tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23872313072411123332024-03-13T03:38:27.438+00:00Fallen Through A Lens A photography and life blog. Expect pictures of domestics, nature and food. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102530877545710766noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387231307241112333.post-30489566181842251732015-01-18T15:00:00.001+00:002015-01-18T15:00:13.289+00:00New Year | 2015 | Recovery Project + RPI- leave my body <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Late to the party, as always. I’m
sorry this post is so late, I’ve got two excuses: one is that I prioritised
myself and two) lack of access to a computer with internet. So sorry. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Around November time last year, I
decided on a phrase called the “Recovery Project” but hadn’t really defined it.
Just before then, my anxiety peaked, and I begged Neil to let me come back home
from Lanzarote. It was more a lesson than an opportunity, but it made me really
realise how ill I’d become. I knew my anxiety was out of control. Then things
went kind of wrong and I ended up a little homeless, and developing depression…
but I have housing now, and I’ve been getting some help. Since things have been
falling apart a bit, and I’ve had a lot of help, support and resources, I’m
trying to get better. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So for 2015… or at least
indefinitely I am beginning the “Recovery Project.” I didn’t want to give
myself too much pressure with deadlines or anything so there’s no real upload
schedule. I will try and make it regular though since it is a progress thing
and it’s important to me to create content, which I haven’t really been doing
much. OKAY, okay, what is this “Recovery Project”?? It will be a written and
visual journal of my (hopefully) recovery from anxiety and depression. It’s
personal, so everything will be posted exclusively HERE, and a few photos will
make it onto Flickr. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This leads on nicely to my first
RP post:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">RPI – Leave my body <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jt8A4GiIGmc/VLvJkz8yP4I/AAAAAAAACUQ/srnb6HuH0mc/s1600/surreal%2Bpic.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jt8A4GiIGmc/VLvJkz8yP4I/AAAAAAAACUQ/srnb6HuH0mc/s1600/surreal%2Bpic.png" height="482" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">7<sup>th</sup> January. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">(Okay so the photo in my head was
beautiful, and what did I actually make? This surrealist monstrosity. I don’t
know… I just played with masks and textures and ended up with this. I suppose I
can’t help myself. I tried to make it look like a sort of screen cap? Did it
work?) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The first week of 2015 was fairly positive,
because I made it so. That’s right – I can take charge of how I see things. I
got a few anxiety self-help apps on my phone, my friend introduced me to a
facebook group for young people with chronic illnesses, and I found out my
application for ESA was accepted. All good things. I’ve been trying to improve
my self-esteem by making myself smile in a mirror every day for no reason;
smiling has been psychologically proven to improve your mood even when you’re
not in a good mood. I’ve started to eat what I want, and remove my unhealthy
association with feeling bad and eating. Part of my recovery/resolutions is
having a word for the year, and mine is “CARE.” – self-care, care about others,
care about the world. While eating what I want probably isn’t the best way to
self-care (it’s not healthy really, way too much macaroni cheese), I’m doing a
bit of a Liz Gilbert and indulging myself before doing things healthily and
right.</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">L x </span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102530877545710766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387231307241112333.post-77738949189185400742015-01-01T21:24:00.001+00:002015-01-01T21:24:19.931+00:00Favourites of 2014<div style="text-align: justify;">
Doing something a bit different for the New Year: a favourites post! I didn't want to dwell on the year as it wasn't the best and decided instead to think about the things I did enjoy. You'll get to know me better, anyway! I'll post more about 2015 later this week, so watch this space. </div>
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<span style="color: magenta;">Fave TV show:</span></div>
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Shall we start with one of the hardest questions? Sure. I have watched so much TV this year, but most of it are second seasons of shows (2014 was good for that too). </div>
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I'm going to say that <b>SUPERNATURAL</b> is my favourite show of the year. Season 9 was so. good. I think it may have broken me with its emotional rollercoaster, and I felt it especially sharply as I have marathoned seasons 1-9 in just over a year, and was able to watch Season 10 (which started in October 2014) as it aired! (Waiting for episodes is horrible)</div>
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<span style="color: purple;">Honourable mentions: IN THE FLESH (Oh god Season 2 was a cinematic masterpiece and it definitely comes second), Orphan Black, Orange is the New Black, Game of Thrones. </span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta;">Fave Song:</span></div>
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It's not the best song that's come out this year but for me it's <b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfWlot6h_JM" target="_blank">Shake It Off by Taylor Swift.</a></b> It's got me through a lot of difficult moments, and it's so catchy? And I kind of like how Taylor Swift is making fun of herself/the media. </div>
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<span style="color: purple;">Honorable mentions: Take Me To Church by Hozier (I know it didn't come out this year but it came out in the charts this year), Anaconda by Nicki Minaj</span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta;">Fave Film:</span></div>
