HARBOURING COLOUR - SKYWATCH

Set camera phasers to stun

All to easy to grab the pretty sunsets and sun ups when you live coastal to glean those "ooh ah stunning" comments. Well my poor little harbour has been neglected lately because of this laziness on my part. Ramsey Harbour is a wealth of colour, textures, layers and of course cranes. Am I the only one who likes a crane looming over the skyline? Possibly. A little slice of working dockside life then but how come the colours are so vivid for an industrial scene. It's all to do with your helpful little camera and it's setting, one's you may not even be aware you have. Shut up as tell us then you ask.



Obviously not all cameras from point and shoot to the big guns all singing dancing many lens ones have the same features but you might find yours has. Firstly you will need a manual setting mode switched on. Be brave try it. Next look around for these thing in your menu- sharp, vivid, saturate, etc or variations on those themes. These are different to your weather setting - cloudy, sunny, shade, etc.For this image I wanted to pick up the orange green and yellow bits and still keep the blue/lilac of the sky. For this I set the camera to vivid. This meant that the white stays white not bleaches so the clouds are white and not bleed into the colour part of the sky. The sky colour reflected in the water remains and doesn't lose out either. The hints of yellow, green and orange are picked up by the vivid mode without over egging them, just retaining the colour. As there was a slight haze I decided against using the sharp which can give harsh lines to retain the natural hazy feel to the building rooftops and the lighthouse far left keeping the sharp natural focus on the foreground. Ok there is slightly more to it than this. Seeing the scene in the first place and of course no amount of "magic buttons" on your camera can compensate for you if you know naff all about composition and chop the heads off (figuratively speaking) your nearest and dearest or can't keep a camera straight. That one's down to you.



Hoe you got all that.

SIDECAR AT THE TT - ABC

Note the dragon logo

Well if nothing else goes right at least I'm on the right letter of the alphabet this week after the fiasco of r's and q's being all at sea. Sea! Now there is an image I could have had for S but as you'll all probably at little sick(should that be seasick?) of my meandering along the beach scenes I've dragged out a timely S

S for soon will on my fair isle(no not that Fair Isle that's the knitting one ) will be welcoming bikers to our humble shores here, spying the sidecar above . This particular image is from the 2nd lap. Don't try this at home unless you have a decent camera, lens, right equipment, quick fingers, steady hand(tripod for the inexperienced advisable) and years of know how. You know how I always advocate a point and shoot can do a great job, well not here due to the speed. You will need the big guns camera( to handle the top flight speeds) and you will need to be 100% accurate, ie complete focus, no drop out etc if you are selling. Magazines need enormous file sizes too, which are totally unforgiving if you are out in anyway. All shows when you blow up the image. So if you just want a few snapshots and keepsakes carry on with what you have and have fun. If you want to jump into my shoes take 5 years out to play at being a photographer, a lottery win to support you and buy the equipment, starve for your art, practice become, have innate natural ability be zen perfect then... find out that someone like me has already nabbed the best bookings.

Bank holiday laptop blues -

Grey Day

Monochrome Weekly

My World

I know I skipped a few days again. Friday night. So why the delay in posting? My psycho laptop( yes the relatively new laptop) has suddenly lost/mislaid/dumped wireless broadband connection. Very annoying. Means choices are sitting in the hall plugged into the the laptop( the Internet plugged in not me obviously) or borrow G's when he is not on it. So a long wait then. Like er two whole days. So today you have the first image I came across in black and white because I really don't won't to spend Bank Holiday Weekend wading through images. guess


Did you say the beach? Well it is an island I live on and we do sort of have er a lot of them. This would be the Mooragh beach. Remember the week on the beach we had. Remember how it pis... er persisted down with precipitation. Well here is one of those rainy grainy images, taken with the tiny point and shoot and not the big all singing dancing Nikon. Nikon is far too sensitive and isn't allowed out in the rain, little point and shoot is. Looks like I wasn't the only one out and about at least one man and his dog braving the elements. For the colour, sunny, stages of the beach clickety click the colours below.


Beach 1
Beach 2
Beach3
Beach 4
Rocks

Going to get some soothing ice cream and scream at my laptop until it complies. I may be a while. . Now pass me a very big spoon and a bottomless pit of the cold stuff. My needs are greater I cannot share today.

