Apologies for lack of blog posts

23-08-22

Apologies for the lack of blog posts and general interaction over the last few weeks. My lovely cat Mimi has been quite poorly, I had to rush her in to the emergency vets on Sunday morning, she is still there now. Hopefully I will be able to bring her back home later today. Consequently I’ve not been able to settle or get out and about to take many photographs, just the occasional visit to the music pub for a couple of hours on a Friday.

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Bring The Paint #2

26-07-22

My Photo Buddies and I were a little bit early for the “Bring The Paint” display in the town last time we met up. So a couple of weeks ago we decided to see what progress had been made, and it gave us a chance catch up and have coffee and cake at one of our favourite coffee shops.

From our first visit. The guys painting the artwork were suspended in the cradle at the top of the building, made me dizzy just looking at them.

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The painting now looks complete, it depicts some of what the city is known for, at the very top a Fox representing the local football team Leicester City (The Foxes), an Astronaut for the National Space Centre in the city, not sure what the third artwork is, but the last one is a Tiger representing the Leicester Tigers Rugby football club.

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Got to admire the guys who painted this artwork dangling from the side of the building in a small cradle.

Thursday Doors

21-07-22

Not been out and about taking photographs very much lately, friends testing positive for the virus, and the heatwave here in the UK have put a temporary dampener on things. Though I did manage to meet up with the Photo Buddies a couple of weeks ago and find a few doors I hadn’t seen before.

If you would like to see images of some great doors from around the world check out Dan Antion’s excellent blog.

Grand entrance.

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Neglected.

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It’s not about the door.

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Blue Georgian style.

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Different kind of Blue.

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Protected.

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It pays sometimes to look up and see the old town.

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Summer Heat & Infrared

12/07/22

Summer in my part of the UK has really kicked in this week, the thermometer in my kitchen was reading 30deg C. 90deg F. not that hot compared to many places, but UK houses are built to retain heat. Consequently I didn’t get much sleep last night, so having a lazy day today, just waiting to see the first proper images from JWST and watching the Tour de France live on the TV.

All this heat prompted me to dig out some Infrared images I took in 1992 on the Isle of Eigg. When we arrived on the island it was quite cool, but the next day the temperature really rocketed. The film I used was Kodak HIE infrared with a red 25A filter on the lens. The film was quite difficult to use, has to be loaded/unloaded in total darkness, I do like some of the results though.

Dreamland

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Across the bay to the Sgurr

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The Sgurr (volcanic rock)

I have some Rollei infrared in the fridge, think it’s time I loaded some up and gave it a shot.

Mallory Park

09-07-22

My old buddy gave me a call last weekend to see if I wanted to go to Mallory Park motor racing circuit, they were having a display of cars, bikes, and memorabilia at the museum, and the tea and egg cobs were really good, how could I say no. The racing circuit isn’t very far away and my buddy said he would pick me up. Weather wasn’t brilliant, a bit dull and the odd spot of rain so I took my Olympus EPL1 with me. In the late 1960’s I used to ride to Mallory on my Triumph Thunderbird with a sidecar attached (an interesting driving experience) The main event on the racing calendar was the the “Race Of The Year” I was fortunate enough to see the late great Mike Hailwood and Giacomo Agostini (still going strong) racing together.

Chevy Pick up.

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Minarelli and Cimatti, lovely small Italian motorbikes.

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Panther (sloper) used a lot for sidecar work.

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1967 Lambretta.

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An Early 1964 Ford Cortina with peace rear lamp clusters, I had one of these in the 1970‘s

This one is a rare automatic version

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Memorabilia

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A lovely Elva Formula Junior racing car, wouldn’t mind a go in this myself.

A great afternoon out, the Tea and egg cob were really good, and a lot of great memories came flooding back.

Thursday Doors

30-06-22

A few doors shot on film during a walk into town in April, only processed the film last month. I was testing out my repaired and serviced Nikkor 20mm f2.8 lens, not that impressed with it, I’ll be trading it in for an Olympus Zuiko 21mm f3.5 if I can find one.

Wasn’t sure if I was going to post today as my lovely cat Mimi suddenly stopped eating. After what happened to her Mum earlier this year It was really worrying. Took her to the vets on Tuesday and they gave her a blood test, got the results late yesterday, she has an overactive thyroid, fortunately it’s treatable and should settle in a couple of weeks. She ate some Tuna in spring water today.

A bit Gothic

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Crescent with verandah

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Georgian style

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Nikon F601, Nikkor 20mm f2.8, Ilford HP5 800 asa, Ilford Microphen.

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To see some doors from around the world checkout Dan Antions excellent blog.

Thursday Doors

23-06-22

Haven’t been out photographing much lately, and my Laptop has broken. So it’s the old desktop PC for this post, which took absolutely ages to update. This door is one of my favourites, I have printed a copy of it on a lovely textured paper and put it in a frame.

To see some Doors from around the world check out Dan Antions excellent “Thursday Doors” blog

Taken in 2007 in Salies De Bearn, Aquitaine, France, with a Nikon F601 on Kodak Elitechrome 200 slide film.

In My Garden

17-06-22

It’s 30 deg. C / 86 deg. F in the uk today, quite hot for this country. I decided to walk to the hairdressers and have what meagre hair I have shaved to a No. 2 setting, feels so much cooler. Then walked on into town to pick up some essentials, it was quite busy, but I can’t help but think back to the 60’s & 70’s and how lively the city centre once was. Stopped off at my favourite café, had an iced Americano coffee and a homemade cheese scone.

Yesterday I took a few images around the garden with my macro lens, still trying to get the hang of it.

Wild Strawberries.

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Stripy critter.

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Lavender ready to bloom.

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Michaelmas daisies.

Thursday Doors

16-06-22

A few more doors from my walks into town. Check out Dan Antions excellent “Thursday Doors” blog to see a selection of doors from around the world. I no need to get out and about to add a few more doors to the archive.

The gatehouse at the local park with flower beds.

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I’ve never seen this shop open, lots of interesting stuff inside.

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Have a cigar. Couldn’t resist the curved window.

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Wear & Tear.

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Always like a Green door.

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One of my favourite doors, the door to the music pub I go to.

Desert Varnish

15-06-22

Just watched photographer Ben Horne’s latest YouTube video photographing in Utah with an 8″ x 10″ film camera. He mentioned the desert varnish on the rocks and the scents and sounds in the area. It took me right back to when I visited Capitol Reef in 1992 (my first visit to the USA) We camped at Fruita N.P. for a couple of days in a very small tent, I was hardier then. I recently scanned in a roll of film from that time, I put off scanning it for so long because it has a lot of dust marks, but with the aid of Lightroom’s healing brush and a lot of patience and fan whirring on the lap top I managed to get some reasonable images. I can vividly remember the scent of Pine and Sage, and the heat reflected from the rocks.

Desert Varnish

Capitol Gorge

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Along the Scenic Drive

Olympus OM2n – Zuiko 24mm f2.8. Plus X Pan I think.