My calendar has this positive affirmation for Wednesday 24 January – accompanied by a rather appropriate snowy image:
“Life is an adventure, and the universe is always on my side.”
Not doubting the adventure bit, but I can hear my inner voice whispering “no - not always” and I wish it’d be quiet.
January 24th, 2007
Snow has arrived, and this is the view from my igloo (formerly known as my studio). I was hoping for a blue sky too, but that’s not to be. Now fingers crossed I managed to find some snow in the Lake District too. I have a course to attend there for two days, but will have some free time to indulge in a spot of photography either side.
January 24th, 2007
It’s the time of the year when we all think about what we’d like to achieve in the coming months, and I’ve been trying to forecast what might happen. I had a go at this six months ago, and now I look at it and laugh. Mostly things have not gone as expected – some of this is to do with me adapting my approach to suit the market and some is because I simply didn’t get the volume through the door that I expected.
Not that I had high expectations either – I just underestimated how long it takes to get known in what is a crowded market place. This point was driven home to me at a recent Wedding Fair – I’m getting married this year so attended looking for suppliers – and was surprised to see so many photographers there. Useful for me, as I need a Wedding Photographer. All had great portfolios to show, and were pretty much offering the same thing.
So how does a bride choose? I know what my criteria is, but I suspect it may differ from a non photographers!
January 23rd, 2007
January 19th, 2007
Andrew – the man responsible for making this website work sent me his newsletter today, and as soon as I saw his article: Don’t confuse your wedding with your marriage! I had to read it. It just hit the note as to how I’m feeling at the moment.
Himself proposed on New Year’s Eve, and I accepted, so after the excitement of ring buying and telling everyone, I bought some Wedding Magazines. Two in fact, and they are packed with ideas, sending me straight into overwhelm. Oh the pressure to get it right!
In the article Andrew comments that “at a recent wedding the Great Aunt of the bride made a statement which was most prophetic … many people now days confuse their wedding with their marriage. This lady believed that many couples focus too much attention on planning the one day event - the wedding - and not enough attention on planning the marriage itself; something which will (hopefully) last a lifetime.”
Finally I found an explanation for how I was feeling. Now it may be the Yorkshire blood in me, but I am really reluctant to spend tens of thousands on a one day event – as is himself, it just doesn’t make sense to us. Great Aunt has a good point.
Andrew then goes on to make the point that “that there are lots of similarities between launching a business, and launching a marriage”, which just makes me smile, as he’s so right.
You can read the full article here: Don’t confuse your wedding with your marriage!
January 12th, 2007
My website has had a bit of a makeover – courtesy of Tracey at Media Minister. I have to say when I first read the new words she’d written for my home page I chuckled. To me it’s a bit on the cheeky side but I am looking forward to seeing what impact the changes have on my visitors.
January 11th, 2007
Not written by me this one, but by Paul who went on the Lake District trip with me. Paul is a member of Harlow Photographic Society so wrote this for the society’s Viewfinder newsletter.
It was a fair morn; the wind was a gentle waft of Autumnal smells, and the sunrise held much promise. In fact, a perfect morning for the perfect image. There was only one thing against us: we were in cars travelling North out of Essex.
So it was that eight HPS members (in truth, seven and an ex-member) headed for the Lake District National Park for a week’s photography. We had started early and it wasn’t long before “the munchies” took hold. By then we were on the A1 and, as other seasoned travellers are well aware, this highway supports a splendid array of eateries not least Little Chefs. It was into one of these homes of gastronomic delights that we entered for a cup of tea (called “splosh” for the rest of the week for some strange reason) and one
of their Olympian (it was huge) breakfasts. The noise of the shutters’ firing was deafening!
Suitably refreshed, it was on with the journey; our next stop being Swaledale in the Dales. John had suggested this location, and it was he who led the other two cars into this exceptionally pretty valley. The further North we travelled the more the cloud had built up, but as we travelled westwards the sun peeped through the clouds, allowing us the
opportunity to capture an image or ten. And to allow Jo to practice her falling-over skills a talent that she was obviously trying to perfect. She was climbing over a dry-stone wall with Graham W, Stan, Antonio and Graham C and very skilfully fell backwards, off the wall, landing squarely on her back. An excellent practice attempt. But there was better to come.
Sue Kennedy and myself were far less enterprising, and found a boring old gate to go through just as another shaft of sunlight hit the patchwork-quilt of dry-stone walls and a lovely little barn with red doors. The noise of the shutters’ firing was deafening, and probably put the sheep off their grass.
