On Thursday I will be privileged to spend a day with Canon testing the Canon 5D Mk2.
As a Nikonian myself, they might be taking a risk with this :)
I'll try to be fair.
However, lazywebs: is there anything you want to know about it? Anything you'd like me to test?
Requests in the comments please!
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Taylor Wessing Photography Prize exhibition at the NPG
I was going to write a long and rambling rave review of this exhibition but The Times did it for me.
I'll add a couple of things:
1. It didn't piss me off. This is important. I have a visceral reaction to other people's pictures and this exhibition, like the Tillmans, made me smile.
2. I've seen it three times now and enjoyed it as much each time.
3. If you want to go see it, I'll tag along too again.
That's all.
I'll add a couple of things:
1. It didn't piss me off. This is important. I have a visceral reaction to other people's pictures and this exhibition, like the Tillmans, made me smile.
2. I've seen it three times now and enjoyed it as much each time.
3. If you want to go see it, I'll tag along too again.
That's all.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Sunday, November 09, 2008
Twighlight Silhouette
Regent's Park this afternoon. In an otherwise horrible afternoon for shooting, the sun came out for a few moments, revealing this.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
High Holborn night
Last night was the first of my "Photographing London" course. I signed up mostly to get out of a rut. I've been doing plenty of sessions and some portraiture but was feeling stuck. I'm embracing being a "Londoner", have been doing lots out and about like the museums and stuff like the Globe, but I've not really felt I've "caputred the essence" of London.
I feel like I did it last night. Grimy, saturated and packed with action.
Like London.
I feel like I did it last night. Grimy, saturated and packed with action.
Like London.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
London Expo
A very weird experience. All that pent-up sexual energy going into dressing up as things with pointy ears. What was more bizarre was the Muslim even going on at the Excel at the same time. Hijab as cosplay anyone? Very confusing.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Nokia launch thing.
Nokia have a new flagship shop on Regents Street.
It's cool but no as cool as the Apple store.
They launched something tonight and whilst the cocktails were nice, the nibbles cool and the catering staff (big up to the unfortunately named Mange crew) excellent, it totally failed to engage me.
What was it FOR?
Apart from snagging a mouse mat, T-shirt...
It's cool but no as cool as the Apple store.
They launched something tonight and whilst the cocktails were nice, the nibbles cool and the catering staff (big up to the unfortunately named Mange crew) excellent, it totally failed to engage me.
What was it FOR?
Apart from snagging a mouse mat, T-shirt...
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Heavy Metal in Baghdad
If you have any RAWK in you soul you must see this movie. The story of four guys with metal in their souls trying to ply their trade as the only metal band in war-torn Iraq is deeply moving and left me wanting to get on the blower and organise an airlift of guitars and drums to Damascus (where they ended up).
SEE THIS FILM.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Jimmy Doherty's Farm Food and Wine @ Vinopolis
Thanks to those lovely people at Londonist I was able to procure a couple of tickets to the above session. My companion was French and
has spent many years in Taiwan and China so could easily be described as a foodie.
Apparently Jimmy Doherty is some kind of TV pig-breeding good farming evenagelist type, but not having a TV, I wouldn't know about that. Also involved were Paul Kelley the Turkey Guy and Nigel Bartle the Tomato Geek.
First up Vinopolis itself. With the Thames Festival going on, Vinopolis was a haven of calm and in itself and amazing building.
Then were were all seated, the presenters took their places at the table and Vinopolis' resident wine expert Tom Forrest.
All the speakers were excellent and above all passionate about
their subjects.
So, to the tastings.
First up, we were were presented with pork sausages and roasted tomatoes. Jimmy described them as "both kinds: meat and meat with herbs". These are 97% meat and a tougher chew than your average supermarket banger. Accompanying these were a Malbec from Marta's Vineyard (geddit?) and an IPA from Greenwich brewery Meantime Brewery. Everything was lovely and the common vote gave the edge to the beer with the sausages.
Next was the belly pork. Oh yes. This is Chinese soul food so we were anticipating it and were not disappointed in the least. Accompanied by a Booker's Vineyard Blanc de Blancs which was so full of apples it was perfect. Much ooh-ing and aah-ing ensued.
Finally the turkey. We were also treated an exhibition on how to properly carve a turkey. I have to say, this was much better than the usual rubbish we serve up on Christmas day but not quite as stunning as the first two. Kelley's impression of the male and female turkey calls more than made up for it. The wine was a fizzy Shiraz which was a real perception-challenger.
In between all that, there was lots of chat and interesting questions. Some factoids I noted down:
o If hail hits Andean vines, it sets them back four years.
o Screwtops on wine are *great*. Especially for picnics.
o Flavour comes with maturity (something I keep telling my girlfriend).
o The fat in matured meat tends towards unsaturated
o Don't try to sell "love sausage" opposite a church
o Dry tomato seeds on a paper towel and grow them!
o Bees are really, really important to tomatoes! In fact, to all agriculture.
o In the absence of bees, use a vibrator to stimulate the pollination.
o We only grow 60% of our food. Food security is important.
o Look for black hairs on your pork and turkeys. It's a sign of a rare(r) breed.
o We eat 36 million turkeys a year.
o All turkeys originated from Mexico.
o Food labeling like "organic" is misleading. Bartle's tomatoes don't use pesticides but can't be classed as organic as they're grown in gro-bags. Inorganic apples have no pesticide residue when they arrive in the shop, yet organic apples may well have elevated copper levels from the "organic" pesticide.
o Real turkey takes half as long to cook and should be rested for an hour before dismembering.
o Make stock!
o Using bananas or ripe tomatoes to ripen green ones is an old wive's tale. Tomatoes should be ripened on the vine. Got green tomatoes? Make chutney.
o Bartle heats his 20-odd acres of greenhouse with heat drawn off from a power station
o If you see tomatoes from "Norfolk, UK", they're Bartle's. Buy them.
