Friday 16 March 2012

Nice Things




I feel in the mood for something entertaining today, so I rummaged through my picture file and found some nice things from interesting places that I feel happy to look at. Hope some of them will cheer you up too!

A photographer colleague, Jeremy Hoare (checkout his lovely pics here) is convinced that the future of travel "writing" is largely visual and cinematic. He uses this little movie as evidence, and I almost think he might be right. It's called The City of Samba from Jarbas Agnelli on Vimeo. This filming technique is known as tilt head video, featuring close focus and quick or slow motion, giving the impression that human life is really a video animation. I love it.


Now some of my own photos. Below, a ceiling in a mansion in Trieste.
I'd like one like this. It wouldn't go with my furniture, but I'd still like it. I mean, imagine that above your head.


Below, this rather surreal picture shows a steam train chugging out of a wood in Norfolk. But it's real. The place is Bressingham Steam and Gardens, and I recommend a visit if you like acres of beautiful gardens, or steam vehicles, or both (as I do).


My friend E's adorable dog in New York. All the time E was home, Maizy would run around full of beans and happiness. The minute E went out of the apartment, the light would go out of Maizy's life. She'd lie around with her feet up on the wall, just.... waiting.....

She really cracked me up, it makes me smile every time I look at this photo.




Since I had the Greek Santorini photos out, here's another (true colour) which shows the volcanic island of Santorini from an island in the caldera of the extinct volcano. At least I thought it was extinct but apparently it isn't. The ground was pretty hot and steamy, come to think of it.


Ah! twin babies! (not really) in the backpack ready to go!


Here's a photo of what I would MUCH PREFER to be doing today. I spotted this guy last month in Malaga, Spain.

Actually what I have to do today is organise permissions for the Japanese translation of my Lewis Carroll biography, research a proposal, and wade through a load of unutterably tedious legal stuff that just goes round and round in a crazy way till I feel like Alice, shouting "You're nothing but a pack of cards!"


45 comments:

  1. What nice post! That steam train is the best. Or maybe the boats on the impossibly blue sea.

    Your book will be translated into Japanese? :) Now that's what I call mega-cool. Then I can read about Lewis Carroll, written by a blogger I feel I've come to know a little bit via her blog, in Japanese! ^^

    PS: When? I guess it's going to take at least a year?

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  2. A bit over a year, the date in view is Summer 2013. I may even try to get over to Japan then. I'm really lucky with my translator as she knows a lot about Lewis Carroll. I won't be able to check the finished text of course, but I trust her to make a good job of it.

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  3. The Jeremy Hoare video was fun o watch . . . I had the sound turned down for my sleepy ones so I will go backand watch again. I want the ceiling view too . . . Great photos!

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  4. Ah the places you've been and seen.
    Sounds like a sequel to another famous Dr. Seuss book....

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  5. Terrific variety in these photos and they are all worth at least 1,000 words of not more.

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  6. That ceiling is wonderful! It would look a bit out of place in my flat, admittedly, but I'd still want it :-)
    As for the City of Samba, it was odd to see all people behaving ant-like and knowing exactly that I am, come to think of it, just one of those ants in my everyday life.

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  7. These are wonderful and I'm so glad you shared them -- and I have to say, that "Cards" is SO Alice! Love it best!

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  8. Oh, how great that your book is going to be translated. Worth all the effort with paperwork, I’m sure! I like all the differing shots, each with its own story to tell. The ceiling IS spectacular. To have it I would make a huge effort to find the right furniture. I watched the video (without sound) … fascinating, fascinating. It shows how rich and infinitely prolific life is. Loved the red umbrella dots. I’ve often thought life is much like a video game with new puzzles to solve each day. Right now yours seems to be the boring legal stuff! :))

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  9. Great photos, hubby would love the steam engine. :)

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  10. I adore taking photos of ceilings like that - yours is a beauty Jenny! Such artwork, it's beautiful.
    'Twin' babies - so cute.
    That is a beaut photo of the cyclist. Yes, you sound quite busy so I can imagine how you'd like to be going for a ride instead :D)

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  11. I love that ceiling! It would be evry overwhelming in any house but still a beauty! Love the dog too, looks like mine who enjoys sleeping on his back but he is much bigger!

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  12. Oh wow. The picture of the train is just awesome.

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  13. I used to go to Bressingham a lot when I was little...one year my brother won a season pass for us all because he could name all the Thomas the Tank Engine characters!

    Lovely collection of photos :D

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  14. Wow, I can't wait for your book about Lewis Carroll to come out here! Like Rurousha says, with some special attachment to them whose writer I know through blogging.
    The shot of the steam looks great, offers a good contrast with a rapid pace in the video.

