I walked past The Birdcage and took this black and white photograph.
The Birdcage is now closed but was a Bar/small Club in Norwich. I went once, quite awhile ago now, when it was open and sat on the floor, in the back room. The beer was good.
I love the style of architecture, metal windows, rounded walls and I just really hope it doesn’t go to rack and ruin, and get pulled down. It deserves so much better.
Take a look at murpworkschrome for two more images of this enigmatic building. I will return and try and do it justice in the near future – more Birdcage in black and white…
A boat lift light shines out denoting the endmost point of a metal structure that dominates the marina. The industrial structure is a simple affair of straps, that can hoist a boat out of the river for servicing. The light is bright but in a wintery evening in February. However, there is very little need to illuminate the lifting of any boat.
It does however present a light source for low light photography.
I had passed the neon sign – Good Vibes several times before I actually photographed it. It resides in a male hairdressers, in Norwich.
There’s something about a neon sign. They are old technology yet for me, they always manage to convey something very modern. A glass tube, housing a noble gas, through which a voltage is passed and depending upon the gas, a colour is produced. neon is the classical glass but neon is a ‘cover-all’ name for various types of glass tube lighting, using different types of gas.
The resultant glowing 3-D light seems so much more alive that a simple 2-D painted sign.
I want to return and photograph this sign, purposefully in black and white. Although colour is a very big part of neon’s reason for being (although there are ‘white’ ‘neon’ signs), I think the gaseous nature of the glow will work well in monochrome.
I also have my eye on another neon sign, in the same street so look out for that one in the near future. This is the beauty of wandering the streets, there is always something to find and return back for.
Take a look at murpworkschrome to see a the neon sign Good Vibes ‘colour’ photographs I captured…
Street Lit – I took a short walk the other evening, it was the night of the first of two storms. Nothing had really started in earnest, there was some wind but nothing in the ‘storm’ category. I did avoid a large tree, which I had seen a large branch down from it, a couple of months ago.
It wasn’t long before a little rain started. This was a good first test of my Fujifilm X100V and its ‘weather sealing’ (the full weather sealing requires and filter for the front of the lens, which I purchased, when I got the camera). All worked perfectly well.
I had an idea of a photograph I wanted to take before I set out. It turned out as I had envisioned it and it wasn’t long before a couple more opportunities had presented themselves.
I didn’t intend to spend a lot of time out and didn’t need to, as I was pleased with the results. The image below is a building I pass most morning when I walk up, into Ely to get a cup of coffee from Silver Oak Coffee. Pleasing during the day, it looked spectacular at night
Inviting
If you like the above image, take a look at murpworkschrome – monochrome – really pleased with ‘Street Lit Window’.
Here in Winter, just shy of latitude 52.398056, it may not be the coldest place in the world but it is cold and the only thing that mitigates it is a beautiful Winter sunset.
The second of February brought wondrous skies and set against the backdrop of the river Great Ouse, I managed to capture something. Orange gave way to magenta in a spectacular fashion…
I’m still finding my way around the Fujifilm X100V but I managed to capture what I wanted; a feel for the Winter sunset. Head on over to murpworkschrome to see more images from the evening. Let me know which one you like best.
I don’t think of it as a business card, although I’ll be using Moo Cards and they’re very business focused. I’m keeping it simple . I’ve chosen two of my images; one for each side. Upon deciding, I immediately found another I’d have liked to use. So, it may be the first of many.
There’s a front and a back, a logo and a URL; that’s it!
It’s purpose will be threefold
It will point people to murpworkschrome
If someone stops me in the street, it could disarm any conflict, ease any tension. I’m very conscious of this when out photographing and you’ll probably notice a lack of people, more often than not anyway
My Ely cathedral photograph – the cathedral must have been photographed millions if not multiple millions of times, like many other sites of interest; in Britain and around the world. So, with that said, how do you take a photograph and make the subject look different, or fresh or up to date?
I approached this from the perspective of, a forced perspective.
Taken with Fujifilm X100V using Classic Chrome film simulation (post-processed)
The cathedral is imposing and one thing that people do when they visit is look up. Driving toward Ely, the cathedral presents itself, in its entirety but from a distance, its true nature is not revealed. It’s only when up close that the vast stone building shows its splendour. However, up close when having approached from High Street, the human eye cannot take in the whole. And, while the walls of cream stone are interesting, especially as some have stood since 672 AD, looking up to one of the two towers is a natural thing to do.
So, I’ve added to the millions of photos of another site of interest. I like to think my Ely cathedral photograph of the West Tower as a positive addition.
I live on a boat. A narrowboat called Silverdale to be precise, along with mu. We float on water and there are boats are all around us. The marina, we live on, just off the River Great Ouse has Narrowboats, GRP Cruisers, a tug, and a working boat with a dredging device for cutting down weed. There are also rowing boats several times a week as the local school and Cambridge University have rowing clubs located here.
It’s currently Winter, so there is little movement. Many of the Cruiser-style boats have been lifted out of the water to prevent damage from ice. They are placed upon blocks and sitting upon the grass around the marina, echoing the ducks and swans, doing the same.
I’ve just started to appreciate the unique nature of the place. I need to make more of the opportunity and take more photographs of boats. At this time of year, I’m normally walking head down, against the biting cold wind. Then, occasionally, the sun comes out and if feels a little less like the inside of a fridge. With my latest camera: Fujifilm X100V, I take a picture.
Jumping back in to photography? Well, how do you start after such a long break? I suppose you just jump right back in. I have been photographing but it’s been a strange time.
My talk about not using my phone in One Last 11 Shot proved premature. I used my iPhone 11 quite a lot, especially on our adventure on the rivers. It proved easy to use the phone and ‘click and shoot’ rather than real photography. I should have used the Ricoh GR III but I didn’t. Well, I did but not exclusively. I have, as of January this year stopped using it. I’m using my Fujifilm X100V.
The Ricoh GR III is an excellent camera, perfect for the street, taking everywhere and a whole lot more. If I had one negative about it, I would sat it was a little small, for my liking. I sold it after realising I hadn’t even switched the X100V on, since I got it. I take it everywhere now and with the start of a new year, I have some projects planned. The X100V is gorgeous both to use and look at. I got the silver one as I invariably get black. I thought a change was in order).
Ely, in East Cambridgeshire will provide the main backdrop to my photography moving forward as that is where mu and I are living. However, Norwich will provide an alternative location. It’s the reason we moved to Ely; to be near family – the nearest point on the river system to Norwich we can get our narrowboat Silverdale. See murpworks Afloat for further details.
I am happy with my first few images but I’m still playing around with the simulations and getting to grips with the buttons and dials. I’m happy after jumping back in to photography.
Around Ely
Short and sweet and just like like that, I’m back in.
