Carnival 2017

     The Notting Hill Carnival has been taking place, annually, in the streets around Notting Hill, west London, at the end of August, since the mid 1960's. Visited it again this year, on its second day, last Monday. It is a very colourfully event, and it attracts large crowds. The music systems - both static and on moving floats make it rather LOUD. Anyways here are a few of my photos taken this time around  .....

        While capturing some of the colour and the characters at the Carnival, my images don't show anything of the music and sounds, nor the aromas of the many barbeques

Visit to Kew Gardens

Despite living near to Kew Gardens in south west London, for many years, I have only been there a few times, usually with a camera. Here are some of my latest photographic efforts, from April 2016. Apparently Kew Gardens is best known for its flora ? Really?

The Palm House ....

 Palm House Lines - colour version

Palm House Lines - monochrome version

Palm House - another monchrome

Palm House and Clouds -

Film Noir

    I have never really got into portraits using flash before now, but when an opportunity to try some Film Noir type portraits came my way recently, I jumped at it. You may have seen of the classic Film Noir movies such as "The Maltese Falcon" or "Touch of Evil",  with their low-key lighting and stark dramatic shadows, often but not exclusively in Black and White. This is sometimes called Chiaroscuro, after the style used in painting.

   Anyways without getting sidetracked into movies, here are a few of my efforts

Probably not the best examples of the style ever, but I'm encouraged to continue and try to make some more. Neo-Noir?

Colourful Great Eastern Street

Great Eastern Street is an Inner London City street, near to Shoreditch High Street, which is now a fashionable part of London.

This street - and others around it - can be quite colourful, and, as can be seen here, with street art and highly decorated buildings. This one in particular is redecorated on a regular basis, and the images here were all made between May 2013 and July 2014.

St Patrick's Day - in London

     Now in its 13th year,  the St Patrick's Day parade in London was on a bright and sunny Sunday in mid March. As St Patrick's Day itself (March 17th) is not a public holday in England, the parade is held on the Sunday closest to this date, which in 2014 was the 16th. 
   
     The Parade runs along Piccadilly from Hyde Park corner, to Trafalgar Square, where more Irish related events are held, and has grown is size over the years.

  St Patrick turns up to the parade

A celebrity attends, to head up the event

Appropriate coloured costumes are worn 

The bright sunshine whilst welcome, is obvious, and it makes and welcome change from the cold conditions and rain in previous year's events.

 Traditional bands take part

South American style also is in

The red phone box in the background gives a clue to the location ...

It's also a colourful parade, although the colours here are more Italian than Irish

Year of the Horse

   

Last Sunday saw the celebrations for the Chinese New Year - the Year of the Horse - take place in London's Trafalgar Square and Chinatown. For once it wasn't raining, in fact some there was some (very) early spring sunshine and wall to wall blue skies. This year there was a short parade around the environs of Chinatown. I like to get into these events early; and get in amongst the performers as they are getting ready, and last Sunday was no exception.

The blue skies and red lanterns also provided opportunities for photos ......

Een the blue Cockerel - the artwork cuurently occupying the Fouth Plinth in the north west of the Square , was coordinated, colour wise.

 

Trafalgar Square

I recently upgraded my mobile phone, and thought I'd try out its camera while in Trafalgar Square in London. So here is a sequence taken on that occasion.

When I getused to the camera, I'll get to know its limitations, and what its good points are. It certainly beats carrying a heavy DLSR around ....