London car show

Posted on April 6, 2015 by myeye1

I’ve been meaning to post about stumbling across a Top Gear car show in London for a while now. There was a huge variety of cars on show in central London, taking over a main road near Oxford Street which must have taken some preparation. I didn’t see any of the tv show presenters or the mysterious Stig but it was still interesting to see slick fast cars and motorbikes, as well as some newer, innovative designs, that run on electricity.

I also enjoyed seeing some of the slightly older sports car designs that looked like they belonged in Hollywood films of the 60s or the racing car films of the 70s and 80s

What I enjoyed the most were the really old cars, from as far back as 1901, with lots of details which, for better or worse, are lost with modern cars. There were some so old that they had cranks at the front that needed to be turned to get the engines going. There were a couple that even featured in films of that time

The car show was a nice exhibit to unexpectedly come across, especially on a sunny day, my only regret was not having one of my cameras with me so I had to make do with my phone, but I think some the pictures still came out quite well

Enclosed

Posted on April 2, 2015 by myeye1

Fresh as a daisy

Posted on March 26, 2015 by myeye1

These daisies seem to ‘pop’ out of the thick green carpet of grass. They really brighten my day whenever I spot them

Visit to the local park

Posted on March 16, 2015 by myeye1

We’ve had some warmer weather recently so I decided to go to one of the local parks for a walk and see if nature is showing any sign of waking up. There were some signs and as well as managing to take some good photographs I got some much welcomed fresh air too.

My favourite picture of the day is this one

I love how the water of the lake reflecting overhanging branches and the bright blue sky seems to appear like a waterpainting with soft brushstrokes. The mandrake in comparison is in sharpe focus, creating an almost surreal image.

I plan to come back soon and capture more of changing nature as the days get longer, brighter and warmer.

WPC: Orange

Posted on March 11, 2015 by myeye1

I thought I’d have a go at the weekly photo challenge for this week – the theme ‘orange‘.

My photos showing pops of ‘orange’ are: baby oranges for my baby niece; a pretty flower with a bokeh background; and sparkly beads from a gorgeous necklace – I’d be interested to know what you think

Sweet treats

Posted on March 5, 2015 by myeye1

These swirly treats are popular in South Asian countries and are called ‘Jalebi‘, They’re made of corn flour and are deep fried and then soaked in sugary syrup, which means that although they are delicious it’s probably not a good idea to eat too many. I think I want some now, looking at this photo…

London Photowalk with Trey Ratcliff

Posted on February 15, 2015 by myeye1

I’ve been a fan of Trey Ratcliff‘s work for a few years now, and for those of you not familiar with him, Trey is one of one the leading photographers in HDR photography and has a portfolio on his Stuck in Customs blog which contains some amazing images from around the world. His photographs are definitely an inspiration to me and I’m sure to many people out there.

When I heard that Trey was back in London and planning a photowalk (on Valentines Day) I was really excited and couldn’t think of a better way to spend the day. So, yesterday me and about a hundred other photographers converged outside the National Gallery to meet him and follow him around London, hoping to pick up tips from Trey and each other.

It was a typical British, February day, with grey clouds and low temperatures, with the ever present threat of rain, but everyone was in a great mood so it didn’t dampen any spirits.

The route was planned to take us from South Bank to Westminster and Parliament, around Whitehall then back across the Thames to the London Eye.
The theme and competition for the photowalk was to take an interesting picture of fellow photographers!

As we snaked around London (attracting quite a lot of attention and causing many people to stop and ask what was going on), Trey stopped at various points to show and explain his set ups, frames and what he was looking to convey with each image. One of the nicest things about the walk was just how friendly and warm Trey was, welcoming anyone to come and talk to him and ask him any questions.

Below are some of the photos I managed to take throughout the walk and although I doubt I’ll be winning any prizes, it was really great to meet Trey and I had a really fun experience. I can only hope to improve over time and capture great images like Trey one day.

Here are some fellow photographers

And these are some of my favourite photos from the walk, from late afternoon to early evening, giving us a change in how much natural light was available, and with the cloudy weather we had some amazing skies as a backdrop as the night drew in.

I look forward to seeing Trey’s post of the walk and of the fellow photographers, aka ‘Team Awesome’ (Trey’s name for the group not mine)

Early signs

Posted on February 11, 2015 by myeye1

We’re still in the middle of Winter here in England, but I’ve been out in the garden to see whether any plants have survived the cold season. Surprisingly, there were a few flowers still blooming, and there were also early signs of Spring and regrowth. I look forward to keeping an eye on developments over the coming months.

Big Ben

Posted on February 9, 2015 by myeye1

Big Ben is one of the landmarks of London that I haven’t really been able to see close up. I’ve seen it many times from across the River Thames or far off in the distance and I thought it was about time that I got up close to have a proper look.

The tower which holds the clock face is really beautiful, with gold and black engravings, and lots of intricate details carved into the sides. There’s Latin engravings, crowns and shields, all created with steady hands to create a stunning building which is part of the London’s historical landscape. It’s definitely a building that I can imagine visiting again and again.