Think I need to start this by saying that the meal was a success, I managed to get through it without an awkward moments and not a single drink split. So Ive come away feeling like it went well. Its now like 10pm on sunday and Im trying to write this and stay awake, Ive got to be up pretty early tomorrow and catch a train up north for the day, which I’m kind of looking forward to as its getting out of London for the day. As much as I love this city, I also love getting out and seeing parts of the UK, and tomorrow I get to see my old friend the Virgin Train economy coach.
With having a meal with some of Amy’s family that I haven’t met before, the plan for todays photos was to take them before we met everyone, so I didn’t have to worry about getting photos during and after the meal. Luckily my mind was in full creative mode and I managed to snaps some cool photos on the way to Wembley. My idea was also to use the Iphone as the 5d might have been a bit too big to bring along. I actually love the Iphone for taking photos, it makes life so much easier. the idea that I have a really good camera just a finger swipe up on a screen, has been a life saver for this blog and I don’t think I could have got this far without it. So for that Steve Jobs I thank you.
I hope everyone likes the photos today, my plan for this last stretch of the 365 daily posts is to really develop my writing and photo skills. I don’t have to get complacent and to see how much I can really improve, I think the trick is to read more and to concentrate to composition, put more thought into the direction of the writing and how it relates to the photos I take. Thats just my sunday night thinking, hope everyone had a good weekend. much love and all that!
– Second shot coffe shop on Bethnal Green road, a coffee shop that helps the homeless. you can buy coffees and food for the homeless and they make sure they get to the right people. you also get the draw on the wall. Can you tell which drawing is mine? –– amy doing business on a sunday –– a shot from Wembley looking back on the train tracks from the bridge –
Yesterday evening Amy and me watched The Truth About Getting Fit, it was this show that showed you how to get fit, what exercises todo when your injured and also how to do different workouts each day that don’t take up a lot of time or even really cost any money. They talked about a type of training called HIT (High Intensity Training) which is basically just working out hard for a short amount of time. This is something that has grabbed our attention, we don’t really have a lot of time to get down to the gym and to be honest I don’t really like them.
So after watching that show I downloaded this app called 7 minutes, what it basically does is run a timer and tell you what workouts you need todo, like push up for 30 seconds then a 10 seconds rest and the squats for 30 seconds. all this is done in 7 minutes and you come away from it feeling so much better.
That takes us to yesterday morning, we decided to get up at 6:30am and head out to this really cool spot in Victoria Park right next to the lake and by this cool oriental looking building. this was the location for our first 7 minute workout and to be honest it was a really cool spot and was the perfect way to start the morning. I forgot how good it feels to workout early in the morning, and is something I want todo more of, last year I was running pretty much every day until my injury. Now Im I still have a problem with my leg I use it as an excuse, I need to stop that. I can still work out, I just need todo it differently. Swim, cycle and daily 7 minute workouts. thats the way forward.
Sorry I didn’t do it this morning Amy, but I had to many beers last night I think. I promise Ill do it tonight.
Heres my photos from yesterday. Oh yea and Amy cooked some amazing chicken last night, I have no idea what you call it but it had all the good stuff in it! broccoli, spring onions, chilli’s and fried chicken!!! Ill try and get the recipe off her today and Ill post it at some point.
– Yesterdays work out spot, could almost be somewhere in the countryside –– see that building in the background, thats we the workout took place –– Amys dinner, perfect for post workout food (i think) –
So yesterday was my first day of work and as a result I did the same thing as everyone else in London. I stopped off at Sainsburys and starred at the oven pizzas thinking that because its Monday I might as well go for it, well that maybe something I would have done in 2017 but its now 2018 and Im determined to cook as much as possible, nothing to crazy each night, not like some weird roast beef with home made horse radish, more like the dish I went for last night which was actually really easy and cheap.
for those of you at Ive talked to about cooking, you probably know that Ive been using the Yummly app, which is basically somewhere I am getting all my recipes from and last night was no exception. The meal I decided to cook was called “Summer In Winter Chicken” I like to call it – Pesto Creamy Chicken. And its actually really straight forward.
the ingredients were:
1 tablespoon olive oil
4Â boneless skinless chicken breasts
200 grams cherry tomatoes (pack)
3 tablespoons pesto
3 tablespoons crème fraîche (half fat is fine)
fresh basil (if you have it)
and then you literally just follow these simple steps and your done:
Heat the oil in a frying pan, preferably non-stick. Add the chicken and fry without moving it until it takes on a bit of colour. Turn the chicken and cook on the other side. Continue cooking for 12-15 mins until the chicken is cooked through. Season all over with a little salt and pepper.
