The best of the Opening Ceremony - London 2012 Olympics

The best of the Opening Ceremony - London 2012 Olympics


Watched it all from start to finish.  Had to endure some sniggers early on from those around me at the dancing victorians.  But,  what a show.  It was absolutely incredible and just got better and better culminating in the most awe inspiring flame lighting I could ever imagine.

The petals rising up to form the cauldron had me speechless.  I also LOVED the music - the Sex Pistols and  the Prodigy with punks on pogo legs, brilliant.

The web, social media, modern multi-cultural society shown in a way that assumes its own culture.

I think those in the USA who have been a little negative just don't get multi-culturalism.  How ironic is that?

SO proud to be British.  In awe of Danny Boyle.  Still thinking about it days later.

Too late for children?

Is this a bargain or what?

Mine cost me a fortune.

Channel Orange - Frank Ocean

My album at the moment - Channel Orange by Frank Ocean.

You listen to it first time and think so what?  And then the second time it starts to open up and get under your skin and you realise it's a classic of its genre.  Electronic and hip-hip may not be everyone's cup of tea, but this is more.


My first analogy is of a pomegranate; a fairly bland covering to a world of interesting colour, shape and taste inside.


Best tracks IMHO are pilot Jones, crack rock, white and pyramids.  Listen to the second half of Pyramids whilst imagining a sphere of music that you walk into.  Slip towards the end of the track and the 3D sounds ping off the inside of the sphere and create a sound experience that's a bit trippy, a bit melancholy but wholly original.


http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/channel-orange/id541953504

Recumbent Fold at The Strangles

The sun has put her hat on and the country came out to play.  We went to the Strangles (a favourite) at a very low tide which allowed us to explore the most spectacular geology of the area.  Folds, folds and more folds, oh yes, and some sand and sea.

First, a scene setter:

The Strangles at low tide

So then, the folds.....  There are chevron folds, recumbent folds, overturned folds with convergent isogons (I think!).  Just so damned exciting, or is it just me.

Oh.

Be like that then.  Let me change your mind:

Overturned Chevron folds at The Strangles

So, here are the rocks of the Upper Carboniferous, squished into chevron folds WITH, yes WITH a recumbent fold that forms the roof of a natural arch.  I mean, come on!  It doesn't get much better than that!

Here's a closer view, in case you don't believe me:

Recumbent fold at the Strangles

Look, the rear of the recumbent fold looks cool too:

Recumbent folds at The Strangles

All these rocks were formed about 300 million years ago.

Things that make me go, "Hmm".  Fantastic.  Here endeth the geology lesson.

Sunshine on its way..

Sun and sand dunes at Bantham, Devon

Woohoo! There are yellow spikey balls on my weather web page!

How welcome you are, dear G2V star.

"it'll be alright in the end."

"it'll be alright in the end. If it's not alright, then it is not the end."

I could live by that. From the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.

Tavistock, Devon

Ancient Stannary town, gateway to Dartmoor and prosperous market town; home.  Soon to be inundated with children off school for the summer holidays, kicking off with the Carnival Parade this Saturday.

Tavistock West Street - from Vicinity Websites

Flood Barrier Video at Wells

Amongst other things, I do lots of marketing material and presentation for Flood Control International, including their website (as Vicinity Websites).

They've recently completed a replacement of the flood barriers in Wells-Next-The-Sea with a permanent glass system.  Here's a short video I've done which highlights the before and after look.

My thanks to Tom Jones (yes, really) of the Environment Agency who took the photographs.

That's better.

Just part of the job - Fording the River Exe

I've been photographing the beautiful area that is Exmoor recently.  I've known Dartmoor for years and haven't spent that much time in Exmoor; I'd forgotten its loveliness.  It's rather like a condensed version of Dartmoor with more trees.  Lots more trees.

Anyway, I had some fun driving off road around a shooting estate.  I crossed this river a couple of times and recorded one on my iPhone.

It's SO disappointing when I look at it again! The 2-3 ft water was lapping at the top of my old Land Rover Discovery bonnet, but you don't get to see that.  Indeed it looks a little pathetic.  Here it is, anyway:

I was granted an audience with the sun on that day.  Not sure why I like this image; I'm always drawn to trees and abstracts, but the softness was inviting.

Exmoor hedgebank - from Vicinity Websites

"It is impossible to live in a country which is continually under hatches! ...Rain! Rain! Rain!"

"Rain! Rain! Rain!" - a quote from Keats in his letter to Reynolds from Devon in 1818.  Not much has changed then.

Not that I moan about the weather, but this is the fourth year running that we have been deprived of proper summer weather.  As a photographer who relies very much upon a single excellent light source, ie the sun, it is corrosive.  There.  I've said it.

The Strangles

Here's a picture of fishing nets in a tangle, taken at The Strangles beach in Cornwall.  Always a source of fabulous beach combing, if you can stand the walk back up the cliff!

Good for abstract, bad for fishing - from Vicinity Websites

"But let us begin"

... a quote from John F Kennedy from his inaugural address in January 1961 seems appropriate.  You have to begin somehwere, no matter what the task, so here it is.

I hereby initiate the blog of Tavicinity by offering a few photographs to break the ice.

Grenofen

The River Walkham near Grenofen  - from Vicinity Websites

The Walkham gives a beautiful location for those who love trees, water and dogs that love to swim.

Brentor

Just as a reminder that, whilst we languish in what is probably going to be the wettest English summer since the history of Man, we use to enjoy sunshine of such brilliance, the colours would almost hurt.

Brentor Church, Devon  - from Vicinity Websites