bikes and things

Yes a new to me lens arrived in the post this week and I hadn’t used it until today. A rather nice Nikkor 70-200 VRII ƒ2.8 which is far larger than I had imagined and will require a whole new understanding of camera holding technique to get the best out of it.

So here’s the usual “lens test” shots which I so often chastise others for. At least they’re not entitled lens test 1 etc. Shame the sky is so overcast today as the extra reach at 200mm is great for Shard shots from our bedroom. And even wide open at ƒ2.8 at 200mm it’s still plenty sharp enough. Sharp enough for me to get rid of my 85mm prime I reckon.

Have to get this notebook! Thanks to @fatcharlesh for the tip off. Apparently available from the Barbican gift shop.

Managed to get a ride in today with Matt. Rather than the usual trip to the Surrey Hills we gave the Lordship Loop pump track a go up near Tottenham. Good fun but knackering really. Would be great to have this on your doorstep to play on when you had a spare five mins. Incredibly hard to pump all the way round and feel it should have had a shorter figure of eight and then a longer section for those who had the first bit dialled. Anyway, still good fun. Beer and pizza for after and a snooze too.

Image © Matt Noble

Pretty crap day until I logged into Twitter at 6.15 to see this wonderful little video. Who doesn’t like a bit of slapstick eh? Oooooohhh whahhheeeey! The music and commentary makes it. Some of it is like the scene from the Matrix when he comes out of it and is born through those big pink tubes.

Via @lawrencebrown

A quiet drink with Emma in East Dulwich on Sat – no such thing really. Ended up in the draft house talking to randoms and then making it home late followed by a raging hangover the next day. Still, we had a good time and I managed to get a few pics.

Shockingly beautiful images of an empty school. They’d make amazing pictures probably shot on film with a 5×4 view camera, only they weren’t – they’re paintings!

All images © Gina Heyer.

via It’s Nice That

I completely understand people’s choice to wear a helmet or not. Personally I do but don’t look down at others who don’t – unless you’re at a trail centre where it’s just dumb not to. But I’ve still never understood the “helmet clipped to bag” or “helmet hung from handlebars approach”. If you’ve gone to the bother of buying one, taking it out of the house then why not wear it?

And a great response from Richard on Twitter.

Cycling through Camberwell this morning I had a cab come a little close and did the usual “check behind and make him know I’m there” head turn. He was still close and I shook my head a little. A few seconds later…

Cabbie “Sorry mate I was a little close there wasn’t I? I saw you shake your head”.
Me “Ahhh, no worries, thanks for saying sorry, really appreciate it. Just a little grumpy in the mornings”.

Smiles and thank yous all round. Then 200m up the road…

Cabbie “Hope you cheer up but the time you get to work mate”.
Me “Ha, thanks, take it easy”.

Such a great little video and so much better than some dry picture and bit of text on a website.

Which also gives me an excuse to show my other favourite member of staff at DeMatos Ryan..

Or maybe not.

Via Engadget. Image © Sascha Pallenberg.