Aldreth Fen Walk (July)

To my friends that do not like spiders beware 'There are a couple'

Back in July Sue and I met up with Ann and Phil for a walk round Aldreth Fen. It was a glorious day for a walk and I was very pleased to find a few insects.

Haddenham Walk - Abstract

 I could not resist taking some abstract images of around the village

Haddengam Walk - Other Photos

 Other Photos from Haddenham on the afternoon of the Points of View Competition.

Haddenham Walk - Shadows and Light

 Last Saturday the Cambridge Camera Club held its annual 'Point of View' competition. On Friday night the location of the competition and its topics is released to its members. They then have between the hours of 6am to 6pm to take the photos depicting the subjects. The Location and topics are set by the member who won last year.

This year I was not allowed to take part as it was Sue, my better half, who won it last year.

This did not stop me taking photos. Although I did take photos of the topics I did enjoy myself taking other snaps. The entry closes for this competition on the 5th of October and I will be posting my set on the 6th. In the meantime over the next three posts I will be sharing with you some of my other photos.

I have lit them into three sections.

1. Haddenham Shadow and Light
2. Random Photos
3. Abstract Photos

Cultivating Creativity

 So I have just concluded a 4 week course (spread love 6 weeks) on Cultivating Creativity (Creative Photography / Impressionistic Photography). This was run by Doug Chinnery and Valda Bailey from the Training company 'Bailey Chinery' (They are more than just Training) - see links.

There were 10 people on the course and we met weeks as a group vis Zoom plus we also had two one 2 ones with each of Doug and Valda.

As part of my 'Creative growth' on this course we where given a choice of 4 projects and I chose 'Emotions' see text below. We had to choose about 10 phots to represent our project. The project was delivered to the whole group on the 4th week. I must admit that the standard of presentation on this last week where superb.

We had to write an Artist Statement and a Project Statement and I have included these here as well.

I present below the images in the order I delivered them along with the 'text' for each image.

Artist Statement

"I have been interested in photography since the age of 10 and spent many happy hours in the darkroom processing monochrome images. Even now this passion continues to evolve. In the early 2000’s I bought my first digital camera, a Kodak. At the time I thought ‘This will not catch on’ - little did I know, and I now combine Digital Photography with my joy of computers. I shoot with Canon DSLR / Mirrorless cameras and iPhone. 

 

My Photography has always had a strong experimental edge. I photograph just about everything. Around 2014 I became interested in Multiple Exposures and over the last few years this has now developed into a full-blown obsession. 

 

In camera multiple exposure and post processing on the computer or iPad to create abstract / impressionistic images are now part of my daily life. This joy is overwhelming as you never really know just what will come out of the file and ‘Your Brain’ "

Project Statement

"We were given the choice of four project titles, two were single words the others, phrases. I was automatically drawn to the phrases, and one in particular. One of the single word projects was ‘Home’ and was a project I was already taking photos for that started at the beginning of lockdown. I discarded that idea. The other single word was ‘Emotion’ and without any second thought, I dismissed it. 

 

I started taking images. On looking at the images on the back of the camera they sparked ‘emotions’, I smiled and carried on. Having shot maybe four initial studies I downloaded them to the computer and the ‘Emotion’ Word nudged me again. I then began to be aware of emotions in other images that I had already taken. 

 

Here is my Project, I did not choose it - it choose me."

The Emotions Project

Over the next 9 images I will present an image and an emotion that I felt for it. The emotions I have images for are :-

• For each emotion I have included some text that for me describes the image. These descriptions have been taken from 
• the words of songs 
• quotes from other people
• my own words
• Each image has a caption
• The images are presented in the order of the final panel. 
• The presentation concludes with the panel.

Loneliness

“Save my love through loneliness

Save my love for sorrow

I’m given you my onliness

Come give your tomorrow”

- Tim Harding

Save my love for sorrow

______________________________________

Sadness

“My mind went blank with grief and despair”

- Park Chung-hee

My mind is a dangerous place to be

___________________________________

Disappointment

“The dream is being  folded up in front of me by ‘hard hands’, keeping the dream away from me. Moving me into the daylight hours”

- Barry Badcock

The Dream is Over (U2)

____________________________________

Contentment

“He who lives in harmony with himself lives in harmony with the universe”

- Marcus Aurelius

Harmony from Within

___________________________________

Fear and Anguish

“The world is on fire. I am afraid, but there is hope - a ray of hope in the blue distance”

- Barry Badcock

Fear

___________________________________

Hope

“What you put into life is what you get out of it”

- Clint Eastwood

A Ray of Hope Flickers in the Sky
_____________________________________

Trust

“Trust yourself do the things that only you know best”

Trust Yourself - Bob Dylan

We used to play this game of trust in the Scouts - you would stand above your friends close your eyes and fall back into their arms

A Feeling of Confidence
_____________________________________

Anticipation

“With every eye upon you, every breath held in anticipation, you hold in your hands a world waiting to be shaped”

- Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman

The Future is Getting Brighter

______________________________________

Jealousy

“And never let the envy you might feel for another turn into jealousy or hatred”

- Tabitha and Napoleon D'umo

Its Hard to Hide Jealousy

_______________________________________

The Panel

I choose the position of the ‘Emotions’ within the panel to be visually pleasing and not as an emotional balance 

Links:-

The Excellent BaileyChinnery Training Company 

https://www.baileychinnery.com

Cambridge Nuclear Bunker

 I am very interested in Brutal Architecture and I found out the other day via 'CambridgeshireLive' that we have a 'Nuclear Bunker' in Cambridge. Built in 1953 at during the cold war, it was designed to house 300 government officials from Cambridge in the event of a Nuclear War. The Bunker was known as RSG4. It appears that there was 9 RSG's around the country. According to Historic England there are now only two around the country, the other is in Nottingham. This building was given a Grade II listed status in 2003. It was given a face lift in 2018. Cambridge University bought the building in in the 1990's and now use it for specialised storage. Unfortunately there is no access inside for the general public.

There is quite limited access to the outside. I manage to look at two side. There may be other views of the building. I will have to investigate.

Link to CambridshireLive Article

https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/cambridge-news/nuclear-bunker-cambridge-cold-war-18912473