I’ve had these photos for a while and been wanting to post them but just waiting for a time where they might be useful and today is a good a day as any to post them I think. It was about ten days before Christmas and I had decided that I was going to go and photograph Notting Hill once everyone had left and it was just about to shut down. To be honest I’m not a fan of these types of places when they are busy, it just seems like carnage. Places like Notting Hill are so much better late at night or really early in the morning.
They are even better when its like this before Christmas because all the lights are still up and turned on, so you get these really cool spots of different lights and that adds a colour to the road, which makes photos 10 x better. Looking back on this, I really wish that I had woken up at like 4am one day and gone over and take photos just as Notting hill was waking up. Maybe Next year.
Moving forward to today, right now I’m sat on a train heading over to my parent’s house of my dads 60th birthday. I’m looking forward to seeing the family and eating as much food as I possible can. Obviously I’ve brought my camera with me so get ready for those corny family photos that Ill probably upload tomorrow. Its always good getting back to the countryside from London, get that fresh air in me lungs.
My plan for next week is to find a really cool part of London that might not be that well known and take some photos, maybe a market place or something, so if you know of anywhere that might be what im looking for let me know. I’m thinking along the lines of like a traditional market, with a fish mongers and a toy stand, that kind of place.
Here’s my photos from last month! I hope you like them.
– I think that guy should buy a jacket –– I take it they get asked that question a lot –– thats the kind of like i’m talking about –
its now Friday and its mid day, im writing this post after one of those mornings that I think has destroyed me and also taken a big stress of my shoulders. It all started at like 7am this morning, I woke up and was kind of excited to get outside and start running again, not going fast or trying to beat my record but just to ran in the mornings around Victoria Park, its that time of day when its still a bit chilly but it feels fresh and everything think is just starting to wake up.
well that exactly that time and at exactly 0.62 miles into my run, I realised that my leg is still not fixed. I tried to carry on for another hundred meters but then remembered that I should listen to my body not that part of my head that tells me to man up and carry on. It was at that point that I decided its time to stop sit on a park bench and google groin stretches. I tried them all, and nothing it still hurts. so I’m pretty much back to square one, only this time I’m not on crutches.
I admitted defeat, and slowly walked home. where I ran a hot bath and tried to think of a way to sort this mess out, after a quick phone call to my mum and maybe a little tear, I decided to have a nap. I had officially been chewed up and spat out by life. Exercising to me is that one thing that no matter what your situation is it will always tell you the truth about your self, and make you work harder. not for money or a promotion but just to do better than what I did last time. thats whats most annoying about this situation, I create goals in my head for running, and now I cant reach them. I need to go back to the drawing board and figure out how I can get there. My main goal in running is to run an Ultra Marathon, I want to reach that target of running an 70 to 100 mile race and was kind of hoping in the back of my head that could be a 2019 thing. but now I really need to think about my body and options.
Sorry this post is a bit of my plabbering on and sorry if I sound like a hypochondriac recently, I just want to blame that all on the worst month of the year. January. It wouldnt have been write if there was some sort of sloppy post, and this is just going to be it.
heres some more photos from that gig the other day, its worth the post and I like them.
– looking forward to getting back to their next gig –– playing the guitar with a index finger wrap up cant be that easy –– Tayne Band, give them a listen –
I kind of fell like my idea of posting these each day at 10am has completely gone out the window so far for 2018. but todays post is late again, not because I was laying in bed asleep, but mainly because I’ve been sat here editing photos from last night and time just ended up getting away from me.
Last night I was at a gig over in Camden at a kind of famous venue, The Lock Tavern. If youve ever been to the round house, then the chances are you would of walked past this venue. its a small pub on the left hand side of the round if your walking up from camden high street. Its a venue that is so easy to walk past, its literally on the corner of the road and just looks like any normal pub, but if you were to walk upstairs is a completely different vibe and always seems to have really interesting bands playing.
Through the powers of instagram and email, for the past few months Ive been speaking with a band called Tayne, the are a kind of an experimental, noise, pop genre that kind of make up there own rules which makes them so much better. One minute there setting up and getting ready to play, next the lead singer Matt Sutton has taken his shoes and top off, and they are absolutely slashing the guitar and syncs. Its refreshing to hear a band just get up there and do exactly what they want, no holding back. Its a shame that all I can do to show you what last night was like is post up here some photos, they play pretty heavy music but it all seems to work out, nothing is about them just being loud or over powering. they create songs that work.