After a few more stops along this vale, we were back on the A66, soon crossing over the M6, and into Cumbria. We were staying in Keswick and John had found us a marvellous residence: close to the town centre, loads of bedrooms and bathrooms, vast numbers of plug sockets and a well kitted-out kitchen what more could we want? Food. That was what we wanted; and it was found in the shape of a supermarket called “Booths” where we bought a few days’ worth of provisions along with the ingredients for a very tasty curry.
Cooking was very much a group activity, with the occasional beer or glass of wine being taken to slake the thirst caused by the heat from our hectic culinary activities. After dinner, as we sat in the after-glow of the food and drink, we discussed what we wanted to do over the next week - and where we wanted to do it. Landscape photography featured quite highly!
Sad so it was, the following morning (Sunday), we were up at 5.30 to the pleasant aroma of Stan burning eggs. Now, Stan proved to be an adept chef as a later excellent spag-bog. he created proved - but he was also a consummate egg-burner. In his defence the frying pan had seen better days (probably as old as the house itself: early Victorian). It was just as well we had our resident expert washer-upper and dishwasher-packer
extraordinaire, Graham (W), otherwise the frying pan would not have survived Stan’s tender treatment.
With full bellies we ventured out to Buttermere, hoping for the classic shot of those trees and the little shack and Antonio promptly dropped his camera in the lake. He was delighted, as you can imagine. What made matters worse was the light refused to happen; staying cloudy and dull. Time for a coffee from the flask and further discussions. Even with the dismal weather, the colours were wonderful: the brilliant gold of the beech trees, verdant greens of the mosses and evergreens, and every conceivable hue of browns and beiges in between. Dazzling, when the sun shone, but still beautiful when it
didn’t.
The week continued in the same vein early starts (sometimes avoiding Stan’s eggs; sometimes not); back to the house for a brunch perhaps, and then out all day until darkness forced us indoors for dinner and to drink beer. John was our resident beer expert (member of Camra, perhaps? apologies for the pun), and several evenings found us having “lucky dip” beers: not knowing what we were drinking (or what strength!). This may have contributed to Jo’s next fall. Although not witnessed, it was by all accounts an unusual attempt to find the prone position in the fastest time possible. Tripping over her bed in her room, she ended up on all fours thereby losing several points on technical merit and artistic expression.
On the Wednesday, Jo, Graham (C), Stan and myself walked up Great Gable, one of the many “munros” in the Lake District. We had chosen the Wednesday as the weather forecast had indicated it would be the worst day for photography (which it was). As we scrambled towards the 3000-foot peak, the clouds enveloped us, and a continuous drizzle set in. We struggled to the summit with a delightful view of no more than ten feet and a cold wind rattling our teeth and clothing.
We spent a brief few minutes eating a celebratory cheese sandwich and cup of coffee at the summit “better than sex” was Stan’s comment on the coffee; I do wonder about him sometimes before finding our exit route down a steep scree slope. As we lost height the clouds lifted every so often, revealing the Lakes in their Autumn livery. To the Southwest we could see Wastwater, to the West, Buttermere and to the North, Derwentwater.
Fortunately, we had our cameras with us so were able to capture some of the striking scenery. It was on our way down that Jo decided to fall again and her third attempt was
by far her best. One could tell that all the previous practice had obviously paid off: A trip to start, then a little run, another trip and down she went fully prone. Perfectly executed and Stan got a photo.
Thursday the sun shone from dawn to dusk; we had chosen Derwentwater for our dawn shots and this proved a good choice as the first rays struck the mountains to the North. A little later, the morning sun reached the forested areas reflected in the water. Gorgeous. After sunrise we travelled down towards Rydal Water; each car going in different directions looking for the best locations for their images whilst the sun shone. Over dinner that night we all agreed that, with sun on it, the Lakes is a landscape photographer’s
dream.
One of the advantages of the Lake District is that you can travel to any location in a reasonably short time. Nowhere is that far away. Obviously, the proof of the pudding etc. etc., and the results of the judged competitions over the next year or so will be the deciding factor. Suffice to say our shutter fingers were given lots of exercise and a happy time was had by all. Paul Major
January 9th, 2007
I bought Louise Hay’s ‘I can do it’ 2007 calendar, and each day has a different affirmation on it. Mostly they make my smile and think.
Today’s is:
“My inner vision is clear and unclouded.” Yeah … I wish!
I know what I want, I really do, I just wish other people would stop projecting their limiting beliefs onto me. Frankly I have enough of my own, so no need to share 
Interestingly I have been photographing a lot of misty scenes recently. Wonder what that’s telling me?!
