God Save the Queen

Southampton has a long and famous association with great Cruise Liners. The local economy derives a great deal from these superb vessels, and many locals take a great pride in "their" ships even though they may never have seen the insides of one. One of the greatest of them all is the Queen Elizabeth the Second. Today she left Southampton for the final time before heading to her new home and conversion to life as a floating hotel in Dubai. The people of Southampton bade her a very fond farewell. Today we also marked Armistice Day, 80 years on from the end of the Great War. The two minutes silence was marked by the dropping of one million poppies over the QE2, a fitting act for a ship that had served during the Falklands conflict. In 1982, she carried 3,000 troops from the Fifth Infantry Brigade and 650 volunteer crew to the south Atlantic. She was refitted in Southampton in preparation for war service, including the installation of three helicopter pads and the transformation of public lounges into dormitories. The Queen Mother, on board the Royal Yacht Britannia, welcomed her home. The Captain of the QE2 responded to the Queen Mother's welcome: "Please convey to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, our thanks for her kind message. Cunard's Queen Elizabeth 2 is proud to have been of service to Her Majesty's Forces."



Named as the successor to the Queen Elizabeth, the QE2 is named in honour of the Queen Mother, not Queen Elizabeth the second, and (confusingly) was launched by Queen Elizabeth the second in July of 1967. She weighs in at 70,327 tons and is 963 ft (294 m) long. While much smaller than modern cruise ships, she has a far more elegant visage than most. As she came into Southampton this morning she carried 1.700 passengers and 1,000 crew. Amongst the guests on board for the events throughout today was HRH Prince Phillip. While the eyes of many were on the QE2 those on board were taking in all that was going on around them.



Around 1:40pm the QE2 was given an aerial salute by a Harrier Jump Jet, another truly magnificent piece of engineering. The sense anticipation of seeing such an amazing machine over Southampton water, was more than matched by the reality. If only a photo could convey the sheer noise of the Harrier! The pilot flew her with grace and poise and it was a great way to celebrate the QE2's place in history.



The celebrations continued into the evening with the QE2 leaving her berth at 38/39 and the Queen Elizabeth 2 terminal to acknowledge the crowds at Mayflower Park and to be waved-off with a superb fireworks display. The noise of the explosions and the sounding of what seemed like every ship in Southampton's whistles made sure that even those who had not been able to see her off in person knew that this great lady of the seas was bidding a final farewell to her home of nearly 40 years. She will be greatly missed.

I Am The Sea

Is it me, for a moment?


Much of the time when I head out to take photos I make for Lepe Beach, one of my favourite places near Southampton. Just a stones throw away (well a couple of miles)is Calshot, with its activities centre, shingle beach and views dominated by Fawley power station. Having decided to put the Bronica camera to more use, I loaded up with several rolls of film both monochrome and colour slide film. (The slides will make an appearance here when they come back from being processed)



It was a glorious autumn afternoon with clear blue skies and dramatic side-light from the slowly setting sun. I hoped the sun would bring out plenty of detail in the landscape. I used Ilford Pan F, which is a low speed film sacrificing speed for very fine quality. Using the Bronica is a very tactile process. Manual focusing, hand-held light meter readings and careful composition using the focusing screen make this a very considered approach. Just 12 shots per roll of film makes you work harder before pressing the button.



The use of a tripod and using non-zoom lenses makes you think more about your subject, and is initially a constraint. That constraint actually becomes a freedom and liberation of the mind, freeing you to avoid the obvious and tune yourself to a different way of seeing. The last picture in this series to be taken was the picnic table, a shot which shouted out to be taken. It will be interesting to see how the slides turn out, as working in colour seems so different after a couple of hours of tuning into a monochrome view of the world. I'm also going to think about applying some toning effects to these images, so you may get to see them again in a different way soon.

A Day In The Life

Seventy years ago life was very different, Society was very different, the world was very different. Pretty much everything we use on a daily basis or have come to rely on so much either didn't exist or has changed unimaginably. Cars, phones, computers, food, jobs, clothes. All so different then, and Europe was on the brink of repeating the unthinkable and plunging into another catastrophic war.

When I visited Normandy in June for the D-Day commemorations, many things struck me. Looking back on it now four months later, and reviewing the hundreds of pictures I took, I can trace how my thoughts changed over the few days we were there.

Initially I was attracted to the restored vehicles, and the people dressed in period attire. The lives of a time long gone recreated today. I'm not sure I fully related to these people though. I didn't (and don't) understand their reasons for doing this. Not so much with the vehicle side of things but with the fatigues and uniforms.

So I started to train my lens and my mind on the details themselves. They seemed to offer an authenticity that could not be matched by the people playing at being soldiers. I removed the human element almost entirely or used it as a backdrop or almost a mannequin. Not interested in the person, but selective parts of their clothing or equipment or vehicles. Telling the human story without any actors taking a leading role; the props were the stars in a way.


Soon in the trip we started to visit some of the cemeteries. The enthusiasm for guns and tanks and jeeps overshadowed by the reality of what War means. The sheer scale of what is before you. The challenge to your capacity to understand death on such a large scale. The care and pride that is taken in their upkeep. The surreal beauty of the place and the grief felt for so many giving their lives.

The shadow of death loomed over every beach, and at every crossroads. The Normandy of 64 years ago seemed so tangible, and I felt a great sense of sorrow and inadequacy. We are so far removed from that reality, yet it forced itself into my consciousness. I could not have done what those men did, I could not have been what they were.

It was whilst paying our respects to the dead that we started to see more and more of the living. Those who must feel a memory return with every footstep they take on the land they trod once before. These men became the story of D Day for me over the rest of the trip. The services and parades we witnessed showed a mixture of pride and sorrow. Of triumph and of loss. The story of all the men whose lives changed so much, written on the faces of those still with us. Each one a unique story. Each one a unique set of memories and emotions. And each one both a challenge and an inspiration.

Back to Basics

2008 has not been a very productive year, as far as my life goes and with my photogrpahy too. I've bought a couple of cameras that I've yet to use in anger, and am using that as a spur to greater discipline when it coems to my photography. Hopefully I'll be able to show you the results from this soon.

One camera that continues to inspire me though is my Holga. For those of you who don't know its about as far away from digital perfection as you can get without making your own pin-hole camera!

The results are unpredictable, focusing is a guess and the lens is probably made from recycled lemonade bottles. At best....

And yet...

And yet it's a delight. Image making, like life, isn't about perfection. It's about feelings and emotions and discovering new ways of seeing things. On a recent trip to the Isle of Wight I visited Dimbola Lodge, an excellent photo gallery.
I took the time to head to Freshwater Bay, with my Holga as my companion.

And together we had a perfectly great time. Simple. Calm. Unhurried. He's a good friend that little plastic chap. I should make good friends with his mates the Lomo and the Bronica.