bikes and things

So wandering round Bath on Sat looking for food for Mum’s BBQ I could’t help have a look in the camera shop on Green Street opposite the Sausage Shop, my intended destination. The sausages are amazing and you should try some if you’re in Bath. The reason for stopping was to look at the array of lenses and cameras in the window. There was a load of Canon stuff but only a few Nikon bits and bobs. I spotted a tele convertor (TC20 II) and had a quick look online for reviews and prices – seemed like it was a reasonable deal and I could probably shift it if I didn’t get on with it.

So the 70-200 ƒ2.8 I have is a bit of a beast. I’ve started calling it the pervert lens as you do look pretty dodgy carrying it around. It’s great for long shots but the sheer size of it means I don’t use it enough. It’s been great for a few shots out of the window so far but doesn’t quite have the reach I’d hoped. The ability to turn it into a 400mm lens does bring some interesting possibilities though. Whether the image quality is up to it is another thing though. I guess one good thing is that I’ll always be using it on a tripod so can stop it down to whatever is sharpest for the lens combination.

I had quick go tonight and found that the ball head I was using was almost not up to the job. I’d left the geared head in the car and was too lazy to grab it tonight though. I had to make sure the tripod was weighted from below and used mirror up mode to get rid of all vibration from it. I ended up with this one earlier. Not sure about the image quality. It was a very hazy evening and it could just be pollution. Interestingly when I was focusing on the Cheesegrater I could see heat patterns in the air.

Here’s a few 100% crops which I think are pretty respectable really. I’ve sharpened but no more than usual.

Could be fun to play with, especially now Franks is open again and we can get to the top of the carpark again.

And later in the evening this is what I got…

Only they’re airplanes queued up for landing at an airport in Singapore. They look like fireflies or orbs or even UFOs. A really nice little clip and obviously a lot of effort went into it. Nice to see the aeroplane as part of the time lapse here too rather than something which gets edited out of a couple of frames.

It’s not big, it’s not clever but god damn it’s funny.

Apparently this is from a shopping centre in Naas, County Kildare. Someone must have drawn and elevation or setting out drawing and seen that. Surely?

As with all things funny there’s a tumblr dedicated to it – accidental penis. Snigger.

God bless the internet.

You’d have to agree.

A long but worthwhile watch on the history of aspect ratio in films. I never knew how anamorphic worked either.

Or rather the The Leadenhall Building as it’s properly know as. This timelapse stood out to me due to the variety of techniques used and obviously the amount of time that went into shooting and editing it. Some of the shots are rather unusual and they’ve used a mixture of viewpoints to show it at its best. Hopefully there’s more footage to come.

Via Dezeen

So we went to New York for seven nights and had a great time there. I think we need another weeks holiday to relax from it though. There’s loads I want to write about… the trip, the vehicles, the scale of the place, the people, the food and so on and so on. But for now I just want to celebrate the fact I edited 1200 photos down to 126. There’s a few more to come but this is it for now. Go get em at Flickr.

Here’s a few of my favourites so far.

I was saddened to hear of Colin’s passing last night. I have very fond memories of working with him and John Pardey in my final degree year at Portsmouth School of Architecture in 2001. There’s a fantastic image of the two of them together over at Building Magazine, although I’m unable to find a larger copy of it. I really enjoyed both of their contributions and it was my most successful time at the University. He was a great tutor and professor and I loved his insight and wisdom, his comments were often leftfield but always made you reconsider what you were working on. He was a larger than life character and a real presence in the school that was well balanced by Wendy Potts the then Head. He made a massive contribution to the school and he, and the building, were the reasons I initially chose Portsmouth.

I will always remember his effusive introductions to guest lecturers who came down to speak, usually on a train from London. The names he managed to bring down were incredible and he always described their work in such a wonderful way that the speaker was almost dumbstruck, they then had the task of trying to live up to it with their presentation they had brought. I will also always remember his towering presence and large handshake that was intimidating at first but he was always interested in what I had been doing and had advice for my project and also what I should be doing with my career. And who could forget his blue Williams Renault Cleo with the gold alloy wheels! He would arrive in this pimped up sports car which was completely incongruous for his status as Professor, but if you love fast cars then why not.

John wrote a thoughtful and touching obituary in the AJ which is well worth reading. There’s also some familiar names commenting on a BD article including Wendy who had this to say:

Colin and I became friends when we worked together at the University of Portsmouth from 1993 to 2006. I was a young unknown female Head of School and he became a loyal and supportive Professor of Design. He designed us a very special school in which to teach Architecture and together with my late husband, Jay Potts, we worked together to create new ‘shapes’ of architectural education that would enhance the teaching of Architecture in a climate of economic change. (What is new?)

The special thing that Colin contributed was optimism, fun and happiness. He made a special contribution to architectural education, partly by a building but also because he listened and responded with great thought to every (sometimes crazy) opinion a student put forward. He could transport himself to when he was their age and would treat any opinion with respect. It takes a humble and great man to do that. I know all students at Portsmouth School of Architecture will always carry that with them, as will I and my family. We will all miss his loyalty, support and passion.

He was also a successful cricketer back in the 50s and according to the Wikipedia page also had some success with a brief acting career. His work at Hampshire County Council Architects was legendary and was doing fantastic schools work before it was fashionable. I’d love to go back and revisit some of his work in the context of more modern school design. I’ve no doubt it’s stood the test of time.

And here’s a final quote from Colin himself in 1985.

Architects are the rightful custodians of the public estate because they have the capacity to introduce joy, imagination and wit into our environments.

I think that sums it up quite nicely. Rest in peace Colin.

Another great shot that captured the scrum of photographers at the opening of the Serpentine Pavillion this year. This time by Jim Stephenson.

I get that feeling quite often but this one really did jump out at me. A shot by Clement Guillaume on Flickr. Love that exposed concrete of a structural frame in progress.