Time for Reflection

Whilst working hard one day I got bored. And started to stare outside the window to what lies out there apart from boring Chudleigh, when I was suddenly joined by my friend here bailey. He is a wierd cat but the natural sunligh from the right illuminates his face and creates this wonderful photograph, so I dont mind.

pine cones and barbed wire

pine cones and barbed wire. I really like the barbed wire in this picture as it is not perfectly straight and curves from left to right, unlike the pristine almost perfect normal barbed wire. Also the way these cones are growing and blossoming like flowers next to the destructive and fierce barbed wire, it is conflicting and showing both sides to the forest.

the old bench

same bench, but i prefer this picture. I like how you can see more of the surroundings with the tree in the bacnround and the large rock just resting neatly behind the rickety old bench and the colours aswell. The colours of the bench make it seem very old, rickety and quite uncomfortable also the colours of he grass are very vivid and the path next to it seems worn and old just as the bench. Also i think that this picture is framed much better with negative space above the bench and room below the bench to put it in the middle level of the picture with space to the left of it for the eye to wonder........

take a seat...

On a walk somewhere near a forest and i found this bench covered in grass and very old. I really liked the colour of the bench as it much of the similar tones of the tree behind it, this makes it almost blend into its surroundings and many would not see it hidden here beneath the undergrowth. Also i like the lighting that day aswell as it creates a bit of mystery, the light is not illumintaing the entire picture, therefore it leaves the rest up to your imagination and adds to hidden mystery of this picture.

by the boats in dartmouth

Busy day in Dartmouth it was indees, and this picture demonstrates this fact to its entirety. All along the far left of the picture there was a competition for all ages to take part and draw drawings of whatever they desired in chalk in the pavements of dartmouth and you can see them all dotted along the edge of the photo clinging to the pavement for any space to show their artistic flair. I decided to take this photo in black and white as the day itself was very gloomy and didnt bode well towards colour photography and plus i like how it brings out the old style of the victorian house in the backround.

dartmouth carnival

In the midst of the frantic eating and the chaotic crabbing down at the Dartmouth regatta/carnival (you choose) was this old lady selling these bubble machines to the public. She did have many people buying them as many children were very much amused by her demonstations and felt no need to purchase the product! And this shows just one of the excited child by the bubbles, myself included, playing with the bubbles there at dartmouth. Also i like the contrast in activity in the picture. As there is a lot of activity in the backround of the picture, with many families argueing and rushing around, however there is a sort of serene in the foreground with the child playing quietely and happily in his own bubble oblivious to the problems that surround him.

sorry no eggs

shame.

my cat. (again)

a bit too close for this picture, but i managed to take it anyway, because it gives the effect that you are so close that it looooks quite big, almost like a bear. But it isnt.

my cat.

cat on lap+sunny day= this picture

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

A view from an old window

Nearing the end of our travels in Portugal and we stayed in this very old medieval styley house, on the outskirts of Lisbon,for about 3 or 4 days. It was quite boring there as there was nothing to do at night so whilst daydreaming out the window i noticed how old and broken the window was and just took a picture of it really, and put it in black and white as it gave it the effect to be really old.

Boats by the Port

On a sunny day when travelling through more quaint villages we stopped at this fishing village. So we went down to the port as the weather was glorious and i took this picture. I liked how many different colours there were in its entirerity with the strong orange in the foreground and the different shades of blue in the backround.

King of Diamonds

Bored one time in the small rural village of Monchique when it was raining so decided to play solitaire and this magical picture presented this wonderful opportunity. I liked how the entire room was flooooded with the light from a window on the left and after messing around with the camera and position of the cards i was happy with the result. i like how there are many shadows in the picture especially under the top card.

Glasses on the table

This close up of the wine glass on the table is also one of my favourites. I like how many of the things in the backround are very shiny and have caught the light from the surrounding light sources. Also the way some of the things in the backroundhave been slightly distorted from the glass in the foreground is kind of why i took the picture as it is different.

