An occasional Photo Blog
Now that it’s quite officially Spring, I suppose one could expect pictures of blooming flowers and things. Be patient. The garden now has one or two splashes of colour, a primrose or two here, a bunch of snowdrops there. But the big blobs of yellow daffodils are saving themselves for Easter.
Helped on by the warm sunshine, definite Springy feelings have been making their presence felt this weekend.
Sauntering around the village on Saturday I was greeted by folk I haven’t seen in months. Neighbours were spotted pottering about in their gardens and I actually took the car for its biannual excursion to the car wash.
Wise old weather prophets are forecasting cold weather for the coming week, and the village elders are suggesting that we haven’t seen the last of the snow, so I hope these buds are hairy enough to survive the next cold spell.
While the media presented us with the usual images of new born babies and chatted to various teenagers who have only ever celebrated four birthdays, I thought I’d bring the world a further ‘Day in the life of….’ article. Alas I failed miserably. My camera sat patiently in its case all day, and despite the brilliant spring weather didn’t actually see daylight at all.
As luck would have it, we decided to go for a quick drink on the way home, in a bar overlooking the town. This spontaneous excursion at least enabled me to take a couple of blog pictures. OK, I agree it’s not exactly New York, but it was pleasant enough up there.
Both Photos, taken with the Panasonic DMC-LX2, are ‘straight out of the camera’ and taken using the ‘Night Scenery’ setting… not very professional perhaps, but easy:-) Unfortunately the view from the bar was not optimal. Tripod stayed at home this evening so I had to sit the camera on a table, thus pointing it straight out over the town instead of angling it down a bit to where things looked a bit more ummmm, towny
Whether it’s due to an acute lack of motivation or simply due to the cold dark mornings and evenings, but somehow my photography has stagnated a bit over the last few weeks. Well, think positive! Spring is making its presence felt and lots of new photo opportunities are surely in the air -)
In the last posting I mentioned that it was a bit cool. It seems that cold air from Siberia is wafting its way over Europe causing our daytime temperatures to hover around -10°C, and considerably colder by moonlight. I’m pleased to say that my heating, despite its age, is still doing its best, and our water is still runny…. unlike this fountain near the station in Zurich.
Listening and watching the media this week, one could easily be forgiven for thinking that temperatures around these parts never actually drop much below freezing at this time of the year.
Agreed, it is quite chilly and overnight temperatures of -15°C are not too common where I live. But is it really necessary to interview minor celebrities on the subject of suitable clothing and how they combat the cold… clothing wise? It’s Winter for heavens sake! As a general rule it it can be said that in Winter it’s a good idea to wrap up nice and warm.
Deafened by the sound of chattering teeth while waiting for my train in the morning, I can only assume that many don’t eat breakfast and don’t wear the right clothes.
My suggestion to all those early morning shiverers: Throw away all that man-made fibre stuff and wear proper woollies, and consider a piping hot bowl of porridge for breakfast instead of a low fat, bowel moving yoghurt! oh dear.. am I beginning to sound old?
As promised yesterday, here is an evening photo of the current weather situation. I’m quite weather neutral really, rain or shine I enjoy snapping away and have nothing against a stroll across fields during a downpour. Having said that though, wet weather, although fascinating to capture, does pose problems. Who wants to get a nice new camera soaking wet? Apparently the average digital goody doesn’t like water at all.
I’m not seriously considering a new camera at the moment.. well not really, but if I was, which models would make it to the final choice? The image below was captured with my mobile phone, kept dry by a bus shelter (well actually t’was a tram shelter but that just didn’t sound right). How many times during a photographic year do I really stand under a rain cloud and shoot pictures? My choice seems to be between the robust, rainproof Pentax or, if the photo magazines are to be believed, the superior image quality of a Nikon. Ah, decisions decisions.
While the mountain folk are busily shoveling snow from early morning until bedtime, we have been having a few really beautiful days. No snow though, just bright sunshine and minus temperatures.
Well, that was last weekend, when these two photos were taken. Today we had high winds and rain in torrents…. picture will follow within the next day or two.
This may well sound as if I’m getting on in years… well perhaps I am, but it happens to most of us I’m afraid! Many of my contemporaries fill newspapers with reader’s letters, moaning about the young, the railways, traffic jams… you name it and it will get moaned about! But what about shopping….?
According to various smiling shop managers, we the customer demand longer opening hours, and we are all thrilled to bits that shops are open all the time before and after Christmas. Yes they can’t even wait for Boxing Day to pass us by! I often ask myself what people actually do with all that food they buy… they’re never at home to eat any of it!!
Well despite all the commerce, there is nothing quite as inviting as a festively decorated, bustling shopping street at this wintry time of the year I suppose. I had to wait until the shops were shut for this picture… there were otherwise simply too many happy shoppers pushing and shoving their way home.
Here’s a quick new year photo before the festivities start! Not a very festive picture I admit, but the weather was slightly below average and the light somewhat dull and colourless.
A very Happy New Year to all my readers and fellow bloggers!