THE FULL MONTY SWINGING BRIDGE - SKYWATCH

Twenty Twenty Vision

Ramsey Swing Bridge 20/100

Has it been a whole week and a day since we had "The Cult of Babooshka's Ramsey Swing Bridge"as well? Yes it has and it's about time we had the full monty bridge in all it's natural glory shot. Ooh er, can you handle it. Well as it's obviously not as big as The Golden Gate then I think you can. Good things small packages remember. Gone for a full on view, a frontal peek of the whole arc from the dockside quay. I know a risky angle but I think you can cope. As you can see this is the bridge's blue period and the low light really highlights the glass like shimmer of the water. Not exactly hindered those glistening reflections either. I make that 80 left. Make it stop someone perleeeeeeeasse. For those that know what's going on I will of course continue. For those that don't, how lucky you are.




The water is very blue today isn't it? The light was low which added to the scene.

CANNES YOU BELIEVE BABOOSHKA WAS NOT INVITED!

Click image it's huge.

Well now I hope that title got your attention. A scandal has befallen these shores. I will be seeking solace in a strong black coffee and trying to stay calm. Why you ask well read on.



You all know how I just love the South of France, the Riviera. You have read of my wish to be that away. Well I am hyperventilating at the scandalous news. A yacht was hired and certain people to represent the Isle of Man film industry at the Cannes Film Festival...... paid for by the tax payer to the tune of... a helluva lot of pennies. Now this has caused lots of letters of disgust to the papers and mumblings of "waste of money" etc. Surely though this is not the burning issue? Surely the burning issue is the fact that I was not invited on said yacht to jolly there. Hello look at the blog you idiots, just how many images do you want to show you what a splendiferous film location this is and your cinematographer is here waiting for you. Tour guide at your service! Besides all that.... I missed out on no.

As you can see I have taken the news well. Not a yacht but a boat bobbing on the water, Sorry folks. We don't get many of those luxury yachts here.

RAMSEY RUGBY RELOADED - ABC LETTER R

Another balls up!

As I inadvertently posted a r for a q last week I thought I'd play it safe with a reliable R, boys swinging into action. We have had lots of boys keep swinging recently haven't we on the blog? Just the way the cookie has crumbled. They are the blue shirts, black shorts, and stripey socks by the way. Ssh! Not allowed to name the other team, the away team. Let's just say people on Douglas may know them. I'm actually more of a Football( it's not soccer it's football) but I do think Rugby is a fabulous contact sport to photograph. I can also tell you at least one of those blue shirts went to see Star Trek. How do I know, ah well my sweeties I was with him and G. at that very Star Trek showing.

If you want to see my close up Rugby images and play guess the famous statue pose see links below.


Hand's off it's my ball
Grab
Statue
Run for it
Flags

Bottoms up

Soft Focus

Wonder if anyone else saw the this game?

MY WORLD...... IS A LOAD OF RUBBISH!

Welcome to My world of Rubbish!

Cone Alone!

Trolleycide!

Outboard Motors do not belong in a Nature Reserve!


Now this is real photography!

This is how some idiots choose to treat the island, and these are the images others haven't the guts to show. Get your act together everyone. Let's not have the usual clean of the areas that are only visible to the tourists, but all of it. All I have to say today. You have seen how good the island can look on my blog, but this crap is really p*****g me off when I walk through the nature reserve, a haven for wildlife. This is not the worst. You wouldn't want to see some of the crap and I mean that literally there. Isle of Man Government - it's not just the visable bits that needs a makeover.


I know it looks like an arty social study in the urban landscape staged images, but no for real archive and new and a disgrace don't you think?

I hope your area is a lot cleaner than this.

MONOTONE! - MONOCHROME WEEKLY

Black, White & The Blues

Still wading through the Laxey Blues Festival images the festival. A teasing silhouette of a shadowy singer with all the backdrop of all the musical paraphernalia caught in the lighter side. A simple workaday l image. I wonder if the singer recognises themselves though?


Musicians are going to feature a lot at the moment. Well it makes a nice respite from the Ramsey Swing Bridge, the beach, the park etc. Also a sneaky way to get a few people in. Soon though the sultans of swing and guitar heroes will give way to the other men in black( well a rainbow of colours actually) those that roll into town on two wheels. ITV will be doing the TV coverage this year too. Don't know what I'm on about see back posts to see boys swinging into action. If some of the images look familiar other than my blog, they might just be in that bike magazine you picked up at the airport.

So for my world this week, a pub, the beach, the park, the rugby, the music or the bikes. Tell me.

Always open to suggestions as to what you'd like to see.

SHY SWAN IN SOFT LIGHT - CRITTERS

I can see you!

Critters

A really quick post today. When in doubt get the swan shots out. Not so much in doubt but more pushed for time. So a little monochrome of this sweet coy swan who just wouldn't lift his/her head for me to photograph the beautiful line of the neck in the soft half light. Still those lovely white feathers really jump out against the dark water which was the aim of the image anyway. Gotta love swans to photograph. Elegant, slow, graceful and beautiful. Word of warning though don't make one angry. Not so beautiful, elegant, slow or at all graceful when they are hissing or spitting at you. That scenario doesn't quite fit the delicate, serene image above does it? For more serene swans not having a hissy fit click colours below.


