The Christmas tree lights certainly create the right atmosphere - Merry Christmas everyone!
Wednesday, 24 December 2008
'Twas the night before Christmas...
...and with nothing much on the telly I spent some time trying to take some arty shots of the tree. Father Christmas pops by to our house early on in the evening, so I was able to get a few shots of the tree complete with presents underneath.
The Christmas tree lights certainly create the right atmosphere - Merry Christmas everyone!
The Christmas tree lights certainly create the right atmosphere - Merry Christmas everyone!
Monday, 15 December 2008
Garstang Victorian Christmas Market
It was a cold and dry winter's evening, perfect weather for a visit to Garstang's Victorian Christmas market. The market runs for two days every year with all the things you'd expect: Victorian costumes, a fairground organ, stilt walkers, mulled wine, plenty of hot food and a couple of visits from Father Christmas (curiously in a stylish 1920's open topped car, which wasn't my understanding of his normal method of transport at all - perhaps the sleigh was in for a pre-Christmas service?).
There were plenty of shops open and stalls selling a variety of things - home-made produce, Christmas decorations, scarves and woolly hats etc. Many of the shopkeepers were in Victorian costume and the local brass band played a selection of carols. All very festive!
We enjoyed a hog roast (you've got to eat, haven't you?) and came away with a selection of biscuits and other goodies which will be gone well before Christmas.
The only disappointment? - I didn't manage a single decent picture for my 100th blog post. The best I could do was this one of the brass band - and this only made it because of the comedy raindeer earmuffs:
There were plenty of shops open and stalls selling a variety of things - home-made produce, Christmas decorations, scarves and woolly hats etc. Many of the shopkeepers were in Victorian costume and the local brass band played a selection of carols. All very festive!
We enjoyed a hog roast (you've got to eat, haven't you?) and came away with a selection of biscuits and other goodies which will be gone well before Christmas.
The only disappointment? - I didn't manage a single decent picture for my 100th blog post. The best I could do was this one of the brass band - and this only made it because of the comedy raindeer earmuffs:
Sunday, 14 December 2008
A Christmas christening!
Carole and I had an enjoyable afternoon with Craig, Corrine and Caitlin together with all our friends whilst we celebrated baby Charles's christening.It was nice to catch up with everyone again after the wedding last month, in good time to wish everyone a Merry Christmas too.
Saturday, 13 December 2008
A Christmas Tree! A Christmas Tree!
A Christmas tree! A Christmas tree! With dark green needled memories
Of childhood dreams and mysteries
Wrapped present-like in front of me.
A Christmas tree! A Christmas tree!
I glimpse a past wherein i see
The child that then grew into me
Not forward fast but haltingly.
A Christmas tree! A Christmas tree!
A time for being with family
A time that's gone so fleetingly
Yet lives for always deep in me.
A Christmas tree! A Christmas tree!
When twelfth night comes whole hauntingly
One lingered look and then i see
No Christmas tree where it would be.
A Christmas tree! A Christmas tree!
With feelings now felt longingly
No corner in my house to see
The magic of that Christmas tree.
David Keig
Saturday, 6 December 2008
Sleepy Saturdays
Carole's been out for most of the day today Christmas shopping, so I've had the house to myself today with only Erin for company. It was one of those Saturdays where it was best to stay indoors rather than be outside and she has her favourite places to go for a snooze in the warmth. Whilst she was dozing she was happy to let me take her portrait for HSMSHS's SPS:
I couldn't leave it at just one picture - this shot also came out quite well:
I couldn't leave it at just one picture - this shot also came out quite well:
Tuesday, 2 December 2008
A weekend in York
We've just returned from an enjoyable weekend away in York. Although the plan was for Christmas shopping, I did take my camera and a change of lens with me in the hope of getting some decent shots too.
However, Saturday was much too stressful with presents to buy, crowds of people in the way and too much fog, but by Sunday morning, with clear blue skies I had my chance...
Micklegate bar is a fine example of the city's gates, and because it faced south, it was arguably the most important. The upper parts of the tower date from the 1300s, but the lower section is from the 12th century. Several reigning monarchs have passed through this gate, and the severed heads of traitors were displayed above the gate, right up to the 1750s.
We were staying at a small hotel just up the road from Micklegate Bar and the walk into the centre was no more than 15 minutes or so. Despite the cold, the walk was pleasant enough, and it did allow us to spot a couple of places to eat in the evening.
This shot of York Minster was taken using my wide-angle lens and was partly inspired from an image on the front of a tourist's leaflet we'd picked up at the station. The picture on the leaflet was a collage of small photos which together made up an image of the Minster very much like the shot I'd captured.
The Minster is York's, if not the country's, most famous building. There's been a church on this site since 627AD, before the Vikings invaded, and the present building was constructed between 1220 and 1472. The Minster is in the Gothic style and dominates views across the city. It's size and beauty mean there's so much to photograph - I could happily have spent the afternoon there.
The Mansion House was built in the 1720s as a residence for the Lord Mayor fit for entertaining visiting dignatories. It was the first such building in the country, being ahead of London's Mansion House by 30 years.
The crowds of shoppers meant a clear view hadn't been easy all weekend, but before the light disappeared for good, I managed this shot of this impressive and distinguished building.
Ghost walks are popular in York, as with most historic cities these days, but as this last picture of Stonegate shows, the ghosts in York aren't camera shy!
These last two pictures were taken with the aid of a monopod, supported by a lamp-post. Although they're not perfectly sharp, the monopod was a good compromise between a tripod and the need to travel light. This last shot used an exposure time of around 4 seconds to create the ghostly effect.
However, Saturday was much too stressful with presents to buy, crowds of people in the way and too much fog, but by Sunday morning, with clear blue skies I had my chance...Micklegate bar is a fine example of the city's gates, and because it faced south, it was arguably the most important. The upper parts of the tower date from the 1300s, but the lower section is from the 12th century. Several reigning monarchs have passed through this gate, and the severed heads of traitors were displayed above the gate, right up to the 1750s.
We were staying at a small hotel just up the road from Micklegate Bar and the walk into the centre was no more than 15 minutes or so. Despite the cold, the walk was pleasant enough, and it did allow us to spot a couple of places to eat in the evening.
This shot of York Minster was taken using my wide-angle lens and was partly inspired from an image on the front of a tourist's leaflet we'd picked up at the station. The picture on the leaflet was a collage of small photos which together made up an image of the Minster very much like the shot I'd captured.The Minster is York's, if not the country's, most famous building. There's been a church on this site since 627AD, before the Vikings invaded, and the present building was constructed between 1220 and 1472. The Minster is in the Gothic style and dominates views across the city. It's size and beauty mean there's so much to photograph - I could happily have spent the afternoon there.
The Mansion House was built in the 1720s as a residence for the Lord Mayor fit for entertaining visiting dignatories. It was the first such building in the country, being ahead of London's Mansion House by 30 years.
The crowds of shoppers meant a clear view hadn't been easy all weekend, but before the light disappeared for good, I managed this shot of this impressive and distinguished building.
Ghost walks are popular in York, as with most historic cities these days, but as this last picture of Stonegate shows, the ghosts in York aren't camera shy!These last two pictures were taken with the aid of a monopod, supported by a lamp-post. Although they're not perfectly sharp, the monopod was a good compromise between a tripod and the need to travel light. This last shot used an exposure time of around 4 seconds to create the ghostly effect.
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