Mackerel on the BBQ

Fish is big in Portugal especially in the rural parts, like where we were staying and we decided to buy some!yay fish! we had to gut them and de-head them and then decided to put them on the BBQ, just a picture really of all the tails as i saw how they were all grouped at one end, like a school of fish but rather hot!( they were yummy)

Jus` chilling by the pool

We managed to stay in a villa in our time in Portugal, in a small village in the south called Monchique up in the hills where all the locals stare at you but are kind of friendly but not really. For most of the time we just sat by the pool and relaxed, absolute genius! This is my brother here, obviously, just sat here by the pool with a palm tree in the back just sums up our time in Portugal.

Black and white church

This is one of my favourite pictures from this album. I love taking pictures in blac and white and this shadow picture presented this unmissable opportunity for me. I like how the shape of the windows are portrayed on the floor as you cannot see them very well in the first place from where i have taken them from. Also the light in the middle of the picture at the end draws your eye right through the shadows and up to the end.

Portugese Roman Ruins

Went to visit the oldet roman ruins in Portugal and took many pictures that day, and this was my best. I really like how that because of the negative space, the sky as it is known to you and me, has made the picture seem very large because there is so much open space left at the top of the picture. Also i like the clouds in the sky and how wispy they are floating in the sky hehehe

The Door of Names

I managed to stumble across this door whilst in a Portugese village in the day. I liked how it was very light at the time and all the writing was in white with the contrasting black handles that is why i decided to take it in black and white. Furthermore i like how the line of hearts in the middle of the door are kind of demented and not perfect almost like the door itself.

Senor what an awesome tash you have

This local Portugese man just out for a smoke, thoroughly deserved a picture with handlebar tash like that!!

Skulls close-up

In the house of bones i really liked the orangey-yellowey mood lighting that was dotted in and around the skulls and the house itself. So i decided to get up close and personal with the lucky few on the walls and take a few pictures of a few of them with the light flooding in from the right to illuminate and present a crisp image from a dark and creepy house of bones.

House of Bones

In the South of Portugal now, i think, and as we were travelling thorugh a small little village on our way to our hotel we found this creepy church/cathedral-im not sure!, and this small house at the back was built as they were short on bricks. No actually it was built by the monks as a warning to all of those that death was always apparent and never far away!

The Cork Collectors of Portugal

Now because everyone is becoming more and more aware of how they are destroying the planet, through plastic bags etc organic wood corks are becoming more and more popular. So in many regions of Portugal (and im sure other places too) the collection of wood cork- the process of stripping the trees is ever more apparent. And here we can see some of the men at work who have the jog of stripping the trees half way round and then loading the small tractors with the bark and then shipping them away.

Q.E.2

Whilst visiting Portugal we managed to see the very famous Q.E 2. It was merely by chance that we managed to see it leaving and when we were on a high vantage point the wind nearly took away my mum`s hat. So i thought that her arms framed the boat beautifully but i had to wait a while for the boat to reach the perfect place when it was in the middle of the picture but i believe it works very well.

Candles At Night.

Last picture from the church and another experiment with the lights!I made sure i found a dark place with these candles as it just illuminates the whole picture and makes the lights seem brighter. Once again you can tell the direction in which i moved the camera, as the candles have moved in that direction as well.

The Ceiling (from below)

Another picture of the ceiling, yes it was amazing wasn`t it?!!yea but um this time i decided to use a different setting on my digital camera as it meant that it gave it a slightly more skin tone feel and not as warm tones. But i feel that it has given it a better style and you can see the detail of the 6 shields more clearly and the tiling because it has been taken in this way.

Light at the End of the Church?

Another from this spectactular chruch and when i was walking around, now at the other end of the church, noticed that the amazing ceiling and how it lead neatly to this circle of light at the end of the ceiling, and how it illuminated the entire church. Furthermore i liked how i managed to take the picture with the light right in the middle of the picture and not at an angle as i thought that would not have had the same effect.

