yeah… people look at me like I’m nuts when I say that but seriously… clouds and dramatic skies are fantastic.
London tends to be grey so looking up is rare as you have to spend most of your energy avoiding nutters or poop!
I sell images so please contact me if interested in prints or digital downloading (so you can choose your own printers/discounts etc)
I love clouds
I love clouds
I love clouds
I took some images at the small green space near the House of Parliament which had several groups who were protesting about the cuts and human rights that are affected by decisions made by MP’s for the Budget 2012.
They have been uploaded and you can find them here Budget 2012 Images which can be purchased for download (please use the correct credit if used, thank you!)
Budget 2012 protests near Parliament
my friend Emily from Owl Knit You who has several exhibitions under her belt (or should that be web?) let me take some portrait shots of her with her webs – I used some budget portable lighting soft box, umbrella and two flash guns with trigger kits.
We only had a small space to do this in so it was a tight fit and awkward but I rather like the finished shots – I still have several to retouch but here’s one of the finished items…
Emily Portrait - Owl Knit You
My twin brother’s daughter will arrive any day now – the due date is the 23rd March but maybe just before this.
I hope to visit so I can take some photographs of her… I’ve planned photos of her for the next six years ;-P
I made some booties which I mentioned months ago on this blog and I finished the blanket – a modern update on the granny square with bobbles on the edge – Sola’s mother loves purple so I used two tones of that colour in the blanket.
I also made some decorative or cuddly toy cushions in her name which proved to be awkward but I doubt a newborn will mind!
Sola's Birthday Presents...
Neo looking up set because I said the word 'treats' without immediately giving her some.
I always think that I should go down to the Thames ‘beach’ when it’s low-tide but I’m usually wearing converse shoes – not so good in muddy wet conditions but I thought sod it… last Monday I popped down to a part that wasn’t too muddy but the stairs were covered – so now my converse are covered in mud, the back of my coat and my jeans were splattered yet all that happened when I was going back up the steps lol… oh well… I did get this picture though:
a quiet moment in a noisy city...
Prints can be brought from my website – if you get stuck or have any questions (or would prefer it as a digital download instead of printing through one of the available linked printers then let me know – email me and I’ll try to help 
)
a few images from a walk around the Royal Victoria Docks which can be found on my main photography page – Prints available from my main website – see the photography link or visit Society6 where prints, with or without frames, iphone, laptop covers and more can be purchases.
a Monday morning walk which ended up being 9 miles… I think the chocolate croissant was well deserved after that!
some ‘modern trees’… the lovely birch trees outside the Tate Modern, London and below shows the sky reflected in some office buildings near London Bridge. Prints can be brought from my website – see the photography link or from Society6
I had insomnia so I missed the fresh snow on Sunday as I woke so late so it was the first snow day where I didn’t run out of the door early!
I eventually had a short walk around my local park and took these…
I would love to find a hilly area and take a shot of London covered in snow… maybe next time?
My friend Owl Knit You (Emily Wilson) has an exhibition of her webs (now updated with wire and maps!!) at the ArtSmacked curated exhibition at the Aviary Gallery 458 Hackney Road, E2 9EG.
I went to the private view on Thursday 3rd February 2012 and took a couple of images (the lamp and gas fire images are just me messing around and not part of the exhibition!)
The Artists:
Lewis John Brooks (England) Mixed Media
Bel Lefosse (Brazil) Installation & Object
Christabel Lindner (Canada) Video, Mixed Media
Bill Millett (Scotland) Photography
Sujata Sengupta (India) Design
Emily Spence (USA) Fabric Design
Sorcha-Mai Stott-Strzala (England) Video
Nataliia Taranukha (Ukraine) Painting/Sculpture
Sarah Kate WIlson (England) Mixed Media
Masaki Yada (Japan) Painting
I managed to miss taking a few images of some of the artist but you can make an appointment to view up to the 10th February.
Visit ArtSmacked and Apiary Gallery for more information.
I recently took the Intermediate DSLR evening class at Photofusion (based in Brixton) and I rather enjoyed it!
It comprised of four evenings: one with a more contextual overview of photography and composition, a studio lighting set up which was fun (and I ran out and brought a wireless trigger kit for my flashguns 
) and the last class covered Adobe Lightroom which I knew a fair amount about but did find some more interesting shortcuts and tips to use.
Paul Ellis is the main tutor with Richard Wills who took the Adobe Lightroom class.
Richard also recommended a couple of books which is always an excuse for me to visit Amazon… I now have even more books that are lined up to read… the pile is getting larger and larger!
Heres a couple of shots from the studio class…
One key light only (round softbox/beauty dish) which background! Two images with same Fstop but different speeds - to show that with flash there is no difference
key light round softbox/beauty dish), white background (brought out by two back lights which were metered to be 1 stop over exposed. Photofusion Intmediate DSLR class - day 2 studio flash etc.
(halo effect) key light round softbox/beauty dish), black BG with one halo light behind head which were metered to be 1 stop over exposed. Photofusion Intmediate DSLR class - day 2 studio flash etc.
4 sec with two flash and showing still flash and then movement from person in non flash shutter open - Photofusion Intmediate DSLR class - day 2 studio flash etc.
cropped in version of previous image
We did go out by the Rizty in Brixton but as lining up 9 camera & tripods would have been a pain we used Photofusion’s own cameras and split into two groups.
I spent last Saturday with my Nieces and my Great Nephews in a colourful autumnal park in Henly-on-Thames.
Taking photographs of children is always challenging and I wanted to shoot most of the images in manual mode rather than my slightly chicken stance of semi-automatic (usually AV so I can change the depth of field easily and let the camera do the rest for me).
I did take a tripod and reflector which didn’t get used – there was a couple of photos that were ruined and would have benefitted from using the reflector to soften the afternoon light – it gets dark early so we had to be at the park by 2pm in order to get some shots in but a reflector is useful in entertaining children!
I took about 400 images and a few ‘good one’s’ were out of focus which is rather annoying but happens when trying to get quick candid shots of children.
Brothers alternative school photo session
I’ve just made some proto-type critters using Spoonflower… a company that prints your designs onto fabric.
I was trying to make a screen print Clara rag doll but I had some problems with exposing the screen and I don’t really have the room to try again so I though I’d give Spoonflower a try!
3 'Blipi's from one fabric set - spoonflower
one set has a set of 4 ranging from tiny to large cushions and another set has 2 giant cushions (two colours) and once I’ve tested and tweaked the design (I’m not too happy with it at the moment) then I can either sell it from Spoonflower (the printed fabric but the buyer sews it themselves) or do it myself and sell via etsy.com!
one giant 'Blipi' from Spoonflower Printed Fabric
scarf up-cycled toy with Blipi's in the background