Monday, June 29, 2009

Free again


Free to do as I please




"Where is our blogger" refers to the post below. One of our Bloggers stopped blogging. This was of great concern to the community at the CDP. He is the Tehran Daily Blogger, A of Iran. You see why we were concerned. Our worst fears were confirmed, he had been arrested and detained. We hosted a special day called yesterday. Green images and similar text Last night we had the news confirmed A, had been released, he was free again.


I took this image last week on the beach. Mooragh Promenade just behind me. I sat for about an hour, contemplating how much the light and sea looked just like my favourite place the Cote d'Azur and wishing I was there in the South of France. I laughed at the little dog quicker than it's owner, spotting me. I smiled as the mother and excited child found their perfect spot. It was a glorious day and I was free to do as I please. A blogger in Tehran was not so lucky that day. He did not revel in the sunshine, enjoy a peaceful city, he was not free to do as he pleased. Today we are both free, but I will still have a quiet town, a beautiful beach, the sunshine, and freedom. A in Tehran will have a very different world to mine, his fight goes on but at least today he is free.




Thank you for reading this.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Where is our Blogger?



Where is our Blogger?

For the one and the many



We are all aware of the situation and struggles of the Iranian people. Their fledgling faltering steps towards change and voices struggling to be heard. One of those voices, known to many of us has been silent. The CDP community (a group of photo daily city Bloggers,) join today together to be a voice for the one Blogger missing and the many people throughout Iran who have had their voice silenced. As a Photographer whose partner is a Political Cartoonist and Artist I cannot imagine us not having the freedom to pursue our work without fear of going "missing." Can you imagine this happening to you, your family, your friends, your neighbours, your colleagues? This is why we ask today "Where is our Blogger."


Click here to view thumbnails for all participants


Many thanks for reading this post and the others participating too.

Friday, June 26, 2009

View from a bridge


Never wasting time at the dock of the bay





Yes the blog bandits have been at it again, so if you are viewing on an address that is not the above url, stop . Stop it now. Very naughty. Feel free to contact me and pass on the details of the naughty site whose fingers need to me severely smacked. To calm down I had a walk along the harbour on what had to be the best day of the year so far. The light this week has been incredible. I really do mean pretty damn near bloomin' spectacular, as you can see by the above image. The closest I have ever seen the sea and light to the Cote'd Azur, and you know how much I just lurrrrrrrrrrrrrrve the French Riviera. Just wait 'til you see the beach ones next week. By the way, that strip of land you can see on the horizon is England. It was so clear with a slight heat haze that the blue of the sky and the blue of the sea just melded together perfectly. No post production, manipulation whatsoever which is just how I like it. I am the world's laziest photographer. Give me the light, I'll give you the image, then I can waste more time on the beach contemplating how I get a job in the South of France.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Watery waves for a w

Water, Water everywhere.Justify Full Well I do live on an island!






Just in case you are wandering that little snide remark above showing who the post belongs to is
aimed squarely at another rip off foreign blog who merged the text with a paragraph of their own, no image last week. So try trolling this one without coming unstuck. Back to the letter. What else do you have on an island but watery waves splish splashing around. Slight twist this week though.


The image is a very tiny crop of a very large image of a crashing wave of the Irish sea breaking on the rocks of Ramsey. Just to show you how sharp you can get an image, but you really need to be exact with the large photo if you want to crop the tiniest amount to make a new clear image. I do like the slightly minty green hue and dirty yellow splashes of colour. Chalk this one up to being arty farty and can't be bothered putting a beautiful image on tonight in case the blog bandits are out there. We will call this my "Turn on a Turner Abstract Seascape " Babooshka'a mint period, if that's ok with you blog thief.


Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Rebuilding

Under construction




Do you have this in your world. You probably do, or maybe you have never heard of this idea.

See older posts below which explain what Social Housing is see older posts.








Sunday, June 21, 2009

Monochrome shadows

Light and Shade




A black and white study of Gladstone Park. For those who were here for this week(click here) it is the same tree and twisting shadows, same time of evening but captured from further back along the road, minus the bend and obviously in black and white.


As I pointed out the other day, how the camera can deceive. This is such a clean looking, serene lonesome road isn't it. Only at this time of night.


.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Wasp on a motorbike?



Buzz off!

This image is taken from something we call Mad Sunday which I featured a few weeks ago...... Well as you can see here we have a wasp on a motorbike. One of numerous variations on a theme. Ok it's a human take on a critter on Parliament Square but I couldn't resist using another of the image. Expect all sorts of animals on motorbikes to turn up at some point from the photo collection. As a bonus you even get a swan in there too if you look closely.





