Maggie ruined my day

This week I done some stuff.

I spent most of my time getting annoyed with iWeb, and riding my bike. Got a few photos if your interested.



Merlin at Adul (spelling...) Wood on Wednesday (I think, Maybe Thursday).



This is Kyle the Gypo at Hyde Park on Friday.

I take quite a lot of riding photos, I've never really thought of posting them on here for some reason. Summer's on it way so I expect I be posting too many of the things soon.

This Bank Holiday Weekend I had planned to go to Chester Zoo with my lady friend to take some photos of the animals. However, I didn't take into account my lazyness. I left it too late to book the train and the price went up to a silly amount.

We decided to go to Flamingo Land instead, but we didnt take into account that we were competing with the remains of Thatcher's Britain. The train was late so we would have missed the only bus of the day to Flamingo land. Cheers Maggie.

We decided to get off at York instead, to see what we could find, and would you believe it, privatisation was a blessing in disguise. I had a really good day.

We started by going on the Northern version of the London Eye, it was a bit pricey but it was good.





Next we had a look in the National Train Museum. It was really impressing. I liked looking at the steam trains, compared to crappy electric trains that get you places late, these things massive mechanical beasts. I loved it. I think I was born to be a train spotter, but I was born too late.





The Mallard. This thing is amazing. The worlds fastest steam train. 126mph...can I get a hell yeah!

There was a lot of art work from the golden age of rail travel, to be honest most of it was horrible art deco, however,I really like some of the old adverts.





Next, we went on a tourist boat ride down the river, is it the Ouze, is that even now you spell the Ouze? Anyway, whatever river it was, it was quite good, if a bit cold. Cat really liked seeing the ducky/geesy things swimming in the river, and walking next to it, and nearly fell out with me when I wouldn't rob one for her.



It was crazy seeing all this old picturesque archetecture built around the river. Most of the old buildings had doors leading out directly into the river, I'm not sure how wise this is when the river is supposed to flood regularly.



We went for lunch next. It seems the attitude toward vegetarians is as old as most of the archetecture ('We got the carvery, or if your not that hungry we can do you a meat baguette.' I'm surprised theres any ducks left in the river.)

After finding somewhere to eat, we went for a walk through the park and had a look at the remains of an old abbey. It was quite strange just seeing bits of stunning archetecture poking out of the ground every now and then.



Next we walked around the old city wall, and back into the centre of town to get the train home. There is still a law in York (as in the Isle of Man), that says it is still legal to kill a Scotsman, within the city wall, on a Sunday. In fact you get a reward. I was gutted we went on a Saturday because I'm getting really short on money.

On Sunday I went to Leeds 'Slam Dunk Festival'



It was good. I drank far too much.

Beat Union were the first band we saw. I didnt like them. They were dressed fully punk, but their songs were aimed at like 10 year olds - really poppy.

Mad Caddies were on next, the band I came to see. They were really good, and they all looked really hungover/stoned/drunk/alloftheabove, which made it better.

Next was Failsafe. They were quite good. The singer's trousers were far too baggy for someone who is is a band.

Then Sonic Boom Six. They were really good as per usual.

Then Paramore played. I was unimpressed. It looked like they had spent all day in Tony and Guy making their hair look stupid, then got 'Generic Emo Loop' off Soundtrack, then just played Generic Emo Loop over and over again, and jumped around looking silly.

Headlining was Reel Big Fish. I only know about 2 of their songs. I had to wait through the whole set to hear Beer and Take On Me right at the end but it was well worth the wait.

The after party was really good too. We hung out with the guys from Reel Big Fish. I say hung out... I mean sat next to at the bar and tried to look cool.

A good time was had by all.

Suffice to say, Monday was a bit of a non event.

I forgot to mention in my last post that I had written a letter to the Police complaining about the way they handled the house party I mentioned a couple of weeks ago. Anyways a got a letter off them today saying that its going to court, which is nice.

Peace, Love and Empathy,

Kurt Cobain.

x

HDR Photography and stuff

I've had this post written since Sunday, it's now Tuesday and I'm posting it cos I hate my computer and it hasn't been letting me put the photos on. Anyways, here it is. Finally. The HDR Special Edition...


Good Day.

I managed to hand in my Photography Elective work on Tuesday, so the pressure is off a bit now. Which is nice. I'll post some of my photos when I get them back, as well as photos of my print work. Bet y'all can't wait for that.

This week I have mostly been playing around with High Dynamic Range photography with Andy Cody.

Andy showed me these HDR photos of Hong Kong by a guy called Yong Fook. Unfortunately, I couldn't nick them off the site so you'll have to check them out at

http://www.flickr.com/photos/yongfook/230852137/in/set-72157594263154572/

Seriously, have a look, they're amazing.

How they work is by taking a series of photographs of the same object at different exposures. For example, 3 stops under, 2 stops under, 1 stop under, the right exposure, 1 stop over, 2 stops over and 3 stops over. Then using either the merge to HDR option in Photoshop or using a program called Photmatix you marge all the photos together to make one stunning image.

Here is a photo in our car park done using Photoshop. Check out the detail in the car. Sexy shadows.




After we did this Andy downloaded a copy of Photomatix. Photomatix is apparently better than Photoshop for doing HDR because it does tone mapping, which Photoshop doesn't do. However, prefere the image above to the Photomatix version of the same photo.

Heres some images done on Photomatix.








I've just been informed of a maggot problem our kitchen. Yum

Another week goes by...

Well then...

