B172 – THIS IS A PROPER PIZZA

I thought today I would have a look back at some Iphone snaps, Ive got a few days left of America before heading to Canada for a bit and then I will be heading home. So this seems like a good idea, since most of the time I carry my 5d with me where ever I go, there hasn’t been many iphone photos. Which is a bit annoying because I enjoy using my phone as a camera. its really good at just capturing photos in the moment and not as “set up” as a DSLR can be sometimes.

These photos from my phone, were taken around Chicago, the group of birds I think are king fishers but I’m not sure, they where all sitting on the grass by a road, I decided to jump out, try and sneak up on them and get a photo which didn’t really work out, they all bolted and flew off. which i think made for a cool photo the one time I didn’t have my camera and a good zoom lens and I see these. Next time ill be prepared.

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– I quite like the fact these birds have flown off, i think it makes the photo better –

I want to show is the stupidly big Chicago deep pan pizza, which weighs about 5lbs. No joke. When I walked into the kitchen last night and saw only a big and small box to share I was bit worried it wasn’t going to be enough. That wasn’t the case, four slices later and I’ve loosened my belt and gone a bit dizzy. That thing wasn’t a pizza it was more like a quiche. Half pepperoni half sausage was more than enough to feed 5 people. What surprised me how well it all worked together, not only was this thing more like a challenge but it had taste, I eat 3 slices before my body even realised and then after half way through the 4th, I hit the wall and it was all down hill after that. 16 hours later and I still haven’t eaten a thing.

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– this was too much pizza for 5 people to eat, they are about an inch thick with mozzarella –

 

I don’t really have a reason for taking this photo, I was in Starbucks and it kind of made me chuckle how all these guys were studying, facing the same way and looked like they were all sat like you would be if you were doing a test. I kind of like the mood they set.

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– this looks like an intense study session –

Let me know what you think of this new layout and if you think it works.

B166 – COOL SIDE OF AMERICA – NIGHT TIME. MID WEST. P2

this is the first day of my mini project Cool side of Unknown America inside of the 3 photos a day project. the plan is to show the of the tourist trail america, just the suburbs and where locals go and what day to day life is like. for my first day I wanted to show night time in St. charles. this historic town dates back to 1796 and if your ever round here you have to try the toasted ravioli on main street. I think I mentioned it yesterday, but this stuff is worth checking out.

On the way back to the hotel from location today, there was a sign that apparently ready “Cool stuff, cheap”. well as my first photo project is called cool side of unknown america, it was only right I waited for it to get dark and  then go take some snaps of it to open this project up properly! thank you Libby for pointing that sign out!

I wanted my first shoot to be a night time one, I think photography at night is not the easiest thing, but when the light hits a certain focual point it really opens the photo up, it creates some sort of mystery to the rest of the image and tells a story in its self. when you take away all the light and only have a small outline of a object or person in the for ground and then something lite up at the back of the shot. for me it adds a whole new dimension. that was my thinking tonight, give you guys something to look at a few times and notice something else, maybe something that I havent even seen. a lot of the time, I just take a photo by accident and the somehow that turns out to be one of my favourite. for these photos Ive got the ISO pretty high, because I need it for light but I also like the grainy look it gives these photos especially because they are black and white.

I would love to hear what people think of these photos, I might just be a bit delirious after work and none of this make sense and for that I’m sorry!

Heres my snaps, enjoy.

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– its the perfect picture to get this project started –
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– I know its weird but ive always wanted to come to one of these –
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– photographing motor bikes is just fun –

 

B154 – see ya later London 

Just at the airport waiting to get on my flight, so thought I should get this post in now. 

First stop on the list is Toronto and then on to the states, I think. Yesterday was my last day in London, so did all those things like breakfast, pack and eat some more. Lucky I managed to get some clothes washed and fresh socks. Not sure if I have enough Clothes for the month but we will just have to see. 

A big shout of out to apple for fixing my phone yesterday evening. I really needed an unlocked phone that works, and they basically saved me a load of money. There’s a first for everything. 

Looking at my schedule for the next 20 something days it’s going to be hard to keep these post updated at 10am each day, so it could be any time really. I’m determined to to let it slip but we will just have to see. 

– good bye London, see ya soon –
– brunch’n, yesterday at borough market –
– I’m not going to miss this, the underground –

B153 – 3 pictures of a pigeon 

Right I’m sorry but today’s post is just three pictures of a pigeon. I wish I had more to write about but prepping for this trip is taking up all my time, I literally stepped out the office to get an amazon parcel. When I saw a pigeon and took the chance to chase it around this mini park. I think I managed to pull it off and get the shot. 
Sorry for the short post, but I’m just really busy at the moment. I promise tomorrow will be a good one. 

– a pigeon taking flight –
– where’s the pigeon going? Who knows –
– she’s away –

B146 – what I like to photograph!

Not sure what to write about today, im literally struggling to keep my eyes open. its really early on Saturday morning, im two coffees and a large macdonalds coke down and still going. but it is a good day becuase im on my way to Norfolk for the Bank holiday weekend where im just going to eat and eat and eat.

