The love of colour

It's clear that the human animal loves colour. This family of young Omani girls (all sisters) shows how women all over the world love to dress up and decorate themselves. 

At the railway station - # 115/2011

Changed times - # 80/2011

Severley cropped for discretion - and so a little bit grainy: we see how times have changed.  Taken during a recent walk through the City of London, we see an elegant black-suited lady banker pausing to have her shoes polished in the old fachioned way.

Making an impression - # 75/2011

Trying hard to get noticed.

Lunch time colour - # 70/2011

Enlarge it.  You can actually count the little half moon bites in the sandwich.

The Buggy - # 61/2011

I can't take Monte Carlo seriously. It's a bit of frivolous fun but it's not real. What serious person would do the week-end shopping on the High Street in this vehicle? (Well, ummmm, I might!).

Girl on a motorcycle - # 56/2011

All over France girls are riding motorcycles. They ride them in Britain, too - but not like in France.  The best shot of all (which, of course I missed) was the girl in high heels on a motorcycle! Lesson.....never switch off the camera , and never put on the lens cover until the very end of the day. Next time I go to France I plan to photograph absolutely nothing but girls on motorcycles. I'll just sit by a road for 2 weeks and snap away. Every snap will be a winner.

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.

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?)

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!

Crossing over (Transition from Winter to Spring) - 5 - # 41/2011

The Six Nations - today England beat France at Twickenham, the home of Rugby. 17 - 9 for England but it was not "a walk in the park" for the winners.  France are superb at rugby, and so are England - and in this game both sides were well matched.  The French are a bit off form at the moment and were most likely to loose.  But England, who are on form, made some sloppy mistakes.  When playing France at rugby a mistake usually costs you the whole game. This was, as always when England meets France, an exciting match. Tonight Richmond town centre will be full of celebrating fans and downcast Froggies.

The photo? I almost forgot it: walking in Richmond Park alongside the snow drops and the catkins.  (From here you can see the huge Twickenham stadium and although it's a couple of miles away you can hear the roar of the crowd.)

Crossing over (Transition from Winter to Spring) - 1 - # 35/2011

Returning from the brilliant sun and warmth of winter in Oman I have been wondering what on earth to do next.  As the archive builds up it will be nice to try to document the transition from a nasty Winter towards Spring.  So we can start here with "Crossing over". There is a hint of the damp asphalt after rain, and the ravages of winter can be seen already on the bad road surface. Given the sad state of the public purse, lack of cash and cuts in expenditure that damaged surface is likely to be there for a while, and will get worse before it is repaired.

1/5th of a second - # 34/2011

Natural colour - # 33/2011

It'll take me a while to rebuild the archive, which is now quite depleted after the ravages of injury, personal loss and being away. Seeing this splash of colour, both natural and manmade, brightened up an otherwise very grey, damp English day.

A nice day out in London - # 32/2011

A wet day in London......you can't beat it: the shine on the asphalt, the scurrying people, the sheer colour and emotion of it all.

Contrasts with Muscat 2a - # 27/2011

Midday in Muscat 25 degrees v Midday in Kingston 2.5 degrees.  The melancholy of the winter walk in an English town. Grey, quiet, the thronging and popular in Summer shut down chairs stacked and windows blank and empty in winter. The warm coats, the hats, the socks and boots. Thinking of getting home, lighting the fire and toasting crumpets and making hot tea.

Contrasts with Muscat 2 - # 26/2011

Midday in Muscat.

This isn't typical. The flowers and the nicely laid out public park are typical, but this is the only sleeper I ever saw. He obviously isn't worried about sunburn on his feet.

Muscat Moments 21 - # 17/2011

"The village at the end of the world"............my son brought his rock-hard Jeep across the desert from Dubai.......it's a lovely multi-lane highway built to the best standards.


However, this fishing village is accessible only by a rough-riding Jeep or by sea. But they have electricity and school and the road is maintained, if rough. They are by no means cut off, and a fishing skiff could quickly reach Muscat.


Omanis are friendly, outgoing seafarers and by tradition like contact with foreigners (provided you respect their pride as Omanis).  They graciously invited us to sip Omani coffee and eat dates - delicious sweet and sour/dates and coffee.  Over coffee we discussed international football, the cost of cars and the price of buying a wife.  There was a long contemplative silence after Christopher reckoned £500,000 as being the cost of a wife in England..........which then exploded into a loud burst of exceptionally raucous laughter and back slapping. After the usual photo-call we were graciously lead back to the Jeep and waved on our way.  Riding away in the Jeep we were thinking.........Hmmm, just like men all over the world!!!

Muscat Moments 20 - # 16/2011

Surfin' Oman...............just like anywhere else, but hotter.

Muscat Moments 14 - # 10/2011

The vegetable trader: early morning on the beach at the tiny fishing village of Al Musanaah, an Indian trader has brought down a van load of fresh green vegetables and he already has a customer.  Behind them is a magical demon's cave...........the marine engine repair shop, as oily and exciting as an engine repair garage anywhere.