Without Prejudice

[Rob C]

Two saxes: a really worn alto that's lost its gloss and a slightly better-preserved tenor that still glows darkly.

1.8/50mm manual at f2 unless it moved inadvertently, which is always possible in the circumstances. A reliable 35mm Nikkor of the same speed would be pleasant, but I can't really justify such things any more.

Rob C

PS  Take a look at the new Hans Feurer Portfolio over on http://www.wibagency.com and tell me anyone else working today can show him anything.  The Fashion gallery's pretty cool, but for me, his Beauty one is the best. There are some there from Pirelli and also from the single Pentax calendar that I own, along with some that were clearly part of the same shoots but not printed. It kinds proves what I've always believed: you do what's in you regardless of the headings under which you are allowed to work. Suddenly, musos have lost their appeal. Knew it was going to happen. Leopards, spots etc...

[Riaan van Wyk]

PS  Take a look at the new Hans Feurer Portfolio over on http://www.wibagency.com and tell me anyone else working today can show him anything.  The Fashion gallery's pretty cool, but for me, his Beauty one is the best.

Lovely stuff Rob, thanks for sharing.

[Rob C]

Lovely stuff Rob, thanks for sharing.

My pleasure, Riaan; wish I could find more like that, but guess they don't exist. There are lots of agencies, but the snappers generally strive for a 'modern' look that usually doesn't boil my water that well; there are, of course, exceptions, but what seems to happen to me is that I go through periods where I love some fresh flavour-of-the-month but inevitably find myself drawn back to another ethos where my head feels more comfortable. I suppose its because I go back a long way myself and they do say that your first love is hard to forget...

Ciao -

Rob

[Mjollnir]

Piers in fog, Avila Beach, this past October

[Rob C]

Piers in fog, Avila Beach, this past October

Unfortunately I've never witnessed them, but this reminds me of The Vagina Monologues.

Rob C

[Justinr]

I've been a busy busy boy of late and had rather deserted this fine house however I thought I'd call back and drop this on the doorstep-

Royal Wedding Street Party

Photos uploaded in a bit of a hurry I'm afraid and I cringe at some of the horizons but still one or two reasonable shots there.

[Rob C]

Thought this might go well with the decaf.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGeKSiCQkPw

Rob C

[Rob C]

Another one for Eric:

http://youtu.be/Snbj-upXQ-I

I wish!

Rob C

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

Another one for Eric:

http://youtu.be/Snbj-upXQ-I

I wish!

Rob C

Now that one is a proper landscape. No messy humans to despoil it. Only God's own chariot.

I did have a moment of panic when I thought there might be a scratch in the right front fender, but I soon realized it was just a reflection of a pavement paint stripe.

Wouldn't you trade your beloved old Ford for that one, Rob?

Eric

[Rob C]

Now that one is a proper landscape. No messy humans to despoil it. Only God's own chariot.

I did have a moment of panic when I thought there might be a scratch in the right front fender, but I soon realized it was just a reflection of a pavement paint stripe.

Wouldn't you trade your beloved old Ford for that one, Rob?

Eric

The old Ford and the new one too! Both could go at the blink of an eye. For all the mileage I do these days, I doubt I'd notice the difference. Oh, I wouldn't need any logos or special plates, either... less to have stolen. They'd never steal the car - where could they use or hide it on the island without getting caught? There is a problem, though: in these little villages designed for the donkey cart and tailored to disorientate the invading Moors, turning corners would be well-nigh impossible. Or I'd have to learn how to drive properly: truckers here still mange to deliver building materials almost anywhere.

The only thing I dislike about those US classics in general is the dashboard design. But then, neither Mercedes nor BMW ever managed to reach the beauty of the slightly more lowly Jaguar cockpits either. The most desireable car I saw here, at a village fiesta where they also do a mini-motorshow: a cherry-red mettalic XJR with white leather seats. In the sunshine of that Sunday morning it was Omar Khayyáms' Paradise enow, no loaves of bread or bottles of wine in sight, though there certainly were enough trees: they are de rigueur for the birds to sit and rest on before they bomb the cars with lime and varied multi-coloured acids. Comes with the tourist plan. 

;-)

Rob C

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

There is a problem, though: in these little villages designed for the donkey cart and tailored to disorientate the invading Moors, turning corners would be well-nigh impossible. Or I'd have to learn how to drive properly: truckers here still mange to deliver building materials almost anywhere.

I remember noticing how impossible it would be to drive a large vehicle in Florence or the other Tuscan hill towns. But they have trucks suitable for delivering building materials almost anywhere, too:

Eric

[Rob C]

But there might be a happy solution, Eric: joining the erotic exotic front of the '57 with the more spectacular tail of the '59 would leave a modicum of control for some judicious shortening somewhere, but I'm not certain which bits would be best left out...