I'm as busy as a bee today flitting about in a waspish manner. No that's a lie. My other half is very busy creating 2 Separate artistic commissions(yes he's the artist dahlink, I'm the photographer and yes the house is covered in sketches) and I am on the supplying coffee and ice lolly duties in a waspish manner of course.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Day is done

The long and winding road




When the day is done and I take the short walk home from downtown I have the choice of four routes, . Not often I go this way but I knew this road would be empty during the motorbike event and guessed in the golden hour the shadows would be at play and the curving sweep of the road could be viewed in a prettier light than usual. This road is usually busy with workman and sprawling vehicles due to the housing estate on the left being knocked down and rebuilt. It is usually shrouded under a layer of fine cement dust when dry and mud puddles when wet. Not at all a pleasant walk when you have bags of shopping and forced to jaywalk due to parked vehicles and railings cordoning off the path. Dodging rush hour and school run traffic is not my idea of a leisurely walk at all! As you can see not a soul around apart from my camera and I on a fine dry summer's evening. Heavenly!

Sad news today for us City Daily Bloggers. One of our most popular brethren Ming The Merciless, New York City Daily Photo has drawn a veil on the blog. The Northern Sky has lost one of it's brightest blogging stars to the real world. Ming is in the next phase of his life down the long and winding road and his fabulous blog will cease to be. Fortunately you can all catch up with his marvellous back posts a must for anyone curious, visiting or relocating to New York. One of these things I know blogs ceasing, but I am genuinely sorry to see this one end. Good job he's on Facebook then to follow his next adventure. Ha! Escape from New York, but not the net Ming.


Wednesday, June 17, 2009

V - IS FOR VISITORS.......

V is for Visitors and oh yes my lunch


Duckie

Two for the road


The lady with the letters herself visited this week. As you you all know Mr and Mrs Nesbitt came to see, yes the motorbikes. True to her word she brought the sunshine too. I swear to you the week before rain, Denise arrives the sun shines. Sitting for the afternoon outside the pub( yes outside novel for me) and watched the biking tourists, had the proverbial bag of chips and entertained the passing hordes. Mrs Nesbitt did that is. Denise had me laughing from the moment she arrived. From tales of her and Jon's road trips through France, teaching stories, blogging encounters, and so much more. In fact at one point the 3 older fellows next to us, well one just didn't want to leave until Denise had finished one of her tales he had been eavesdropping on. The funniest bit though has to be Denise shouting "eh" to a local. He stared back blankly as she carried on talking at him(I do mean at him) until she finally blurted out "sorry I thought you were someone I knew". Why so funny? He was a passing policeman and I swear he thought we were taking the mickey out of him. He was not amused, I on the other hand cracked up at this point and tried not to be arrested for having a good time. I felt like a tourist in my own town. Denise and Jon thank you and a pleasure to meet you both and your friends, and of course the ever present duck, for all to brief a time. See you next year and many thanks for boosting our economy and being faithful supporters of the event

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

SENIOR RACE, ISLE OF MAN TT 2009

The local lad Connor Cummins

Three's a crowd


Not now John

Just to round off the week a few images from the very last Race. The race concludes the week of Races. Taken in my usual spot for this particular image, the lean of the bike on the bend at Parliament Square.

1. Connor Cummins who really is a local boy, not just a Manxman, from the Isle of Man, even better than that he is from Ramsey. He came 2nd and well deserved place it was too.
2. If you look closely 3 in a line taking the bend towards my local pub. Yes bend any closer and they would be in the pub.
3. The ever popular John McGuinness who was having a blistering ride until disaster struck, about 2 mins after this image was taken. One snapped bike chain and the end to another win for John this year I'm sad to say.

Hope you enjoyed the week in photos. Over a thousand so they will turn up from time to time, but for now that's your lot. Well apart for my special visitor tomorrow. Wading through the ones for sale.









John Crellin - Rip

Saturday, June 13, 2009

JOHN CRELLIN - RIP

Align LeftJohn Crellin - RIP

Sadly John Crellin, from the Isle of Man, died today competing in the Senior Race, Isle of Man TT 2009 Road Races. Condolences from all here on the island to John's family.

