Tag: England

Cold stones Cut

I’ve been wanting to get the shot for awhile, but the weather has been uncooperative for every day I’ve had off. But a brief lull in the rain got me up there.

Despite a stiff bone chilling breeze, the drone was up and on its way to the installation on the hill. (A video describing how the Cut came to be: https://youtu.be/PnVnl8wyvwQ )

I rattled a few shots off, and then noticed the really low cloud base had started to roll in. The drone now reporting an altitude of -0.7m, the controller started beeping a landing warning, the cloud confusing its sensors.

By the time I’d got the drone back and landed, I couldn’t see the hill or installation. But at least I had a few shots to choose from.

The cloud had rolled in surprising quickly. It didn’t help with constant video breakups, as I was working with reduced range as I’d accidentally switched back to CE mode.

But all in all, a good flight, and I’d got the image I wanted, but I do want to try a different angle taking more of the quarry into view. Maybe a rotating video too.

Favourite image (August)

Ok, so I’m starting a new thing, a favourite image of the previous month.

So for August, it’s a really difficult choice as I felt like I took a lot of good photos. However, Leeds Gay Pride was really fun to photograph, and by far gave the most photos for me to choose from.

So, this is my Picture of August, and it really wasn’t an easy choice 🙂

GreenWhat you all think? Good or bad choice? Let me know in the comments.

Unhappy people

I do a lot of street photography. Most of the people I photograph, don’t notice, or plain just don’t care. However, there are some that will look at you when you take the image, with that quizzical look in the eye. There are others who will ask, out of pure curiosity. And then there are others who are just down right hostile, which I hasten to add are in the extreme minority. Like this message I got through my ipernity site last night.

I found a picture of me on this site and demand u remove it.
This is a gross invasion of my privacy and against human rights.

So remove it as quickly as possible. I will look to make sure. I will contact a law professional to sue you if you dont.

Now, this is just rude, and hostile, so it naturally got my back up somewhat. I may have considered removing the image, if it had been phrased with a little more care. But as such, knowing I am in the right I am refusing to remove it.

If your on a public street, in the UK, I have every right to take an image. There are occasions where I wont, such as people leaving hospitals, clinics or such. But generally, it’s all fair game. After all, this breach of their human rights, how do they feel about the amount of CCTV that watches them in a day, let alone the number of stores that you walk in, and get captured on in store CCTV. That argument just does not hold water.

I put my professional head on and crafted this reply.

I’m sorry you feel like your privacy has been invaded, but the fact is you where on a public street, and as such are open to be photographed as there is no expectation of privacy in public. Had you been a little more polite in your approach I may of considered removing it. However, the image will be staying online.

Please feel free to contact a solicitor to clarify this if you wish.

You also didn’t mention which photo it actually is, can you please supply the full URL of the image?

Many thanks

Michael.

I now await a reply, or a letter from their Legal Advisor 🙂

Knaresborough

MooredI decided I would go to Knaresborough on Sunday, as I had nothing better to do.

So I hopped on the bus, paid my £3 return journey. I hadn’t been to Knaresborough for some time.

It was wonderfully quiet in the castle gardens. A few people out walking their dogs, a jogger or two, but generally it was eerily quiet.

I started shooting the already cliché views of Knaresborough, the ones you see time and time again, the viaduct, the view from the grounds. It was boring obvious stuff, and the only reason I had done it was for the sake of using the Sigma 10-20mm that often sits unloved in my bag.

I like the lens, but I forget how to use it, each lens has its quirks, and the 10 is no different. It tends to get high contrast wrong, and over exposes. I had forgotten this and a few shots the blowout was way to much and the image had to be rejected.

But I pressed on.

Blind Jack

Blind Jack was still sat on his bench, and I broke out the flash to photograph him. It isn’t often I use flash, but because of the strong back light that time in the morning, I had little choice. I think I may of frightened those people sat in Cafe Nero with the bright flash 🙂

I went down the long steps toward the waterfront, and walked along both ways, trying to inspire or motivate myself.

I found little there that did that.

18082013-DSC_9774So it was back up the long really steep steps to the castle. I was knackerd when I reached the top. I really must work on my levels of fitness..

At the top I saw a young couple, he had obviously done something to really annoy her, as she was blocking him at every move. So of course I took a picture 🙂
Not talking to you..From there it was a short walk around the really small market Knaresborough has on a sunday, there was a Magian putting on a show for the kids as part of Knaresborough Feva, and I took a few images of the crowd and Magian. Nothing spectacular or worthy though.

Back on the bus and away home. I suppose it was good to get out the house for a while.

More Knaresborough images at: http://www.ipernity.com/doc/mikethompson/album/492931