Bills Posts

It looks like a blue sky, but it isn’t it’s just high clouds. But it is nice to see the sky brightening towards the east, and that was around 0640 this morning. The dawn is on the way.

The weather last week was cold. I went out on the Monday, with just a hat on my head. My ears suffered seriously. I had to dig out my Balaclava, which I’d bought a couple of years ago when I was cycling to work (rather than just walking upstairs as I have done for the last year). Wearing the balaclava made a big difference, very comfortable and not at all bad for a Fiver from Wish.

I haven’t needed the head covering aspect of the Balaclava this week, but I’ve kept wearing it around my neck to keep the wind out. Especially as on a couple of days this week I’ve gone “Full Rain Coat” as opposed to my normal nicely padded coat, which is barely shower proof. It’s nice to have a bit more padding with the main rain coat, especially around the throat. It has certainly made the morning walks more pleasant.

I’ve missed one walk this week, Wednesday morning, but that was down to my having a rough night rather than the weather. That also means I’ve lost the miles for the Walk1000. On balance though I am probably still on target, and obviously have loads of time to get ahead.

The weather these last couple of weeks has been interestingly variable. Let’s see how the next week goes.

Just under a week ago, I had this moment of madness where I decided to commit to a photography project every week. I had a boo that has been laying around for several years that I hadn’t looked at. I thought it would contain some projects that I could follow – it didn’t, it was effectively a bulky sales brochure – about a phone that was prominent several years ago.

OK I thought, that won’t work, so I bought another book off Amazon, that was about the latest iPhone, the 12. That turned up earlier this week. Well it was about the iPhone 12, but mostly a technical thing on how it works. Now, for some of the features that I haven’t yet discovered, that might be useful so I will look at.

All of that leaves me; unsatisfied? Not fulfilled? Not delivering? I don’t know which word – I’m not doing what I wanted. Now, we do have a book, it’s a Dorling Kindersley I think; Tom Ang’s digital photography master class. Now, I have been deliberately avoiding this book. But I think I am going to have to look at it. I’ll let you know how I get on.

I didn’t go for a walk today. It’s not often I say I couldn’t be bothered. But I had a rough night, and rising slightly later really put off my sorts. Of course there are knock-ones from no going out, that’s three miles I haven’t walked and pictures I haven’t taken.

Hopefully, we’ll be able to resume normal tomorrow. The weather though, I haven’t seen a forecast.

This a is the old Cowes Chain Ferry. It was replaced with a bigger new one a couple of years ago (how long really – I need to check)? I think it is probably safer to say that the new ferry has not been problem free. Every so often I get asked to confirm that the old ferry is still here at the waterfront. I think there is a degree of nostalgia there.

Sometimes I compare this waterfront to others that I have seen. Perhaps most notably, that of Key West off the southern tip of Florida. I wonder of there is a web cam there, I must have a look. Apart from the truly spectacular sunsets there was lots going on, performers showing their skills. And they were skilled. On a lovely warm evening it was magic to slowly stroll along and admire their abilities and look the wares of the street vendors laughing at their funny T-Shirts. We had a truly lovely couple of days there.

It always surprises me that there were no performers on the Gosport waterfront. I think possibly the promenade is possibly a little too narrow to allow performers, and for people to get past easily. If they are going to reconfigure the promenade, they could make it a bit wider.

Having said that there is a serenity about the promenade. It’s very pleasant to go and sit there and watch the ships and the people and sometimes we might get some chips from the chippy and sit there. It’s surprising how many people ask where you get the chips from. Unfortunately the chippy had a bit of a problem – the fryer caught fire. Doubly unfortunate, is that it’s one of our favourite chippies. Oh well. At least they are trying to get back in to business. The decorators are in, and it looks like the new fryer has arrived.

Over the weekend I finished reading the latest issue of B&W Photography. Ordinarily I would write a piece about an article in the magazine that inspired me. Although I enjoyed reading the mag, there was nothing init that really got my virtual pen going.

I’ve gone back to the Gosport Record. The issue I’m reading at the moment was printed in May 1972. All of the articles are interesting, but the one which talks about the Incorporation of the area as a borough. I’m only going to say a little bit about it here as I need to do a bit of research. You’ll notice my wording above, where I don’t say the Incorporation of Gosport because it is more complicated than you might expect. Alverstoke pre-dates Gosport.