Something I'm rather unclear about is the purpose of the leadsleds or taildraggers; pics I've seen of them suggest that the turning circle must be almost infinitely wide. Further, do they have tiny wheels attached to the underside of the rear, as do drag machines? (An owner here of an example of the Harley marque tells me that they, too, need a hell of a lot of room to execute a turn. I thought bikes were supposed to be easier.) I don't think those lowered (to that extent) cars look right at all - just badly designed.

Rob C

[Sareesh Sudhakaran]

Funny pepper just before it was eaten...

[Rob C]

I mailed this to a couple of friends on Sunday.

"I had a slightly understandable, but unpleasant experience yesterday at the jazz session. A friend of mine, a sax player who sometimes jams with the regular group, was chatting to me and I mentioned a pretty girl at one of the tables; I suggested it would be nice to try some shots with her and he said hey, I know the family, I'll ask about that right now. So, off he went, only to return with the remark that he wished he hadn't bothered: the older woman in the party instantly asked if it was for dirty pictures! Anyway, she came over to where we were both standing and explained that the girl was daughter of a friend in Germany and that she was looking after her. I said that I was father and grandpa to girls and that I understood perfectly.

By chance, I'd with me a CD I'd made of some pics I wanted to explore with another person who, unfortunately, hadn't turned up at the art meeting last week, so I said take this, play it, and you'll see exactly what I want: head-shots. I also gave her my card.

She came back a further time (Batlady) and said that they'd contact me in a couple of days to let me know, but that the girl, though interested, would not be coming (wherever) alone. With mindsets like that, I think I would now insist that somebody accompany her for my security! The funny thing is, the mutual friend is the one who feels most offended, as if he'd make an intro for a pornster! God knows what they'll make of the website. Frankly, who gives a flying fig anymore? Enthusiasm needs two parties to flourish. Oh - I'd shot one or two frames of the chick at her table, and I was asked not to use them... Hell, who are these people and what do they imagine this is all about? Use them for what? She's a friggin' totally unknown little lady with a pretty face and not a lot else."

So yes, another rock, another tree does, as genre, offer a sort of safety...

 ;-(

Basically, not a great time of year.

Rob C

[Rob C]

As an update (horrid word, but apt), the family telephoned this morning seeking further clarification! I replied that the clarification was that I'd totally lost interest and had been wracking my brains in order to find a way of letting the girl down gently and without ruffled pride; its sufficient that one of us feel offended. The 'spokesman' replied that their attitude was understandable and I replied yes, that I'd already said that at the time, but that making the point over and over had become too much to stomach and that I had no intention of trying to create anything under such a cloud of suspicion.

So much for photographic fun.

Rob C

[Rob C]

Okay, another 2.8/180mm of a beat-up old Selmer that makes delightful sounds. No stress on those sorts of work!

You can snort another couple of lines of related stuff at the bottom of the The Biscuit Tin gallery in the website, should you feel so inclined.  It's free - might as well as not.

Rob C

[Rob C]

A musical allegory for Russ.

Rob C

[Rob C]

Work Spaces

I vaguely remember that we once had a thread somewhere here where folks showed their working place; if memory serves, it was darkrooms, mainly, but I think Russ showed a beautiful office/studio with all manner of tables etc. Or I just dreamed it. I get all sorts of unpleasant dreams these past months... mainly, I tend to be quite horrid to people that I really love. I can't come up with any reason for that.

Anyway, to kick it off (the thread, not the dreams, unfortunately) here's the view out of the office into the civilized zone.

Rob C


PS I see I can sometimes spell copyright incorrectly, too. Oh well.

[Bruce Cox]

Where is the picture within the picture taking us?  It seems vivid enough, though without being much more definite that one of your dreams.  Are we to structure the area before the tree[?] with our subconscious?  And no, I am not going to tell you what I see there.

Bruce

[Rob C]

Where is the picture within the picture taking us?  It seems vivid enough, though without being much more definite that one of your dreams.  Are we to structure the area before the tree[?] with our subconscious?  And no, I am not going to tell you what I see there.Bruce

Well, I wouldn't have expected otherwise, Bruce; this is the non-critique section of the Critiques department after all!

But let me help you, regardless: the image within the image on the right is a landscape of a single tree and several rocks within a field of raw umber, itself lying à la Russian doll within the heartland of Old Mallorca; the skies are redolent of the greater majesty of the power of Time, where the eternal excitement betwixt heat and humidity combine in their heady way to produce the spirits in the sky we call clouds.

To stage left is a further tree, this one caught as it wakens to the cold dawn's smokey breath, its summer leaves but a distant memory and, yet, promise of renewal in some remorseless future of birth and rebirth, the cycle within paradox that drives to ultimate ext¡nction of species after species.

Yet within compass of the arch, the Arch to the South, in this case, and marking a border with darkness lies yet another signifier of time: a speaker from the fabled marque of Bang & Olufsen, circa 1973 (give or take some light error for carbon dating).

Ah... as the man in the song sang: my troubled mind grows weak, to another you belong, and I feel the need for some fesh tea.

I was thinking about testosterone. Perhaps its only two useful manifestations are in the junior school playground and the bedroom.

Bonne journée

Rob C