Monday 29 June 2009

Learning The Exhibition Way


The Ever-Present Nun, originally uploaded by I Am Martin!.

Since the turn of the year Rusty and Barbie have been encouraging me to enter various exhibitions. I think to date, I've entered 7 and received 6 (est) acceptances. Which is good, I hope.

It has transformed the way I go about taking a photo and totally reformed my mindset when mentally thinking of an image. Which is good, and I enjoy photography alot more since entering the BPE circuit.

I keep meaning to organise and record which images achieve acceptances, just to see how my new 'stuff' is doing. Images which I thought would make a good exhibition image back in december I wouldn't consider to send away for selection, except 2...

The Ever-Present Nun, taken in Vatican Square last June/July on my travels. This image seems to have done well for me in the way of acceptances.

The other image is The Chosen One.. taken in Madrid train station around the same time, also gaining a couple of acceptances.

As I previously mentioned, compare these images to my recent 'works' and I think you'll find more cognitive thinking has gone into them rather than point, shoot and hope for the best.

I thank Rusty and Barbie for pushing me and daring me to do better, going out on shoots with them is great fun and provokes alternative ideas rather than the obvious. Which then installs the same thought process when photographing on my own.

Saturday 27 June 2009

The Blessing


The Blessing, originally uploaded by I Am Martin!.

Church! Now, I'm not religious at all but I like the sense of community within our area. (Old Heath, Colchester) And of course, the Church is at the heart of the community!

I recently attended my friends' newphews' Christening (hope that was clear..) and took my camera along. At the end of the service I had a chat to the vicar, a friendly chap named Richard.

Since that day I have been to a couple of services at the local church (St. Barnabas, Abbots Road) It hasn't persuaded me in any way of becoming a religious person. What I think is important is that everyone knows the fundamental beliefs of their state religion and, although Great Britain is incredibly diverse in terms of religion I see Christianity as this country's 'natural' (not quite sure that's the correct term) religion.

In relation, I fully admit to knowing absolutely nothing about Christianity and in some ways have enjoyed learning some basics.

The image is during the important date of 'Corpus Christi' on the Christian calendar.

Friday 26 June 2009

Rest In Peace


Rest In Peace, originally uploaded by I Am Martin!.

This man's music, along with my dad constructed my taste in music. I spend many hours listening to his tapes on my cassette player. His music is the soundtrack to my childhood.

..thank you for the music.

Thursday 4 June 2009

Read Not What My Mind Says...


Read not what my mind says, originally uploaded by I Am Martin!.

So today I'm going to vote for the first time. I'm not sure who I'll be voting for as yet.

The recent (and I hate to use media speak but..) 'global recession', 'credit crisis' and 'expenses scandal' don't really encourage first time voters like myself to journey to the polling station.

I think it's important to vote, despite not voting in previous local elections. I heard a lady on the radio yesterday encouraging everyone to vote but then she said "Even if you go and just spoil your paper".. Surely theres more point in not even attending rather than going and spoiling your paper?

Odd isn't it, recent scandals and such...Now we have to vote different thieves in. Tarnishing MP's the same brush? Probably. There are more than likely some honest MP's, but in the minority.

Depsite my best efforts, I've tried not to let the media manipulate my decision making when it comes to voting but as the only outlet of news and information regarding politics it's been hard not to. Over the past 2 or 3 days I've seen nearly every media outlet upping the pressure and speculation on Gordon Brown and rebel back-benchers signing a notion of 'no confidence' in their leader... An indication on how powerful the media is.

When it comes to making my decision I believe there needs to be a change at the top i.e. Labour being defeated in the next general election. Do I have confidence in voting Conservative? No. Cameron reminds me of one of those annoying kids at school who think they know it all, always quick to pick up on other people's faults. I know he has to do this in order to get people liking him and disliking G.Brown but I'm not keen on his style.

The country needs a charismatic leader, someone to excite the nation and make the public want to vote for a particular party to gain power rather than voting for a lesser party in order to get the current powers out of office. That would be 'change', a true reform of government and modern politics.

I look forward to the results.

Wednesday 3 June 2009

Laptop Mayhem.

Another week, another laptop. To cut a long story short...I brought a laptop for my birthday, a week after I brought it we had to return it as it wouldn't recover from hibernate mode; get a replacement albeit from another shop and two weeks later I find myself with the same problem.



(Don't buy a Packard Bell easynote lj65)



This time I think it's going to be a Toshiba P300 (http://www.comet.co.uk/shopcomet/product/537241/TOSHIBA-P300-23L) £50 more than I paid for the previous laptop and less disk space but 'hey ho'

I think I'd better sleep on it.

Martin

Get A Grip..


Get A Grip.., originally uploaded by I Am Martin!.

An addition to my 'street' photographs, taken at Colchester's north station. There were a host of advertising boards like this along the platform but I loved this one best.

Compliments to the model, my Dad! I would have loved to catch this shot candidly but I'm 99% sure it would be impossible.

I like this, and think it's a good reflection on my style of photography.

Martin