Jewish Cemetery

Whatever you do when you visit Prague you must visit the Jewish Cemetery. For over 300 years the bodies of Prague's Jewish dead were buried here up to 12 layers deep.
The effect today is a lumpy, bumpy surface with decayed tooth-like tombstones.
There are apparently 12,000 gravestones crammed into this timy space.

All for now...

Old Skoda and Trams

Not sure if anyone ever drove this old Skoda that spent most of the time parked up outside our hotel.
Probably more reliable to catch the Tram.

Sausage Seller, Old Town Square, Prague

My wife and I went
to Prague in January
to celebrate my 40th
Birthday.
Advice..woolly hat, thermal
underwear and well insulated
shoes make the daytime
temperature of -5 (on a good day)
just about bearable, at least whilst the
sun is shining (as it was when we were there)

Trip organised on web via Expedia.
Stayed in a three star Hotel Atlantic on
Na Porici, roughly 10 minutes walk from the old town where all roads seem to lead to.
(Isn't that strange...wherever you go you seem to find that all roads seem to lead to some key location where all other tourists or travellers congregate, and by the end of your trip you are just about sick of it!)
Another 5 minutes walk brings you to "Charles Bridge" or Karluv Most as it is known in Czech.
The centre of prague is divided into convenient areas - convenient for exploring - Old Town - with the centre piece old town square and Astronomical clock. - New town, Jewish Quarter, Little Quarter and Prague Castle.
If you have limited time concentrate walking around Old Town, Jewish Quarter, Little Quarter and Prague Castle. 3-4 days is enough.
Walk along the river, take a river cruise but avoid the touts on the Charles Bridge instead try to seek out a smaller operator down in the Little quarter, we did and found we were the only people on the boat and had the guide all to ourselves.
Climb up to the Prague Castle area and check out the old artisan cottages in Golden Lane and of course, the beautiful St Vitus's Cathedral.

More soon.....

You are being watched

I've been
trying to
work out
why I am drawn to
a particular image.

This is a good example of the
type of photos I
like to take....

Totally unplanned, bold
graphic and with many
questions left hanging in the air....Why are the beach huts under surveillance?
Where are all the people?
Wide angle lenses, this was probably my 28mm Olympus lens with either an orange or red filter to increase drama in the scene.

Hope you like it.....

Accordion Player in Montmarte

Another shot from the past...1996

Taken on a wedding anniversary trip to Paris.

We had been staying on the Left Bank and trying like mad to avoid the usual tourist traps.

We wandered along the river, crossing back and forth. I had my OM1 35mm and my YashicaMat 124G twin lens reflex with me and it was using this that I made this picture of an accordion player in Montmarte.

I don't usually take photos of people but I was drawn to this man, I would have loved to asked him how long he'd played there?, what his memories were? how many times had he had his photo taken? but, like most Englishmen I don't speak another language much to my shame.

As it was I just smiled at him, pointed at my camera, he nodded I fired the shutter and put some money in his hat (not the one on his head)....and walked away.

Photographers Andre Kertesz, August Sander, BenShahn, Ed Clark, Walker Evans and Bruce Davidson (many more I'm sure) have all been drawn to Accordion players - many were blind so they couldn't see they were being photographed.

An Autumn walk from my Village

Not quite up to date with my photos, I'll be
posting some that are 10 years old or more.

Last year I bought a 35mm Rangefinder
camera and took it for a walk out of Warboys,
past the village school and over the fields.
Can you see the way the mist hasn't cleared from the fields, horses grazing in the early morning dew.
The footpath comes out near a farm and the one of the outbuildings is shown here...

Exciting?? no not really but I like the permanence of the building, the way nature
is gradually reclaiming it....does the farmer care?

John 1:1-5

Petrol Pumps In North Wales

Not a recent photo this, taken on a family holiday to North Wales a few years ago.
Not sure why I am drawn to such images,
possibly a combination of things,
texture, lighting, mood and form.
Isn't black and white fantastic as it
eliminates all that distracting colour.
I wonder when these pumps were last used?
why are they still there? Are they still there?

Psalm 103 13-16.....

Introduction

Hello there, well isn't this strange.....
Writing stuff for all to see and, more scary, for others to comment on.

My passion is black and white photography using traditional film (no digital), developing and printing them in a home made darkroom.

I will use this blog to post some of my photos and my thoughts at the time of taking and printing.

Some will be of my local Fenland countryside, others will just be of things that take my fancy....I like old buildings, detail of doors, windows - you'll see in time.

All for now