Wing tips!
Romance
Ever decreasing circles

The gymnast

Arty
Comedic
Mythical
Lateral

I hope you like the little joke image one in there too. Gotta run.

LAXEY BEACH BLUES - SKYWATCH

Red White and the Blues

As I am still sifting through the Laxey Blues Festival images.I mean no time to go hunt the skies tonight for sunsets and crepuscular clouds(Dewdrop, go see for awesome storm chasing images, will know what I'm talking about) We got clouds, we got blue skies, we got a flash of red to spice up the colour and even got a pebble sand beach. That'll do for you won't it tonight? Just be grateful in wasn't another Swinging bridge image. I mean we only had that yesterday and even I would suggest another one today would be a tad like overkill.

HAVE I EVER SHOWN YOU RAMSEY SWING BRIDGE ?

Bird's eye view

19/100

Ramsey Swing Bridge

I'm sure the irony of the title is not lost on my most ardent readers . Yes of course we have had images of the bridge inordinate amount of times(ok a slight exaggeration as it says 19 duh!) but have we ever had one with a bird and people.... at the same time. I know exciting isn't it(we are still doing irony aren't we?) what's more it's a whole new angle. No, really we are now get this... over the bridge. Yes Yes I'm on the other side. I know so exciting. I ventured forth once more unto the bridge, a bridge to far most days broke on through to the other side all to bring you number 19/100. I even shot and stuffed the bird for you. No, No, No, that is a complete lie, a joke. I'm a vegetarian after all. I didn't say that's not how I got the people in position on the bridge now did I. I need to shut up now don't I and explain my 19th nervous bridge breakdown to the uninitiated?

ROIE-YSSAGH...THE MANX JAZZ KATS - ABC - R

All That Jazz!

This week we are up to R in the ABC so I've thrown in a little Manx for you roie-yssagh. Ah but what does it mean? Read on and all will become clear, well I hope so. This is me remember, all for a little lateral thinking. For now though the images, all five of them,(one pic may not open) of the Manx Jazz Kats, who formed in 1993 and regulars on the gig circuit here(yes locals!)playing outside the Riverside of course at the Laxey Blues Festival. Terrific they were too. Terrific to photograph as well I might add.

Last week I showed you the guitarist and the saxophonist. Well guess what the saxophonist left a comment to tell me who they are. These are his words below


"Hello Babooshka
Well, the floral shirt and the alto belong to me, Colin Clark of the Manx Jazz Kats.
And the blue bass guitar and the red shirt belong to Robert Woollams, our bassist.
So, fame at last!

Before we did our set I made comment that the blues festival was the only gig we do where appearance seems to count for more than the music, so I am now feeling most prescient"


How about that! So there you are, but note the closing word, prescient. We do like a wordsmith on this blog don't we folks? Prescient means foresight like the prediction of events or outcomes, foreseeing a certain situation. Colin Clark spooky predictions about his own shirt, so true and used the marvellous word prescient to sum up. Prescient in Manx is you guessed it roie-yssagh. Now who could have predicted Colin, you would choose the word for R this week. Most roie -yssagh indeed.

MONOCHROME- A RAY OF LIGHT

What light through yonder window breaks? An archive one.

An enforced absence due to a few minor technicalities. Oops. Should be be back to normal blogging arrangement soon. Well soon if the Manx fairies wave their magic fairy wands or whatever it is Fairies do around here to weave their magic. So a temporary hiatus. Now who thought I'd been arrested for the photo of the policeman?


A little stock image from the archives( otherwise known as my bag of tricks for emergency measures.) I'm not inside the building but outside looking up towards the light of the foghorn. Yes foghorn. I did say foghorn, which is situated further North than Ramsey. One for all you peeling paint and faded beauty lovers. The same image in colour is vastly different. I mean it's got bright yellow walls and lime green metalwork. In fact I'll show you sometime.

For other Monochromes of Maniacs see and Aileni

MOONSTRUCK BLUES - SYKWATCH

You want the moon? I'll get you the moon

No not a Blue Moon, but a Blues Moon. In fact It's so well behaved it sits slap bang on those electrical wires nestling in a true blue sky. I know I'm showing you a first here, a cloudless bluest of blue sky. Not a speck of grey, no drizzle, fog, mist. Not even so much as more than a gentle breeze. Very obliging lone bird flew into shot at the right moment too. What can I say! It's always a wonderful life at the festival. Of course the day after it was pis..... I mean persisting down with ocean rain, winds worse than Wuthering Heights and the moon had skedaddled back to undercover of the night. You wanted the moon , I got you the moon, the whole of the moon not dancing but certainly moonstruck.

