Wembley Stadium

21 February 15

Posted at 2:32

Wembly Park tube station is just two stops on the Metropolitan Line from my campus (Northwick Park) so I go past the stadium when travelling to and from Uni. I've often thought I should take a stroll around the stadium when there is nothing on. Usually I only visit Wembley for an Arsenal match, prior to last year something that has been rare since the new stadium opened, or to a gig. So yesterday with a couple of hours to kill I went and took a look.

First Sight

This is the first sight of the stadium as you emerge from Wembley Park Station. Not the first time a 'bus has been parked at Wembley'.

Wembley Lights

I walked to the stadium from Harrow (further than I thought) so coming in from the west this is the first image that caught my eye.

Car Park

Next was the multi storey car park which is hidden behind Meccano like sheet of metal that have too much of a resemblance to Manchester United's colurs for my liking.

Wembley Stadium 1

The famous arch which is impressive from a distance is something different close up. The old Wembley stadium was demolished in 2003 and the new one opened in 2007.

Hello Wembley

It is all a bit ghostly when there are no events on but a good opportunity to observe aspects you would miss completely on a match day,

London Designer

both inside the stadium and outside.

Five a Side

I was pleased to see a majority of the 5 a side players had Arsenal shirts on.

Gate E

Gate E at the other end of the arch.

This Way

Direction signage looks somewhat over the top but necessary on Cup Final day.

Main Entrance

The main entrance.

Bobby Moore Entrance

and above it the Bobby Moore statue and entrance.

Booby Moore

And here is a close up of the statue.

Wembley Way

Here is Sir Bobby's view of Wembley Way.

At Wembley

The view of the stadium approaching from Wembley Way.

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Free Running

18 February 15

Posted at 7:20

For the last few months I have been absorbed with research, dissertation writing, then more research for my Major Project. Add to that life outside of study and it has been somewhat hectic. Hence no blogging. Although the next few moths are also hectic I will be finding far more time with camera in hand. That camera now is more than likely to be a Nikon D810. I recently sold my old and trusty D700 and my D800 and purchased a D810. You may ask why when I had a D800. Well I bought the D800 as soon as it was first released and although I sent it back to Nikon to update after the initial new product teething problems I never felt comfortable with it. So now the D810 is out there, launched, tried and tested, I've upgraded to one.

Today I paid a visit to Book Works to finalise some details for a book I hope to publish in May then after a visit to an exhibition in Peckham I strolled around camera in hand. I came across a bunch of lads near Waterloo Bridge who were Free Running. They were OK with me taking some photos so below are a couple. If you see this post lads message me and I send you some images - I have a few.

Freerunning 1

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Freerunning 2

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Freerunning 3

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Freerunning 4

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Farewell Grazalema

19 July 14

Posted at 3:31

We left Grazalema on Friday to head for the Costa de Luz. On the evening before when the sun was going down we took a hike up to the dam that overlooks the town. And indeed ensures its' water supply.

The Dam

It took about 30 minutes to reach the base of the dam then just a case of climbing the steps.

Dam from Above

Lokking down not a good idea if you suffer from vertigo.

Behind the Dam

Behind the dam it was more tranquil and a fair few degrees cooler than down in the town - still pretty hot though even at 8 in the evening.

Grazalema from the base of the Dam 

Looking back from the base of the dam to Grazalema. I will come back here again - probably earlier in the year so it will be possible to walk some of the treks in the surrounding mountains.Although I'm still miffed that we won't be here on Monday for the annual bull run (for someone who spends their life at the moment doing research I dropped off regarding this trip!) On Thursday evening (well the early hours of Friday) the fiesta leading up to the bull run commenced with the opening of the funfair. I had a little play using long exposure and rear curtain flash to record the movement. Might have done better had I not been consuming Rioja for most of the evening!

Dodgems

Dodgems

Bumper Cars

Bumper cars

Funfair

All the fun of the fair.

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Glastonbury 2014

04 July 14

Posted at 10:06

After a break of two years I was back at Glastonbury this year arriving in good time on the Wednesday, along with around 100,000 early birds. At least it was dry and sunny on the first day!

Sunset Day One

I spotted this bear at sunset on the Wednesday - I assumed  he was either looking for or trying to avoid James Hetfield!

Bear 

On the Thursday the party starts to get going although the official line up is still 24 hours away

Yoga

These folk are getting relaxed with some yoga in the healing fields.

Then it is Friday and I'm off to the Glade to see Alabama 3

Alabama 3

and what a great start that was albeit somewhat early

Rev D Wayne Love

Alabama 3 Rev D Wayne Love

Biggles Wartime Band

quickly from the sublime to the ridculous with Biggles Wartime Band

and as I left their set I bumped into this old fella..

Michael Eavis

Michael Eavis

Rudimental

Rudimental were for me one of the highlights. Unfortunately their set ended abruptly when a massive thunderstorm resulted in power being cut from all stages

Sunshine After The Rain

Sunshine came after the rain resulting in this natural phenomenon. I wonder how many of these guys captured it...