There were a couple of attempts to incorporate. Initially abandoned because it became too contentious, resulting the exchange of insults and threats. The battle was over should it be the Borough of Gosport and Alverstoke, or the Borough of Alverstoke and Gosport? The battle was resolved through a House of Lords enquiry. I definitely feel a Vlog here. That’s why I need to do some research.

The story of incorporation and the struggle to achieve it didn’t come as a surprise to me this time. I’ve read about it in a book I bought quite a while ago; The Story of Gosport in which this event was reported in a bit more detail. I would every much like to get copies of newspaper reports, copies of minutes from committees and if possible the report from the inquiry. The Gosport Record piece mentions specific locations and houses. Are they still there? I can definitely see potential in this.

I’m very glad I bought the records. I am enjoying reading them.

What a cold week it has been. Every day that I have gone out, I have had to make sure that I was wrapped up really warm. It was probably Monday when I went out and during the walk my ears suffered, so I sought out my Balaclava. That has really helped. Then on another morning I was operating my phone camera and I had to do so with my glove off. I could only keep it off for a minute or two. My hand was so cold, it was painful.

A major feature of the morning walks is the #Breakfastclub. As a licensed radio amateur, I make sure that I have my two-way radio with me. Connecting via a special radio on the Isle of Wight (it’s callsign is GB3IW), the way it works give access to hams along quite a wide stretch of the south coast and inland as well. There are of course the regulars on the radio between 0615 and around 0700 Monday – Friday. I stop off and do a weather report (not a Forecast, just a report on the conditions as they are) usually somewhere along the waterfront as I like to announced the tide state. It adds a major part to the walk.

Then of course there is the photography. I have several thousand photos all taken along this area. I suppose I should thin them out a bit, I’m wondering if I could compile 365 pictures for different dates – but not in the same year. The photography is important to me, but I’m not very adventurous – I’m trying to change that and think about different things to photograph. As I promised earlier this week I have an iPhone photography book on the way. I really am going to try and follow that.

Then there is the walking itself. My newly extended circuit gives me about three miles which I know it isn’t a lot, but it is better than nothing. Now, if I stick rigidly to the three miles (actually it’s a bit more than 3.0 miles, more like 3.15, but that 0.15 all helps to make a difference). If I am able to walk every day, by the time I get to Friday that means at least 15 miles completed so over the weekend I only have to do four miles which is fine.

I do have difficulty sometimes in getting up, but usually once I look out the window, and that inspires / drives me to get up and out.

Here’s a link to my first formally released Vlogg;

https://youtu.be/r6eSemzgW8c

Ok, so it is my first, and I know that it is far from perfect. The ways in which it is imperfect are, I’m sure legion. But I am not going in to most of them today. There is one aspect that I do want to explore, and help me I am going to off two video clips each about a minute and a half long. It isn’t anything very exciting a walk along the Haslar Marina pier wall. The important things to remember about both clips is that they were both filmed at the same time, and they were both filmed on the same base; a monopod, with a dual bracket.

The first clip was filmed with the iPhone 12 Pro Max;

And here is a link to the second clip, filmed with a GoPro Hero9 Black;

When I bought the GoPro, I was using the iPhone XR, the camera was OK but the stability wasn’t good and certainly not acceptable for filming on the move. It showed every shake. Having bought GoPro I was absolutely blown away by the stability.

Then I upgraded my phone, and of course when that arrived I was blown away by its stability. Of course I then queried whether or not I really needed the GoPro. Which led me to do the first Vlog, using the iPhone. Of course when I posted it, it was OK, but I was disappointed by the format, it hadn’t occurred to me that it would be like that. It’s obvious really.

As I said at the top that both videos were made simultaneously, from the same platform as you run them it becomes clear that there is significant diferent in the stability. Overall the GoPro is much smoother and is a much nicer presentation. Don’t get me wrong, if the only camera I have to hand is the phone, it is more than adequate and I will use it, but do prefer the GoPro.

The aim then, is to do the vlog using the GoPro. There is though, one slight problem – I need to be able to plug an external microphone into the camera, but the only way of doing that is to buy an extension pack (it has a name, can’t remember it).

I need to start thinking about the next block and what to do.

Well, here we are. I have been doing this numbered blog for 183 days, 6 months! When I started doing this, I didn’t know that I would still be doing it 6 months later. I’m really pleased. Of course, I would be. Certainly, one of the things that I know has helped has been the roster. At least I know one thing that I can write about, even if I can’t think of anything to write about.

