Lost Aussie on the loose

Portrait Of A Bridge

Slowly I have been working my way through images from my recent trip abroad.  The bridge at Salford Quays is quite iconic and was quite captivating too.  Unfortunately when I was taking pictures of it, it was quite near dark and I had no tripod with me so had to do the best with high ISO settings and propping my camera against whatever I could.

Looking at the images in portrait and profile there is definitely a bit of the ying and the yang thing going on..... I wonder if the architect realised that too.....???

Messing About

Take a couple of images shot in Venice, add one iPhone photo, snapped whilst mid Atlantic, fiddle with them in Photoshop and by the time you are "almost" happy with it, the clock says 2:00am!

In one language it's called messing about, in another it's called faffing about....
take your pick.....

The Hampton Classic

Today I ventured off to the east end of Long Island to check out the Hampton Classic Horse Show.  Another one of those " must do" events for hob knobbing with 2 and 4 legged creatures of classic style and pace that populate our fair area during the Summer months.

And despite the fact that Day 1 is the beginning of a stellar calendar and with larger crowds to come, I was pleased to be here for the opening, where there was still room to take pictures and walk around and about unfettered.  Further on down the week it will get madder as the days progress....

I'm not much of a sports photographer, in truth, coming lately to the point where I try to make my camera do what I want, but I was pleased with a few of the shots I managed to capture of the horses and riders in motion..... no easy feat believe you me!!

It was really sunny and for the most part the main protagonists are dark which makes sorting out exposure compensation a bit of a nightmare .... yeah excuses, excuses.....

Anyway, you get the picture.... lots of horses jumping around, and oddly enough, lots of shopping, I guess it is afterall the "Hamptons"!!!

Kilts Galore

What to do on a hot sunny summer's day on Long Island? Hop along to Westbury to join in the frolics at the Scottish Festival and Games of course and be darned thankful that it was not you sweltering in 90F in a woolly kilt!

There was lots to see, many pipe bands, live music on various stages - including MacTalla Mor, bagpipe lessons if you were inclined, there was even a nice display of birds of prey ...

and the odd crazy pirate wench gadding about (with her pirate man pals of course!)...

All in all a fun day out and definitely so hot that it left you wishing you had brought a tankard and could have downed a chilled brew!  (Sadly none to be found at the event - not so Scottish afterall - though I did spy some IRN BRU for sale!!)...

Cross Posting at Vision and Verb

I'm posting over at Vision and Verb today if you care to pop along and take a peek!

Painting Sunshine

Back from across the Pond, bags unpacked, laundry done, cats placated and now trolling through the 48 or so gigabytes of RAW photo files that I took while I was away.

These dinner plate sized sunflowers that I saw in Germany caught my eye and beckoned for a little "paint job" as some quiet therapy this evening.  More or less done and certainly done enough for now as my eyelids are drooping and the need for sleep is calling loud and clear...

Thanks for all the comments on the blog and FB posts while I have been away.  I will try and catch up in the next few days...

A Little Side Trip

Whilst flitting here and there I have used Manchester as my base for travels to Germany and this week down to see Family in other parts of the UK.  The hotel I am staying at is a long puff of wind and little more from the home of the Manchester United Football team, of which both my sons are ardent fans!

Talking to #1 son the other day he pleaded with me to find a way to take a picture of their home ground and this afternoon I was happy to be able to do that for him, making my way to Salford Quays and standing on tippey toes on a bridge to capture the merest (bad photo) glimpse of the stadium and sign.

Salford Quays proved to be a mighty fine place to take (other) pictures.  Great architecture, lights and lovely sculptures and I passed quite a few pleasant hours meandering around.

Tomorrow I head back to the US.  It will be nice to sleep in my own bed again though I have enjoyed the time spent here and in Germany with Family and loved ones, the fact that I see them so infrequently has made this trip all the more poignant... and there's a note to self .... to visit more often.

So I'll leave you with one of the many photos snapped at the Quays as dusk fell .... and I'll see you back Stateside in a little while!

Hither and Thither

I've spent the last four days in Germany in a tiny town called Monzelfeld which is not too far from Bernkastel, about 15 minutes down some very windy roads from the top of the mountains down to the Mosel River.

In case you haven't been keeping up with "stuff", my mother has moved to Monzelfeld and I've spent the time there helping her get set up in her new home.

It's quite an idyllic part of the world.  Lots of fresh air and beautiful rural landscapes and I am looking forward to the opportunity of visiting there frequently and often.

Tonight I am back in the UK with a few days to visit with relatives before heading back to the US midweek.

I apologise for not being in touch so well or the lack of email and posting but sadly my AT&T iPhone, which I had hoped to rely on,  does not connect well with 3G networks and is basically useless here in the UK!!!!  Utterly frustrating and of course no-one wants to accept responsibility for the fact that it does not work!  Ugh!

Amazing how much we come to rely on connectivity to the internet for so many things!

So, I'll post again, as and when I can.

 

Catching Up a Little

Inbetween doing workshop stuff over the weekend I have been attacked by the dreaded jet-lag and been at sixes and sevens with my sleeping - nevermind staying at one of the worst hotels I have ever had the misfortune to choose.... just wait until I post my Trip Advisor review (complete with dead pigeon views from my window!!)

Anyway, some decent pictures have been taken though with eyeballs rolling out of my head I have not been that inclined to process them much....

A few though tonight for your viewing pleasure.

Tomorrow I head off to Germany to see my Mum which will be a whole new adventure .. with no phone or internet access at her house just yet.  So if you don't hear from me for a week, that's why!!

One Big Mirror Ball

I've just got back to my hotel after a long day of workshop and photoshoot followed by another 3 hours of photo shooting down along the Promendade in Blackpool (UK) to catch some night lights.

It was fun but there's no proper food to be had at the hotel at this hour so I am chomping on a bag of crisps from the bar and since I am THAT tired (having lost about 12 hrs of sleep in the last few days, I daresay I will be fast asleep too quickly to worry too much about the loss of one dinner.

Here's hoping you are having a lovely weekend too ..... where-ever you are!