Over sleeping

Today was a strange day, which for me started at 11am.  I know lazy sod but it was not my fault it was father time.  Snuggled under the bed clothes I looked at the clock and it said 6:30am and I thought good another hour or two then up and out with the camera.  Well the next time I woke up it was 11am, most of the morning gone and the opportunity to give the camera a serious workout.

So a rethink of my day was in order but what to do?  Well I had to do some shopping for tea and I have been missing work so I thought I would combine the two.  It felt good to be back at work again even if it was only a visit.  I did feel guilty standing there all refreshed and bouncy and my colleagues looking so drawn and tired, well a little bit.  Not sure if the threat to chain me to a trolley was real or not so I went and did my own shopping and then had some lunch and caught up on the news.  At least I know what is roughly going on next week and what hours I am going to be working, a lot lol.

It was then home and an afternoon updating my website and trying to get my head around my distinction project.  I have decided to retake a number of the photographs I took yesterday as I am not entirely happy with them.  So it is early to bed, plenty of sleep and up nice and early tomorrow.  A hearty breakfast, shower and off out.  I have already updated my photography playlist so it is only work by Simon Webbe.  I am having a bit of a Simon Webbe phase at the moment but have just been introduced to a band called “The Boy and Bear” and I have to say they are very good.  I think I am mellowing a bit and edging towards music to chill too.  I will leave the bouncy music for work where I bounce the best.

I have enjoyed the opportunity to recharge my batteries and I still have three days left to exercise my camera.  I’ve not done half of what I had on my to do list but it was a rather ambitious to say the least.  Saturday I have to pick my new glasses up which is exciting having gone for the modern look rather than the traditional.  Wonder if I will be able to carry it off?  Well that is one of the great questions isn’t it and I think I will end today’s post with it.

Until the next time take care.

Si x

My box, my thoughts, my photography!

Every time I step out with my camera it feels like the first time.  There is the same excitement, same tingle down my spine and the same nervousness.  Yet my photography feels as if it as developed a mature side that at present is difficult for me to describe.  I found today’s shoot very exciting yet full of frustration as if I was fumbling in the dark unable to focus or see the subject before me.  Yet at the same time I was finding myself trying new things based on lessons I have learnt previously.

As you can see it has been a very confusing day and as things stand I can honestly day that I am unsure whether it was a completely profitable one photographically speaking or not.  So I guess as I type this I am a troubled photographer but happy with that feeling!!!!!

I think that one of the things that troubled me was the surprise I had when I visited one of my favourite churches, St James at Leckhampstead.  I had dismissed the church from my project because of the small plot of land it is situated on and the interior did not lend itself to a complete photographic workout.  Imagine my surprise when entering the church I found that all the reasons for dismissing the interior were gone.  The interior has been opened out and now leans itself to be photographed and included in my project.

I have four days left in with which to exploit my camera to the full, well that is not true there will be days off but if I am to meet the April deadline I am going to need to make the most of every hour of every day.

My mind is in a frenzy, the photographic workload is picking up a pace and the nerves are feeling edgy, exciting times.

A short while ago I was in a very dark place as I have mentioned before which is a complete contrast to where I find myself now.  It does not stop me feeling edgy about the past or how close that dark place is.  I am not going to let it back in, I could not go through that again.  Yet throughout today I was reminded of it, it flashed across whilst I was composing a photograph, driving along the country roads, cooking dinner.  It is trying to make its presence made and interrupt this good feeling I have.  Are we not allowed to feel good about life, are we not allowed to enjoy ourselves?  Have I served my free period of feeling good and now have to pay the price, does feeling good have to come at a price?

I have a box, it is a very special box and it represents me, just me and inside this box I feel safe, almost myself.  It is a simple box that is just the right size and it is where you can find me all the time.  Well you cannot as I am the only one allowed in now and I am not about to give the password to anyone.  Not even my photography is allowed in and that is saying something.  This is the first time I have a space that I can call my own, the first time I have some room to begin to understand myself.  The inside of the box is simple, it is white and texture free and like the Doctor Who’s Tardis it is bigger on the inside than the outside.  I have spent a lot of time getting myself to a place that feels good my box will now hopefully allow me to begin to understand and learn about about myself and this colourful world.  I world I have to live in but not necessarily accept or agree with but one that fills me with intrigue and wonder.  I am sure it will be the death of me yet but I will die trying to discover its beauty.

I have been told I over think things and that I should let my emotions have more say.  Well to that I say they are one and the same, my emotions rule my thoughts and I think I will let them continue to do so as it feels the right thing to do.

It is amazing what one can write off the cuff and after a glass or two of wine.

Well on to the photographs from today, am I happy yes and no.  They are going into my distinction pool but I think I will need to revisit a number of locations as they are not spot on.

Well that is all for now, until the next time take care.

Si x

Should have gone to Specsavers

Yesterday I passed that age, that age when one’s eyes decide to do funny things, well that is according to the optician.  I had a very thorough eye test, they tested everything and that included my eyes response to pressure test six times.  Apparently as we sail through our 40’s our eyes change more than at any other time of our lives.  I have reached this pivotal point and this means a rethink on my eyewear.  I now have the choice of having varifocal lens or one pair of reading glasses and one pair of distance glasses.  Two pairs or one, well I did not like the idea of the varifocal lenses where a third of the lens has a noticeable haziness to it but I do not like the idea of having two pairs.  So it was down to cost which means I decided to go for the two pairs mainly because the optician had an offer on buy one and get one half price and it worked out a lot cheaper too.  So no laughing at Si when he has to change glasses to look at something and if I look over my glasses at you it is because I am wearing my distance specs and you are too close, honest.  I hopefully pick up my new spectacles this coming Saturday.

