140/365: Alfriston, Muswell Hill, N10

140/365: Alfriston, Muswell Hill, N10, a photo by manchego_photo on Flickr.

A visit to India (Trip 1)

Sometimes an unexpected opportunity comes along quite by chance and this was one of those occasions. I was fortunate enough to be asked to visit an outsourcing company in Pune, India, as a face-to-face meet-and-greet as well as to kick-start a new QA automation project.

It was just a couple of weeks ago, in the middle of their summer season and the mid-afternoon temperatures were about 37 degrees C almost every day! For the most part, we were locked away in day-long meetings, discussions and various presentations. However, I was able to take some photographs on a few occasions and I wanted to share some of these with you on this blog.

All my pictures can be found on Flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/craigdesjardins/sets/72157633469036433/with/8734370863/

Sunset on the Mula-Mutha River
Pune, Maharashtra, India

Sunset on the Mula-Mutha River, Pune

Night lights in Pune, Maharashtra, India

Night lights in Pune, Maharashtra, India

Stables in caves at Sinhagad Fort, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Statue of Tanaji Malusare, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Kids playing at Sinhagad Fort, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Views from Sinhagad Fort, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Ramparts at Sinhagad, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Ramparts at Sinhagad Fort, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Temple at Sinhagad, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Resting before carrying burdenon head, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Carry burden, Sinhagad Fort, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Views into the valley, Sinhagad Fort, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Trader at Sinhagad Fort, Pune, Maharashtra, India

In the shade of a tree, Sinhagad Fort, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Coconut stall, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Coconut stall, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Porch brachet at the Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Exhibit at the Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Battle mural at the Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Sunset, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Crossing the Vashi Bridge, Mumbai, India

My 365 London: 120 days

This feels like a good point to reflect on my 365 photo project so far. First of all it does make me realise how quick the year has gone so far. It seems like only yesterday we were in January. That may be more to do with the weather than anything else. I've decided to to split this blog up, firstly looking at the positives, then the negatives and finally, and conlude with a summing up.

The positives

1. Social media: reaction to my images has been very supportive. People have often said that they look forward to what the next number will be. So, there is some sense of anticipation, which I never really expected.
2. Observing the community: this project has encouraged me to look more deeply at the areas in which I work and live (aside from the times when I'm on holiday or away with family). Furthermore, I believe it has made me a little bit more perceptive of my surroundings. I've made some intersting discoveries along the way too.
3. iPhoneography: for me this is what it has become all about. The square format has become the standard frame I will compose in. I am often conscious of thinking about how the images will appear collectively when the project is complete. With my phone, it means my camera is basically with me all the time and this makes things easier in getting the shot in. I've had some fun with Snapseed and Instagram but try to keep my work fairly broad and not too stylised in a particular way. For example, I don't like to keep using the same filters.
4. Creativity: sometimes, for various reasons, I have not had the chance to take a shot when I'd like to. This means that I have to think a bit outside the box and be a bit 'creative'. I have at times had to look for something at home, around the house. But I refuse to resign myself to drawing a number on a piece of paper. For me, that is a fail.

The negatives

1. Work: this was probably the single biggest inhibitor. Unfortunately, I don't have the luxury or time to be able to walk the streets at any time of my choosing, particularly during the week. My job as a software test analyst requires to me tobe  focused and so of course this inhibits my opportunity to shoot my daily pic. My photo walk will be during my commute in, during lunch hour or some time in the evening. Usually, I do get lucky and get my shot in.
2. Presence: at times I can feel a bit too aware that I'm taking a picture of a door. Slightly embarrassing but you just have to shrug it off. Just take your shot and move on.
3. The weather: sometimes the weather can be a negative. I really don't want to be slipping out to take a picture in the rain. And, like work, this can be a bit inhibiting

Summing it up

I am only a third of the way through the year but already the images have been very varied and I'm really looking forward to how the project evolves. I have a couple of business trips ahead and so inevitably there will be challenges in that. It might seem inpractical at times but you always have to be patient, as the right opportunity can sometimes come along when you least expect it.

Please visit my blog here: my365london.blogspot.co.uk

Nomination for Instacanvas

My photo is nominated to be featured on Instacanvas, vote & help me get featured.

http://instacanv.as/craigdesjardins/piece/242881484477101655_12179540

Thanks!

Craig

My 365 London: January

My 365 London, a set on Flickr.

One month in: My 365 London

It's time to take stock of how things are progressing on my first 'photo blog'...

Many photographers will find that they take at least one photo a day, not surprising considering the accessibilty of 3G phones and other devices, it's incredibly easy to accumulate images. However, there are a percentage of those that are taken with a purpose in mind, part of some deeper context. These are the makings of a photo project. Photographers, professional and amateur, are choosing to share their projects online as a blog, a 365. And that is what I chose to do at the beginning of this year.

So, since January 1st 2012, I have taken a picture and added it to my blog My 365 London. My subject matter is the common-place, or the vernacular. Each day I will post an image that features a number captured from my everyday life: at home, at work, in the street. Wherever I happen to be. Some of the numbers will have some significance to me, as I consider pre-emptively what and where certain numbers might be representing (like the 134 bus). Others will be entirely random.

The images themselves are on Flickr, in my set of the same name, My 365 London.

I originally thought that I would take all kinds of images in various places but that has not turned out to be the case:

Firstly, I have not had many occasions to take out the DSLR this month, given the cold weather here. Except on two projects, Highgate Wood in the snow and taking traffic light streaks on the A406 North Circular. On these occasions, I didn't find any numbers to use! Instead, I have ended up taking pictures with just my iPhone.

As an amateur photographer, I would normally spend my week stuck in an office, with little opportunity to explore London, except at weekends. Evenings are often limited, particularly in the dark, long winter months. So my images have mostly come about from my wonderings around my immediate home in Muswell Hill, the daily bus commute, or my lunch hour.

But I have not let this deter me, it has just required me to focus my attention in more detail. Inevitably, I have given some ideas some forethought, so this could be my usual bus route, the 134, or perhaps my front door number, but I don't want to spoil the surprise!

Finally, in using my phone for all the images so far, I have used some of my favourite tools like HDR Pro, Snapseed and Instagram itself, my 'vehicle' for file upload to Flickr. Thus, all my images have become the standardised square format. In some ways, this standard gives a certain flow through all the images.

It will be interesting to reflect on how the blog has evolved after 6 months!

my365london.blogspot.co.uk.