Friday, June 12, 2009

More, More, More, TT

Another Race Day



Leaning

Leaving

Frozen

. Just open the lens, pulled back on the wide shot rocked backed on the heels and let the sky in. Actually number I and 3 were take sat on the floor pushing the camera through the railing and linking my arms round the rail. Not advisable. You also look a demented fool.

The races will be over tomorrow. Last of the bikes to capture. Boo Hoo! I will miss them and the tourists, especially two I met today called.... well no I will leave that to next week, but a lot of you will know who it is. Even got some photos too. Don't even ask about the mistaken identity and the Policeman. Next Week.

Others skies can be found here.

one day left.

See the week of racing just scroll down the posts this week.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

SUPERSTOCK RACE , SHOOTING SHADOWS, ISLE OF MAN TT

Chasing the light

Avoiding the sun

A little lift

Wall of light



Or how to capture sport images when the light is fading!


Well it's all been happening here. Or not actually. The Sidecar B race got underway but was canceled due to a sidecar catching fire. Really. So now abandoned. Grabbed a few images from last night's Superstock Race. As it was rescheduled from day to evening gives me a photo tips opportunity. Who's game?

As you can see by the above images all shot on the wide angled lens without zoom on. I'm that close. Reason for choosing this lens was the light. Fading fast, but the sun was still fierce in just about the wrong place. Two options. Either a bigger lens with a hood attached to the end(looks like those things you see on dogs around there neck when they have an operation and can't scratch the wound) or wide lens. Went with the wide, no hood for one reason, to retain the light to capture those shadows. One thing you do have to do if you do evening sport photography is keep changing the setting to compensate for the fading light. By that I mean the ISO, shutter speeds, metering. Had to do this every couple of minutes otherwise the images would have been to dark as the night went on. Easy huh!




Not over yet!



Wednesday, June 10, 2009

SURE SIDECAR A RACE

Sidecar A Race



Yellow Peril

Flaming orange

Lucky No 7





U is for united. That's what the sidecar team have to be.Working in tandem as you can see. U is form uniform they wear. U is for my universal images that find themselves around the globe.
U if for U have probably had enough of me banging on about the bikes, but honest it's only two weeks of the year and one of those is practice week. This is race week. These images were taken from Taubman Street, the Sure Sidecar Race A.








Tuesday, June 09, 2009

ISLE OF MAN TT 2009, DAINESE SUPERBIKE RACE - MY WORLD

As close as you can get



If you...

look...

closely...

you can see just how close I was. Check out those flies on the windscreens!


Really got to leave you with a few quick images from the Dainese Superbike Race. John McGuiness the winner( sorry image already booked for the magazine) and me with the photos. Will upload the first side car race soon. 249 images to sort through tonight and guess what? Probably 249 to take again tomorrow. As you can see I am in two different vantage points to take these. Maybe you were there?

Bold




Continues tomorrow

Monday, June 08, 2009

MAD SUNDAY, COWS, DEVILS AND BUTTERFLIES



Mad Sunday


Another Mad Cow on the island



Bikes and tigers and butterflies, oh my!

The devil rides out with his pussycat doll. Dontcha wish you tourists were hot like mine? Dontcha!

Last of the Mohicans


At last we are underway with the . These images are from what we call "Mad Sunday." As you can see it's just lots of bikers having fun doing laps round the island some in fancy dress. Besides the above I also captured the Pink Panther, Sylvester the Cat, a wasp a bunny to name but a few. Hundreds of people out on bikes and hundreds more along just to watch the parade of two wheeled fancy dress riders.

The sun is shining. The new race schedule has been published. Busy day ahead and posting as and when this week.


Sunday, June 07, 2009

DELAYED DUE TO THIS RAIN CLOUD

Rain Rain go away,
So the bikes have no delay,
Photographer me has her bills to pay





How thunderous am I feeling round about now. You saw my image from yesterday. Click here to see. Perfect sky. Not an cloud or any looming on the horizon. Got up today.. and so had the rain. Talk about a washout. Cancelled. This means now the whole week has to be rescheduled. This also means I now have to shuffle all my commitments around. You can see for yourselves that cloud hanging over us was swollen with water and within minutes of the image a downpour ensued. A downpour that lasted until late afternoon.

On the positive side the other half and I had a cracking slap up breakfast(me full veggie him full everything) at the Court Cafe along the high street. You know me by now. If it's bad I'll tell you so this will make a pleasant change. If you find yourself in Ramsey - go there. Good prices, good grub, friendly staff and no they haven't a clue who I am so this endorsement maybe a shock. Hell, you can even get a packed lunch for £5. You will find me there a lot this week stocking up on the caffeine in between races.