Sitting in the Pews

Whilst sitting in the pews of the church i decided to take this picture as it showed simply the beautiful ornate surroundings and how many people like i were just sitting quietly and admiring the beauty of this old relic.

Messing With The Lights

Going into the church where the great vasco De Garma is buried and took this picture whilst walking around the place. I usually like doing this sort of thing with the lights, putting a slow shutter speed and waving the camera around like a loon and hopefully achieiving something worth showing!But you can tell which direction i waved the camera around as the lights of the candles have reflected this direction.

Pine Trees in the Sun

I took this photo whilst taking a break from the hustle and bustle of the city when in one of many of Lisbon`s local parks. I liked how the sun broke through the pine trees through the almost web like branches that covered us from the sun one afternoon.

Got Your Nose!

This very weathered stone face caught my eye and deserved a picture. I liked how loud it seemed to shout as the mouth is very large and opened very wide,but then again it was only stone, Or was it???No it was stone. Also i like how there are many different colours in this photo even though it is in black and white as you have the very dark shadows of the mouth and around the eyes but then you have the very bright light side of the face from the left where the sun is flooding in from. And how it was not in very good condition...... got your nose!

Black and White Tree

I really liked how very old this piece of wood looked in this light and so decided to accentuate this factor by taking it in black and white and not in colour as i felt it gave it too much life. Furthermore i like how the wood is shaped and the few holes that are placed around this piece. Also the way that it seems to have wrinkles from the little cracks, like an old lady reacher her latter years of life it too has aged aswell.

The Local Paper

As we were in Portgual at the time the Madeline McCann case was big news everywhere but especially there in Portugal and the local paper shows this.

Hotel at Night

A picture of the hotel, it used to be a cinema as you might have noticed by the circular windows on the right of the building, we stayed at for a few nights whilst staying in Lisbon, on the left, on our first night. I decided to take it from here as it was the only place in which i could set it up resting on something as i do not have a tripod and it needed a very slow shutter speed to capture the blurred lights of the cars passing from left to right and most importantly enough light so that you could actually see the image.

The City Down Below

After staying far too long in the tower my final picture from this place, honest!I managed to spot the image of the city down below in my mum`s sunglasses and decided that it would make a good photo as it shows her obvious boredom at looking at the city, as good as it is, as you can see in the reflection of her sunglasses.

Oranges

This picture taken from the tower of Lisbon, depcits the rolling hills of the city and the many houses that are well housed here and there oranged tiles on them. That is one of the main reasons i took this photo as i saw a lot of orange in this photo, the tiles and slates on the houses in the backround the oranges in the foreground and the slightly orange face of this tourist!

Spiralling Staircase Shadows

Taken now from the top of the tower of Lisbon, it does have a name but i dont know it, and i liked this spiralling staircase and how the shadows of the blistering sun had left some parts in perfect light and others to the imagination that this could lead you down to a fairytale world maybe? Who knows;looks good though.

Same Angle- Same Picture?

Another from the same waiting line for the same tourist attraction when i noticed these two people taking the same photo but there differences in camera made me laugh. The man on the left has a very small digital camera whereas the woman on the left has a much more expensive digital SLR but both are drawn to the obvious attraction and good angle from this side. Furthermore the height difference aswell made me laugh as i would have liked to have seen if the small lady had any large shadows on her picture from the almost tourist-like towering man above her.

A Smile Maybe?

Whilst in a very long line for a tourist attraction thing, i think it was a tower not really sure, made use of a very long wait by taking pictures of the many "happy" security guards in the area. he just seemed to me to be the perfect picture when you think of a security guard, maybe a little overweight great tash! shades and a shiny badge, NICE!

The Yellow Trams of Lisboa

This very first picture of many from an album taken from my most recent family holiday to Portugal, and we start the journey in Lisbon or Lisboa if you like. This picture shows one of many yellow trams that run through the city up very steep hills for the small price of one euro, definetely worth it!

