The fort in the picture is one of four built between 1850 & 1880 to defend against a threat of invasion from France. The ‘blob’ centre right is a ship at anchor, probably waiting to come in to port, probably to be unloaded. The two columns extreme right are navigation aids .
It wasn’t particularly early that I went out for a walk. On any walk, especially if you know the route, you encounter decision points, do I go this way or that? Apart from the decision of which way to go from the front door, I encountered two main decision points;
On the route, I reach what I call “The Iron Bridge”. At that point, I could have retraced partially to head down a route around a large park area, or I could head on to Clayhall lane. At which it was mainly a left or right decision. Right would take me towards Alverstoke, left down toward Haslar Hospital. I headed to ward Haslar, As usual, when I that area, I feel a need to visit the Sea Wall, from where I took this evenings picture.
At around four miles, not a particularly long walk, but it really was very nice to get out.
I’ve finished the book now. It didn’t take that long, considering how slowly I read a book. The consisted of example of renowned street photographers from around the world. I think that it is reasonable to say that there were as many different reasons for the subjects of the book as there were subjects.
It naturally raises the questions of why am I interested in the genre? Given that with people I didn’t know I tend to be a bit shy, I’m surprised that I find this topic sufficiently interesting that I want to have a go at it. The off-putting part of it is the potential for confrontation. It was interesting to read that whilst street photography in Japan isn’t illegal if a picture of a person is published and they feel their privacy is violated, they can sue, and they will win. The photographer who featured in the book only took pictures that didn’t show their faces.
My thought is that for me, the purpose of street photography is to document today’s life. For that to happen I need to have the opportunity to photograph people, especially doing things in the normal way of life. not much chance of that at the moment. But, there will be future opportunities.
The picture is of Foster Gardens. Just one of those rather nice green spots that abounds in Gosport.
And this is one of those days, I haven’t been for a walk, I confess I didn’t bother to make the effort to get out. I guess I could have done. I just didn’t bother. Total Steps so far today 2884. Not good is it?
We’ve taken down the Christmas Decs, it’s looking almost barren.
Of course, we aren’t over the “Big Problem” although indications are that the end is in sight, even if possibly several months away.
Back to work on Monday then. It’s almost a normal weekend.
Beyond that, I wish all of you a happy and prosperous New Year.
Yes, Yes I know. Definitely not Sparrows in the picture. But, I have a plan.
A long time, well about 2 -3 months ago, I put a bird feeder on the edge of the patio. the intention was to attract the sparrows. Have they responded by consuming the very nice seed I loaded the feeder with? No, of course not.
Last week I acquired another bird table. It’s sited about a foot away from the bird feeder. I wanted not only the sparrows, but the robin and a blackbird who is a regular visitor to our fence, but not really our garden. The robin has deigned to sit on the roof of the new bird table, but I guess a little nervous about using it. No sign of the Sparrows.
Until today that is. Yes, three of the little so and so’s. And where do you think they were? Nope, not the bird table, the bird feeder!! A station that I have seen no birds go anywhere near since its installation!
But, for a brief period, we had sparrows in the garden! Sorry about all the exclamation marks, but I’m quite excited about it. Tomorrow, I will refresh the seed in the bird feeder, and makes sure both bird tables are well stocked. The main table continues to attract a good selection, of which I am immensely pleased.
Out for a walk today, nowhere particularly interesting. I had in my mind to take pictures of that which is “Typically Gosport”. Because I am staying away from the high street, I’m not saying my choice of subjects is limited, it’s just that nothing in particular jumped out at me. Until I reached the George & Dragon.
There are few things more typically Gosport than a pub. There are still quite a few about, and there were a whole lot more in the past when we were a thriving Navy town. To the extent that I went to a Gosport Society presentation last year, that was about the pubs of gosport.
I can’t remember the name of the presenter – I could probably look it up, and I do him an injustice when I say that the presentation appeared to consist of an older gentleman who clearly enjoyed a pint or two reading out a list of pub names for forty five minutes. Giving the impression that each name recited represented a good night, a lost opportunity. A lament for a loved drinking den.
That brings back a memory of good times in the past, and a lament for a well liked drinking den – now closed.
I took this picture in 2010 in London. It was a from-the-hip grab shot as I was walking along Oxford Street. I just pressed the button as I walked past her. Undoubtedly an attractive girl, looking worried on phone against a poster of attractive people. I do hope she was OK. It is, in my opinion the best street photograph I’ve ever taken. I stress, my opinion, of course I’d hope you agree with me, but I have no expectation that you will.
I offer the picture as part of my review on progress so far the book I’m reading as per the title. I’m on page 120, and getting through the book fairly quickly. That shouldn’t be a surprise, there are a lot of pictures.
I can understand two reasons why people do street photography, it’s interesting and fun. But, as the book says, people do it for a host of other reasons. Frederic Lezmi, for example does it to make sense of his own identity. I’m not sure I understand that motivation, it seems a little bit too philosophical for me (and that is a who different subject).
The scope of Street Photography appears to be widening, but where people are involved I think the key is that they doing something, possibly purposeful. Which now means I can discuss my current frustration briefly – Covid-19 is the cause. This new more contagious strain. We aren’t sure yet how easy it is to catch which means that I am avoiding places where there are people unless it is absolutely necessary. Making the high street out of bounds, where a lot of the interesting activity is happening. My walks at the moment are boring!
Yesterday, I wrote about being out of my comfort zone. I want to continue that for a bit (no more video at the moment, that was a practice).