It's over 'til next year. Do you remember the photos of the musicians and my words being" I haven't a clue who who the guy is" and "anyone want to fill in the Blanks feel free? Well knock me down with a feather! Out of the Blue(s) the saxophonist has left a comment to tell me it was him. So now I know who he and the guitarist are. That would be the deliciously titled "Manx Jazz Kats" and I will be telling you more about them tomorrow. Of course that's if you're good I'll even show you the faces that go with the hands I posted this week. Lots of images all in one post. Spoiling you. Babooshka will be presenting "Manx Jazz Kats" and I know you'll all be thrilled to see them and tell them so, especially you Virginia, Birmingham DP. People, V. I got me some real live people. Poor Manx Jazz Kats. Not sure they are prepared for the worldwide audience on this blog. To sneak a peek click colour below. Makes a change from not being able to photograph the Police with UK Photographic laws. If you are in the UK you need to read that post. See third link.

Sax appeal
Plucking performer
Police framed


Skywatch watchers can be found here. Many thanks to Dot for the inspirational idea, Tom for the first caretaking and the My world gang for looking after skywatch now.

That's all folks!

400TH POST - POLICEMAN FRAMED AT BLUES FESTIVAL SEE RED

Police call in Red Cross to help catch the phantom Ramsey Daily Photo Blogger. Last seen in Laxey. Armed and Dangerous do not approach for fear of being captured by her death ray lens.

4OOTH Post

Can you really be arrested for this image? Read on.

Well if I was in the UK I could be arrested for capturing this image, snapping coppers/bobbies/Police on the job. As I live in a lawless society(Ok not really but the Isle Of Man does have it's own rules, regs, Government etc I should be OK. Actually may well be carted off to the Police Station for this arresting site on the grounds of..... no can't tell you. If they haven't worked it out yet I'm not exactly going to signpost it am I. In case you think this some kind of fancy dress party (?) as the policeman is wearing a white hat and not the usual dark hat associated with British Bobbies I'll just kick that theory in to touch.


It's been a blast daily posting(not always daily) and I hope to continue. Hopefully this image will be seen for what it is a photo of a working Policeman greeting the Red Cross .. Nothing more nothing less. Just a visually pleasing blending of colours, occupations, street life, not a threat to crown and country. Want to know what the new UK laws state see link below.


Jailed for photographing a copper
Criminal act
Photography laws UK



Who said you can't have humour with this serious subject. The non laughing Policeman perhaps.

NOT ANOTHER PLUCKING PERFORMER! - ABC

What the pluck is he strumming?

This week Abc is brought to you my the letter P

Can you see a pattern forming this week? Yes be prepared to be inundated with musician images from the, now finished, Laxey Blues Festival. Don't worry they won't all be close ups of little men playing with their instruments. In fact I will have a fabulous skywatch, an arresting sight, ghostbusters, some petal power, people watching...... Boys keep swinging is on hold. Well they aren't on hold anymore of course, but they may just be Facebook images. I know these people a little too well. Oh yes and to keep all you monochrome maniacs happy a bevy of your arty performance wide shots. Forgive my excursion from Ramsey to Laxey but I would seriously get the blues if I didn't get to watch the Blues. Honestly it's a "workthang" too. Hard work taking 193 images you know and well someone has to drink the Jack Daniels on offer. Rude not too and it's surprising how you see the moon is all I'll say. Friday, sweeties Friday.


This "plucking performer"( I know strumming is the correct term but we are on P not S and I'm using artistic license) is from the same band as yesterday's "sax appeal" image. I went with the colour again instead of the usual monochrome simply because I liked the hue(note I like me, me, me) of the red shirt seeping into soft focus, the blue guitar and those skin tones. Yes, yes I promise I will show you those atmospheric mean and moody blues/jazzy black and white images, today I want to splurge on the skin tones. To see other Laxey Blues Festival images from previous years, click colours below.


Harmonica Man

Back Door Slam

Reloaded

Sax Appeal '09


Once again image not a crop, as taken just a low res re size for the blog, so don't be a meanie and stealy or you take money out of my pocket(that's why they are smaller images so they pixelate if meanes nick them.) Yes photographers eat too. Chips and COLD Milkshakes. You have noted I have a cold milkshake issue this week. Bad service, you know who you are! No I won't let it lie!

Go to Mrs N for a plethera of O's.


