adetorrent; photography, lifestyle.

Try saying the title 5 times very quickly ;)

Derelict, even putrid are some places in this city.   In other places, it is a ferocious eruption of colour.

I've got gas. Fortunately for my coworkers, and fellow travellers on the London Underground, it isn't the kind you are thinking of. GAS, is the acronym for the self-explanatory phrase photographers lovingly coined - 'Gear Acquisition Syndrome'.  This is what kicked off the frenzy. Spotted in a bag full of old dirty rubbish cameras in an antique market, the big red shutter button stood it out amongst its peers. I 'acquired' it, based solely on its good looks, and its solid feel in the hand. The research came after, as did the blind hope that it would actually work. The Agfa Optima Sensor Electronic is basically a 60's point and shoot film camera made of plastic coated metal. It has a descent fixed prime lens 40mm f/2.8 which I later realised was quite standard in its heyday. Two awesome things about this camera; the shutter release is a huge red button that is a delight to press, and the viewfinder - huge, bright and fantastimogorical!   Read more...

The laws of physics appear to have been suspended in London as more and more master the art of levitation.  We know Santa has magic, but how is the copper fellow doing it?

Christmas is well and truly over. The festive shops, the Winter Wonderland and other such ‘Bavarian’ markets dotted around the city. All done and dusted till next winter. However, London is well known for its many, many, many markets with street food from all over the world on offer. So while holidays are over, the street food persists.

'Twas the night before Christmas, and the skies were grey.  It was tolerably cold, fresh really, and rain was imminent. That's a tautology of sorts - it's England, rain is always imminent. Looking out the window, there wasn't a soul in sight. 'Perfect' for a bit of photography. I mentioned in the post before about my two somewhat informal projects. The second project is 'Trees'. I'm obsessed with them. Their beauty, ever presence and ability to give us a window into the past.  I am photographing a bunch of trees through the seasons of the year and winter time is my very favourite time because of the leaflessness of them. I love particularly how they silhouette against the sky - grey, blue or golden. There wasn't a single person in the park that day. There was an eery mood, made more intense as i started to rain.  I didn't care much about my camera as it was a pretty old beaten up Practika BX20 flim SLR loaded with Lomography Lady Gr...

It's that time of the year when people make resolutions they will most likely end up not keeping.  Photographers are no exception. This is the time many make resolutions to 'shoot more', 'go back to basics', 'use just one camera', and so on. It is also the time many start up their personal photography projects - some with the hope of growing as a photographer, and others for just the sheer adventure of it all. The 52 rolls project is a popular one. The idea is to shoot 52 rolls throughout the year - 1 roll a week.  I've had a look through a number of those and sure enough, you can see steady improvements in skill as the project progresses for many. Even seasoned pro photographers often embark on these fun projects and do learn new things, or develop new techniques or come to new realisations about life itself.  The right photography project has the potential to be more than just a project, it could be a spiritual journey for some. True story. A...