Day 181

Ok so I was going to take photos of the hospital this week and then my friend N turned up to show me his camera. We got chatting, time disappeared and then before I knew it I still hadn't taken my shot for today. Bugger.

Then the moths started to fly in attracted to the open window and the welcoming lights inside. I snapped this one before N removed them for me. I don't mind moths, but would rather not have them fluttering about my head whilst I'm trying to kip. Besides it made N feel like he was doing something useful. He is officially the Moth Whisperer.

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Day 180

With this being my last week at the hospital, I've suddenly spotted things that would make ideal shots. Typical! So I'll try and take some for the rest of this week

This is the spiral staircase that's round the back of the hospital and unfortunately is locked so you can't actually climb it. It's not the spiral that attracts me, but the degradation and rust.

I do seem to have a penchant for old decaying things.

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Day 179

This is fairly self explanatory.

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Day 178

I guess this could be sub-titled - "Gathering storm"

Not only is it hot and sultry, leaving us in need of a bloody good down-pour, I've got a week to pack and move. I'm going to work in Darlington for a few months until I go to uni (which will mean moving back to Bucks!). My next week will be sorting through stuff and seeing what I can travel with, what I'll put into storage until September and what I can live without. Storms are chaotic but cleansing and so will be this.

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Day 177

This may look like a simple photo. However it wasn't. I had to do it all myself. Focus, ISO, speed everything this represents a significant skill mix.

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Day 176

This is a shot of the lovely birthday present DQ gave me when she came to my exhibition on Tuesday.

It's a gorgeous bracelet made of beads which look black but are in fact a deep, deep red when they catch the light. Of course there was another reason why she saw it and thought of me ... she knows me so well!

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Day 175

This is today's offering.

It was a birthday present from my friend B. It's actually a necklace but I have it hanging from my window in my room because the crystal catches the light and it's beautiful.

I'm still high from last night and have been traveling back from Norwich so haven't had a chance to take a "fabulous" picture so I'm afraid this is as good as it gets.

Things should settle down and hopefully I'll post better shots in future.

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Day 174

Well kids this is it!.

Ok I grant you it may not look much but it looks better in the flesh and I'm delighted with it.

This is my final piece for college (although we had to move it after this picture was taken) and now after 2 years of hard work, I've finished. I'm officially an art student!. Next stop Uni.

My friend and I literally cried as we finally left the studio this afternoon as it hit us both. This is it. We have our private view this evening where we've invited family and friends to look at our creations and tell us how fabulous we are, while we all finally relax (with the aid of intoxicating liquor).

I thought I'd better post now before it becomes messy.

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Day 173

I was short of time today and far too tired/hot/stressed to think about anything artistic. I did want to play with an odd angle though so there you go. Not bad considering I forgot my camera and am having to borrow Mummy G's AND I have my final exhibition tomorrow! I promise there will be photos.

This does also mean that, bar the bun fight tomorrow evening, I've finished college! so no more rubbish photos on a Monday. (Although the rest of the week will remain the same).

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Day 172

"Patience"

This is a bit cheeky but I think I'll get away with it.

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Day 171

"Desolate"

This is one of the buildings in the grounds of where I live. They're nasty '60/'70's builds and have enjoyed minimum maintenance. For the moment it's home but there are days when I long for something with more soul (and more room). The word today captures my feelings on those days.

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Day 170

"Movement"

I tried several different things with this word but this was the shot I liked the most and the one that worked the best.

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Day 169

"Waiting"

I think this one speaks for itself.

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Day 168

The Internet was buggering about last night and I couldn't post this.

Anyway to business. "Precipitation". How perfect is the weather sometimes?! Yesterday evening the heavens opened and I stood under a big umbrella and snapped this. It took a while to get it the way I wanted but I got there eventually.

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Day 167

"Anticipation"

This was the studio this morning before we stripped it, painted it and started hanging our pieces ready for next week's exhibition.

For shot of the finished result you'll have to wait until then - anticipation.

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Day 166

This week I'm doing my word a day challenge - the words this week are being supplied by MB. (She of the fabulous day that was yesterday).

Her first word was "Blood".

Despite working in a hospital, I was obviously reluctant to use any of the red stuff. If nothing else, there's a hygiene factor to consider. I was walking around the outside of the hospital this morning, when I sat these poppies and realised how perfect they would be.

Not only are they obviously red, they are a symbol of the blood shed during WWI & WWII. Fields of Flanders that, after the bombing had finished, were swathed with masses of poppies who's seeds were germinated by the agitation the fields were under during the war. Since then the poppy has become the symbol of sacrifice, remembrance and hope.

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Day 165

Today I hung out in London with my friend M.

I love being in the same/familiar places with different people because they show you their favourite bits. M was no exception. She was also very patient when I wanted to photograph everything.

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Day 164

OK I know this is a late post but there is a good reason.