Not the laughing policeman at 400 tomorrow

LAXEY BLUES FESTIVAL 2009 - MY WORLD

Sax appeal!

My World

Laxey Blues Festival 2009 images finally here. Yes, this is why I have been off the blog, because of little men like this playing with their instruments that just had to be captured. So with Jack Daniels in one hand and camera in the other, 193 images later my work was done. Well the first part. Next is sorting out which are the sales ones. As usual, a good time was had by all into the early hours over the Bank Holiday Weekend. The festival as I have said before is the pre curser to the Isle of Man TT Road Races. It's become such a national(well small island) institution visitors could be forgiven for assuming the event is older than it's 11 years. Attracting international( yes not just Manx folks, all colours and creed) and local musicians it's a must see event for islanders and any wandering visitor. Yes people do come over just for the blues but not get the blues. Held at various venues throughout the village of Laxey, the day events free and evening line up priced accordingly, the music extravaganza therefore includes all budgets and caters for all ages. If you like rock, blues, a touch of folk, but definitely live music, then this is the event for you. Tips would be take the kids in the day, leave them at home at night and book a taxi in advance to take you home, otherwise you will end up sleeping on a park bench in Laxey.We've come close. Other tips would be if your kids throws stones, rocks at other kids and are generally little son of a bi... then I will(as I did) tie up their rope swing and teach you a lesson. Little brats bang out of order. Throwing rocks with the intent of causing pain is assault. Never ever p..s off a photographer when they are working. Never con their guest into buying a warm milkshake that is supposedly served cold either.


Not a clue who the saxophonist is or the group. So many groups so little time, so drunk. Anyone care to fill in the blanks feel free. Obviously I will be showing you the obligatory black and white close ups and long atmospheric images, but why start off obviously? Instead a vibrant colour one. Gotta love that funky shirt to start with, the warm golden tones of the sax and the guitarist red shirt adding depth and layering. How perfectly manicured are those nails too gals? Sometimes colour really is the way to go. As usual image as taken, no alerations, crops or othewise, just resized and low res for blog. It's My World, it's what I do photography and My World is the sales of the images. So please permission sort use, otherwise you will starve this photographer and I'll get more than the blues.

Klaus, Imac, Fishing Guy, Ivar, Tom, Louise, Wren, Sandy and others are to thank for the My World neme. Click here for more my world's just for fun again of course.

More Laxey Blues to follow including a few cheeky images. All I'll say for now.

B.

YOU LOOKING AT ME? - CRITTERS

Sulking siskin

Critters

Well I suppose you'd be sulking and moody if you'd just flown into a window and some idiot runs up to you and shoves a camera in yer face while you're trying to recover. You all know the story of the mad siskins with satnav problems who bounce of my patio doors. Here's another. Needless to say I don't just capture them( figuratively with the camera of course) but stay with them 'til they are less dazed and confused and fit enough to fly off. Free as bird oh lord I can't change the habits of these mad little birdies, just look after them.




Anyway for the back story on the moody siskin and my other images see pretty colours below.

Handbird
Tom Thumb
Sleep baby sleep

THEME DAY SHADOWS AND SKYWATCH

Ramsey Swing Bridge 18/100

Skywatch/Theme Day Shadows

Cobweb

Here we go again. Almost overlooked the CDP theme of Shadows. Actually almost overlooked Skywatch too. Oops! So today a combination of two themes Skywatch and CDP Mayday. A shadowy, sinewy skywatch. For those that know the story we are up to 18 of the" Cult of Babooshka's Swing Bridge"For those that haven't a clue why on earth the image has a magic number of 18(not Hanger 18, just 18) and is entitled "Cobweb"(working title, you may call it lace or golden diamonds, blah di blahs, I'm easy on the name game) all you need to know is I need to get 100, and they must appear on the blog. Not every day obviously but at random intervals. Bit like my posts at the moment, random intervals. Obviously this was either an early evening or early morning image(I take so many I have genuinely forgotten and didn't digital timestamp the image as I was using the little point and shoot not the big camera) due to the golden sun filtering through metal grid work of the interweaving iron lattice....oh enough twaddle you decide.


For more wonderful shadowy images, just for fun remember, click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Skywatch watchers can be found here. Many thanks to Dot for the inspirational idea, Tom for the first caretaking and the My world gang for looking after skywatch now.


This weekend I will be at the Laxey Blues Festival. Finally. Don't expect me around a lot, busy organizing few images for a music magazine and a travel website. Jack Daniels in one hand camera in another, working or not I intend to have fun. I take my music enjoyment very seriously. If you are good I'll let you see the images that aren't used on the blog. So behave!