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  15. I enjoyed that video (yes, it is amazing) and all your pictures. I would love to see Bressingham Steam and Gardens.

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  16. What an odd, entertaining little video! One of the oddest parades I've ever seen, too--LOL!
    Great photos. I especially liked the train and Maisy! ;) I hope you get everything done you need to today.

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  17. Mmm, a bike ride in Spring sunshine..bliss!

    Twins- my twin grandsons are "mirror image twins"..So each sees a real image of each other's face!

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  18. Love that ceiling in Trieste. I once flew into Trieste but only because the Venice airport was on strike. I wish I'd had time to explore.

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  19. Oh my gosh! I adore your photo of the steam engine! I just would love to be right at that spot, right now. And then I'd love to take on Greece. The dog story was delightful!

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  20. I love Bressingham - riding on the trains and the carousel! Maizy just looks so cute and huggable :-) Great photos!

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  21. Ah, that ceiling! It would inspire me.

    Lewis Carrol would have done well writing a caricature of a lawyer into wonderland, where they often seem to belong.

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  22. Hello Jenny:
    Yes, we ALMOST agree too about the film. It has a strangely surreal quality to it which does engage one's attention but how fully it informs or captures a sense of place we are unsure. What we do know is that we love your photograph of the ceiling in Trieste and can only imagine the joy of being able to look skywards up into it each day!!!

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  23. I would like to cycle along in that sunshine also.

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  24. Your picture of Santorini makes me want to go on vacation!

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  25. Oh Yes! How right was Lewis Carrol and how often one could do to shout "You are nothing more than a Pack of Cards"........it sorts everything out and into perspective - no?

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  26. Great pictures Jenny! I love the one of Maizy and your description of her behaviour. The one of the train in the meadow is lovely-like something from a children's story. The video is amazing-I watched it on my phone at lunch time so I must watch it bigger, but even tiny I could tell how amazing it was. The effect reminds me of the miniaturize one on my camera, with the blurring at the top and bottom giving that strange miniature feel. Very clever.

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  27. Steam Train! I would like to look at rather than ! to ride on.
    If the Japanese version of your book comes out, I will buy it.

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  28. oo love those boats in the harbor...and that vid is spectacular...love the cool effect it gives...

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  29. I want that ceiling too

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  30. Hi, Jenny! I feel the same with the Japanese bloggers how exciting to read the Japanese translation of a book written by one of beloved blog friends of mine. I think I know how you feel but calm down and tackle the procedure one by one. You made me smile by the dog photo and made me want to bike by the waterfront bathing the sunlight. Have happy days ahead.

    Yoko

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  31. lovely pictures and tales; i love Maizy - what kind of dog is she? the train reminds me of my uncle - he was mad about them; best of luck with the legalese and congrats on the success of it all

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  32. Aaawwwwwww at Maizy flopping like that waiting for Ellie.

    Double aaawwwww for the "twin" babies too. ^^

    Do all the boring legal stuff with the translation done yet? :)

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  33. I feel I should be commenting on all the exotic locations, but the pic that really grabbed me was the one of Maizy! That wonderful playing-dead pose cracks me up too.

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  34. Great photo's, make me want to take a trip and I just returned home. Afraid I'm coming down with a case of wanderlust.

    Darla

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  35. I always love these bits and pieces posts. I love seeing what's poking around in someone else's head. I love seeing what inspires and makes you happy. Happy St. Patty's Day, friend.

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  36. Your photos did make me smile and the video was amazing! Congrats on the translation of your book!

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  37. An eclectic collection of interesting photos Jenny.

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  38. What fun pictures! I would not have guessed that was a picture of a ceiling. I love it! Maizy is hilarious! Sounds like that dog is quite a character.

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  39. Much to my surprise I was mesmerised by the video. I have seen carnival pictures before but this, whilst not showing lots of detail, shows it in a way that I shall remember it although I've forgotten the others long ago.

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  40. Great post. I always love ceilings that are painted or designed. Cheers, Ruby

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  41. I thought the steam train would be my favourite, but then I saw the dog :-)

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  42. A really contrasting set of photos - I love the one of your friend's dog Maizy:) Santorini looks beautiful, I'd be happy to go to Greece again, it's a fabulous country.;

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  43. Jenny,
    What a wonderful news it is!! I cannot wait until summer 2013!
    Reading that you feel like Alice, I felt as if I were reading about Japanese bureaucratism and so complicated paper works to get permission.
    The first film is unique, where people are moving like in Gulliver’s world.
    keiko

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  44. These photos made me smile! Dare I admit I like the dog the best?

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  45. Hi, Jenny! Great pictures! Love all, but the first one is my favorite :o)

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