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Do you like Butter?

Brightest Orange

Another quick one today.

A really Bright Spanish flower.

In editing I increased the contrast, boosted the colour and increased the sharpness.

This also increased the detail of the petals.

Song of the Day #9

My song of the day this time is going to be a film score.

Its from the movie Avatar.

Honestly, the best movie I have ever seen in my life.

The effects, score, editing, animation, moral, everything, was just great.

I just think it just gives you a taste of the world and society in the year 2100.

A world of destruction, hatred and war.

The composition was created by James Horner, one of my favourite composers.

Its called "The bioluminescence of the night".

Strange name, Epic song.

Honestly its fab:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSMOiVhd62o&feature=mh_lolz&list=PL0D6E08A032282B12

Pure

Just a quick one today..

I took this at a friends BBQ in her garden, she has a lovely garden. She tends to it all the time.

I increased the contrast on this to make the whites more white and the blacks more black.

Then I added a brownish tint to it and increased the sharpness. 

Sometimes increasing the sharpness can make a picture look too grainy, but sometimes it can add an old fashioned effect combined with the brown tint.

Or is it too grainy?

Dr Seuss

"When you are in Love you can't fall asleep because reality is better than your dreams."  ~Dr Seuss~

Song of the Day #8

This song is more of a cover song of the day.

Its a song by Florence and the Machine with Dev Hynes,

called "Scattered".

Its a really rough song, as if has been put together in about 5 minutes and sounds as if it has been recorded on a compact camera, but it's the pure unelaborate essence of it that makes it sound so good.

It's actually a cover of Green Day's song, and it's not often I say this, but I do think this version is slightly better than the original. Or maybe they are just two completely different genres of the same song. 

I would have a quick listen, see what you think:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzL-mNDZ8Zs

Now, listen to the original:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaDMmA2sTQU

So original or cover??

Musical Strings

My dad plays the guitar, he has been for a while now.

I'm not kidding, in his music room there must be about seven guitars! 

Along with a keyboard, piano, drum kit, bass guitar and tambourine.

I took this of my dad's favourite guitar, a Les Paul Cherry Red or something, I don't have a clue to be honest.

But I can't remember what I did in editing after I took it to make it look slightly sepia. I think it was the processing or it might have been the 1960's pre-setting. 

But I just think its got a quirky edge to it.

What do you think? 

Song of the Day #7

Song of the Day #7 is going to be another easy one.

I  am doing this song next week in a concert with my band, I play the drums.

I chose this song for it because I love the lyrics and the message behind them. 

The song is "Wake Up" by Arcade Fire.

The lyrics show how difficult childhood can be and how everyone has to all treat each other nicely otherwise everyone will grow up with cold and black hearts, and it will only be then we realise we were all wrong.

Its nothing unusual for Arcade Fire though they have always produced legendary songs, but this one in particular is just fab.

When they play it live it's a show of noise, all different instruments, but all working in sync. 

It just sounds epic.

To listen to the song click here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGdyG_83nX4

Sunset upon Sea

Wales. I go all of the time. Camping, walking, sightseeing . 

To me it's just the same thing though all the time:

"Look! there's a sheep!" 3 hours later "1560 sheep..... 1561 sheep...."

Im not complaining about Wales because there are some lovely places there! I just don't think I'm a farmyard type.

Going back to lovely places, I stayed in Nefyn once and it was beautiful. The beaches are lovely, and the people are really friendly, and most of all there are some great sunsets. Just like the one above.

I took this one on my compact camera, not my DSLR. So, all I have done on the picture is change the exposure, contrast and add vignetting. So its quite naturally pretty.

Song of the Day #6

On my Song of the Day's I make sure I post a variety of different songs, genres etc. I listen to such a range, I like mainstream and pop, like Lady Gaga and Katy Perry and Black Eyed Peas.  But I also listen to Indie Rock, like The Wombats and The Artic Monkeys. Another type I don't mind is old school Rock, like Queen and Def Leppard.

So today I am going to put forward something a little different, a classical pianist and composer, as I really like classical too.

His name is Ludovico Einaudi. He is just so immensely talented and each of his songs is very captivating and atmospheric. He combines sometimes mystery, with terror. Like one of his pieces "Nightbook".

Or sometimes melancholy with hope and endurance. Like another of his pieces "Nuvole Bianche".

He is a clever man.

"Nuvole Bianche", "Nightbook", and "I Giorni" are probably my favourites, but there are so many more. 

Check him out on you tube:

Here's one of his songs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTkzyyv0DuA&feature=related

Your favourite composer?

Erupting Stars

Camping. Don't you just love it? 

If you have never been camping I really do suggest you should try it, maybe just a small pop up tent or something in the summer for a night or two. Just see what it's its like. Honestly, there is nothing more magical than staying up till late to watch each star appear, one by one, finding its place, in the depths of the universe, some maybe a few light years away, so mythical, so strange yet so real. The dark paths of the atmosphere slowly starting to create something wonderful, as we, humans ant's of the solar system, drift into what we call sleep, but to some a dreamy state of mind. Stars are so magical, its hard to imagine they are, in some cases, a giant ball of fire, waiting to erupt. Or maybe it has already, and we don't know about it. 

Anyway, apart from that, there is a ton of things you can do. Like fishing if your near a lake, or playing cricket if your on a field, or a BBQ if you're....er...hungry? And besides its cheaper than a five star hotel in Spain anyway.

So, I went camping recently in Wales, it wasn't the best of weather. It was sunny yes, but the wind was just a tad strong, strong enough to snap our gazebo into pieces though. I took this when it wasn't so windy by the stream next to our tent. I used quite a close depth of field, trying to add a bit of silky smooth bokeh in the background. Then I used my editing programme to cross process the colours slightly to add a more of a wintery, bitter cold feel to it.