That's all.
I'll leave you with one word that sums up these guys and what they do: "passion".
has spent many years in Taiwan and China so could easily be described as a foodie.
Apparently Jimmy Doherty is some kind of TV pig-breeding good farming evenagelist type, but not having a TV, I wouldn't know about that. Also involved were Paul Kelley the Turkey Guy and Nigel Bartle the Tomato Geek.
First up Vinopolis itself. With the Thames Festival going on, Vinopolis was a haven of calm and in itself and amazing building.
Then were were all seated, the presenters took their places at the table and Vinopolis' resident wine expert Tom Forrest.
All the speakers were excellent and above all passionate about
their subjects.
So, to the tastings.
First up, we were were presented with pork sausages and roasted tomatoes. Jimmy described them as "both kinds: meat and meat with herbs". These are 97% meat and a tougher chew than your average supermarket banger. Accompanying these were a Malbec from Marta's Vineyard (geddit?) and an IPA from Greenwich brewery Meantime Brewery. Everything was lovely and the common vote gave the edge to the beer with the sausages.
Next was the belly pork. Oh yes. This is Chinese soul food so we were anticipating it and were not disappointed in the least. Accompanied by a Booker's Vineyard Blanc de Blancs which was so full of apples it was perfect. Much ooh-ing and aah-ing ensued.
Finally the turkey. We were also treated an exhibition on how to properly carve a turkey. I have to say, this was much better than the usual rubbish we serve up on Christmas day but not quite as stunning as the first two. Kelley's impression of the male and female turkey calls more than made up for it. The wine was a fizzy Shiraz which was a real perception-challenger.
In between all that, there was lots of chat and interesting questions. Some factoids I noted down:
o If hail hits Andean vines, it sets them back four years.
o Screwtops on wine are *great*. Especially for picnics.
o Flavour comes with maturity (something I keep telling my girlfriend).
o The fat in matured meat tends towards unsaturated
o Don't try to sell "love sausage" opposite a church
o Dry tomato seeds on a paper towel and grow them!
o Bees are really, really important to tomatoes! In fact, to all agriculture.
o In the absence of bees, use a vibrator to stimulate the pollination.
o We only grow 60% of our food. Food security is important.
o Look for black hairs on your pork and turkeys. It's a sign of a rare(r) breed.
o We eat 36 million turkeys a year.
o All turkeys originated from Mexico.
o Food labeling like "organic" is misleading. Bartle's tomatoes don't use pesticides but can't be classed as organic as they're grown in gro-bags. Inorganic apples have no pesticide residue when they arrive in the shop, yet organic apples may well have elevated copper levels from the "organic" pesticide.
o Real turkey takes half as long to cook and should be rested for an hour before dismembering.
o Make stock!
o Using bananas or ripe tomatoes to ripen green ones is an old wive's tale. Tomatoes should be ripened on the vine. Got green tomatoes? Make chutney.
o Bartle heats his 20-odd acres of greenhouse with heat drawn off from a power station
o If you see tomatoes from "Norfolk, UK", they're Bartle's. Buy them.
That's all.
I'll leave you with one word that sums up these guys and what they do: "passion".
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Victor Menace, Troubadour
The light was awful but this should give you some idea of the bouncy ninja gypsy that is Victor Menace.
Way better than that Gogol Bordello rubbish.
Way better than that Gogol Bordello rubbish.
Monday, September 08, 2008
God: a modest proposal
Here's a proposal:
Before all kinds of religious people start imposing their morals on us, everything from opening hours to censorship, from creationism to wars, could you all, and I mean you Jews, Christians and Muslims on behalf of the Abrahamic faiths, just get together and agree on *one* version of the truth between you. By all means then put that up for inspection by the rest of us. It's all too confusing trying to take in all these differing ideas.
Just an idea.
Until you sort yourselves out, we should remove all religiously sources laws and rules from our schools, governments and so on.
Thanks.
Before all kinds of religious people start imposing their morals on us, everything from opening hours to censorship, from creationism to wars, could you all, and I mean you Jews, Christians and Muslims on behalf of the Abrahamic faiths, just get together and agree on *one* version of the truth between you. By all means then put that up for inspection by the rest of us. It's all too confusing trying to take in all these differing ideas.
Just an idea.
Until you sort yourselves out, we should remove all religiously sources laws and rules from our schools, governments and so on.
Thanks.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Killing Kate, Purple Turtle
Took loads of pics.This was *the one*. More to follow. But this is Matt Love in full flow. What a guitarist :)
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Monday, August 11, 2008
Brighton
OK, moblogging from the new Sony Ericsson C902. I'll probably still prefer to go via flickr for good pics but for snaps of events that I don't want to pollute my flickr stream with, this might be the better route. Whaddaya reckon?
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Bleed From Within, Camden Underworld
Good dose of metal, sadly under-promoted: the overpowering smell was Lynx not sweat.
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