Swindon An old one makes way for the young ones

Snowdrops in The Lawns

Fallen tree in The Lawns

Snowdrops in The Lawns

Fallen tree in The Lawns

Well what a lovely afternoon in Swindon it is. After the awful weather of late and even this morning it is just delightful if a little cold this afternoon. It is just like a spring day and as such areas of The Lawns in Old Town Swindon are covered in Snowdrops and they look lovely. This is in stark contrast to the old trees that succumbed to the recent storms and wet weather.
Just goes to show though the circle of nature. For me photographing the dead is as important as the living.

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Swindon is also affected by the floods.

Coate Water floods

Coate Water floods

Coate Water floods

Coate Water floods

Coate Water floods

Swindon has got off quite lightly in all of the recent storms and flooding. The weather has been awful at times but I believe we have not had it as bad as a lot of the South West. However there are pockets of flooding here. I pass this particular flood at Coate Water everyday whilst out running. Thankfully it is only the underpass and not the road as well.

Lets hope the weather now starts getting a bit better.

Trees damages during St Judes storm in Swindon

Tree damage Swindon

Tree damage Swindon

Tree damage Swindon

Tree damage Swindon

Tree damage Swindon

Tree damage Swindon

Swindon got off really lightly last night during the St Judes storm that has caused a certain amount of havoc elsewhere in the South of the UK. There is lots of leaves and smaller branches all over the place and it is very wet under foot but very few trees have been blown down. This is one of them though. In The Lawns.

Swindon Regents Circus Progress

Swindon Regents Circus

Swindon Regents Circus

Swindon Regents Circus

Swindon Regents Circus

Swindon Regents Circus

Swindon Regents Circus

Swindon Regents Circus

Swindon Regents Circus

Swindon Regents Circus

Swindon Regents Circus

Every time I pass Regents Circus, which is quite a lot these days, it seems that the construction site and the building itself has doubled in size, it is really impressive how quickly the site is progressing. So as today has been such a gloriously sunny and warm day I thought I would take the camera and take a couple of shots. Now these are from outside the site as I do not have permission (yet) to go on site, but I am working on that one.
However it is balanced out by the really old part of the Old College which is a lovely old building and will be preserved but as yet nothing has been done and it just looks very sad. However it is far more photogenic (in my opinion) than the new one at this point in time. And so I ended up taking more shots of the old building than the new. What I would give to go and have a wander around inside the building as it is before the developer gets in there and it all changes.

Swindon Big Summer Session The Audience

Summer Session Swindon

Summer Session Swindon

Summer Session Swindon

Summer Session Swindon

Summer Session Swindon

Summer Session Swindon

Summer Session Swindon

Summer Session Swindon

Summer Session Swindon

Summer Session Swindon

Summer Session Swindon

Summer Session Swindon

Just a small selection of images of the audience from the two days of The Big Summer Session in Swindon.

Now I am not going to repeat what I said in the other post. But I am going to say I thought the audience were absolutely great. Despite all of the weather problems all of the people I spoke to were happy, enjoying themselves and having a jolly good time. It is so nice to watch people enjoying themselves.

A success if you ask me.

Swindon Big Summer Session the Artists

Summer Session Swindon

Summer Session Swindon

Summer Session Swindon

Summer Session Swindon

Summer Session Swindon

Summer Session Swindon

Summer Session Swindon

Summer Session Swindon

Summer Session Swindon

Summer Session Swindon

Summer Session Swindon

Summer Session Swindon

Summer Session Swindon

Summer Session Swindon

Summer Session Swindon

Just a small selection of images of the artists from both days of the Big Summer Session.

Now I know and appreciate that there were lots of complaint about different things and I really can not comment other than I know for definite that the organisers did work extremely hard to make it a success. There was so much hard work going on behind the scenes that people dont see and are to ready to complain. And of course there was the weather. It was awful but what can you do about it. It was an outdoor event and this is Britain.
After years and years of racing (running and duathlon and triathlon) that there is nothing you can do about the weather so you just have to go with it.
I did get really worried about my camera gear at one point. Mine and others cameras got very very wet and I for one got quite worried about them failing and long term damage !!!!!

So I for one apart from the weather on sat say it was a success and say thank you to the organisers for putting it on.

Swindon Britain From Above Event at Wharf Green

Britain from Above Swindon

Britain from Above Swindon

Britain from Above Swindon

Britain from Above Swindon

Britain from Above Swindon

Britain from Above Swindon

Britain from Above Swindon

Britain from Above Swindon

Britain from Above Swindon

Yesterday I spent a fun couple of hours at the Britain From Above event in Wharf Green Swindon. The event was put on by English Heritage to introduce the public to the archive of 1.5M images of Britain taken from the air and yesterday was specifically images of Swindon from the air. The event which was organised by http://kirstyhebersmith.com/ for InSwindon and despite the cold weather was a great success. For me it was nice to see that once some of the older ‘kids’ had decided it was not embarrasing to get involved and make paper aeroplanes that they actually enjoyed it, so well done to all the children and adults that launched in and enjoyed themselves. (Launched in, did you get it)!!!!! 🙂
Jokes were never my thing.
Anyway another thumbs up for Swindon.

Sunday Project – No More

Well no photo of Sunday anymore. Why? I have been carrying out quite a bit of research and despite it being only the 4th Sunday of the year I have decided to bin it because it is not providing any benefit to me or anybody else. Stats are showing very few hits on those posts and to be honest I can understand why. There is no theme and is therefore completely random and unless I am on another assignment then I am just taking an image just for the sake of it with very little thought behind it. With very little information around the photo, why it was taken etc then why would anybody actually be interested in reading it.

What I should be doing more of is explaining things and why I do them, how I do them etc.

So as a start, I did a small photo shoot this morning. It was only mug shots for the person to send off as part of his profile as part of a competition. It was carried out in a gym, (in the squash court to be precise) where lighting is just awful. And short of getting the flash and umbrellas out it was a case of the ISO at 3200 and hope for the best. I just did not feel happy with the results which prob will suffice for what it was for but I just did not feel satisfied. Which at the end of the day is what it is all about for me. I have to feel emotionally involved in what I am doing and I didnt. Is that true of all professional photographers? I dont want to just earn money and not feel as though I have not done a good job.

So this blog is going to go back to the Swindon News/Photojournalism and I am not going to try to combine other things with it.

Likewise I am going to re-design my website to provide a better experience, better show case for my better images from both the UK and Spain and try to make it more interesting.

Swindon Stops – Swindon Plays in the Snow

Swindon in the Snow

Swindon in the Snow

Swindon in the Snow

Swindon in the Snow

Swindon in the Snow

Swindon in the Snow

Swindon in the Snow

Swindon in the Snow

Swindon in the Snow

Swindon in the Snow

Swindon in the Snow

This morning there has been a heavy snowfall in Swindon which has caused many schools and businesses to close. Roads to be blocked and closed and I am sure a fair few accidents. I spent a cold and wet couple of hours wandering around Lawn Woods and part of Old Town and these are just a few of the many images I took. I may even go out again later, depending what is happening.
There were plenty of both adults and kids out enjoying the time off from school or work.