365 Challenge – Day 9 – Cutting It Fine

Nearly forgot today, and 21:00 on a Sunday night is not always the best time to start taking photos. Tried the cat but he wouldn’t co-operate, thought about the fish, but the aquarium lights were beginning to dim, was about to resort to photographing a banana – honestly – when this rather odd piece of graffiti from my daughter’s pencil case caught my eye. Apparently it relates to one of her philosophy lessons.

365 Challenge - Day 8 – 27 Feb 2010

All day at the Metro Centre Gateshead, with my youngest – a shopping trip for her birthday. Concluded it wasn’t worth the hassle of carrying the camera all day – so did the following in the evening, while we were eating at the Border Gate, just offJ42 of the M6 towards Carlisle.
Tried some creative shallow depth of field – not quite sure if it worked.

365/7 – 26 Feb 2010 - Chester

A damp and dreary morning after the award ceremony of the night before. Have always wanted to visit Chester, but the view from the hotel window has dampened my enthusiasm a bit. used an ultra-wide angle to get in as much as possible – you can (just) see Chester Cathedral on the right of the photo.

365/6 – 25 Feb 2010 – Company Innovations Conference

Early start today as I needed to be in Chester at 10:00 for an all day business event rewarding and recognising the best in innovative thinking across the business. Some great presentations, good networking opportunities and an all round good day I think. Took a fair few photographs but, out of respect for my colleagues, I’m posting this rather more generic conference image which I put together at the table while waiting for the event to restart after a comfort break.
 

365 Challenge – Day 5 – 24 Feb 2010

Thought I’d have a stab at photographing one of my other hobbies today – which provides a whole set of challenges of its own.

365 Challenge – Day 4 – 23 Feb 2010

Horrid, cold day. Had hoped for a bright frosty morning – but it didn’t materialise. Busy day in the office but managed to get out for a walk lunch-time to get the only picture I took all day. Not exactly a work of art – but I’m afraid it’ll have to do. Think this is going to turn into an interesting exercise in self discipline.

Technorati Tags: snowdrop,galanthus,flower,spring,photography,Olympus

365 Challenge – Day 3 – 22 Feb 2010

This is my first shot while staying way from home. I have a sneaking suspicion it is this aspect which is going to test my imagination/creativity the most – particularly when I get to the other end of the year and I’m faced with regular dark nights in hotels. There’s a limit to the creative potential of the average hotel room I think. Still, at the time of writing I’m not in an average hotel – I’m in the Park Royal at Daresbury, and it’s actually very nice – pleasant staff, decent food and usually someone I know to talk to. Here’s a shot at twilight. Quite a long exposure so I held the camera firmly against a lamp post to provide a bit of extra stability to help the IS along. Rather like the mix of natural and varied artificial light.

Technorati Tags: hotel,reception,arrival,twilight,welcome,photography,Olympus

365 Challenge – Day 2 – 21 Feb 2010

The upload date is the same as for Day 1 but this is genuinely the 2nd day’s photo – so taken on 21 Feb 2010. Bitterly cold and frosty outside, but the flat lighting didn’t inspire me so I stayed in and did a few shots for upload to Shutterstock/Dreamstime (assuming I can get them approved). Haven’t yet had a chance to clean up the isolations, but this one, of the fire in my living room, doesn’t need much in the way of clean-up.

Not quite sure about burning anthracite – it looks nice and gives lots of heat close up – but it doesn’t seem to throw out the heat of softer coal.

Technorati Tags: coal,fire,anthracite,burn,heat,photo,hot,black,fuel,fossil fuel

365 Challenge – Day 1 – 20 Feb 2010

Needed something to make me press the shutter more often so have decided to have a go at the 365 challenge – a (meaningful) photo every day for a year. It sounds quite simple from this end, so I’ll have to see how it goes.
For the record, I started on Saturday 20th Feb. Was going to leave it until the end of Feb so I could start on the first day of March. In the end that felt like an excuse – so here’s my first photo – of my wife, Marion, taken at Zest Harbourside in Whitehaven while we were waiting to order lunch.

As an upbeat note to end with, lunch was excellent. If you’re in Whitehaven and in need of food I can recommend  Zest .