1000/404: 30 March 2011: Neuschwanstein

Neuschwanstein a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

Bought this as a souvenir after a drive/camp trip around Germany in around 1985. Ignoring the rather fake greenery the actual detail on the castle is pretty impressive - it's pretty much how I remember it - only a touch smaller of course.
Am beginning to wonder if I'll run out of ornaments before I reach 1000 days

1000/398: 24 March 2011: Helmeted Guineafowl

1000/398 a photo by nmonckton on Flickr.

A few years back i was sent to South Africa on business and these guys were the first African wildlife I ever saw outside a zoo park. A flock of half a dozen were pootling around a monument that my host had taken me to visit. They're actually fairly comical in groups, and when I saw these little models in a souvenir shop I had to buy a whole flock.

All five of them have spent the time since pootling around the ornaments on the mantelpiece in our living room - enshrining the moment forever - which is, after all, what souvenirs are for.

1000/383: 09 March 2011: Boomerang

Not a genuine one – pretty sure it wouldn't come back if I threw it. Funnily enough, a souvenir of a visit to Oz in 2004. Love the way the colours blend on the background – giving the impression of a desert sunset without even trying. Not so sure about the ‘roo. Without the white bits it would be quite Zen-art like, with them – well, I’m just not sure.

365/346: 31 January 2011: Family Photo

365/346
Originally uploaded by nmonckton

Not sure where these came from. They sit on the TV cabinet and stare at us inscrutably so I thought I'd reward their patience with a photo.

365/299: 15 December 2010: Bridie the bear

Bridie joined us on a holiday from Caledonian Bears a couple of years ago and liked it so much she decided to stay. Obviously we (that is – Marion) had to make a matching cushion with broderie anglais trim to ensure she feels comfortable atop my speakers. Greater love hath no man than that he share his speakers with a cute teddy.

PS: Actually it was me that wanted her to join us. Moment of madness, perhaps?

365/293: 09 December 2010: Blue-nosed friends

And well they might be in this weather. How cute is this?

365/140: 09 July 2010: Captain

A couple of years back one of the students that worked with me on a work placement bought me this as a leaving gift IIRC. been meaning to photograph it for a while…so now I have. Haven’t yet worked out where to mount it, but its time will come.

365/114: 13 June 2010: Reindeer

Thought I’d photograph something that seemed appropriate for the weather. Can’t believe I was driven to light the stove earlier today. So much for ‘flaming June’.
I bought this little guy in Stockholm on a business trip to Forsmark, Sweden probably around 1990. It’s a design by Lisa Larson from the Skansen collection for the Gustavsberg Studio (yay Google). I though it was delightful at the time, and the years have not changed my mind.

365 Challenge Days 61-64: 21-24 April 2010 : A bit of a mixture

21st April and its Work Life Balance day at work – encouraging us to be a little bit fitter, a bit less stressed, and generally better off all round. Did the site comms team a favour and saved the company some money by doing the pictures for the newsletter. Here are a couple of my colleagues discussing spinning as a hobby:

Immediately the work life balance event was done it was a trip to head office, followed by my first night away for quite a while. Next day (22nd)  in the office, then the drive home – this one jumped out at me as it was sitting on the table after dinner. How did we live without these things – and how, exactly, do they relate to work-life balance?

Onwards and upwards to picture 63 and 23rd April. Bought these two at the hippie market in Ibiza in 2005. Not sure that i recall making enamelled geckos as a trademark talent of hippiedom, but who’s complaining. They’re mounted in the stairwell, and every time I see them I reminded of a rather pleasant family holiday which seemed to consist largely of sun sea and sangria. And after all .. that’s the point of a holiday souvenir.

And finally bang up to date again with picture 64 on 24th April. Spent a half an hour scouting out bits of Silloth for one of my photo degree projects. The good thing about digital cameras is that you can use them as the equivalent of an artists sketch book without spending a fortune on film and developing. This looks like a nice idea for when the sky is bluer and the air less hazy.

One thing I’ve noticed is that it’s not taking the photo every day that is causing me issues, it’s remembering/having the time to post them.

365 Challenge Day 60: 20 April 2010 – Oriental Memorabilia

Our house seems to be full of Japanese, Chinese and Korean memorabilia – little souvenirs given to me for time spent entertaining visitors to my previous employer – fans, table runners, hanging decorations, masks and my personal favourite – a postcard of a Japanese temple scene drawn by a TV cameraman I escorted on a couple of occasions.  His smile and wave when he realised he recognised me among a sea of strange faces on his second visit is one of those memories that is precious in a way you can’t quite explain.
For some reason I find all these ornaments infinitely more interesting than most British memorabilia – perhaps it’s the brightness of the colours or the fact that they reference a culture I barely begin to understand. Either way – there are a few more of them to photograph between now and Day 365 so here’s another example.

365 Challenge Day 38 – 29 March 2010 – Glass ornament

Been looking to take a photo of this etched glass ornament for a couple of years and never really worked out how to do it. This attempt uses a small desk lamp just out of shot – it seems reasonably effective as a first pass. I deliberately underexposed to make the blacks darker, and then upped the contrast quite dramatically. If I can find my old laser pen I’m going to have another go and light it with that.

365 Challenge – Day 10 - 01 Mar 2010 Hahoe Mask

Had this ugly little critter hanging on my wall for some years - It was originally a gift from  a Korean visitor. It’s a model of one of the masks used in the Hahoe mask dance. Apparently this one is Yangban – the Aristocrat. I thought that it would benefit from strong side lighting – courtesy of a small desk lamp - with a little bit of reflection from some white card to slightly lighten the shadows.