Halve the tomatoes and throw them into the pan, stirring them around for a couple of minutes until they start to soften. Reduce the heat and stir in the pesto and crème fraîche until it makes a sauce. Scatter with a few basil leaves if you have them, then serve with rice and salad or mash and broccoli.
I left out the Broccoli, because I forgot and decided that I would have it wish some mash potato, which was just because I had some potatos in the fridge. If you cant be bothered to cook one night, give this dish a try.
Its now Tuesday morning and Im just getting ready for work and about to attack this day, I forgot how hard it is to photograph during the day when your working so maybe Ill just have todo loads more of my favourite food recipes, otherwise we could start to run into some stressful evening chucking fairy lights round Amys check and taking some photos of her.
Heres my photos from yesterday. Enjoy
– the walk to works isnt that bad really –– this is mid cook, pesto and creme freche now involved –– doesnt look that good, but it did the job –
Today we had my grandad’s funeral, its days like this which aren’t always the easiest things to include in this photo blog thing, but I suppose its just what happened today and I have to write something to go along with the photos. Firstly I think you’ve got to give my nan credit where credits due, it was a pretty good day and she definitely pulled it out the bag with regards to the organising, it must have been a pretty hard emotionally to sort out but she did it with flying colours.
My plan for today was not to photograph any of the actually funeral that probably wouldn’t of been ok, but my dad asked me to grab some photos of the wake so that was my opportunity to grab some nice shots. One of the highlights has to have been the Portuguese cream Tarts which were Grandads’ favourites, so that being the case I got a good photo of my nan and dad having a little toast with a cream cake. Its those moments that I like to remember from the days like today.
What you have to like about funerals is they are kind of highlight packages of someones life, people come together and talk about all those good moments and times that have defined the kind of life that was lived. Today we heard old friends and close family talk in such a nice and genuine way about how he had shaped their lives and how proud friends of 30 or 40 years were to have known him from his work ethic to how he and my nan raised three children. He always wanted the best for all of them and had the determination and structure to make sure that they grew into respected adults and in turn gave my dad, aunty and uncle the tools needed to kind of shape all the gran children into the people we are today, so I think I can say from all of us “kids” cheers gramps. Oh and thanks for the pocket watch.
I wish you could have seen us all grow into adults and join us on this weird journey that people call life, but that wasn’t the case. You were loved by many and will be missed by us all.
Peace out.
– cheers with a Portuguese Cream Tarts –– Not sure what Phoebe was saying but i’m sure Michele got the jist of it –– its only right that when in the New Forest you get a photo with a horse –– not sure who this lady was but she wanted a photo with the red lion, I was happy to make that happen –
So I’ve got to get up pretty early tomorrow, so my plan is to get this post done the night before. Im also most certain if I leave it up to tomorrow morning then I guarantee that I wont get it done in time. The photos I took today were all about Landscape, I had to take the dog for a walk up to the local pet shop so decided that we would take a bit of extra time and get some photos from the top of the grove looking down on where my parents live. Whats so good about this time of year is the way that all the colours look faded and its just as if every where is kind of getting ready for the summer, its crazy that in a month this will all be green and summer will be round the corner. but this season is just as good as the summer season.
What ive realised about doing something like this is that everything is getting easier, I’m finding enough topics to photograph and the writing is definitely getting better. you guys probably cant see my writing improving as its still pretty terrible, but 294 days ago we would have been lucky if I could spell my full name correct on the first attempt.
As im getting closer to that big 300 day mark, Im starting to think about what I was like on day one and where I am today and how my camera the Canon 5d II has really been the best thing Ive ever brought, its not the newest camera out there but for a camera thats got over 110,000 shutter count it just refuses to give in and still surprises me how good it is, the cameras been knocked about, how with me on drunken pub crawls and had its fair share of close encounters with the floor. and yet it hasn’t let me down once, If you are thinking about learning with a camera, go about buy a 5d II, it wont let you down and has enough settings to help you to always improve as a photographer.
And now Ive reached that point where im starting to think about my next camera and what I should go for, as some of you are aware im on the waiting list of the new Leica, but theres a few other cameras that I cant decide between. I want a camera that I can film slow mo on just as well as I can take photos with, so maybe the Leica isnt my best option, maybe its time I got a Sony A7R or something. I suppose I wont know until im in the shop and have the cash.
Anyway, here are my photos from today. Enjoy
– the colours this time of year are so fun to photograph –– looking down on the Grove –– right place at the right time, the sun was breaking through the clouds just as I got there –
Every now and again something happens and you quickly realise that you haven’t or cant do a job or an idea half as good as you would like to, basically missed an opportunity. Thats literally how I feel about my photos yesterday.
