New Wallpaper

I added a new widescreen wallpaper to the downloads page. I took it yesterday at the Canning Dock with my G10

Photos, New Site and Stuff

I forced myself to go out yesterday. I went into Liverpool with the intention of finding somewhere that sells "Liverpool The Souvenir" The book that I had my photo published in. I gave my copy away as a Christmas present. None of the bookshops in town had even heard of it. I took a stroll down to the Liverpool 08 shop and they told me that "Supernews" (the Newsagent around the corner) had it.. So off I went, and sure enough. There it was, on the shelf. I bought the last two copies. I then decided that I should take some photo's for my new photoblog and I took a stroll to the waterfront via Dale Street. I noticed that the newsagent next to Sayers had a load of copies of "Liverpool The Souvenir". It seems that The Daily post has just supplied it's distributors with the book. I think they've missed an opportunity here. Surely distributing a book through a BOOKSHOP makes more sense than selling it via a newsagent???

When i enquired at Waterstone's, they told me that they had FIFTY on back order and that loads of people had asked for it, but they couldn't get hold of it. Anyway rant over.
I went to the Pier Head to take a look at the new canal link. I went there briefly before Christmas, without a camera, and the changes are amazing. The canal link is virtually finished and does add something to the waterfront. But, if you haven't been to the Pier Head for a while I think you'll be amazed. From certain angles the place is unrecognisable. As you can see in the picture on the right. The Three Graces were lit up by the low winter sun and i was sorry that I hadn't brought my 40D and 10mm, because my G10 just wasn't wide enough even though it has the equivalent of a 28mm lens. I took a few shots and moved on to Albert Dock.

While I was there, there was terrible accident, an old lady had fallen into Canning Dock. The water must have been almost freezing. Although about 20 emergency vehicles arrived they didn't seem in too much of a hurry to get her out. She died later in hospital.
I moved on to LiverpoolONE. The new Chavasse Park is virtually complete. It is terraced and climbs 30 or 40 feet up to the top level of Liverpool ONE where the restaurants and bars are situated. There was a jazz band playing outside one of the bars and there were a couple of remnants from the Christmas German Market still trading. (A chocolate fountain and a Bratwurst stand. The light was excellent, as the sun had just gone down. It was tripod time. But, of course, I didn't have one with me. Besides - the whole point of me getting the G10 was to make it less of a chore to take photo's. I don't want to be carrying a ton of equipment around with me all of the time. It's a camera that I'll be carrying with me everywhere.
When I got home last night, I had a look through the photo's and I was surprised at the sharpness and amount of detail in them. Yeah I know the camera is 14.7 MP which is amazing for a compact. But the sensor is tiny in comparison to a DSLR. The fact that it shoots in RAW mode, really swung it when I was choosing this camera. You have all the control of a DSLR in a camera only half the size. I love it.
I also revamped my new site. I redesigned the logo and tweaked a few things. After all I did build it on the spare of the moment on New Years Eve, and it did look a bit crap. Anyway here it is. It'll probably change again before to long. Anyway that's it for now. I'm starving and I need to go to ASDA to get some breakfast stuff.

Happy 2009

It's New Years eve and there's less than 20 minutes until 2009. I'm staying in. I haven't even had a drink. I'm watching Jools' Hootenanny.

I bought myself a little Canon G10 to carry in my pocket. I'm going to use it specifically for all those little missed photo opportunities. I'm saying this now but by the end of the week I probably won't have done anything with it, and it'll be in the camera bag with the rest of those expensive paperweights I've got. . . :) But if it isn't in the bag it'll be providing photo's for my new photoblog

http://expose.me.uk

Seriously though, 2008 has been a bit crap and I'm going to make sure 2009 doesn't end up the same way. So I've got my positive outlook head on and that's the way it's gonna be. Happy New Year Everyone.

Fame but Sadly no Fortune

I got sent a copy of "LIVERPOOL The Souvenir - An amazing city through your eyes.". It's a new book of photographs published by The Liverpool Daily Post and Echo and amazingly they have chosen one of my photo's to be included.

In the summer I took a few photo's of Sense of Sound choir when they were performing at Liverpool ONE. The Post emailed me last week and asked if they could use one of my pics of Dave O'Grady - "The Guy With The Hair" So I said yes.

The rest of the photo's are amazing. It's a really good book and excellent value for money. I know what I'm giving people this Christmas. It's only £4.99 and you can get it from Amazon. Click on the link in my post and buy one :)

Oliver Postgate RIP

The creator of some of my favourite childrens TV shows died yesterday.

If you ever watched Noggin the Nog, Ivor the Engine, Bagpuss or the Clangers, you'll know Oliver Postgate's work.

When I was a kid my favourites were 'Pogles' Wood' and later on 'Ivor the Engine'. I think I was drawn to his work by his fantastic voice. He provided the narration for all of his programmes.

I recently bought the Audio Book of Neil Gaiman's 'Stardust'. Neil Gaiman reads the book, himself. I really enjoyed his reading because he reminded me of Oliver Postgate. . .

I'm off sick, watching Christmas movies.

It's freezing cold, the frost is thick on the ground and I'm off work sick.
I'm watching the best Christmas film ever: Scrooge - The Musical. The one with Albert Finney.

I went to see this on the pictures when it came out. I was seven years old, and I've loved it, ever since.
I might watch "A Miracle on 34th Street" (1947), this afternoon. The first time i saw this film, I was off school, sick. I remember being tucked up on my Nin's couch.

There's nothing better than being off sick. These days off are far more satisfying than holidays or weekends. They're great.

BIG CAT

Yesterday was really sad for me.

I had to get my cat "BIG CAT" put to sleep. He was ill for a few days and lost about a quarter of his body weight. Then yesterday afternoon he had a heart attack. I had to take him to the vets and he was put to sleep, painlessly. He was 14 and a half and up until last week you'd have thought he was still a kitten.

I miss him a lot. :(