Sunday, April 27, 2008

Rob's 'cyanotype' pinhole - RG's Idea 6,329


This is a 'pinhole' picture of a magnolia tree, by Rob Palmer BA(Hons) ARPS. Printed digitally in cyanotype. All potentially acquisitive and occasional readers please read the © copyright notes at the head of the left-hand column.

The image intrigues me. Such depth, even with the tree against a wall, and it is difficult to believe the picture is two-dimensional. It resembles a three-dimensional model in a shallow, glass -fronted display case. Rob draws our attention to Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day . The subject is very interesting. Must have a go! I guess it would be possible digitally - a body cap with a pinhole in it ...... etc., etc. Anyway - Congratulations !

I haven't been idle and came up with bright idea 6,329 ! The other day I dropped my 'helping hand' which has been thoughtfully provided by the disability people, and it caused me a major problem ! i.e. Nothing to pick it up with.

What it needs, I reasoned, is a wrist-strap similar to the ones Joan made for my walking sticks.

In the picture you will see at the bottom, the 'helping hand' as supplied. The copy image above it (I've photoshopped the strap in) shows the redesigned device. I have sent the idea, accompanied by the picture, to the manufacturers with a paragraph saying, if they use it, a couple of quid will come in very handy !

The weather has done its best to be April - we have had an aluminium saucepan coloured sky, followed by bright sun, followed by heavy rain and then a violent 'donner und blitzen' storm. And finally a dramatic sunset - maybe a picture tomorrow.

This morning I decided to pursue Jill and Ro and found they've arrived at Gran Canaria so I 'saved' guessing it might be dark if I looked around 'blog-time'.

The picture makes you realise how enormous the ship is when the bridge-camera apparently looks down onto the roofs of 6-storey buildings near the quayside. And the normal sized boat at its moorings looks like a child's toy.

Hope Jill is enjoying her holiday, but we are missing her from our 'comments' column.

Comments..... Bungus ..... Even as a Derbyshire lad, I do agree about Nottinghamshire scenery. A little understated - but that suits me fine! And I'm glad you enjoyed Dorket Head. Following the success of yesterday's ramble Y and Joan want to have a meander in Bestwood Park soon. That will suit me. Plenty of trees and flowers and grass, and a good pub to boot.

Internet and download speeds can be notoriously tedious at the weeked, or early evening, when everybody is trying to get onto the web. You must just be patient.

White honesty is not that uncommon. As you will see from Mr. Fothergill's website he is quite willing to sell you a packet of mixed seeds. But why pay £1.70p, when Joan is intent on petty theft? And I am quite happy to act as 'fence'.

Reg ..... I honestly didn't realise that the club was started so long ago. The 1950s were of course a growth period for many hobbies, and photography came within the reach of so many.

Obviously then PMT is out as an explanation of EPS's difficulties with its 'monthlies'. Do I remember that 'Indian Brandy' used to be recommended. Next year we must arrange for 'tots' to be available for sufferers.

Thanks for your interesting stuff about the local jazz scene. I seem to remember seeing Kenny Ball at Kirkby-in-Ashfield but I didn't enjoy it much. The Bell in Nottingham centre had a good reputation at one time I believe. See Rob's recommendation for Basford in his yesterday's comment.

Rob..... As you will see I have taken the liberty of publishing your pinhole magnolia tree. And I'm glad to hear you seem to have had a reasonable day.

I entirely agree that 'I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue' cannot continue without Humpf. It would seem almost sacrilegious to even try. And I shall have to eventually 'meet my maker' without ever having understood 'Mornington Crescent'.

Re Jill's hols. It looks good weather in Gran Canaria - but I guess she will be somewhere else tomorrow.

Re your accent, or lack of it. I've never thought of you as sounding 'posh'. You don't sound stupid and perhaps the 'local commentator' thought that implied 'posh'. Don't worry about it !

Quotation time........ This just about follows, I think ......

"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it"

George Bernard Shaw


...... Sleep tight. Catch you tomorrow......


zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sorry RG (and Rob), that I cannot share your almost orgasmic enthusiasm for the pinhole which, although interesting, does not strike me as being particularly 3D.

Idea 6,329 seems sound. Even if the manufacturers do not reward you handsomely I am sure that basking in satisfaction will compensate.

We also had the thunderstorm, a right cracker, after a very pleasant day.

re gran Canaria: The building on the right seems to have lower storeys than the one on the left. And I am not sure how big a normal sized boat is?

