Metamorphosis

It was time to see colour on UtterRelease so this seemed like a good post.  Some of you will know that I'm in the process of a significant change in my career.  The beautiful and natural change in these images fills me with confidence, and makes this a very timely post.  The photos are from earlier this summer in London.  We had spent the day in town and we stopped at the Natural History Museum on the way back home for a quick afternoon visit.  Just outside, the Butterfly house had a short queue and I quickly found us joining it.

Click to read more ...

Abraj li'Kuwait

When I converted my camera, this was the very shot I couldn't wait to get.  But let's face it, it's always the things close by we tend to take for granted.  This was no different.  I put it off waiting for the weather to become more forgiving.  Last weekend however, I looked out of the window and saw the first clouds decorating our skies.  I jumped into my car, headed into town and, when I parked outside the towers, I realised I had left my tripod on my driveway.

Click to read more ...

Galata Kulesi Views

It's a very simple tourism rule: You see a tower, you've got to go up!  Is the view good? and more importantly, is there a lift? In the case of the Galata Tower in Istanbul, the answer was thankfully 'yes' to both.  It stands a tall 70m which is very impressive for its age.  The tower was built in 1348 according to Wikipedia.

Click to read more ...

Leafing Through Ealing

Staying away from natural light a little longer, allow me to take you through the parks I've spent half my life in.  I took these shots to select a handful and make up a series which I plan to print on glass.  The journey begins in Ealing Green which is a beautiful space in front of my school; Pitzhanger Manor is just visible on the left.  I can still hear the late Mr Kinkade, Headmaster of Ealing Green High in 1988, repeating the phrase: 'Please walk around The Green, we want to keep it this way'.

Click to read more ...

New Light

New light and indeed new life!  Ever since I bought my D300 I've used my D70s less and less frequently.  It sat on my shelf gathering dust most of the year, going out with me only out of pity never necessity.  The D300 always looks at me as I strap her older cousin to my shoulder.  It's a strange look that merges disgust and confusion in one sorry smile.  I can almost hear the sarcastic huff behind my back as I walk away...  I understand it of course, for although my D70s is still a very capable camera, I find using its smaller screen a little tedious.  The focusing ability of the D300 (and many more features) means the D70s doesn't have a chance for 'action' trips.  It was/is however my first serious DSLR so I could never bring myself to selling it.  Last week, I realised why... My D70s has became my new favourite toy!  The D300 doesn't know it yet and I intend to keep it this way.

Click to read more ...

Postcard from Houston

Houston's skyline has a special place in my heart.  In 1989 I went there with my grandfather and saw, for the first time and in real life, a typical American Downtown view - which until then, was reserved for TV shows and car-video-games.  I remember buying postcards of night and day scenes of the skyscrapers which decorated my bedroom wall for many months.  My memory of Houston, was of highways and buildings (and lamp-posts).  My favourite building there was, and remains the Bank of America Center.

Click to read more ...

Hagia Sophia

I'm finally getting round to looking again at my Istanbul collection.  This series is of the truly amazing Hagia Sophia which was the highlight of our trip.  Everything about it is interesting: its age, its history, the beautiful Byzantine architecture, its size, its location, its 'mixed' uses over time and that magnificent dome.  It's impressive, even with today's engineering know-how, how the dome is supported without columns growing out of the ground and disrupting the fantastic view that fills your eyes as you enter.  Hagia Sophia captures you the moment you walk in, you will not be able to register everything at once.  Appreciating the intricate details in the decorations, the mosaics that survived centuries and the sear size of the place, requires time.

Click to read more ...

Ramadan Mubarak

Wishing everyone a blessed holy month of Ramadan, full of peace and reflection.  Many happy returns to this wonderful time of year to you and your loved-ones.

مبارك عليكم الشهر الكريم و عساكم من عواده

London

London is one of those cities that invites you to carry your camera whenever you're out.  The other day, I wanted to take photos of the tube: stations, passengers and trains.  I imagined how it would look in black-and-white and was looking forward to playing with light and movement - and hopefully some interesting faces for portraits.  I walked to my nearest underground station, and jumped on a replacement bus service.  Don't you just love it?

Click to read more ...

The Office

I've made some changes since my last post about the office.  I got rid of the huge desk that cut the office in half and opted for a more practical, and welcoming, L-shaped desk around the room.   It offers more real-estate takes up less space.  In some of the images in this post I'm testing my new 10-24mm lens.  It capture much more into the frame - I'm really not used to this wide an angle.  Colleagues are asking me for photos of the office in Kuwait, so this is good timing. 

Click to read more ...