This week I've been a busy little boy. On Friday I went to a house party and narrowly avoided getting beaten up by the testosterone filled riot police. If you havn't heard about the police overreaction in Hyde Park then check out this weeks 'MET' student paper. Its also on the BBC 'Look North' web site, although they dont give much away. If your on Facebook then check out the group Survivors of the peaceful party on 19 Hessle Terrace and 20 Hessle Avenue. It really was crazy watching people getting beaten up because of a peacefull house party.

I ran home near the end and got my camera but got there too late. Heres some photos though.






Sorry the quality is so bad, but you get the idea.

I spent the the weekend in Sheffield partying and riding with the boys. It was good. I was hung over.

On Monday and Tuesday I kicked off my modeling career by being photographed heckling girls with Kyle and Bing by Ricky Adam for his LS6 thing which should appear in Vice magazine some time soon. Im going to be so famous. Anonamous model today, who knows where tomorrow? I mentioned Ricky's LS6 photos on the last post. Again, check out www.rickyadamphoto.com. Its super.

Went to London on Wednesday with Cat. Was pretty good but rainy. We started off by going to the Tate Modern. If I remember right, there were four exhibitions that we looked at - Poetry and Dream, States of Flux, Idea and Object and Material Gestures.

To be honest, the majority of 'art' I can't relate to, and don't really want to. However, there were a few bits that i liked (unfortunately we got there as they were taking down the Gilbert and George exhibition, or there would have been alot more stuff there that I liked)

I liked the Francis Bacon stuff. I like the distorted and scary way that he paints his figures. I also liked the surrealist self-portrait photographs by Francesca Woodman. Also in the Poetry and Dream exhibition there was also a couple really simple canvasses that just has red paint dripping down them, that i really liked (aesthetically), however i cant remember the name of the artist.

In the States of Flux exhibition I really liked the 'USSR in construction' bit. I like the Russian Constructivist graphic style of photomontage, geometric shapes and bold sans-serif type.

I think my favorite part of the Tate is the shop. I was trying to find the Adbusters 'Design Anarchy' book but had no look, and narrowly escaped spending money on another David Shrigley book, a book of Gilbert and George postcards, and the book 'Geurilla Advertising', which is amazing. I settled for a couple of post cards.

Time to Choose by Shrigley (if you cant read it it says: TIME TO CHOOSE - Good. Evil. Don't Know)



and this one by R.Ortas, which says 'Greetings from out of space'



I really like the misaligned printing and home made feel as well as the slighlty childish illustration. Fantastico.

After the Tate we were going to go to London Zoo, because I wanted to get some photos of the animals. But because Camdon tube station was being fixed or something we couldn't get there. By the time we walked to Camdon it was getting late and it was pissing down with rain. We decided not to bother with the zoo in the end and just had a look around the market before it closed and got some dinner at a Wetherspoons.

Hopefully, I'll get to a Zoo soon and get some photos of the animals. I think my Dad has nicked my long lens though. O well, we'll see.

Got all my print stuff finished and handed it in on Thursday. Thats a relief. I made the book completely wrong and the screen printing is mediocre at best.

Here is a couple of photos of my book





it looks alright from the outside but the pages are all in the wrong order.

This weekend my parents were over so I got a few free meals, which is nice.

We had a look at the Henry Moore Institute's exhibition 'Towards a New Laocoon.' We ended up going in during the private viewing, but no one said anything. They might have done if we had started drinking the wine and eating the nibbles. It was only a tiny exhibition, but i was really impressed. It was all work based on snake like forms.



Wax Model of Laocoon, 17th century



Tony Cragg, Kahzernarbeit.



Richard Deacon, Laocoon, 1996

We also had a look at the Drawing on Sculpture exhibition. It said it was a 'graphic intervention on photography', or something like that. I didn't think much of it though. there was only one that I really liked.



Willi Baumeister, Drawing over a photograph of Arno Brecker’s ‘Der Rächer’ as reproduced in the exhibition catalogue for ‘The Great German Art Exhibition’ of 1941

Thats how for now.

Bye Bye

x

update yar

Been at college a week an a bit now. Is good to be back. Spent most of the time in the print room making mistakes.

Had a gander at ricky's site http://www.rickyadamphoto.com/ tother day. Is really good. Specially the LS6 section. Mint. Check it out.

I also looked Sheperd's Obey stuff, which Ricky Adam did a collaberation with. to be honest i'm not a big fan of the most famous 'obey' poster. But they do some other really good stuff and are a genuinly ethically aware/commited. www.obeygiant.com






This is a poster done by them/him for Global Grassroots, to raise awareness of the genecide in Darfur. I like the handmade/printed feel about it.

I also discovered the pictures on walls website (www.picturesonwalls.com). Its got a load of 'urban' (ish) art. Don't normaly like stuff thats 'urban', but their was some really good stuff.

a few of my faves:



Beautiful Losers - Mike Mills - The Cops are Inside Us (picture frame not part of the piece).

Mint. Its urban but its political urban. not stupid urban. Like banksy. (Hes political urban, not stupid urban)



Beautiful Losers - Ed templeton - Wasted Space Is...

Again really good homemade/collage/messy yet simple feel to it.



Eric the Dog - Grey Bear



Eric the Dog - Brown Teddy

According to Pictures on Walls Eric is 'the first artist Satan would hire if he was bringing out a range of fairytale books for children.'

I like the old fashioned etched kind of style being used to create some warped post modern images.



Faille- Happens Every Day

Really like this one. i think i just like the colour.

O yer. One last thing. Did any watch The Trap: What Happened to Our Dreams of Freedom on telly the other week. Im not sure when it was on. My parents are middle class now and had it saved on Sky Plus and I watched it when I went home. If you get a chance, watch it. Extremely interesting. Looks at the way different peoples interpretations of freedom lead to lack of freedom. Fantastico.

Till next time...

xxx