My idea of the photos today was to take them on my journey to the station, see if I could make the one stop on the tube more exciting, it actually worked, I left a bit earlier so I could take photos but Im pretty happy with the result.

the good thing about doing this whole project is that its helping to me figure out what I like taking photos of, if its landscape or people or adventure. I think its hard to figure that out, with everything today like instagram and facebook, its so easy to take a good photo, but its hard to figure out what exactly you want to shoot. 5 months ago, I didnt really have an idea, I couldnt decide, I knew I like to take photos but I couldnt work out what my favourite thing to shoot was. I would just take hunderds of photos each day and see where I ended up. but not I really think about what im going to take a photo of, and ive realised that its people. I love taking photos of people. they are a hard thing to photograph, because a lot of people don’t want to have the photo taken, so its all about being quick and not drawing to much attention. A good tip that i’ve found works, is to set the shot up, wait for someone to walk into it and then take the snap, that way they think they’ve just walked into your shot, rather than you snapping them on purpose. simple and effective.

anyway heres my snaps from this morning!

(and sorry for any spelling mistakes )

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– i have no idea who they are –
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– liverpool street this morning –
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liverpool street, really early this morning –

B127 – CANCELLED TRAIN – 5 HOURS LATER…

today was meant to be a straight forward travel day, spent the day on my sofa then catch a train this evening up north. a few diversions later and im standing a new castle train station waiting for a taxi to finish my journey off. this isnt a complaint its a big observation, it happens, I just wish it didnt happen on my straight forward travel day.

Im trying to keep this as something thats based around photos, but on days like today, where im a bit hungover and just sitting on a train, its just about trying to take the best possible photos from an adverage day, which is kind of fun because you end up trying to frame up everything you see and make something not so interesting, interesting.

anyway its late on sunday, i’m nackered so heres a few photos for today. in other stuff the hotel im staying in for the next few hours is really nice, if you’re ever in Hexham, then stay at the Beaumont hotel. They will actually show you to your room! not sure what breakfast will be like but just gimme coffee and its all good.

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– New castle has some crazy sunsets –
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– for some reason I like this photo –
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– GERAY –

 

 

B096 – I saw a helicopter with missiles on the side 

Walking home from work yesterday and I saw this crazy helicopter flying over Bethnal Green, I only really noticed it because of how low it was flying and what it had on the side. Does anyone know what helicopter it is? Other than that I saw to Asian people taking wedding photos out side of a bills restaurant which was a bit weird but different strokes for different folks. 

– what is this? I would love to fly in this –

One thing I’m learning about street photography is that you have to be there in the moment and not worry about taking photos of people in plan sight, other wise you’ll never get the shot, some times you’ve just got to go balls to the wall. 

– “make sure you get the menu in the shot” –

At the moment my main camera I’m using is a Sony WX350 which isnt the best point and shoot but it’s a lot easier than taking a canon 5d with a 24-105mm lens which is basically the same size as a small child. 
– this was me just playing around with the lights on the tube –
 

As you can see this camera does hold up ok and for the price you can’t complain, this was literally a camera I brought for a small project I had with a mate and not really intended to use it for the blog thing I’m doing, so I suppose it’s doing the job but if you were to put it next to a fuji x100f or Leica M it would look like one of those old Motorola flip phones.

B095 – Street Photography for the next 5 days

for the next 5 days Im going to concentrate on taking photos of people around London, its something that I’ve wanted todo for a long time and something I want to get better at.  Street photography is  big in London and probably to most popular type of photography around here, so I think its time I give it a proper try. At the moment, Im a big fan of black and white street photos I think they just add something else to the photo, so for now I’m probably going to concentrate on that, but well see where it ends up.

Heres some photos I took yesterday on my lunch break and after work having pizza in the park. have a look at ’em and tell me what you think.

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– business on top, fitness on the bottom (running in a shirt) –
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– just going to meet my mates –
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– looks intense –

B081 – the only English in this town 

We are staying in a place called Raito which is basically just full out old Italians that just shout words at you and then invite you into their house to buy a bus ticket. 

Yesterday we went on the hunt for some pizza, and found a cool little restaurant the only thing is no one speaks a word of English so ordering food, drink or asking where the toilet is can be tough. But I gotta say this place is completely bonkers in a good way.

At the moment we are sat at a bus stop waiting for something to turn up not sure if it’s going to be a bus or horse and carriage trying to make it to Capri to have a look around … but as they say in French cest la vie!! 

– Amy giving it some sass –
– literally not an English person in sight –
– can’t take a bad picture here –

B045 – BETHNAL GREENS GOT IT SORTED

I live on Bethnal Green Road which is probably one of the best places around, from the markets, cafes and Nandos to the 24/7 off licence. One of the best things about this place is the weird and pretty cool street art, the graffiti and abandoned living room furniture.

Today I saw some funky posters and ended up talking to an old man about walking and running which was a weird way to start the morning. Apparently his doctor cant believe how much walking he does each day.

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– just snap was taken just before I met my mate –
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– ill be back in abit for the sofa –
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– who’s to blame the man or the dog? –