Last night was my friend C's first proper gig. Naturally we all went along to support him and hopefully we clapped and whooped in all the right places. The gig was great and he clearly enjoyed it and of course there was a post gig celebration.

C asked me if I'd take some photos of the gig which I was more than happy to do but knowing I'd be up early the following day (today), I decided that beauty sleep took priority over editing and posting - hence the late post.

Taking the shots was really interesting for couple of reasons. Firstly it was in a pub so the lighting wasn't the best. I tried not to use my flash too much because I find it deadens the image and you lose some of the "spirit" of the shot (does that sound wanky and pretentious?) However, if there wasn't enough light it made for a grainy shot. Grrr. Any advice guys would be gratefully received. Second of all, It involved taking shots of moving people which is my latest challenge. And finally I didn't want to let my friend down by doing a rubbish job.

This was a pre-set-up shot I took and I really loved it so made it today's picture. All that pre-amble for a line of explanation!.

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Day 163

I got flowers given to me at work today. It's the first time I've ever had this happen and it turned out to be really good fun!. It caused a bit of a stir in the department and I kept tight lipped about where they had come from - let them wonder!

Anyway this is them. They are beautiful and smell wonderful. I'm very lucky.

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Day 162

I had to use my old camera because I ran out of battery for my main toy. (must remember to switch it off when not in use!)

So I decoded to make use of the negative unction and this is the result.

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Day 161

Ok a bit of a cheat but I thought this may be fun.

How many of the 4 films can you name? A special bonus prize for getting bottom left and Britswitch is excluded because she knows how much I love this (and the book). I'll give you a clue though - it's not a film but a TV series.

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Day 160

I was at college today for our last day in the studio. To think in 2 weeks it'll be our exhibition -eek!. I was getting a bit stressed out with my piece so wandered over to my friend E, who was painting. She invited me to join in and this is what I came up with. It's a mixture of acrylic paints and oil pastels. This is only a small section of it and the overall piece did look more exciting in the flesh - honest. It was just what I needed. This was creating something that was removed from what I'm doing so was a joy. It didn't have to be right. I could be free.

It's also inspired me to do some more. Once the show is out if the way and I've got the summer "off", I may do more of these - either as textile stitched pieces or perhaps (if I like them enough) they'll be canvases for friends presents. I'm so cheap!

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Day 159

I'm not really a bag girl. I'll qualify that. I do satchel-y things filled with art stuff, my current reading book, a flask, iPod etc, but I don't really do sexy, glittery, girly bags. However, I'm at Mummy G's tonight and she does do bags. This is one of her latest acquisitions and I have to confess for once, I'm experiencing bag envy. It's a sexy shade of red that changes subtly with movement. I can't take it home with me (she may miss it) so I have to settle with photos.

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Day 158

Not a day or thrilling photos I'm afraid but I caught this one whilst out earlier in the day.

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Day 157

Ok first I'm sorry. I'm in the midst of finishing my exhibition piece, so have little time for proper photos. Some smart arse would shout from the back - "So take a shot of your work!" but I can't. I'm not being coy or evasive but right now there just ain't that much to it. This batch of work seems to consist of things. that will only make sense in situe - ie in my exhibition. However if you promise to be good, I may post a shot of that.

So in the mean time what have I been up to?. Well working like a mad thing all day. That'll teach me for taking two days off for my birthday. When I work I like noise. Usually it's a film in the background or something from my extensive CD collection. However sometimes I love an audio book. Being a frantic book worm, I'm sometimes too busy or too tired to read myself so this is a perfect compromise. (It's also perfect for 3am when I'm cursed with a bout of insomnia). My recent book is one that I fell in love with the first time I read it - The Time Travelers' Wife. Listening to it diminished non of it's power and I found myself sobbing through the last 2 CDs. This is a library copy which will undoubtedly be copied before I have to return it next week- then I can listen to it whenever I want.

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Day 156

I love this picture. It's more surreptitious photography but I've been able to capture the sense of bustle in a busy, international rail station. There were lots of similar but this was favourite.

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Day 155

I think this picture is fairly self explanatory!

I've had a fab day hanging out with Britswitch - relaxing, studying and going to a groovy gig this evening. Unfortunately I'd forgotten the gig tickets so having got into London this morning, I had to head back home for them. Grrrr. Another year older but certainly not wiser. Or as my one of my other friends pointed out - senility has set in early!

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Day 154

My lovely friend C snd his ear.

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Day 153

The sun was shining on the beautiful roses outside work today. This is one of them.

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Day 152

This is what happens when you remember to look up.

More specifically - looking up at the hospital where I work. This is the guard rail and balcony of the upper floors. I actually wanted to capture the blue of the sky today which was deep and perfect, however I didn't want to stick with just plain blue sky. There was little in the way of cloud and didn't want it to be boring so I decided to combine it with another subject I've been considering and what you see is the result.

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