Today I have been working on my photographic distinction project looking at the photographs already in the draft panel and working out where there are gaps.  As a result I now have a photo shoot planned for tomorrow to start filling those gaps and hopefully continue with new ideas too.  One thing is for sure this project is making me take a very long and hard look at my photography.  I have become super critical and sensitive and at present I can only think that is a good thing.  Focusing purely on this project has been a good thing; it is making me think long and hard about every aspect of photography.

This is also day 3 of my time off and I have to admit the change of daily pace has been noticeable.  In some respects I feel more tired than before but that is only because I am relaxing and not rushing around with a trolley shopping.  My job certainly provides a good form of exercise and I do feel a bit like a slouch at the moment.  Still I have four or five days of photography left ahead which is very exciting and will keep me going.

Well until next time that is all for now.

Take care.

Si x 

St Margaret's Church, Catmore

Today started with a full English breakfast which is the unhealthiest yet best way to start a day.  They say breakfast like a king, lunch like a queen and dinner like a pauper; well I got the first one and last one right.

Today was going to be about the weather; a first for me but then it was based on what I could do for my photographic distinction project.  If was going to be sunny like yesterday it was going to be another day of outside but as it turned out it was overcast with showers.  This meant an indoor photographic session and now that I have my antique bible prop there was only one place to go, St Margaret’s church in Catmore.

So after a shower it was time to get into photography mode, gear prepared, necessary clothing on but this time I took a flask of coffee and something to eat.  I did not want thirst or my sugar levels interrupting this shoot.  So with playlist updated it was off to Catmore.

I had a determination within me to nail a number of photographs that I took during my pervious visit which felt incomplete.  I printed the photographs in question off yesterday and scribbled notes on them.  The first thing I did was unclutter the church of everything that was not meant to be there, this meant moving a tall garish sign prompting the churches conservation trust.  Not that I disrespect the trust it's sign just did not fit in and I did put it back when I had finished.  I placed my gear in a discrete corner and sat down to gather my thoughts.

There were a lot of thoughts to gather so I poured a cup of coffee and reviewed the scene in front of me and looked at the prints.  There is no better place to think and gather ones thoughts than in a church whether you are religious or not.  Aside from the wind there is nothing else to disturb you.

Today I entered the church with my hand on my heart, nervous and afraid that I would not be able to deliver on my own expectations.  I have set myself high goals with this project and it is testing me for sure.  I woke this morning refreshed yet tired but was determined to get out and work on the project.  I cannot shake the tiredness yet but I am feeling more refreshed as each day passes.

I spent a few hours in the church, my playlist rocking my ears and driving me on.  Time flew by and before I knew it I had 156 images in the bag and it was time to go home and start to process them.  I want to keep on top of this project so it is important to keep tabs on my progress.  This means that my personal blog is short and sweet and late in the evening. I have a week were I can make a big impact on this project so I am going to make the most of it.

Well here are the results from today; I have to admit I am very pleased with them and the pictures below are now part of my draft panel.

I have to admit it feels so good to be able to create images like those below.  I have spent three years working in and around churches and only now I feel it is being to pay dividends.  Time not wasted for sure.

I hope you like the photographs.

Well that is all for now, until the next time take care.

Si  x

St James The Less Church (LRPS Project)

What did you do today?  Well on my day of rest I took it easy naturally as I was not allowed to go to work.  Aside from waking up at 2:30am with a strong urge to go shopping it has been a very good day.  One of the good things about getting up in the early hours of the morning to go to work is that your mind is programmed for getting up early so when I stumbled out of bed at 8:30 it was not such a shock.  It also meant that I had the rest of the day to fill with relaxing things to do.

After breakfast it was time to attack the flat and my desk as both had been neglected for longer than was necessary.  So it was washing up, dusting, washing, sorting the ironing pile but not hovering as peeps were still asleep.  After all that I dived into the shower my mind busying planning a little photographic expedition as it was sunny and calm outside and looked like it was going to last the rest of the day.

So camera, tripod, photographers hat and gloves and IPH 150 playlist packed it was time for the off.  I have been planning photographs in my mind and printing off some old images and writing notes on them as reminders.  As it was such a beautiful day it was time to work outside rather in this time.  I chose St James The Less in Winterbourne for my subject of the day.

I decided to work on only one or two compositions during the shoot making sure I get everything right, double and triple checking everything just in case.  Then the inevitable happened, a couple out for a walk entered the church yard and sat down on one of the seats and unpacked their lunch.  Right in the middle of my composition and no matter what I did I could not hide them so I sat down and waited for them to finish lunch.  I could not spend time on the other composition I had in mind because there was a farther and daughter sat on a tombstone talking.  There was nothing for it but to enjoy my music and watch the light change, 45 minutes later they all left.

It was a very relaxing 45 minutes, enjoying the fresh air, light breeze and watching the light play amongst the trees and graves trying to search out the shadows.  Light is an amazing thing giving texture, shape and form to the world around us.  Burning out detail in whites and denied the opportunity in the shadows.  If you have never watched the light change a scene change spend an hour doing so, it is so magical.

So photographs taken it was food shopping for tea and then home, an hour processing the images from today and a little less writing todays post.  What will tomorrow bring, who knows as it depends on the weather.  I might spend a few hours at St Bartholomew’s church in Oare if it is as sunny as today.  I also have one interior photograph to retake in St James church; Leckhampstead and my antique bible will come in handy for that.  Then again I might just find a nice quiet pub take my kindle and enjoy a couple of hours of fine ale and a good book, who knows?

Well here are the photographs I took today, the keepers anyway.

Well until next time take care.

Si x