Music Photographers

Well I didn't have a press pass so had to be content shooting bands from the crowd. Despite torrential rain through the whole of their set I got a few nice images of

Gabriel Winterfield 

Jagwar Ma on the Park Stage

Jack Freeman Jagwar Ma

Jack Freeman

Gabriel Winterfield Jagwar Ma

Gabriel Winterfield

Jagwar Ma

Jagwar Ma

Jagwar Ma

Jagwar Ma were one of my favourites this year, saw them twice. My other highlights were Arcade Fire, Jungle, Rudimental, Bryan Ferry and Alabama 3 and Kasabian. Although I rate them highly I was a little disappointed with Elbow.

And then of course there was Arcadia which seems to be creeping closer each year to where I pitch my tent.

Arcadia Spider

The Spider - Arcadia

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The Angkor Temples

09 October 12

Posted at 10:22

Today, as promised sometime ago, a few of my images of the Angkor Temples at Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat - the reason people flock to Siem Reap. I enjoyed visiting the temples at Siem Reap. They are amazing. My stay in Siem Reap was short and circumstances meant I did not visit the temples at the time of day I would have preferred. I would have also preferred to have less people there! but I guess that's a tall order. This image gives a false impression of there not being many folk around but that's an illusion, there were thousands. So the only way to photoraph is to get up close to the fascinating detail.

Angkor Wat 2

This is the largest Hindu complex in the world and was built in the 12th Century. Angkor Wat is so popular it appears on the Cambodian national flag.

Angkor Thom

Angkor Thom is another of the popular temples. It is populated with numerous smiling Buddhas facing every direction.

Angkor Thom Buddhas

Angkor Thom Buddhas 

My favourite temple is Ta Phrom. The trees give it a surreal atmosphere.

Ta Phrom

Ta Phrom the trees, these are Silk Cotton Tres (ceiba pentandra), dwarf the buildings which are not small.

Strangler Fig Tree - Ta Phrom Temple

This is an iconic image of Ta Phrom featuring a tomb engulphed by the roots of a Strangler Fig (ficus gibbosa). Strangler figs and silk cotton trees dominate the temples and landscapes making this place like no where else on earth. No wonder it was chosen as the location to fim Tomb Raider.

Ta Phrom 2

Another strangler fig swallowing up a wall at Ta Phrom.

And to finish a couple of images repeated having been processed with HDR toning and other spurious actions. 

Ta Phrom 3

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Untitled

Ta Phrom

 

 

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London Street Art

15 June 12

Posted at 2:51

One of my current projects is on street artist Stik. I am aiming to record all of his existing street art before more disappears. As a result I am spending a lot of time trudging round the East End. I don't plan to post any of the project until it's complete but walking the streets of London it's not esy to ignore other street art. So not surprisingly I am capturing some of that as well. I keep a record of the work as it is seen in the street, a photographic record of the piece in situ. I also create my own version of the image, perhaps removing unsightly objects (cctv cameras, air conditioning units, other street artist's abuse and stickers etc.)

First image is by an artist, David Shillinglaw. David is not a traditional 'street artist' he is an artist and will paint on just about anything anywhere. He's a sound bloke as well!

Shillinglaw Street

Shillinglaw Street Art

David designed the sleeve for The Travelling Band's album Screaming is Something. Check them out here  you will no doubt recognise the style. Last year I shot the opening night of one of David's exhibitions in Brick Lane which is also where you can see this piece. Check out the images here


Next one of ROA's animals - a rabbit in Hackney road at the junction with Weymouth street. ROA's images are instantly recognisable, they are really large and striking. ROA is a street artist from Ghent in Belgium. His works can be found around the globe. There are many in London.


Roa Rabbit

I posted a shot of one in a blog  last January at Rivington Studios - I believe it's gone now.

Here is another ROA, a crane in Brick Lane

ROA Crane

 

This is my favourite of the week. It's in Cremer Street and I only came across it as I was looking for a Stik in the same street. It's by Cept, a London street artist. Originally there was what has been described as a classic Cept on this wall. Hackney council received compliants about it so demanded the wall's owners remove it. The cost would have been £5000 so the owners asked Cept to paint a new piece over the top of it. Seems a bit of a nonsense to me but I do like this piece and may even do a canvass of it.

Love Will Tear Us Apart

Old Street is a mass of graffiti forever changing especially at the junction with Great Eastern Street. Here is the latest offering with a message for the Queen. Check out ourbarebones

OLd Street Jubilee

 

Last of all Banksey's latest which I shot a few weeks ago. It's near Turnpike Lane tube station. I shot this less than 48 hours after he painted it but already it had been covered with a perspex screen, hence the bit of reflection. I guess it's better than Robbo just obliterating the work.

Banksy's Jubilee Offering

Banksy Jubilee

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