Photographs

Blackberry pie

This is just a snap of a pie I made and ate, with the blackberries from the bottom of the garden.

I spent too little time on it to be a commercial food shot.

Around seven months old, Michael's mum had a Boy Day Celebration for him. His parents were kind enough to invite my brother and me to it. This gave me an opportunity to take this picture of Michael by the French windows of his kitchen. He looks so relaxed. The light highlights his beautiful grey eyes and I feel that the reflection on his face gives it an appropriate Japaneseness.

Royal security

A couple of friendly bobbies looking after an empty Buck House (Buckingham Palace). When the Queen is in, the Royal Coat of Arms is flown on the roof. The red strip is to stop vehicles bombing in to meet the Queen.

The Typical Tourist

Sweaty bullock

This statue of a bull is the symbol of the Bullring in Birmingham.

Like many others I was waiting to meet a friend when I noticed that the rain over the bull's eye made him look like he had been sweating.

I have often thought of photographing his 'angry' eyes. I like the strong sweeping S of his brow. I kept the image dark to look menacing.

Waiting for the train

Corbin

My son Corbin came to visit me. We went to town and had a very nice meal in an Italian restaurant.

Photographic Korea

Photography is easy: Find a pretty girl and press the button!

I don't want to tell you what I did and how long I spent with Photoshop on this or any of the other pictures here. I would like to say that I think that Photoshop is just another medium like pencil, oil or acrylic. You may see a photograph but I see a picture that I've worked on until I got it the way I want.

After a while I noticed what it was that I liked about this image. It reminds me of those communist propaganda works of art. The strong jaw and neck. The steely look into the future and the fondness for red.

And a pretty face always makes a good photograph!

Aegean Glory

Someone once said to Turner "I've never seen a sky that colour?" He replied "But I bet you wish you had!"

Aegean Sky

The Mytilini

This is one of the ferry boats that takes me to and from Chios.

Me, my backpack and my companion

I know that a lot of people photograph their own shadow but this picture has some relevance for me. I travel light and often alone and here I am with with everything together, on the ferry travelling to my father's island of Chios. I'm satisfied.

Time on his hands

This is obviously a man that has done his fair share of work in the past.

Three Wheeler

Greece is one of those countries where many people have bikes and use them to do more than they were designed for. Carrying ladders and car loads of people sometimes. In Greece I once saw three girls riding a motorbike with the girl on the back combing another girl's hair!

Chios Park

What you can see through the trees is the funnel of the ferry boat that links Chios to the rest of Greece.

Satsumas

While on the Athens Metro I took this snap of the girl and boy sitting opposite me. They were not together so it was just a coincident that they were both wearing orange tops. I bet you thought that they were two women?

Horse

A friend asked me to photograph a white horse while I was in Greece. I never saw a real horse so I photographed this bust in the Athens Metro. A lot of interesting things were found while they were building the metro and the nice touch was to display some of them in the new stations they built. I intended to just send this picture to my friend but after a while with Photoshop the head became hard and cold; so I added it to this blog.

Panepistimion

The Panepistimion is the University of Athens

Archbishop Damaskinos Papandreou (March 3, 1891 - May 20, 1949) was the archbishop of Athens from 1941 until his death. He was also the regent of Greece between the pull-out of the German occupation force in 1944 and the return of King Georgios II to Greece in 1946. His rule marked the reconstruction of Greece after German occupation during World War II and the unrest spanning the beginning of the shooting phase of the Greek Civil War.

Parliament

This is a dark Gothic building where many evil things are spawned. And they're watching us!

The Twisted tree

This tree was in my local park in Cotteridge. I like the gnarlyness of it and although I could have brought out some detail from the shadows I left them black as it added to it's dark twisted look.

To see more photographs of Cotteridge Park, please click here.

The Okinawa tree

One hot summer's day I took my friend for some 'pub grub'. After the meal we took a walk in the coutryside when I saw this poor tree. It looks like it lost an argument with a thunderstorm. I like the way that it looks both English and a little like a Bonsai tree.

Mollie

My nephew's daughter

The Winds of Change

Jar is making many big changes.
From student to worker. From single to married.
From sunny Birmingham (and Thailand) to the arctic north of Edinburgh.
It's all behind her now.

Noah

Noah: nice 'n' naughty neighbouring nipper.

Katerina

Katerina is my cousin's daughter. I took this photograph just before Christmas so I like the way it looks like it's been taken in front of an open fire.

Actor

I took a friend to see Coventry Cathedral. In the old part there were some actors rehearsing. As it was outside and all the actors were wearing masks; it looked like a Greek play.

While taking some photographs; this actor kindly opened his mouth. He must have known that it would look good.