Painting

Decorating, not something I am very good at I have to say.  I have never been the artist type with a pen or brush despite having a very colourful and vivid imagination.  It never seems to find its why on to the canvas or paper, lost in translation between my brain and the hand.  Strange then that I have found myself enjoying photography so much?  Yes it is an art form, you are painting with light yet I can do thing reasonably well, well I think so.  Anyway back to the decorating, why the sudden need to decorate?  Well the flat has not been decorated since it was built which is over ten years ago with the kitchen and bathroom in need of some tender loving care especially.  The previous tenants ran riot and were not the most caring of souls for sure.  I had asked the current landlord if I could decorate a little over three years ago sadly events at the time put those plans on hold.

Now I realize that my landlords desire to sell may well lead to the possibility of me having to move which has led to me having to do something that hurt but more of that in a moment.  In the bathroom there is an extractor fan and at some point before I took up tenancy dam got in and stained the surrounding wall.  In all my time in the flat it has not got any worse and it is dry to touch so the problem was clearly solved or has gone away.  Whilst I have been happy to put up with it for now people looking around the flat might find it of concern and the simple words of the agent or myself might not be enough to way lay any concerns.  So whilst out today I swung by B&Q, a place I haven’t been to for over 10 years at least, got a pot of white paint and something called brushes.

I have to admit the lack of instructions for the brushes was a bit disappointing and it took some working out before I was sure which end was the business end.  Still it was a 50 / 50 chance and this time I got it right first time.  Most of the bathroom is made up of titles so there is not much to paint but what there is can only be described as fiddly.  Also because the walls have not been painted in such a long time they are sucking up the paint I apply like a sponge.  Anyway first coat is on and that will dry over night and I will slap, sorry paint the second coat tomorrow morning.

I am actually quite chuffed with the latest attempt at decorating, as I usually end up with more paint on me than on the walls, not this time.  Many, many years ago I remember going to work after a weekend of decorating and end up with everyone thinking I had dyed my hair.  Despite spending hours in the bath scrubbing it would take weeks for the paint to wash off, those were the good old days for sure.

But why paint, well even though I might not be able to stay here I am determined to do everything I can to help my landlord sell his property.  Making it more presentable than it is currently is one way I can help hence the struggle with the paintbrush and lack of instructions.  I am scared of moving and how it is going to be achieved give the financial mess I have sat at my feet but the situation has been eased some what thanks to selling some of my camera gear.  Sadly the item that sold was my favourite and most prized piece of equipment, a lens that I fell in love with from the first time I used it and one that has been with me throughout my personal and photographic struggles.  It was one of the lenses I brought with the money given to me by mum and I vowed never to let it go.  But this is the cost of taking one step at a time and not being prepared or responsible for making sure that I was prepared.  The lens is a Sony 16-35mm F2.8 Ziess Alpha, picture below, a work of art and such a beautiful lens to use.  It transformed my church photography completely and rapidly become the most used lens in my kit bag.  I would have never been able to afford it if it had not been for my mum and I am unsure now if I will ever be able to do so again.  It is not a total lost as I still have two lenses that cover the focal range it covered but that is not the point.  It was more than just a piece of glass, metal and plastic it was part of my photography, part of me and my passion for photography.

It does me that I might be in position to move, well it is going to help, but it does not sit easily with me that it is gone.  As a result I have taken everything that is core to my photography off my Amazon store.  I do not expect anyone to understand how I feel, I guess looking on the outside in you’d have a right to say well it is your own fault or it is only a lens for pity’s sake.

True, very true but then you take away one element of something you are passionate about and see how you feel.  I have chronicled umpteen times how much my photography means too me and losing this lens has cut deep.  So having made a very stupid mistake in allowing that lens to be sold I am going to put it right by changing my computer system, well selling some of it, so I can get the lens back.  I am less precious about my computer than I am about me photography by a country mile, fingers crossed I am successful.

Just to give you an idea of what this lens can produce here are a few photographs.  I have taken the “No Parking” photograph with most of my lenses and some of you might recognize it but the best photograph by far has been with the 16-35mm for sure.

I stupidly cut of the right arm of my photography and I feel such a muppet.  In a way I let my mum down as she gave me that money to follow my dream and I just sold part of it.  That is the last time I sell my soul and I am going to get that lens back I do not care what it costs, it was wrong and I should have stood by my feelings this time.

If you have wondered why I have been out of sorts, yes the idea of losing the flat is one part and the gossiping aimed at me by others has not helped but letting this lens go is really hurting.

On a lighter note I have decided on my tattoo which is going but where it is going to go is another matter, I might need some help on that one.  The tattoo is going to say “Fuck Cancer” with some decorative bits either side, what to you think?

So tomorrow is on to tomorrow and the second coat, a pint with a photographer friend and a viewing, Oh and planning how to get that lens back.

Until next time take care.

Pooh x