Im happy that I’m back on track with this project that I’m working on and looking forward to all the future gigs that I’m planning on going too.
Here are some of my favourite photos from yesterday.
– One of my favourite photos from last night –– really good gig, Wednesday night should always go like this –– cut his finger open, plays on… –– really worth the trip, next gig is on feb 1st. be there or be square –
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 –
Last night I decided that my iphone photos from the day time weren’t quite up to scratch, no way if I’m (fun)employed at the moment should the photos I take not be “sick”, so yesterday night I made the decision to travel over to the south band when it was nice a quite and take some slow shutter speed pictures of the London Eye and Parliament. I don’t think you can be a photographer in London and not have taken slow shutter speed shots of the river thames, it has to be one of my favourite places to go an explore. I know it might sound a bit weird but who doesn’t love going to on the banks of the river thames at low tide to see whats happening. It almost feels like your breaking some sort of law or something.
This week I was supposed to be working but at the last minute the job fell through, so now my January has become a proper freelancers January, where you just wait for February to come back around. Being a freelancer can be a bit of a lonely existence, you can literally spend weeks at a time watching Netflix and scrolling Facebook waiting for that email about work. I try and do the opposite, my aim is to completely forget that works quite and just keep myself busy with ideas and photography, the amount of stupid ideas Ive got written down or saved on my laptop is crazy, but as long as it stops me from watching day time TV I cant complain.
Today I have a plan to head over to the British Library. One because Ive never been there before and it looks like a pretty cool place and Two because I want to read up on a idea that Ive been working on for a while and sometimes google isn’t the best place to start.
oh and if anyone knows whens the best time at night to get a photo of the London eye spinning, please let me know. I cant work it out.
Heres my photos from yesterday. enjoy.
– The next time youll hear big ben will be in 2021 –– I wanted to go a photo of it moving but unfortunately I think I was a bit late –– South bank, pretty cool place –– just ignore the metal gates, otherwise this would be a pretty nice shot –
One of the perks of having a girlfriend that works in fashion is that she’s always up for taking photos, yesterday morning we decided to travel over the Greenwich and have a little adventure finding cool locations and seeing what sort of photos we could take. its fair to say the weather was freezing and definitely not just cardigan or roll neck weather, so me being the amazing boy friend I am decided that every time amy had to take her jacket off, I would do the same. Thats some big boy friend points right there.
Fashion photography is really something I want to explore a bit more, what I think interests me so much about it, is the fact that fashion can be interpreted in so many different ways, so you cant really go wrong. and as I’m someone who practically get everything wrong all the time, that is a concept that really appeals to me. the only problem is Im not that much of a fashionable guy, maybe I need to watch Zoolander a few times and get myself up to speed with the lingo. It is mens fashion week this week so maybe Ill go to a show or something and take some photos of the people going into them, they all seem pretty trendy.
Apart from my aspirations to be the next top photographer, today I went on my first run of 2018, only a 2.5 mile run but my plan is to run 2.5miles three times a week for the next 4 months after that I will step it up to 5 miles and then 4 months after that Ill step it up again. I think the injury I had in the middle of 2017 was probably good for me, its taught me a lot about my body and probably made me a better runner. but for now, its back to me getting my leg used to running again and also time to lose my baby fat.
its currently Monday morning and I’m on a mission to keep myself busy with some ideas I have and want to put in place. I had a job cancel on me at the last minute so now im unemployed this week, so if anyone wants their car cleaned or grass cut theirs just a chance I might take you up on it.
Here are my photos from yesterday, enjoy.
– this is her complaining its cold –– the jacket is off! –– greenwich is the perfect place to take photos –
Sorry this post is a bit late, I had a plan in place to wake up early and go over to greenwich for the sun rise but that soon changed as soon as I heard my alarm, my excuse is that because amy works 5 days week if unfair to drag her out of bed at 6:30am on a sunday. I’m not too sure that excuse has worked. but any way we are now up and ready to go only a few hours later the only problem is that I still need to edit and write about my photos from yesterday. its really weird writing the past and the future but I’m going to do my best and make this as simple as possible.