The forecasters were pretty much right, it had been raining all morning and was due to stop between 11-12, which it did. I wanted a change to my normal route down to the waterfront. Today’s walk still took me past a couple of pieces of water – difficult to avoid in Gosport. Near Alverstoke is the end of Stoke Lake, This is a managed piece of water which is popular for boating and swimming. It’s quite tidal and sometimes water can cover the road that runs along side it.
This is the point where my issue with my comfort zone kicks in. I saw this shoe at the waters edge, left by a receding tide. I wanted to take a picture of it, but given that it is in a highly public place and there were people about. I felt stupid taking a picture. That though, is the thing. It’s only me that feels that way. And indeed, other people may think I’m weird. Do I really care?
It’s supposed to be an arty-farty picture. I might try it in B&W.
Isn’t it strange how things change? In the early 1990’s when I was living in Berlin, I spent a fair bit of money (DM300 comes to mind, probably about £100 as was then) purchasing a small micro-tape recorder. The idea was to record my thoughts and impressions of my time in the city. I still have it, but I haven’t used it for years. No need to, the ubiquitous mobile phone has entirely supplanted the need for such devices.
Sadly, I never took full advantage of it. I wanted to do things like walking down the Kurfürstendamm with my East German Practica camera, taking pictures, and describing what I was seeing and feeling. But the idea of walking down a busy street (it doesn’t really matter where the street was, it’s the principle that’s important) holding my hand up to my mouth and be talking to myself was an image that my far too conservative (small “c”) brain could tolerate, and so I just could not bring myself to do it. That expensive device went mostly unused.
But how conspicuous would you feel today, walking down any street, holding a small device to you mouth and talking about anything, even “being on a train”? It’s a bit different isn’t it? My conservative brain had gone in to hibernation. Note, I stay had!
It’s back again. not with a vengeance because circumstances are different thank you to the mobile phone. Today, a new gadget arrived, it’s a little unit that can sit on top of a tripod and holding a mobile phone. With a microphone, I can stand 6 – 8 feet away from the camera and talk to it about a topic that I want to cover, and as I move, it follows me. But the whole set up reminds me of that time in Berlin. It’s not “normal” activity in any street, even a side street off the high street of Gosport! So that self consciousness returned.
This time though I was mostly prepared. So I forced myself to do a session of talking to the camera; outside the council offices, just off the Gosport Promenade, at the Falklands Gardens (although I just walked around a bit without talking), to the entrance to the tunnel through the ramparts that took Queen Victoria to quay for her trips to the Isle of Wight. This last one was easy – no one about.
A success for the most part, an increase in confidence, I just need to work on my delivery. Here’s a sample – let’s see if this works. What do you think?
I went to put some rubbish in the bin, and then put the bin out ready for the bin men, except it’s Saturday, and the bins aren’t emptied until Monday. I’ve had that “Is it Monday today” feeling all day, which in a way is a good thing, because when I accept that it isn’t Monday that means I have two more days of Christmas leave than I thought.
Yesterday and today have been two days of over indulgence I’m sure I’ve added inches to my belly. And seriously, and I mean seriously rubbish TV (the analogue channels, BBC & ITV). Yesterday I was on the verge of posting a rant about how bad the TV was. I desisted, given that it was Christmas Day. With covid, the year must have been dreadful for all productions and producers, so it’s understandable that there would be a lot of repeats, but game shows at peak time on Christmas Day? not only that, the repeats they chose were rubbish (I want to use a stronger word, but don’t feel it is right on this medium). I am seriously thinking that the Beeb should move to a subscription model even if it means, god forbid – adverts (and to show how bad it is, I do try to avoid invoking the deity), At the moment, I don’t think I would be using the service at all, except for Sky at Night.
I went out for a walk just before midday, with Storm Bella bearing down on us, I needed to get out for a bit. The new more contagious version of Covid is making us nervous. I made even more strenuous efforts than usual to make sure I stayed away from people. I wanted to see the high street, but I didn’t want to walk its length, so I engineered crossing it twice, and actually it wasn’t very busy at all and I could have walked it quite safely – but I didn’t. I did though go on to the Promenade.
There were on only three people along the entire length of the waterfront from the ferry to the pier wall, so I felt quite safe. I could see a boat, which from face on I thought was a tug coming toward the harbour entrance, on checking Marine Traffic, it was the Bunkering (refuelling) vessel the Janet W. I was able to get to the end of the Pier wall for its entrance in to the harbour to take the header picture.
At the end of the Haslar Marina Pier Wall there was a solitary angler. Staying about 10-15 feet away from him, I asked how he was getting on. He’d only just got set up, so hadn’t caught anything. But, he was very keen to tell me about his new rod & reel, all £300 of it. He described it as very smooth. We talked about the Local Marks Fishing you tube channel, which even though I have absolutely no interest in fishing does make quite entertaining viewing. Last week involved feeding a fox, The channel is owned by John, not mark – the marks are locations. The lad (mid 20’s?) said he had his fishing channel, Solo Solent Fishing (or a variation of that), but I haven’t been able to find it. I shall keep looking.
Hi! my name is Sebastian (You can call me Seb!) ...welcome to my Blog. I'm a photographer from Worcester, Worcestershire, England. Thanks for dropping by! I hope you enjoy my work.
I'm here to work on fiction. Occasionally I'll blog but that's certainly not my focus. You have a specific fiction genre or format you can't find enough of? Ask me. Maybe I got it. I migh share it with you. Otherwise, leave me alone; I'm toiling away at my workbench.
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