January 8th, 2007
For breakfast we try the hotel facilities. There’s a sitcom brewing between the waiters. Couldn’t quite hear everything that was going on, but their body language became quite animated.
I’m “discouraged” from taking the camera down to breakfast, and himself finds himself uttering “that’d be a good shot” to be rewarded with a withering look from me, as it would have been a true Cartier-Bresson shoot the moment photograph.
We start to walk. Through Time Square which is already busy, down towards Macy’s. I shop himself gets bored. Then up to Bryant park, which has a temporary ice skating rink for the winter. We ignore the 3 hour queue for the Empire State Building. Mostly because we’d booked to see a Broadway show - Tarzan, and wanted to eat first.
So we go to TGI Fridays, but the service is really slow, and although they are busy they do seem to have plenty of staff on. We have to ask to order drinks after waiting patiently for ages, 30 minutes later we again ask to order food, and then wait 20 minutes for it to arrive having chased for it’s estimated arrival time, having watched other guests arrive eat and leave. The waitress seems genuinely surprised at her tip - she really thought she deserved more. And I wasn’t going to leave anything.
We had dinner the day before at the TGI Friday’s at Heathrow. Possibly an even busier restaurant, but the service there was friendly and fast. Wierd.
We had a similar experience in Carnegies a deli near our Hotel. Service was ok the first two times, but the third time we walked out because the waitress was just so rude. Put me right off the place. So we went across the road and ate for half the price.
That is the beauty of New York - there is just so much choice of restaurants, delis, kiosks, that you just move on.
The people we met in New York - aside from other visitors, covered all the moods from happy to miserable, to rude then back to really friendly. If the City were a person it’d be a manic depressive with those mood swings.
I guess not everyone loves their job like I do!
So back to Tarzan. A fabulous show. Really worth seeing. Now the actors in this must love their job. They certainly perform as if they do. Couldn’t fault the perfomance, it was just so captivating.
Now I like to observe how other people run their businesses - it often inspires.
But I really couldn’t work out the Business plan behind the decision to only open the Theatre doors 30 minutes before curtain up. So you queue round the block, and when you do reach your seats - or rather the bar you have no time for a drink, and you can’t take it in with you. Only bottled water is allowed or pop in a tarzan cup. And more importantly no ice cream sales during the interval. They could have easily squeezed a few more dollars out of us, and used the staff that they obviously had doing something a bit more income producing than standing around like statues. But perhaps more worryingly there was no bag search on arrival. Yet I have never seen such a police presence outside. Literally half a dozen police on every street corner, presumably in anticipation of the crowds expected on New Years Eve.
Now I probably noticed the differences more acutely because we’d been to see Guys & Dolls in Central London the month before. And to be honest having a leisurely drink in the theatre bar before the show, and an ice cream during the interval is very much a part of the whole experience for me. Still the show was worth it. One of the best I’ve seen.
Ironically the rest of New York seemed to be in permanent up sell mode. Even
food. Order pancakes and they ask - do you want eggs, sausages and bacon
with those?
January 5th, 2007
So my Christmas surprise was a trip to New York, over the New Year. The guide book describes NYC as having a buzz, and it does.
We fly from Heathrow, and I book us into a long stay car park. When we hit tail backs a few miles from home I worry about that decision. Himself is a fan of public transport - I’m not when I have a long plane journey ahead, and prefer not to spend the first few days of a trip with a sore back due to the combination of stairs and suitcases that we inevitably have to negotiate.
Fortunately the traffic keeps moving, and we make good time. Himself is even less impressed with the signage for the car park we are booked into. Very small, and difficult to spot - although to be fair the written instructions on how to find the car park are spot on. And fortunately I find the car park before he utters “I told you…”
Our flight to New York is memorable because of the singing pilot - who did literally sing New York, New York to us as he welcomed passengers on board. Everyone clapped.
We arrive at JFK. All very serious. A very efficient immigration officer literally barks at us to complete our forms - we already had, and then a very slow queue to reach another very bored looking immigration officer, whilst being treated to a CNN news report about the imminent hanging of Saddam Hussein, which must have only lasted a minute, but seemed to be on repeat. In fact by the time we left I seriously wondered if smiling was a banned activity.
Next a cab, now this guy was friendly. Been in NYC 8 years & originally from Morocco. It takes himself around 10 minutes to get onto the subject of football. And once we arrive at our hotel room he’s even faster to find the sports channel, which is handy as I’m able to bag all the coat hangers for my clothes before he leaves planet sport and realises.
January 4th, 2007
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