Tag: Photography
Single shot: Barbican
This is a quick shot of Lauderdale Tower I took on the way to see Digital Revolution the other day. Built in 1974, it’s an example of the brutalist style of architecture and is as beautiful as it is over-bearing.
Single shot: Blackfriars view
I took this from Blackfriars Bridge as I walked over to South Bank yesterday to meet a few friends for a drink, well, many drinks but that’s beside the point. Anyway, the point is I’m still amazed that you can get shots like this from the camera on a phone that’s 3 years old (iPhone 4S).
Single shot: Train
Trains in a city make me think of work & commuting, but out in the countryside that same train reminds me of holidays, fun times and sunny day trips out of town.
This shot is from a window of a train in Ireland from a good few years ago. There’s nothing particularly impressive about it — I mean it’s blurry as feck and the subject matter is a bit rubbish, hell I can’t even remember where I was going… but I think that’s the bit I like most about it.
Single shot: Fountain
Lit up by rings of colour, it offers a piece of real sense of tranquility in such a hectic city.
Single shot: The Gate
This one is from a good few years ago now. I think I was at some kind of design event in the Digital Hub in Dublin. It was one of those ones where you spend a whole day just thinking up new, exciting, impossible ideas with a group of people you’ve never met. It was a fun day and I took this just as I was leaving.
This snap had nothing to do with the event but it still reminds me of it for some reason.
Single shot: Louvre
You’d think that a giant pyramid made out of glass and steel would be the last thing that would fit in with a building from the late 18th century. Yet the two sit in perfect harmony. The fact that it serves a function — alleviating the pressure on the old entrance, while simultaneously creating a centre point for visitors to explore the museum — just makes it all the more amazing.
Single shot: Sunset
One of the real treats of working on the South Bank is the amazing sunsets we’re treated to during the summer. It was about 5 in the evening and the sky outside suddenly lit up in vibrant purples and pinks. It lasted for about 15 minutes and then it was gone. I ran around with the studio camera and snapped off a few shots but they don’t come close to capturing how amazing a sight it was.
Single shot: Chopper
This is one I captured in 2012 during the run up to the Olympics. We were standing on the southside of the Thames when this military helicopter flew in low and started dropping troops down ropes just outside the Tower of London. Presumably some kind of training exercise it was amazing to see how quickly they were on the ground and then within a couple of seconds the helicopter was gone. I presume the troops took the tube back to their base.
3 days in Amsterdam
So last week Caroline and I took a few days out and headed over to Amsterdam for a post Christmas break. It’s always been on my short list of places to visit for a long time so I had high hopes. I wasn’t disappointed.
The general vibe of the city is amazing. Having spent the last three years living in London I’ve gotten used to the elbows-out mentality. Amsterdam was the polar opposite. Everyone is going where they need to get but they’re not prepared to barge past or trample over you — unless of course they’re on a bike —then they’re feckin’ lethal. If you’re planning a trip over, and I recommend you do, here’s a couple of things to consider doing.
Sandman’s New Europe Walking Tour
These walking tours are a great way to see a new city. I’ve done one with the same company in Berlin and they’ve both been brilliant. Led by knowledgeable guides who are genuinely enthusiastic about the city they’re guiding, they can break down the complex history of a city into a couple of hours of meandering. Perfect for a small city full of history like Amsterdam and they’re usually good fun.
www.newamsterdamtours.com
Amsterdam museum
Make sure you go and check out this museum. The history of Amsterdam exhibition is a particular highlight tracing the city’s history over the last millennium from the first settlers right up to the present day. The design uses a lovely red, black & white colour scheme with gorgeous pictograms running along the bottom of the walls which tie the whole exhibition together.
It also had the first use of QR codes that actually worked. You pick up a brochure, available in most languages, and as you walk around the museum you scan your code to play videos and interactive features in the same language as your brochure. Quite a neat little idea that works really well.
The lovely Amsterdam East India Trading Company logo. VOC stands for Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie meaning United East India Company. One of the first multinational corporations, it was founded in 1602.
www.amsterdammuseum.nl/en
Canals and much much more
All in all Amsterdam is a really great city for getting away. It’s appreciation of the arts and design sectors is as clear as day and I instantly got why so many design and advertising agencies and creatives are drawn to it. It’s obvious from the second you step foot in the city that it has an amazing history and a great atmosphere to be who you want and do what you like. The city is so much more than sex and drugs, the legalisation of prostitution and cannabis are symptoms of a greater respect for people who want to be themselves. Our tour ended at the gay rights monument which sits directly outside the largest church in Amsterdam. This juxtaposition perfectly sums up the mindset of the city — be who you want to be and let others do the same.
p.s. Sorry about the quality of the snaps, my usual camera for this kind of trip is a lovely Panasonic LX-3 but it seems the battery has perished so I only had my phone camera.
