Christmas

Back from Amsterdam.

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Festivus

After 4 days the replacement carer that I was working with has spat the dummy, not surprising considering he was a 21 y/o South African fresh of the boat and living with mother, couldn't cook, clean, wash, use a telephone. . . the list goes on.

So the last few days have been a bit tense, but now I have got a replacement and the trip to Amsterdam is still go. The pound has be pushing out an all time low against the Euro, and with the rate of exchange, it is about even. Christmas and the exchange rate are cutting into the budget, so the computer might be more of a new years gift rather than a Christmas one, and Noel just got her new Macbook pro the other day of which I am envious, but I still get fiddle around.

Northern Hemisphere Christmas MK II is well underway, the English spin on the holiday is a bit more like what I'm used to, but I really miss the Summer at this time of year. I never realised how religious England was, how much it was a part of there persona. Where in Canada there was a desire to be "PC" and have a multi cultural holidays, frosty the snowman etc, there is little of that here with Jesus and Santa hanging out everywhere. Maybe I should celebrate Festivus this year.

St Johns Wood Church

Smack bang in the middle of Notting Hill, this church was about the only public green space around, we got nice and lost this weekend after getting some cold weather gear from the Portobello markets. I'm slowly learning more and more about HDR, my gear is not bad for it, but I could see why I would want extra features and maybe a decent tripod.

The main carer (Joel) is leaving next week and there is a new South African dude starting, so until the end of next January, I'm Simon's primary carer. Intense! Christmas will be an interesting time, here's hoping I come out the other side with some new skills and a new computer :)

Highly Dreamlike Reality

So lots is happening ATM, have booked hotel and flights to Amsterdam for a pre Christmas getaway, picked up some cheap seats to Paris on the Eurostar in January for Noels birthday, printing and framing photos in different countries and playing squash in the December league in Richmond.

But anyway, this is the photo I took while security was questioning me, just south of Little Venice. I don't quite know what it is, but this is my favourite photo that I have ever taken. It's like and image from a dream or something, there is something totally surreal about it. I don't care if you agree but shit, it makes me happy.

HDaRt

Temperatures have started to get below 0C, starting to get sick, I stop hanging around outside all the time. . .

Little Venice in HDR

Went to the All Blacks v England game on Sunday with 80,000+ others to watch the kiwis destroy the poms 32-6, I took a bunch of photos, but alas with my sisters camera so no visuals, but I hope to have a big panorama of Twickenham Stadium full to capacity with the entire east side holding coloured squares in the shape of St Georges cross, rather stunning site. After the game, I went to a party full of kiwi's, not a outsider to be seen, was a rather surreal day.

After watching "The Changeling" with Noel, ( total crap) I got out in the sun today and went for a wander around Notting Hill Gate and Little Venice, where I took a bunch of photos.
As I was taking the one with the cranes in it, a security guard came up to me and told me to stop taking photos. I questioned his authority (as you do) and as he tried to find the correct answer by calling the big man, I continued with my photography under the watchful eye of CCTV.




Is there the Queens chain in Brittan? Are waterways public domain? Can a public thouroughfare's intelectual property be copyrighted? Are the gods crazy? After looking around online for clues I just came up with a bunch of "police harasses photographer" stories and some police state propaganda.




Enjoy my first HRD series. . .