Well I'm gutted not to be showing you any racing today. Hopefully by the time everyone gets here she will have brought the sunshine on the ferry from Heysham and I can get to work on the motorbike photos.





Annoyed photographer on the loose will be cheerier when the sun has got his hat on.

Friday, June 05, 2009

THE BIG BLUE

Le Grand Bleu, Qui?

Skywatch


Bonsoir a tous mes amis Skywatching


No I haven't moved Ramsey to France. It's not the French Riviera. That is still the big beautiful Queens Promenade Beach, the view looking across to England, not France. It did put me in mind of the film(click),"Le Grand Bleu" and what we do have here in the way of sport other than the Isle of Man TT, scuba diving. Yes you read that right scuba diving.



Now I've never been myself, but others have and by all accounts it's a terrific experience. We do get basking sharks and dolphins( mythical mermaids rarely) around the Isle but not exactly getting a suntan on the beach. However if you set sail get the binoculars out or go scuba diving you will get a close up view. Seals are a little braver. You do happen upon them along some of the harbour entrances looking for fish. Peel particularly where they quite often come to have a nosey at you. They do tend to pose too for the camera (click) "Seal in Peel" to see what I mean. One day I hope to show you the (click) Ben Varrey, the ship but the naughty Mermaid of the island. Well you know what mermaids are like. Never around when you have the camera.



Short and sweet my sweeties tonight.

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




Wednesday, June 03, 2009

A FINE VINTAGE


Golden Oldie




Well of course I would be making the most of this time. T is...... tada the TT. Tourist Trophy in case you were wondering what that bit actually stands for. Ah but it hasn't started yet has it no? Ah but I have no images of them whizzing about during practise week either have I? Erm, no again. So what have we here, one from the 900 from last year? No again. Confused, well no more than usual reading my blog of course. I think the look of the bike may give it away. It's not an old race from yesteryear and" Ye Olde Isle of Man TT Road Races" when the world was in black and white film cameras(yes kiddies you had to get the film developed)ruled the roost. No it's a vintage bike in a vintage race. That would be vintage stuff then.


So you see it's not all modern brightly coloured garish noisy motorbikes bombing around the snoozy island that sound like demented hairdryers on speed. No. We do your classic laid back, vintage, easy riding, mellow,cool, classic, rumbling baritone machines too. I do mean vintage with some going way, way, back. Some riders go way, way, back too. They can probably still recall the days when you could get a cold strawberry milkshake from a certain chip shop.


For more biker boys doing biker boy stuff hit the links below.





For more ABC see Mrs N and team.




Tuesday, June 02, 2009

MY WORLD IS A WILD ISLE OF MAN MEADOW

Welcome to the jungle!




Wild isn't it? I mean really wild, overgrown get yourself lost in meadow. Gorgeous isn't it. Not if you have hay fever though I suspect or a phobia to creepy crawlies or bigger things like beetles, spiders, worms and dare I say it RATS. I mean longtails. Superstition shh we can't say the R word, but now and again you can hear one scuttling past. Fortunately(or not you can't actually see them with the wild look above. For those of you who have virtually walked this way before and skywatched you may have guessed this is Nature Reserve, leading towards the River. In the distance is the hint of a Barrule, and the industrial building you can see where the Post Office has it's depot.. What you can't see what I'm talking about, due to the wild, wild, grass. Then I'll just have to show you on a clear day. Click the coloured links below to reveal the hidden wonders.



NB
On A clear Day
BS
Looking at the big sky
"Curioser and Curioser"
Depot
Springing the Blues




So when life gets a little too much, take yourself off to the meadow where you can get lost amongst the mini jungle.





Monday, June 01, 2009

THEME DAY - FEET

Crow's feet, a gripping image

Theme Day - Feet


I had toyed with the obvious lateral choice of crows feet around the human eye but decided no. To publish an image of someone, a stranger, and refer to their laughter lines (as some know them) crows feet may have proved a little indelicate. Also a little too obvious that I would go for the lateral choice, so turn the idea on it's head and for once post a literal sensible straight forward image. I checked with the crow who didn't think it it was at all indelicate I photographed his
talons. Even put his best manicured crow foot forward. As a bonus you get all the glossy feather detail too and the grain of the wood. Now this was better than posting my toenail that fell off when I broke my toe a couple of years ago wasn't it? Well perhaps not it was beautiful shade of purple.


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