Tonight for example, the topic is writing. The B&W photography magazine turned up a couple of days ago. I’m still only just past the introduction, so nothing to write about there, The there is the Gosport Journal. I’ve already said that the journals weren’t what I was expecting. The book is a collection of journals published between 1971 and 1976. So far the journals have featured a number of articles with a historic aspect. One is a piece about a house, No. 5 High Street. I’m not ready yet to write about that. I have to do a bit of research.

I’m recording my walks Monday to Sunday. So today is day 5. This week I have been able to get out everyday. It has been cold but dry. This morning in particular, I had my balaclava keeping my head and ears warm, which is excellent. I still had to take my glove off to operate the camera on the iphone. With the wind gusting at around 7 knots from the East turning the +0.7C in to -5C I wasn’t able to have my hand out in the open for very long at all, it was positively painful. The walks are always good, and I enjoy them thoroughly.

I don’t think I’ve suffered from writers block this week. I have a perception that the daily posts have flowed a bit. If you can see my Facebook news line you’ll know that I am running a “Fantasy Holiday”. Every week we are visiting a different US State and every day we go somewhere and do or see something. It’s a bit of fun. I’m probably writing a couple of hundred words a diary. I’m happy with this.

I’m supposed to write about the weather tonight. Over the last 4 days it has been cold. Very cold, and it snowed. OK, not much and it was all gone within 24 hours, but it was cold. Now I may come back to the weather, but in the meantime there’s something else I want to write about.

I have to admit that I didn’t think my plan would fall to bits almost with minutes of making my commitment to iphone projects last night. I definitely do want to do it, but unfortunately, not with that book.

The first and most important thing was that within the first two pages, it had stated that the book was aimed at users of the iphone 4 & 5. I use an iPhone 12. Well, I suppose a camera is a camera and it is the technique that is important so that it is 7 generations obsolete doesn’t really matter. Well it didn’t except that whilst the book did have just a little bit about technique, it didn’t have projects. It’s those that I really wanted.

The book was obviously one that was given away free with a magazine, because the other thing it was trying to convince you to do was to buy apps – that are probably discontinued now and also bits of equipment, like lens attachments – which are also probably no longer available. All in all, not a great success. I’m not giving up.

The mission now is to find a book that meets the needs. I don’t really care about equipment, except that the book must be no more than one or two generations behind. It must have technique and projects. So I am now on a mission to find the book. The commitment I made last night is on hold, but most definitely not forgotten. A little bit of research is needed.

The weather? Well, it’s going to be cold for at least the two or three days. An opportunity for some cold weather pictures. Hopefully.

Oh, and I know that for this blog, tomorrow is a special day.

OK, I have been looking for this book, I knew it was somewhere in the house, and i found it tonight;

I have not opened it, I have no idea what it is like inside.

But, how is this for a commitment; Wednesday Nights are the night I write about photography. On a Wednesday, I will start reading a chapter. Over the following week I will try to do what the book suggests, including any projects. I will report on progress or completion of the project each successive week until the project is complete, if I can do it in a week then I will do so. I’ll start reading this one tonight. Let’s see how it goes.

This is a street near where I live. It’s a preservation area, which means that the occupants of the houses have to maintain a certain standard. It’s understandable why. It’s a lovely area.

It thought this one would be OK as a black and white;

I don’t think it’s too bad – It’s a pity though about the TV antenna. Something it appears you can’t escape even in a conservation area.

In my mornings walks I pass along several streets with different character; residential, open, quite wide roads with homes side on, several tower blocks, shops, churches etc. I really should be doing more to explore opportunities here. There will be lots of them. It’s getting my eyes used to seeing those opportunities.

There’s one particular website I follow. Personally I think it is a bit strange, but it never ceases to be interesting, here’s a link;

http://workingpictures.blogspot.com/2021/02/shrink-your-bill.html

Now I think I probably aspire to something a little more artistic. But, who can define artistry – this has been discussed on a number of blogs I follow, and even goes back 25 years to when I was on Compuserve; what is and isn’t art? We had some quite strong arguments back then. It was interesting, entertaining and definitely educational.

I think the lessons I need to take is to just take pictures, but I acknowledge that I do need to think about composition as well. I’ve been a bit busy over the last few weeks but with a bit of luck I should be able to do something about my photographic abilities.