After selling the spare bed yesterday we decided that it was time to grab a chest of drawers to tackle the crazy amount of clothes that are now accumulating in the flat, even though Amy still hasn’t completely moved in yet, it kind of makes sense of her to leave some clothes her. if any one has been shopping for a chest of drawers before you will know how extremely stressful the whole process can be, not only do you have to go round shops but you also have to deal with the over priced wooden boxes which places like Habbit, St Elm, made and loaf seem to charge and non of them really had what we were looking for. then I had the genius idea of looking on Gumtree and boom we were on our way to an antiques store in Crystal Palace and firstly there are hundreds of antique stores in crystal palace and all of them have a amazing stuff. The chest of drawers we had seem on gumtree was really right for what we wanted it for but next door was this 1920’s Oak chest of drawers which was perfect, the guy was selling it for £140 but after some of my negotiation skills kick in we managed to get it for £120, he also chucked in two packets for sour sweets for good measure.
Oh and we also made some home made burgers for dinner yesterday, I tried to make a home made posh fast food, not sure that worked out, maybe ill just leave that to the professionals. We took a normal home made burger and added some of our own stuff to it, like some chillies, onions and garlic, we also used Selma to help hold it all together, the trick is to cool it on a slow heat of long time, so it doesn’t fall apart.
We also cooked some Sweet potato fries as well, and the recipe of that is just below this the burger instructions.
The basic ingredients you’ll need are:
1 small onion peeled and diced
500g good-quality beef mince
1 egg
1 tbsp vegetable oil
4 burger buns
All or any of the following to serve: sliced tomato, beetroot, horseradish sauce, mayonnaise, ketchup, handful iceberg lettuce, rocket, watercress
Tip the beef into a bowl with the onion and egg, then mix. (and anything else you want to add to the burgers, trust me add what you want)
Divide the mixture into four. Lightly wet your hands. Carefully roll the mixture into balls, each about the size of a tennis ball.
Set in the palm of your hand and gently squeeze down to flatten into patties about 3cm thick. Make sure all the burgers are the same thickness so that they will cook evenly. Put on a plate, cover with cling film and leave in the fridge to firm up for at least 30 mins.
Heat the barbecue / frying pan to medium hot (there will be white ash over the red hot coals – about 40 mins after lighting). Lightly brush 1 side of each burger with oil.
Place the burgers, oil-side down, on the barbecue. Cook for 5 mins until the meat is lightly charred. Don’t move them around or they may stick. Oil the other side, then turn over using tongs. Don’t press down on the meat, as that will squeeze out the juices.
Cook for 5 mins more for medium. If you like your burgers pink in the middle, cook 1 min less each side. For well done, cook 1 min more.
Sweet potato fries
Ingredients
500grams sweet potatoes (peeled and cut in to long strips)
1tablespoon olive oil
1teaspoon sea salt
1teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C. You may need to adjust the temperature slightly dependant on your oven.
In a large bowl add the sweet potato and pour over the olive oil and give them a good coating.
Sprinkle over the salt and paprika and also give them a good coating. Lay evenly over a non-stick baking tray.
Cook in the oven for 20 – 25 minutes until crispy.
Serve on their own as a snack or a side to your favourite meal.
This is a pretty long blog and sorry the photos arent the best, yesterday was just about getting through the day without punching one of those “I love the January sales” people.
Heres my photos, enjoy.
– it was love at first sign –– it was literally what we were looking for, antique shops are the way forward –– my attempt at posh fast food –
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 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 –
Day three of being ill and im no better to feeling normal, i really think I need to spent some time watching Netflix and doing nothing. i thinking about it ive kind of been ill for the past month or so on and off, and then last night I ended up trekking out to a 24 tescos to try and get hold of some medicine at 2am, so right now I’m trying not to do anything to much and just chill in bed and watch some junk tv. Its days like this when doing this photo challenge becomes even harder, I wanted to get up and go swimming but then I didn’t think it would be fair on all the other swimmers if my boogies where all in the pool.
I do want to have a little goal for today though, I want to try and find a dish that I can cook which will help me get better, is there any recipes out there that I should try and cook that will help me get back on my feet? will spice help? garlic? ginger? that kind of thing.
On a different note yesterday while at tescos getting some food, (literally tescos has been the only place ive been too in the past few days). I had to pick up some random fruits for an idea that Amy and me have come up with, its kind of like a mini 2018 project that we want to work on, I cant say any more than that at the moment, and as soon as I can then ill let you know what we are up to.
I really hope this blog post isnt too boring and my photos are amazing today, but this time in bed should really help me plan a few blog posts and get some better material out there too you. I might just spent this time writing up ideas. who knows.
Anyway heres my photos from today, i hope you like them.
– a photo from my 2:30 am trip to tescos –– trying to find the weirdest fruit I can –– checked a local off license too, thought I picked up a dragon fruit, it was actually a pomegranate –
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