Basically this all started when i walked out of Oxford Street Tube station on my way to a pub in Soho. When I came out of the exit I was met by this like of 40ft multi coloured moon type art installation, it was the Lumiere London Festival. This is basically a free festival around London where at night these crazy art installations are set up that basically help people to get through the hardest month of the year, January. Seeing the captial lite up by neon lights and crazy ideas is a dream and a perfect scenario for someone like me how enjoys taking photos.
well obviously the weekend that they decided to do this was the one time I had left the house without a camera and then the next day leaving London, so the only photos I managed to take were on my Iphone. Ive now spent the morning looking through instagram at all the cool installations that people have seen and jealous that I haven’t used this kind of thing to my advantage! I suppose Ill just have to wait till next year!
It does make me think though how cool is London that they just decide to throw out some cool free festival that adds a sense of humour and art to this city. Well done Mr Sadiq Khan, I think this kind of stuff should happen 365 days a year.
In other news Im still backing up hard drives to a master drive, it appears Ive got a lot of photos and videos that are spread across 4 hard drives, so now I’m trying to consolidate all that down to a RAID. this is what Saturday mornings are about!
Heres my photos from the installation at Oxford street yesterday.
If you are in London this weekend and want to know more about this, check out the link below it will explain all!
Im jealous of everyone who goes and gets involved!
– this thing should be here all year round –– I wish I had my 5d, could of taken some really cool shots –– my attempted to photograph people taking a photo of the moon –
Theres a lot of people out there that say they can cook and then go a head and put some super noodles in the microwave and then just add some posh spicy sauce of bowl then go ahead and call it a meal, we must all know a few people like this. Well a chum of mine is on the complete other end of the spectrum, the guy can cook. he goes by the name of Anders Hayward, and last night he pulled out a meal that I cant fault.
Last week he asked me what I wanted to eat and I though lets put his skills to the test, so I asked for Pork Belly, and well after 24 hours of marinating in some spices Ive never heard of he started cooking, he literally got the crackling perfect and smashing the presentation. One thing that shocked me was that it was his first time making Yorkshire puddlings and I think I can speak for half the nation when I say we all have had our fair share of Yorkshire pudding horror stories. So I was a bit worried they might go wrong, but I would definitely give him top marks for those too.
Im now back at my place and I think I need to apologise for this post being a fair few hours late, but I also drank last night meaning that I only lasted 19 days of Dry January, I was so close but so far I knew that the second half of the month would be harder but last night I just crumbled. I suppose all I can say is “Maybe next year”
At the moment Im also doing a project only involving Gopro’s and the filming capabilities, so if anyone out there is used to filming with Gopros and know how to make them look cinematic please let me know. Ive still go a few months to go till we start filming but it would be good to get ahead of the game.
Heres some photos of the food yesterday, enjoy.
– thats the kind of crackling we are talking about –– a bit of a posh apple sauce smudge –– it was a strong 8.9 out of ten I would say –
My thinking for todays post was that over the past few days Ive taken some good photos and instead of leaving them in my hard drive to one day my post on instagram, Ill use today as a day to post them. After all it is Wednesday and probably like me have that mid week feeling.
Today hasn’t started exactly how I wanted it too, the plan for today was to wake up at like 7am and go for a run, then start my day. Well its now 10:30am and Im still in bed, so not the best start to the day but Im planning on pulling it back with a day full of something productive. Before the end of last year I started a big photography project on music cultures in London and today I get back in the zone and shoot a band later on in Camden called Tayne Band. they are playing at the lock tavern in Camden, so it should be a good little gig.
but right now my plan is to get out of bed and go on the run that I was supposed todo this morning, I said I would ran 2.5 miles three times a week this year and I can fail at the second hurdle. Ive got to at least make it through January. the plan is just to put the running shoes on then I don’t have an excuse not to go, because the shoes are already on my feet.
Ive also got a little video I need to start editing, so maybe today is a good time to sit down and get that done, its one of those projects where again, until i sit down and say ” I’m not leaving this seat till its done” I wont finish it, so maybe today and tomorrow Ill dedicate to getting it done.
Sorry if this seems like I’m just sat here procrastinating, because well I think I am but I will not give in to the powers of Netflix or some other kind of TV series.
Here are some of my other favourite photos from the past few days.