It turned out ok.

So, are you going to try camping? or can you not stand the thought of a few stars above you, out there, waiting to erupt?

Song of the Day #5

Song of the Day #5

So, I have chosen a song I actually got introduced to by an advert on TV. It has been on in England for a while now. Its the Nikon advert, with Robbie Williams in it. You will probably be familiar with it if you live in the UK.

The song in the background is a song called "Welcome Home, Son" by Radical Face.

Great song, just the build up of dynamics is brilliant, really suits the advert too.

Here's the advert, Familiar to it?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxa2ZCWlZjQ

And then the great song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8a4iiOnzsc

Your favourite advert?

Mine is the one with all the laughing babies!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZ2r-nMgNog&feature=related

At the Beach

I went to a place called Scarborough, England, about a month ago, great beach, and some tasty fish and chips!

There is also a world famous old fashioned ice cream parlour, very Americanised, it serves THE best ice cream I have ever tasted. We had to queue up though for about 20 minutes.

Completely forgot about this picture until I was looking through my albums. I remember I knelt down to take this shot and my knees were sinking into the wet sand, I struggled to get up, but it was worth it. I was just scared of some wave coming as I was looking through the viewfinder to take the shot. That would have been funny if I hadn't destroyed my precious camera! =D

Which beach is your favourite? 

Lewis Carroll

"If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there.” - Lewis Carroll

Song of the Day #4

So, song of the day number four.

I have to choose "White Blank Page" by Mumford and Sons.

I saw this covered by a band in an acoustic set up, and it was fantastic. It was so minimal and created a quiet yet interesting atmosphere. Everyone seemed like they were hanging on to every word, leaning forward, listening to the sentimental lyrics.

To listen to this song click the link below,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYQ_lse44gQ

Lay in the Green

Picnic today, you can't beat a good ham sandwich covered in mud, because your dog decided to knock it out of your hand and into the grass. I was hungry so I brushed off the dirt and ate it. hahaha :D It was ok!

I think I've always believed in the 10 second rule, ever since I was a child, when my lollipop fell on the floor and the dirt stuck to it, but being an innocent kid, I continued to suck it.

I took this because I was bored and couldn't seem to get the focus right, but it worked ok.

What do you take to picnic's?

Song of the Day #3

We have come to song of the day #3.

One of my friends told me about this band and he lent me the CD a few days ago to put onto my laptop. 

I can't stop listening to them. The singer has such an unusual voice and brings something unique to their songs.

Ok, so the song is "Flaws" by Bombay Bicycle Club. It also has some backup too which I think works well too.

To listen to this song, click the link below,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=862kLBuEsZw

Lost Treasure

I love finding hidden treasure's because its great to wonder where it came from, who put it there, how old is it? 

Last week I found this bird house in the forest, it looks like its been painted by a little one, I don't think it is that old, but the birds seemed to like it as there was some seeds in there, it was hard to get a shot without them in it. 

I wonder who put it there?

Song of the Day #2

So, its come to Song of the Day number 2.

I struggled to think of one today, even though I have like 1 million songs on I-Tunes!

But I am going to have to go with "Rearrange" by Miles Kane. 

I absolutely love this song, it sounds like a going on holiday song. You know the one you listen to when your on your way to somewhere exciting in a car, with lots of people. Well, this is it.

To listen to this song, click the link below,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SV422fSYE4

(and by the way, I'm not being paid to advertise artists songs, I genuinely like them!)

Your song of the day?

Bleeding Hearts

Its been raining for a while know, and I have to admit I quite like it. I know we are supposed to be having at heatwave and everything, so they say, but I like it. But I mean, if it was between going to Spain for a week and this, then I would have to chose Spain, as I can actually tan over there. 

I took this a week or so ago in my friend's garden, I think they are called "Bleeding Hearts"? I'm not sure but I can see why. I managed to capture the droplet inside too, I don't know how I did that though... 

I like using depth of field in my photo's especially when shooting flowers, because it makes it look more artsy. Hahaha :D

Ok, so Summer or Winter?

Song of the Day

My song of the day has top be "Hole in the Water" by Stealing Sheep, they are a new group of girls, whose harmonies sound so captivating, I especially like this song, simply because the chorus sounds like an elves theme tune, love it <3

To listen to the song click the link below,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CECztZImH0I
Go straight to 1:05 to listen to the elf chrous

My Favourite Insect

I hate things that are small and crawl, like spiders and bugs, but I do like Lady birds, I don't know why, but I think it may be how their spots are always symmetrical, that's just so cool. I photographed this when walking my dog in the park, I saw it on a leaf and thought, what a good picture! Because I try to take my camera everywhere with me just in case I find something interesting to picture.

What's your favourite insect?

Spring Flower

I took this picture in our garden, we hadn't had any rain for days and as soon as it started raining I ran outside in my pyjamas and took a picture, because I love water droplets on flowers and leaves they just show off the macro whilst looking really pretty!

What do you love photographing the best?

What is your favourite design?

Now, this is pretty simple and obvious for me.

My favourite design has to be The Camera, simply because the idea of capturing a moment, a scene, an emotion on camera, and being able to remember it forever and keep it safe unlike the brain, is just brill. With a camera, the model and photographers personality, style, flare, and emotions can be conveyed upon a single shot, this I think just sums up the brilliance of this simple yet complex design. 

Thanks to Abu Ali Al-Hasan Ibn al-Haitham who started the camera series off!

What's your favourite design? It can be anything! Nature or Technology!