Saturday, April 07, 2007

Rest Day - 13C- Sculpture - Iron Bridge

Another of Sky's 'Iron Bridge Holiday' photos -published with grandfatherly pride. I had asked for a picture of the actual bridge and I duly received one.

The Grandad figure with his camera and clutching his tripod, in just the right spot for good composition, appeals to me. It wasn't me BTW, I wasn't there, but I know the spot well.

I also like the reflections in the water.

Don't know how many of the museums they managed; there are so many. And of course Blist Hills.

Picture 2 is another Simon Kent sculpture, or rather 2 of them, again charmingly and humorously placed to be visible as one approaches the entrance to the Orangery exhibition area. I know Bungus is pleased that I have backed away from my earlier criticism of Simon Kent the Sculptor.

My regret about this photograph is that the two figures are not 'tack sharp' and they ought to be! I suspect that I committed the absolutely basic error of letting the camera focus on an area in between the 2 because the display case behind them is sharp.

So simple and I didn't think I could still manage photographic howlers like that.

Probably Sky would have got them 'as a razor'.... with her 4mp Praktica. I thought that that would probably be the last of the Rufford Park pictures. But I'd forgotten that I still have some trees, water, and 'duck' photographs which I may well bore you with.

In the Davis Cup tennis it seems that we may have a new doubles star - Jamie Murray, Andy's brother. He played with Ruszedski and they won. Not usual for us in that competition.

Another glorious day, warm and not windy with a bright blue sky with just the odd pretty cloud. Basically a Rest Day so I only intend to write a short blog and then catch up on reading and computer things that need sorting. Y has been in the garden but wisely stopped at first twinge. My only contribution, except for cooking lunch, was to mix-up a pump-up spray of weed-killer.

The QM2 webcam has been quite interesting because they have arrived at St. Kitts. I can't stop being surprised at how high up the bridge-mounted camera actually is. From the harbour wall the ship must look enormous.

Catch you tomorrow.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've been watching the 'Culture Show' - to see the bit about 'Life on Mars' which I have been watching avidly. Also saw the bit about Nottingham - didn't look much like your photos......

The ship IS absolutely huge, it towers above most of the dock-side buildings, and several times when walking back to it we could see it but not fathom out how to get there.

Warm and sunny afternoon here - we thought about walking down to the river to see the Boat Race, then decided it was really better on tv.

Anonymous said...

I like the Ironbridge photo – somewhere I have never been.

I cannot be bothered trying to understand this focussing business.
I used to do it on my Twin Lens Reflex Voigtlander in the old b&w days (I had to have a separate focus finder because the viewfinder didn’t).
But now (unless it is a close up of course) I just point and shoot (the screen is usually invisible in sunlight anyway). So it’s a matter of shooting several, downloading, picking the best and cropping – so EASY!
Mind you, I am not as fussy as you! To me it is a picture and the technical stuff is not of major importance. Just a different way of looking at things.

I shall have to put aside a day and make the journey to Rufford to see the Simon Kents although I have to say that once again, from the photo, I am unimpressed by the actual quality of the work (the idea is fine and witty).

Apropos of nothing.
After what seems like 20 years but may be more or less, Sandra had a puncture a few days ago. Is it simply that tyres are better quality now?
She was fortunate that a Samaritan was handy and he put on the spare for her.
It was a front wheel, the car is fwd, and the tyres were renewed over 2 years ago. Therefore, I suggested that, when she took it to the local tyre place, it might be more economical, in the long run, to have a new tyre (I always have remould or budget anyway as we do only about 7,000 miles pa) rather than having it fixed.
But the tyre man told her there are several thousand miles left in the tread (it was a screw that had caused the damage) and he repaired and balanced for a tenner, which seems really good value to me.
Isn't it nice not to be ripped off?

Anonymous said...

Anon 1 - Happy Easter to all, have noted your instruction not to eat too much chocolate - easier said than done I find - my weakness! I don't drink, don't smoke, try to eat healthily, but I do love chocolate!

I went to the Ironbridge when I was a child, beautiful place, my Uncle lived near there in a place called Badger, just North East of Bridgnorth. The Ironbridge featured on Countryfile a couple of weeks ago, did anyone catch it?

I see the QM2 is bound for New York now, I missed it leaving again and missed the recent dockings, very frustrating. I have a question which I'm sure one of you learned gentlemen can answer for me - why does the caption say 'bound to' and not 'bound for'?
The latter is something I would much more naturally say, but perhaps I've always been wrong?

Anonymous said...

I would have said that 'bound to' must be an Americanism except that the song says '... all bound for Morning Town, many miles away'
My dictionary says 'going, ie bound for home' unless used to mean 'certain, ie, bound to rain soon'. So I, Bungus, think you, Anon 1, are correct.

Anonymous said...

Anon 1 - Thanks Bungus, just talking to my husband about it, he says he thinks it could be either, although one would say 'outward bound to ...' so I guess perhaps there's no right answer for this one.
Now you've reminded me I can't get Morning Town out of my head, not heard that song in a long time!