And i like how many things in this photo are very upright and vertical the old woman in the backround, the many small pillars the lampost and the building create the same underlying theme or pattern throughout the picture.

Bastille Day Celebrations

Every year on the 14th of July in France evryone celebrates the day when the peasants stormed the Bastille to overthrow the ruling classes with fireworks! So on this night i went down to the beach and celebrated this magical day with the locals and enjoyed the fireworks till the late hours of the night!

Sunglass Reflection

Another photo that i took when styaing with the same family, and this was taken just before going out when the sun was still shining, hence the sunglasses and the evening dress in the backround!I really like how the light has been reflected from the natural sunlight flooding in from the left and is enough room for the frantic rushing to get ready before we leave!

Pia Pia Piano

I took this photo when staying with a family in Sables D`Olonne for two weeks. I really like how this came out in black and white and taken at a slightly different angle makes it more interesting. Furthermore i like how the keys dissapear off into the distance from large to small like the scale of a......................piano!

Sun Tan Soltan

This close-up picture of my sun cream came out really well, thanks to the magic of macro. And i really like how the deep colour of blue in the backround is conflicting with the bright colour of orange in the foreground. Also i like how the sand has stuck to the suncream it make it seem like it is quick sand and this lotion is about to be absorbed into the sand in an instant!

Relaxing in the Sun

Right, before you ask yes i did know this person, im not that sort of person alright?!!No i decided to take this photo because it showed how relaxed and chilled she was to lie in the blistering heat. I like how you can see where the sun is as it is the brightest on her body even though it is in b+w . And that is why i took it in b+w as her skin looks much smoother and softer than in colour, and her bikini was black so this highlighted this factor. And i took it at her level as looked better rather than taken from a higher level, almost looking down on her, i dont think it would have looked the same.

Blue Skies on the Beach

Now i know that this picture is out of focus and many will ask "what on earth is that?" but i really like it. But when i first took it i was not happy as it had not focused properly, so did not have the desired effect which i wanted. Then after a few minutes looking at it i decided that it was a keeper! I like how u cant see things as clearly as you may be able to, but you can clearly make out all the things evident at the beach, eg. the sunburnt tourists, the cloudless sky and the scorching sand, you just have to look slightly closer and take a few minutes to see what is actually going on.

Coffee Morning

These coffee beans, in the reataurants coffee machine was worth a picture i thought. I like how they are so tightly packed in that they have taken the shape of the actual machine as they are slightly sloped at the backround of the picture. I decided to take it in b+w as it represented the coffee beans a little better in this way. Also i like how i managed, not on purpose, but to take it at a slight angle as it feels very different. However when i was taking it i got a lot of funny looks from onlookers with my head burried in the coffee machine, not a lot of people had coffee after that im sure!

Mischievous Meerkats

These very inquisitive and mischievous meerkats presented me with this very nice and cute photo of themselves. However it took maky attempts to get these guys to stay still as they are very nervous and on edge all of the time look and sniffing for any potential enemy! But i finally managed to capture them with at least two of them still but the other blurred-typical. But after sniffing and looking at me very closely and after they had sussed out what i was they quickly scurried off and burried underground not to be seen for another few minutes. So this photo was very lucky to get but i do like how is eyes are illuminated and looking straight down the camera.

Beach Side Lights

Turns out i found playing around with the lights quite fun! And yea another photo here (yes it is the last one like it) but this time by the beach and the faint glow of the beach huts beside the sea just invited me to take this experimental photo with the lights. I like how the contrast of the very dark nights sky is very conflicting and very different to the light shining beacons of the beach huts.

Merry`s Go Round and Round

This picture of a merry go round at night was also taken with a slow shutter speed to create the same effect. I really like how the lights have been slowed down from them being slightly blurred because fo the speed in which it was spinning, furthermore i like how the lights have been slightly reflected on the carousel aswell. And they are pretty fun!