– don’t fall over amy?– if only this shot was in focus –– amy trying to take a serious photo as the security guard was walking over to tell us we were allowed to take photos there –
My plan today was based around just getting up and out, there was no chance I was spending another day sat on the sofa, so I decided to go somewhere I haven’t really been to before, Greenwich. its kind of like an old maritime dock place, and actually has some really good history. its feels like your stepping back into some kind of Pirates of the Caribbean movie set. The main reason for going over to Greenwich was to do something I haven’t done for a long time and thats Landscape photography, I used to take landscape photos all the time but as I live in somewhere that is so good for street photography that kind of became the type of photography I started to do, and don’t get me wrong I love street style photos but at the same time I love exploring new places and getting a bit muddy in the process. I know Greenwich isn’t exactly muddy but there are woods to explore and it does have that countryside feel.
its now starter day and both Amy and me are up early trying to get the day started, ive already got rid of our spare bed, now its time to clean the flat and then head out in search of some new storage stuff. Ive got £10 in my pocket and my goal for this week is to somehow turn that £10 into £20, I’m not sure how exactly I’m going todo that but I might head out to a flea market or something and see how I get on. So if you see anything really weird and over priced on ebay its probably me trying to sell something I have no idea about.
Heres my photos from today, I really wanted to focus more on Landscape and try to add some sort of humor into the photos when I can.
Enjoy.
– “which ones big ben?” “hold on let me find my map”– the view from the observatory is pretty good –– the london sky line has to be one of my favourites –
Day four illness and I was well am truely in the eye of the storm, I literally didnt get out of bed till 1830 and even then it was cook some food for amy and myself, I had tried to spend the day working from bed and it was kind of successful, I managed to get some stuff done and only ended up watching one movie. in the end I sat down and did a bit of research on meals that I should cook to beat the flu and found this really good recipe on Toms Kitchen, at first when I saw it I really didnt think that any of the ingredients would go together and that dinner would be a complete failure and we would end up getting a take away, which because its now 2018 we will not do. this year is about getting healthy and fit just like 2016. I still haven’t run a marathon in under 3 hours, thats like my life time goal, I really really want to run a marathon un three hours.
well anyway back to dinner, if you are feeling under the weather at the moment, trust me go out and cook this meal, I have woken up at 7am this morning feeling tones better and even think Im going to go out and take some photos. The whole meal was really easy to cook and didnt really take that long. all the ingredients you need are.
1 medium onion, chopped*
Olive oil for sauteing
1 head garlic, cloves separated and chopped fine
4 small hot chile peppers, chopped (fresh are best, but dried ones like chipotles and chiles de arbol work great, too. Just rehydrate them in hot water for a few minutes before chopping. )
1 Â tablespoon dried oregano and/or thyme*
1 28-32 oz can or jar of organic whole tomatoes or tomato puree (I use home-canned tomatoes)
1 can garbanzo beans (chic Peas). cook them from scratch by all means; but if you’re feeling sick, don’t be shy about opening a can. drained*
Sea salt ( I salted to taste so put in quite alot as I hadnt really moved all day so wanted to get my salt levels back up)
you can also have some nice little add ons aswell.
Limes—enough for half a lime for each serving
Some good but not fancy melting cheese—I use Organic Valley Sharp Cheddar—grated, about ¼ cup per bowl of soup. (some people say you shouldnt have dairy, ignore those people. in this situation cheese is something to pick your sprites up)
1 bunch of something green—preferably cilantro, but parsley works well too—chopped
Chopped red cabbage, about 1 cup ( I put the red cabbage in the soup to cook for like 2 minutes at the end)
Directions.
Put a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, and coat bottom with olive oil. Add the chopped onions (if using) and let them saute, stirring occasionally, until they’re translucent.
Add the garlic and the chiles and saute them, stirring to avoid burning, for a minute or two.
Now add the tomatoes and a good pinch of salt. If you are using whole canned tomatoes, use a wooden spoon to break them up as they cook.
Add the beans, and let the tomato mixture cook and reduce for a few minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid any sticking to the bottom and burning.
Now, take the same container the tomatoes came in—whether store-bought can or home jar—and fill it with water.
Add the water to the pot, and bring to a boil and add the Red Cabbage.
Turn heat to low, correct for salt
To serve: Add grated cheese (if using) to an empty soup bowl. Ladle a good amount of hot soup into the bowl, making sure that the cheese is completely covered (this will ensure it melts). Cover top with final garnishes—chopped greens. in the recipe it says squeeze a lime over the top, we forgot todo this so if you cook this dish try the lime and let me know.
After I cooked this I really wanted to see what the outside world was like so we travelled to the local sainsburys to grab two muller corner, which was an amazing idea! here are my photos from yesterday, I hope you like them. and please if you do cook this meal, send me a photo I want to see if!
(oh and yes you really need to add that much garlic)
– this is the soup im not sure what its called so im going to make up a name for it. im going to call it ” The Last Resort”– on my adventure to get fresh air and a muller corner –– I HAVE THE GOODS –
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