Sun studies

Part I

I've always loved sun when it comes to graphics work. It doesn't matter if you have a nice camera or how many pixels you can cram in to your videos if there's no light. Artificial lighting is something I use to bathe my work in warm light, but nothing beats the sun.

There's no need for colour correction when you can manually take advantage of the brightness, the warmth and the depth sunlight can give you.

Not to mention connotations of sun and summer with acoustic and folk music which is my favourite. It can enhance moods and music as well as photos and video.

When I went to Spain earlier this year, I spent some time using a very standard Flip video camera and doing some hand-held capture of the sun. There was no real intention to use this footage, although coupled with some of my V Festival videos, I've made a video called 'Sun Studies'.

Part II

These have received no treatment in Photoshop, just plucked straight from the tree earlier today, so to speak.

Beautiful words woven together by Bon Iver

errant heat to the star
and the rain let in
the hawser rolls, the vessel's whole and Christ, it's thin


well I know that you'd offer
would reveal it, though it's soft and flat
won't repeat it, cull and coffers that
for the soffit, hang this homeward
pry it open with your love
sending lost and alone standing offers


it is steep, it is stone
such recovery
from the daily press, the deepest nest, in keeper's keep


all the news at the door
such a revelry
well, it's hocked inside of everything you said to me


it was found what we orphaned
didn't mention it would serve us picked
said your love is known
I'm standing up on it


aren't we married?!
I ain't living in the dark no more
it's not a promise, I'm just gonna call it


heavy mitted love


our love is a star
sure some hazardry
for the light before and after most indefinitely


danger has been stole away

-

I like the ambiguity of this music, everybody has to interpret this their own way. I actually think it's a turbulent love that has boiled up over time, but it's a treasured love and one that will last forever. And knowing that is a security. 


Bon Iver - Beth/Rest

Country drive

Went on another drive the other night. I needed to go out to Badby anyway, but I thought I'd come back cross-country, take the camera and see if there's anything much of interest in the Oxfordshire wilderness.

As it happens, I'm a crap photographer. I don't have 'the eye' for photography. Still, I can try.

Here's the route:

I looked at the map and then followed my nose home.. sniff sniff. I started the photography in Fawsley, I found a nice lake, but it's all grey, low light and the photos look rubbish. 

I trundled along at about 30mph just enjoying a nice evening, I can't even remember what playlist I had on.. think it was my V Festival list, which wasn't ideal but I hadn't planned ahead and I've exhausted some of my other Spotify favourites. 

Stopped in Canon's Ashby - never really appreciated what a lovely village that is. Wished I still had my motorbike, could have such fun in that area!

Bit of photoshopping makes any image presentable. I moved on some more and found an amazing skyline. Caught these birds over one of the Canons Ashby volcanos.

On the whole, my trip was very enjoyable. Will do it again in some scorching sunshine soon, but with uni and city life approaching... got to get as much of the country in me as possible!

V Festival!

Nothing beats a summer festival in England. Did Fairport a couple of weeks ago, the best weekend of the year without a doubt - and UB40 headlining and playing Kingston Town was the best moment of the year without a doubt! Saaaaad.
Aside from the folk and rock of Fairport, I did V festival last week. Actually this time last week I'll probably have been watching Aloe Blacc - who impressed me on a few levels. Firstly, for a new performer to have a variety of very good songs is great. He worked the crowd well, we were all dancing, and the jazz element to his music was fantastic.

That's one of the reasons why Olly Murs went down so well! Get some trumpet's involved and everybody starts moving - down with the trumpets ;)  My favourite performance from the weekend I think. I only went for the Saturday so I didn't see some of the fabulous Sunday acts, but for me, the energy for Olly Murs' performance was superb. And Rizzle Kicks came on stage!!! Down with the down with the!

Summer festivals are awesome when it's sunny. Sadly, the Essex sun couldn't hold out and a ridiculous downpour soaked us all.

Sticking with the music, I thought I was going to die during Example. The energy of his performance was outrageous! If you've seen any of the highlights you'll know what I'm on about. The whole crowd jumping and bouncing was fantastic - really fun show. 

However, the best act of the afternoon really took me back a few years. Back in my tender youth, the first two albums I remember buying are Bon Jovi - Have A Nice Day and Razorlight - Up All Night. I remember them both being ridiculously expensive, we're talking £14 for a CD - get. out. of. town. 

But seeing Razorlight, one of my all time loves, was surprisingly special - I didn't even expect them to cause me to be all sentimental! I was adamant that I wanted to see them, purely to join in on an America sing-a-long. I think another draw was having seen Example, Tinie Tempah and Dizzee Rascal still to perform, a true indie rock back in amongst the bass lines was really refreshing.

And Johnny Borrell's voice was just amazing. He has such clarity when he's live - like a more emotional album track. Wire to Wire may well have trumped Kingston Town

Live or live

I know these two look like owls, but a bit of live music on a Thursday
never hurt anybody.