Monthly Archives: February 2018

The Unknowable

In James Fox’s BBC4 programme ‘The Art of Japanese Life’ on 19th February a Zen Buddhist monk explained something of his beliefs.  ‘The unanswerable, the mysterious, how should I describe it, it’s one aspect of our philosophy.  So in other … Continue reading

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U3AC Photo Forum 12 – Macro Photography

Adventures in small things with Chris Thomas.  A largely technical, ‘how to’ presentation, but none the less interesting for that.  Chris eschews expensive specialist macro lenses and relies on converters, supplementary lenses, extension tubes, reversing rings and the lens from … Continue reading

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Colouring Book

A version of Colouring Book by Jeff Koons at the Royal Academy during the Summer Exhibition 2011.  One of a number of versions, apparently: ‘A page from a Winnie the Pooh coloring book featuring Pooh’s companion Piglet was the genesis … Continue reading

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Youth, Wilfred Dudeney

Youth by Wilfred Dudeney stands, or rather kneels suggestively, outside Pemberton House, Pemberton Row, London.  It was commissioned in 1955 to stand in front of the headquarters of the Starmer Group, owners of northern local newspapers, in collaboration with the … Continue reading

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Berney Arms

The station at Berney Arms has the air of a remote halt in a western movie where a solitary figure, vengeful or avenging, alights and the train disappears into the distance down a single track.  East, not west, just four … Continue reading

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U3AC Photo Forum 12 – Landscape

Today the Forum discussed landscape photographs submitted by members.  Twenty-eight pictures covered mountains and beaches, hills and lakes, rocks and trees, sunshine and snow.  They ranged from carefully considered, technically accomplished views to album pictures more important emotionally to the … Continue reading

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Deckchair

I sat in the sun I moved my chair into sun I sat in the sun the way hunger is moved when called fasting. Jane Hirshfield Photo: Green Park, London, 2011

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Transformations

A door is a door.  A photograph of a door is a faithful representation of it.  But not always.  Move in closer and the door becomes an abstract impression of light and shade, textures and tones, forms and planes.  Look … Continue reading

Posted in The Mani, Urban Ephemera | Leave a comment

U3AC Photo Forum 11 – Street Photography

‘Street photography: observing or connecting?’ was the question Jane Lynas and I posed to the U3AC Photography Forum yesterday.  Our starting points were that street photography: pictures people and everyday life in public spaces; relies on serendipity and ambiguity; explores … Continue reading

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Keeping On

On Monday I went to see ‘Cezanne – Portraits of a Life’ at the Cambridge Picturehouse.  It’s a Screen Arts production based on the exhibition showing at the National Portrait Gallery.  Fascinating insights into an extraordinary body of work, if … Continue reading

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U3AC Photo Forum 11 – Wildlife

Jane Greatorex on wildlife photography today.  Lots of practical advice about: equipment and how to use it; dressing comfortably for the conditions; selecting the viewpoint and catching the light in the golden hour; knowing and respecting your subject (field craft); … Continue reading

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