Gremlin Dog

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Model Photo Experience Day

We were blessed with glorious sunshine on the first of my Model Photo Experience Days in the New Forest.  With two models (big thanks to Chloe & Vikkie) and 6 enthusiastic photographers we started in the grounds of the Lyndhurst Park Hotel, before moving out into the depths of the New Forest for the late afternoon sun.

Swanage Railway

This weekend was my first Photo Experience Day at Corfe Castle.  It all went rather well, with perfect weather for the whole day.

This post is about the fine people at the Corfe Castle station of the Swanage Railway, who looked after all 12 of us so very well yesterday.

From letting us pose with their "dog", to moving out of the way so we could get better shots of the trains, all the way to inviting a few of us into the signal box & the old station masters front room which they'd restored to it's former glory.

Gentlemen, from everyone in my group, a big public thank you!

For more information on the Swanage Railway - please visit their website - www.swanagerailway.co.uk

Visiting Big Ben

It's not exactly the easiest tour in London to get on.  You have to contact your MP to book, and then wait around 6 months for the date to arrive.  You have to go through better than airport style security to get into the building, there is a ban on photography, and you have to climb up all 334 steps up the clock tower.

Today I visited Big Ben! 

My legs were like jelly at the top, but watching and hearing the bells chime 3pm was oh so worth all the effort involved!

I can't recommend the tour highly enough, with just a small group of 7 people, we saw the clock and bell mechanism, got to touch the back of all four clock faces and of course got to watch Big Ben strike the hour!

Also as a little bonus the tour guide let me have a look around Westminster Hall by myself after the tour.

Contact your MP now and book yourself a place.  You won't regret it.

As I couldn't take any photos inside, I spent an hour walking around the Houses of Parliament after the tour taking a few snaps...

Gone in 60 Minutes

I've just been sent a copy of a new book called "Gone in 60 Minutes" written by a Lisa Gawthorne who I had the pleasure of photographing in Edinburgh back in the summer of 2011.  A couple of my photos have been used in the book, as well as a very nice credit.

Thanks Lisa :-)  Wishing you much success with the book.

Please excuse the book quality very quickly taken with a mobile phone photos below...!

Amazon.co.uk link to the book here.

My First Cinemagraph

I was inspired by seeing some amazing cinemagraphs a week or so ago so I thought I'd give it a try.

I should have locked off the exposure on "M", and obviously I need a more interesting subject, but you've got to start somewhere.

Updated with attempt number two.  Using a totally different technique this time.   Again not perfect but a fun end result, or be it a little disturbing.  Quite enjoying experimenting here so shall be trying some more soon.

Olympic Torch in Southampton

On Saturday 14th July 2012 the Olympic Torch visited Southampton.  I wasn't sure whether I wanted to battle the crowds and the congested roads, and the weather could best be described as "meh", but in the end I decided it was one of those once in a live time events and went for it.

Traffic both in and out was surprisingly easy, but maybe I just got lucky with my timing.

I picked a spot where the torch was going to be twice as it made it's way to and from St Mary's Stadium, so I was able to first photograph it from the roof of the Royal Oak Pub, and then again from street level.

Pianos in London

While I was in London over the weekend I found some randomly placed Street Pianos (turns out they are part of a big project of 50 pianos placed around central London).  Normally when you're in London everyone keeps themselves to themselves.  If you talk to anyone you don't know you're considered "weird" (or maybe that's just me).   The addition of a piano, and someone who can plonk out a half decent tune on said piano and complete strangers start to talk and socialise with each other.

This is just what happened at Monument on Saturday evening, strangers stood around listening to few random tunes on the piano.

A simple, but brilliant idea.  Check out the website and go searching for a piano near you!  

P&O Grand Event in Southampton

Tuesday 3rd July 2012 was the date that 7 P&O ships came to Southampton.

The weather was perfect, if you're a duck that is.  Just like the Three Queens event a few weeks prior the weather was forecast to be generally awful with rain, low cloud...  A typical 2012 summers day in fact.

The Red Arrows were again scheduled to display, but I knew before driving out to Calshot that they were going to cancel due to the poor weather for the second time.

I arrived in Calshot just before the masses of muggles descended on the place parking anywhere and everywhere.  Given the weather, it being a week day and lack of Red Arrows the amount of people who came out was a surprising. 

Getting out of Calshot after was going to be "interesting", so I didn't even try, electing instead to drive (although I had to ditch the van and do the last few minutes on foot) down to Calshot Castle where I was reliably informed there was a burger van!