London

Studio 365: Day 287

iii
 
What could be better than the perfect day in London, beginning with a latte on Waterloo Station before walking to Tate Britain, with so much to enjoy on the way: the London Eye, Westminster Bridge, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, Churchill’s statue, Richard Coeur de Lion in Old Palace Yard, and then along Millbank to my favourite gallery and a return to the Turners’ and so many other memorable British artists. Come and join me and enjoy the day…

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xvi

iv

xix

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…on to France and the Dordogne in the morning. See you there.

One Four Challenge: Jan Wk 4 – Poll

London
 
London ivb   London iiib

London i   London ii

Once again this has been an enjoyable challenge from Robyn with lots of great entries from everyone.  Here is the original negative and, like the one I used for the November One Four Challenge, it has remained pristine in its protective sleeve over all these years.

London neg

Spotmatic

Using Robyn’s challenge I have continued to explore the numerous possibilities that Photoshop Elements offers when creating an image, using layers, gradients, color combinations and various filters.  Unfortunately the results have clearly not always been appreciated or understood by one of our contributors who found my submissions to be pointless, and described them in his or her comments to me as “surreal”, “unrecognizable” and “garish.”  This individual feels that the essence of the challenge is to try “new post processing techniques and be brave enough to post them,” and not use “unrecogniseable post modern variations.”

Fortunately I am old enough not to be affected by such negative criticism.  However I am concerned that if someone who is just starting out with their blog, or is experimenting early on in their photography development, received such harsh criticism it might just make them want to give up.

The point of relating these thoughts is to remind all of us that the blogosphere should be a fun, enjoyable and safe place in which to express ourselves, and that any comments we choose to make to others should always be of a constructive rather than a destructive nature.

Now, having got that off my chest I thought you might enjoy some of the other images from the roll of film I shot that day at the Lord Mayor of London’s Parade. Here is the next shot of the carriage as it went by me showing a very young Prince Charles and Princess Anne on their way to Mansion House and I have also included some of the other images in a slide show after the poll.

Lord Mayor iv

Once again, thanks to Robyn for all that she does to make this so successful and congratulations everyone on all the great contributions this month.

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One Four Challenge: Jan Wk 4

London ivb

 

For Robyn’s One Four Challenge – 1 image 4 different ways over 4 weeks.

One Four Challenge: Jan Wk 2

London i

For Robyn’s One Four Challenge – 1 image 4 different ways over 4 weeks.

Thames iv

Composed upon Westminster Bridge, Sept. 3, 1802

by William Wordsworth

Earth has not anything to show more fair:
Dull would he be of soul who could pass by
A sight so touching in its majesty;
This City now doth, like a garment, wear
The beauty of the morning; silent, bare,
Ships, towers, domes, theaters, and temples lie
Open unto the fields, and to the sky;
All bright and glittering in the smokeless air.
Never did sun more beautifully steep
In his first splendor, valley, rock, or hill;
Ne’er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!
The river glideth at his own sweet will:
Dear God! the very houses seem asleep;
And all that mighty heart is lying still!

 

Weekly Photo Challenge: Horizon 2

Australia
…with a few more days of the Horizon challenge to go, and having enjoyed so many of your wonderful photos, a second posting seems to be in order. Here are a few more dramatic images from travels near and far, beginning with one of the Twelve Apostles seen from a beach just below Victoria’s Great Ocean Road in South Eastern Australia, one of the great drives of the world…
London
…and what horizon could be more iconic than one from my old home town showing The Houses of Parliament, The Thames, Westminster Bridge and the London Eye; pure magic…
Umbria
…or a hill of stately cypresses leading up to an Umbrian villa outlined against a glorious Italian sky. I think we should open the Prosecco don’t you…
Burgundy ii
…or since we are now in Burgundy, and the harvest is over, perhaps we should be drinking a cool glass of Crémant de Bourgogne; mmmm delicious…
Sedona
…one final stop before home to look in awe at Sedona’s majestic Cathedral Rock…
English Bay
…and so, home again to Vancouver’s English Bay with a sky that seems to have followed us all the way from The Great Ocean Road. I hope you have enjoyed these few global horizons, and I shall now continue to enjoy following yours. Now where did I put that bottle of Crémant?…