London Sunday

We had a more or less unplanned visit to London, deciding on Saturday to travel Sunday, braving the expected crowds, which in fact were not too tremendous. Bit of a whistle-stop tour, visiting the Take A View show at Waterloo, checking out the entries, of course liking the Urban entries most, and viewing Cambridge Camera Club's Tim Harris entry which was awarded Adult Runner Up, entitled "Two Hundred and Six Beach Huts - Norfolk, England". Plus a few blurry treatments and random pics. Not a true "Photography" day, but I thought successful.
 

Well I like this one

Colourful Tube

Thirties Building

Light Going

Phew, phew

The Reader Family

Battered but Loved

Display

Waiting For The Trains

Time doesn't stand still for long

Tim's Entry

Colourful

Then on to Imperial War Museum, to see the new gallery refurbishment by Foster + Partners, which I admired greatly, the materials in subdued grey tones, allowing the gallery exhibits to take pride of place,  and disturbingly real they are, using real war machinery, film footage, posters, sound, archive photographs and narratives to show the reality of Warfare. I found the First World War and Holocaust galleries monumentally moving and came away almost shell-shocked myself.

I did take my usual Architectural treatments of the building, and will return for a more considered visit, I expect.

Then on to Liberty, a visit we had planned after seeing the TV show, and what a store, cavernous and full of  wonderful objects to buy, if you have the money available of course. Few interior shots taken of the store and the windows.

Next stop Trafalgar Square to see the Norwegian donated Christmas Tree, simply lit and a symbol of Xmas in London.

Finally, Somerset House, for a drink and a relax before heading home on the train, tired but happy to have had a good day, which London always gives.

Home to an early nigh, thanks for looking

Another walk in London Town

I read of the opening of the refurbished Weston Cast Courts at the glorious anarchic V and A Museum, where exhibits seem to live together in harmony, although disparate, and as bonus for me the architecture of the building is so visually interesting.

The exhibits are not original but are replica's of the great works like Michelangelo’s David which forms the centrepiece of the Italian Cast Court. The aim, bearing in mind people did not travel, or have access to photographs at that time, was to give access to the vision of the original artists. Somewhat sneered at by a few people, many still flocked to see them, and casts were avidly collected by the "great and the good" to be shown off in their homes. Many plaster casts have been destroyed, as they were obviously fragile, so the Collection, dating from 1873, is of major importance.

I like the randomness these Galleries have, and with the original details restored it made an interesting hour, with a few photo's to show for it. (That old thing about photographing other people's art not being creative, and doubly so, as they are not originals anyway). 

The newish (2009) part of the Medieval & Renaissance galleries is marvellous, with the conversion of an old section of the building into an elegant, restful space, with an intricate glass roof, meaning daylight pours in on the exhibits below. The architecture practice MUMA were responsible for the design and have managed to blend the old and the new in masterful fashion. So I spent a good deal of time there before moving on, admiring the detailing and the scope of the work, plus taking a few shots, naturallement.

I have just bought a used Canon 28mm f2.8 lens from the excellent MPB Photographic, who have a large stock of used equipment, and used that, the constraint of a fixed lens compared with the versatility of a zoom pays one back in terms of quality I feel. The initial images I am very pleased with.

Next stop was the Architecture gallery, with models and photographs explaining the part it plays in our lives, even the most commonplace building has to be created by someone's thought processes, so architects are continually involved in our living space.

Next back to South Kensington station,

taking some people shots on the way, and ended up at Liverpool Street, making my way into the City, which was almost deserted.

By this time both myself and light was fading so I grabbed a few shots, and decided to make my way back to King's Cross, and wait for the train home.

My intention had originally been to photograph at an event, but I now realize that, sadly, only one activity can be possible for me, unless I make dramatic changes to my health and equipment. The latter is more possible I feel, so am going to evaluate my future "Kit" needs in relation to future photography. It means looking at what I have, which frankly is too much, and deciding the value, a decision a lot of photographers are making, now that mirrorless cameras are of such high quality.