bikes and things

As demonstrated by our local Chinese Restaurant. Just a simple scanned menu uploaded as an image, but works so well.

Two brilliant videos of dogs. Still want one, still can’t have one.This first one is at Swinley Forest where I sometimes ride.

And a dog balancing on a rope! Amazing.

I thought I’d get myself a new little camera bag after got back from my meeting in Oxford this morning. So off to Amazon I went and ordered a Billingham bag but the option on the side said that a third party seller would do it a bit cheaper with free postage. So great, click the button, order, get back on with work.

Then the phone rings.

Them: Hello, it’s about your bag.
Me: You don’t have it in stock right?
Them: No sir, are you going to be in your office for another hour or so?
Me: Yes of course, until 6pm.
Them: Great, we’ll stick it on a bike now.

Sure enough a nice cycle courier arrived with my bag. The shop? Team Work on Foley Street. I think they’ll be my new favourite camera shop from now on. Bye bye Calumet.

This image has been making most of the photographers I know, architectural and otherwise, a bit weak at the knees recently. It’s shot by Iwan Baan who is arguably the worlds best Architectural Photographer – for now. The image is the kind of thing that just wouldn’t have the same impact as shot with Instagram as some of the New York press have been doing, and which I argued against recently. The original article neatly describes their reasons for running the image as well the difficulties they faced keeping their publishing workflow going when all their infrastructure was down.

Another article has emerged this morning which is an interview with Baan himself discussing how he actually got the image. Some of the technical details read a little like a Canon ad but it’s interesting nonetheless. Someone should have told him that he could have had such high ISO four years ago with a Nikon D3S!

On Saturday Emma and I headed up to see some friends near Hackney Central to celebrate their daughters first birthday along with a few fireworks as is customary at this time of year.

Rather than bussing it we gave the overground a go which as well as being quicker was also ideal for lots of photo opportunities in the wonderfully over lit stations on the overground. The elevational shots of the fellow passengers waiting are great fun to take.

And I couldn’t resist annoying Emma with my camera a few times whilst we waited for the train.

Quick shot from a walk around yesterday with Emma. I updated the firmware on the X100 and I seem to be enjoying using it much much more now that some of the niggles have gone away. I still get lots of adoring glances for it when I have it round my neck which is amusing. You can always spot the camera nerd as they glance at it. Seems to be a real classic of a camera for me.

My mate Simon recently had a go at doing a DSLR timelapse of an Oak tree that was being removed next to his house. Timelapse is harder to do that it might seem at first with all the planning required to make sure it all works as well as making sure the timing comes together. Unfortunately the battery looks like it ran out during the night but it still makes a nice bit of footage. Pretty impressive for a first go really.

My favourite part is all the lights flicking on and off as the evening draws in.

Just had the silly monkey riser bars on the Brompton changed for some flat ones along with a new stem. Couldn’t resist some new grips with a little splash of colour. First impressions seem to be good. Feels much faster and a much nicer riding position. Feels quite nippy really.

Nothing else needs saying here I think.

Another one of those photo projects which instantly rings the “why the hell didn’t I think of that” bell in my mind. Beautifully executed with a great sense of depth to all of the images. So enjoyable going through the sheer number of images on his site. A more in depth interview is also available over at It’s Nice That.

A few of my favourites below.

All images © Richard Hooker