Tag Archives: photography

Jul 15 2012
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Daily Post, Flora/Fauna

Swamp monster

Saturday 14th July 2012, 3.45pm (day 324)

Aliigator, 14-7-12

On no other day so far have I wanted more to put two photos up here instead of just one, because I had two quite distinct but equally memorable events to document today. However, I took the decision that the Running of the Bulls event, while funny and highly photogenic, just repeated the general ‘portrait’ theme that has so far dominated this visit to New Orleans – which I have decided is definitely the best place I have been to in the USA. Those who want to see pictures from it (and it’s worth seeing) could visit my Facebook album.

This, on the other hand, was an almost unrepeatable encounter, out in the Honey Island swamp (tour courtesy of Cajun Encounters, who did a good job). This beast was at least 11 feet (3.5m) long, and was quite awesome to behold: particularly this close. Quite amazing. You suddenly feel you are a member of a quite ephemeral species, really.

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Jul 14 2012
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Daily Post, Portrait, Stranger, Urban scene

The banks of the Mississippi

Friday 13th July 2012, 8.15pm (day 323)

Mississippi, 13/7/12

Tough choice of photo today. I saw most of the city today courtesy of a driving tour in the morning from my friend/colleague Sharon, who works at the University of New Orleans, then I walked round the French Quarter in the evening, along with about twenty thousand other tourists. I took the photos everyone else takes, of St Louis Cathedral, inside a jazz club etc., and some I really liked, doubtless one or possibly more will appear on the ‘best of the rest’ page at some point soon.

However, from the five strong candidates for today’s pic of the day I went with this one. This guy was sat by the river, silently, drinking from his can of beer, as I promenaded along the levee which runs along the south side of Decatur Street. He looked so melancholy, a great contrast to all the revelry going on along Bourbon Street just three blocks away. The lights of the city in this, one of the world’s most famous rivers, set his silhouette off very well, so I’m going for this one.

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Jul 13 2012
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Daily Post, Portrait, Stranger

Girl in the art museum

Thursday 12th July 2012, 6.35pm (day 322)

Girl, Ogden museum, 12/7/12

Was invited to the Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans this evening at the start of a very pleasant evening out with someone who I met for the first time in Moscow two weeks ago. There were many good people shots that got taken today but this was, for me, the best.

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Jul 12 2012
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Daily Post, Portrait, Stranger

The CEO of Blackboard

Wednesday 11th July 2012, 8.35am (day 321)

Blackboard CEO, 11/7/12

Anyone who’s been to New Orleans knows that its visual attractions are varied and eye-opening. You’ll doubtless be seeing more of the city itself – and its inhabitants and visitors – over the next few days.

But here’s the reason I’m here, the Blackboard World 2012 conference at the truly colossal Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – a building that is literally a mile in length. This is Michael Chasen, the CEO of the company, at his morning keynote. I like the pose I’ve caught him in and also the display on the board behind him, which is a neat way of summarising it. He did have a reason to talk about pee particularly, but I won’t spoil the mystery by telling you what it was.

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Jul 11 2012
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Daily Post, Interior

Airport security, MAN T2

Tuesday 10th July 2012, 8.10am (day 320)

Airport security, 10/7/12

Well, I made it out of Hebden Bridge – in fact the train this morning was perfectly punctual. No water left in the town but a lot of debris around.

18 hours and a few thousand miles later, I type this sat in New Orleans, but the photo is of Manchester Airport; I boobed and did not get a window seat for the second flight in from Atlanta, thus missing some great shots of the Mississippi delta, Lake Ponchartrain and the city of NO itself, glimpsed as I craned my neck round my fellow passengers from my position on the aisle. And I’m not heading out into the city tonight – it’s too late (in my head) and I’m here until Sunday anyway, so you’ll see it, never fear. I do quite like this shot however.

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Jul 09 2012
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Daily Post, Hebden Bridge, Portrait, Stranger, Urban scene

Rescue

Monday 9th July 2012, 3.15pm (day 319)

Rescue, 9/7/12

This is the worst thing I have had to post about on this blog.

Until 1.15pm today had been a very uneventful day. It then started raining: hard. Very, very hard.

By 2.15pm the road on which I live had become a river, and then we saw that the lane which goes into the woods was pouring out water (and stones). Whether it was just rainwater or whether, as some speculated, the old reservoir at the top of the woods had burst its banks, the normally placid mill stream turned into a torrent. Where it goes under the main Keighley Road and through a sluice pipe into the river, this backed up against the retaining wall to an astonishing degree, rising literally 15 feet in half an hour and eventually pouring through the gardens of the two houses nearest the bridge.

The owners of the house were not in. Myself and other neighbours tried to save vital items and – most importantly – the two dogs (which you have seen before on this blog). But most of the ground floors were taken out. Our house is uphill from the stream, so was fine (a couple of idiot drivers ploughing through the stream at 30mph being the main threat).

More photos and footage can be seen on YouTube and Facebook for those into their weather porn. For comparison, the lake you see in the woods at a couple of points is where we played mölkky the other day.

I’m supposed to be going to New Orleans tomorrow, by the way – but I ain’t promising anything. At the moment, Hebden Bridge is impassable to cars.

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Jul 08 2012
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Daily Post, Family Member, Portrait

Sunday dinner with the family

Sunday 8th July 2012, 5.35pm (day 318)

Family dinner, 8/7/12

From left to right: Pete, my brother-in-law, who may or may not moonlight as the lead singer of a thrash metal band of renown in certain circles; Vicki, my sister; Clare; and Daisy, my niece (aged 13). Out of shot – Joe and Tom (nephew). As this is a 21st century household, note the Mac on the table, part of the family. In the oven: a roasting leg of lamb. A good afternoon was had by all. (Except, perhaps, the lamb, and even that got treated well.)

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Jul 07 2012
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Daily Post, Friend, Portrait

The Great Mandavi

Saturday 7th July 2012, 1.25pm (day 317)

Great Mandavi, 7/7/12

More performance: but that’s because it’s Hebden Bridge’s annual arts festival at the moment. This is the Great Mandavi – a.k.a. Dave from across the road – captured just at the moment he warms his tongue up and his hat falls off. How do you decide you can do this kind of thing, by the way? I mean, what drives you to try it that first time?

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Jul 06 2012
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Daily Post, Friend, Portrait

Lady Wildflower

Friday 6th July 2012, 8.45pm (day 316)

Lady Wildflower, 6/7/12

It rained all day again and Hebden Bridge was one thunderstorm away from flooding once more, but the heavens relented at about 7pm, and we were spared. I don’t want to talk about the weather. The evening was a much better distraction. But I am supposed not to publish any photos of the burlesque performers so here’s the compere, Lady Wildflower, a much more pleasing shot than one of flooded fields and replacement bus services and rain and general weather-related gloom.

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Jul 05 2012
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Daily Post, Flora/Fauna, Hebden Bridge

Foxgloves on the retaining wall

Thursday 5th July 2012, 7.15pm (day 315)

Foxglove wall, 5/7/12

Sorry to go on about the bloody weather but today was the first day in two weeks which really deserved the adjectives ‘warm’ and ‘sunny’ – and even then it still rained quite severely in the evening, with two heavy thunderstorms. It may flood again tomorrow. Meanwhile, here are some flowers, proving that given enough water (ha ha) life can flourish everywhere, including in the centre of this thirty-feet-high retaining wall at the side of the Keighley Road.

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