.  Even 400,000 years ago during the interglacial Paleolithic period the precursors of modern man were right here.

I like the view for the rooflines and of course the Autumn colours enhance it.

For the technically minded, the photo was taken on the Olympus E3 using the remarkably sharp and clear Olympus 50mm f2.0 lens.

Looking downriver, Richmond - # 88/10

My wife passed away on 23rd October.  Things have been difficult for quite a long time, which accounts, in part for my erratic posting record.  Things have now changed and I will be wondering what to do with all the time that will now be exclusively mine to occupy.

At this point I should thank one or two regular watchers of RuT, who have been aware of the difficulties, for their kindness and concern.

These few recent weeks of Autumn have been outstandingly good.  The colours and the sunlight, excellent.  Shortly before her passing Heather was encouraging me to get out and leave her alone.  She wanted me to take some time for myself.  Actually this was taken 10 days after her departure.  I'll be presenting the other choice views over the coming days.

This is a classic Richmond shot.  I took it because I wanted to capture the attraction of the roofline and of course the effect of the Autumn colours and the sunlight.  It all looks too good to be true, doesn't it.