If you let me know when you are going to Bestwood I might join you, if invited. At the moment I can only walk some 200 yds without being exhausted (300 and I’m conkered) so I should be able to keep up with you, if not the ladies. Fancy being ‘woman-licked’ (a local expression).

I don’t see you as a fence; more as a blocker of door openings. If Joan’s seeds ‘come true’ I would be delighted to receive a handful.

re quote: I think I may have "The power of accurate observation”

From R Nottm this morning (Mon)
“What do accountants use for contraception?”
“Their personality”.

Reg:
We always had a bottle of Indian Brandy ‘at home’. I think it was considered good for a dodgy stomach of the hangover variety.

I liked Nat Gonella but I think he only played one tune? (The Harlem Globetrotters signature tune. I saw them at the Ice Stadium).

I’m sure that I saw Kenny Ball too, but I think he was thought of more as an entertainer than a top jazz trumpeter (how pretentious does that sound?).
I saw most people at The Mechanics, but others at different venues such as Clipstone Welfare (Johnny Dankworth, with Cleo Laine and Boscoe Holder, Harry Gold, and Vic Lewis who played the best ever National Anthem before the Sex Pistols).
A few years ago, perhaps ten, I went to see George Melly (with john Chilton) outdoors at Newstead Abbey and, although I found it immensely entertaining, the atmosphere was wrong as I remarked at the time. He demanded ‘a smoke filled bar, sawdust on the floor and beer slopping about on the wooden tables’. But The Mechanics, although quite large, managed the atmosphere.

Rob:
I think 'Mornington Crescent' didn’t demand understanding, simply acceptance.
I don’t think I’ve listened to radio since the 50s.
‘Take it from Here’, ‘Round the Horne’, etc, oh yes.

The Stags now can do nothing but beat Dags at home and hope that Chester lose their remaining two home matches. What are the chances of that happening?
I too think that penalties are given for non-handling (and not given for manhandling). I put it down more to the rule changers than to the refs. As for the changes to the offside rule…

I don’t think wealth has anything to do with posh; it is simply accent and posture. I had a posh aunt but failed to learn (I can’t be arsed).
When I meet you I’ll let you know what I think. I suspect Elaine is right (as usual?).

On this day Apr 27:
London Zoo opened, 1828
Golden Gate Bridge opened, San Francisco, 1937
‘Your Country Needs You’. Government decide to introduce conscription at age 20. For the first time, recruits will be given pyjamas, 1939
Chernobyl, 1968

Birthdays:
Mary Woolstonecraft, 1759
Samuel Morse, 1791

Anonymous said...

I fear I have misled the blogmeister with my comment yesterday about my pinhole day out. As well as the roll of film I did also take/make some pinhole images/exposures on my digital SLR by using a pinhole set in a body cap. The magnolia is one of those. I think it's interesting but more from a technical point of view and I need to experiment with longer exposure times (the magnolia was 6 seconds I think). At the moment I prefer the results from film.

Bungus, thank you. I had forgotten about the manhandling. It was clearly too subtle for the officials to spot. Maybe we need to get season tickets for Field Mill next season to cheer the Stags to the Conference championship. Did you see that Mr Haslam was attacked by a fan?

Re posh. I agree it's (partly) about accent and posture these days but I would suggest wealth or maybe ostentatiousness comes into it. I'm not sure the old 'port out starboard home' idea has completely gone. Of course, one can appear to have wealth or be ostentatious when one isn't. I've seen 'em at Henley Regatta.

I'm sure Elaine is right; why would she not be?

There must be a website somewhere that explains 'Mornington Crescent'. I've always been led to believe it's to do with underground stations.

Great radio comedy, for me, includes not only Take It From Here and Round the Horne(including Beyond Our Ken) but also:
The Navy Lark, The Clitheroe Kid, The Goon Show, I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again, Al Read (can't remember the name of the show) and Educating Archie. What a wonderful concept to have a ventriloquist on the radio!

Rob

Anonymous said...

Rob Right Monkey- Surly a Nifty Googler like yourself knows it was just called The Al Read Show.
Your not old enough to remember Educating Archie, must have been the last series. You'll be telling me you listened to The Billy Cotton band Show and Forces Favourites. What about Itma?- Can I do you now Sir? Hope the Captain on Jill's Cruise didn't train on HMS Troutbridge.
What about Much Binding in tne Marsh