Burton Joyce for Y - Camera Club for Me

Two Rembrant portraits today. And if you are wondering why, it is all to do with the Lidl's Saskia Sparkling Water that we both like best.

Much better than Perrier or Ashbourne or Malvern or anywhere in between. Being an Ashbourne lad I can tell you that there aint no spring in Ahbourne, just the Henmore Brook which I wouldn't drink from. Carbonated water used to be a by-product of the Nestlés factory - perhaps that is where it 'springs' from.

Apparently the Lidl stuff comes from the Saskia Spring in Loningen. I've tried to find an 'o' with an umlaut, but failed.

Anyway, to get to the point, Rembrant's wife was Saskia who acted as his model in many paintings. And whenever I get a bottle out of the fridge I think of Rembrant's wife. Picture 1 is an actual portrait of the good lady. As with all Rembrant's work it is full of human understanding and sympathy.

And it was while 'surfing' for Picture 1 that I came across Picture 2. Another Rembrant which I have loved for years without having actually seen it. It hangs in The Hermitage, St. Peters Burg, of course, so perhaps one day when the house-move is done with. I used the picture many years ago in an article entitled 'Less is More' which was published. Naturally I accepted my indebtedness to Mies van der Rohe for the title. I wrote to The Hermitage asking permission to reproduce it and had a most courteous letter granting me such; so long as I published an attribution to them, which I was delighted to do.

My use of the picture was in an attempt to persuade photographers that it isn't really necessary in a portrait to have the eyes well defined and with 'catch lights' in them (as Judges are constantly telling them).

The portrait, of Jeremiah Becker is as powerful as they come, in my opinion, and as you can see the eyes are completely shaded by the hat. Again, it is full of human understanding and warmth. I am sure that Mnsr Becker would have been delighted with it.

I am also indebted to Rembrant for the following quote -

"Old age is a hindrance to creativity but cannot crush my youthful spirit."
Rembrant

We will all go along with that my old lad !

More routine matters now. Y is over at Burton Joyce and I shall collect her from the tram just after 6pm. I shall put her a jacket potato in the oven, one of her favourites (potato that is, not oven). And then I'm off to the Camera Club. Tonight is not a competition but, at the beginning of the season we had to draw a subject out of the hat and mine was 'Atmosphere'. Prints are not necessary, so I have put eight pictures that I think fit the title,on a CD. Should be a fun evening. And, as it isn't to be judged, I shan't be able to disagree with anyone.

David's computer seems to have restored itself to full health, as they often do, and he sent me this picture of Molly and Laura please click and out of consideration of Y's feelings I have provided a link rather than the actual picture.
Think I'll have a quick kip. Set me up for tonight..