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Oh god this one is also really hard. I'm going to say <b>The Hobbit: Battle of Five Armies</b> because I love the entire franchise. It's also really sad though and I spent a good half hour through the whole credits crying and being the second last person there while my boyfriend 'aww are you okay'ed at me. </div>
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<span style="color: purple;">Honorable mentions: The Hunger Games Mockingjay part I, 22 Jump Street, Guardians of the Galaxy, How to Train your Dragon 2 </span></div>
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<a href="http://blogs.independent.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/goldfinch-large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://blogs.independent.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/goldfinch-large.jpg" height="200" width="129" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: magenta;">Fave book:</span></div>
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This is the first question where an answer came immediately: <b>The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt.</b> Rarely have I enjoyed a book so thoroughly where there is not a lot of plot. And I ate it up. Wholeheartedly. </div>
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<span style="color: purple;">Honorable mentions: The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness, Gone by Michael Grant, 1984 by George Orwell, Clariel by Garth Nix (I'm sorry all I read was Dystopian novels, but they were so good)</span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta;">Fave make-up product:</span></div>
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I only got a magazine sample of it, but I FELL IN LOVE: <a href="https://www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk/product/view/theyre-real-push-up-liner" target="_blank"><b>Benefit's They're Real: Push Up Gel Eyeliner</b>.</a> At £18.50 it's expensive but it so easy to apply (despite being confused and dubious at first. You squeeze the eyeliner out, so that just sounds dumb right? Wrong, it's magical). </div>
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<span style="color: magenta;">Fave face/body product:</span></div>
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Okay so I've only used this product like, twice? Because it's my friend's, and I borrowed some when I stayed over, but I WILL buy it since it's perfect: <a href="http://www.boots.com/en/Soap-Glory%E2%84%A2-Peaches-and-Clean%E2%84%A2-3-in-1-Wash-off-Deep-Purifying-Cleanser-200ml_1364166/" target="_blank"><b>Soap and Glory's Peaches and Clean Cleanser</b>.</a> It smells of peaches, but not like, regular peach shower gel - more like you're rubbing a real, cut peach on your bare face. It is so fresh and a little weird but it's addictive. I am becoming a bit obsessed with peaches lately since another friend got me Body Shop's Peach Shower Gel for Christmas as a half-joke (my surname is Peach). </div>
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<span style="color: purple;">Honorable mentions: Superdrug's Soothing Green Tin Lip Balm in Aloe Vera </span></div>
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Let me know what you've enjoyed in 2014 and what you'd recommend! In the meantime, I'll write that next post. </div>
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L x </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102530877545710766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387231307241112333.post-45905988898074531322014-11-11T16:13:00.002+00:002014-11-11T16:13:19.231+00:00Cinder and Smoke<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
On the 5<sup>th</sup> November,
Britain celebrates Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Bonfire Night, for a man
named Fawkes tried to blow up Parliament (He was pretty unhappy with the
Monarchy and government) 400 years ago. He was caught however and executed for
treason. Nowadays we mark this anniversary by having a fireworks display and
burning things. A lot of the time I forget whether we celebrate because he
failed or because he nearly succeeded! I’m clearly an anarchist, haha. <o:p></o:p></div>
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This year I went to a fireworks
display in a huge park with hundreds of other people, and my friends Natalie,
John and John’s friend Matt who stayed in Leeds for the night. It didn’t seem
the same to me though, as I never seem to have my own perfect bonfire night. I
miss the ones I went to when I was younger, where you’d sit on hay bales on a
muddy farm, eating burgers or jacket potatoes in front of the fire. I do
remember being very bored on those nights though, as I had no one to talk to
and for some reason we stayed there for hours. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I very recently discovered my
copy of Photoshop has RAW editing which is so exciting! I haven’t used RAW in
years. If you don’t know what RAW is, it’s just an editing program/file type
that allows you to do advanced editing without changing the original file at
all, so you don’t lose it through editing. I love it, it’s so easy to use and
enhances pictures further and quicker than just editing in Photoshop. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PJBGOUxXSXU/VGIz-3-zcaI/AAAAAAAACSM/RUwHgXiqpWo/s1600/bonfire%2B4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PJBGOUxXSXU/VGIz-3-zcaI/AAAAAAAACSM/RUwHgXiqpWo/s640/bonfire%2B4.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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L x </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102530877545710766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387231307241112333.post-61059632409256566252014-10-19T17:22:00.000+01:002014-10-19T17:22:18.311+01:00Tropical World, Leeds <div style="text-align: justify;">
Last month I went to Leeds for a few days to visit my friends Natalie and John for the first time since we finished university. We went to the Trinity shopping centre and I ate the most amazing spinach and lentil veggie burger at the Handmade Burger Co. (Natalie had the chicken), and even better, they had like 8 vegetarian burger options??? I usually completely flee burger places since they rarely cater for vegetarians, but I am definitely coming back here. We also went for a walk in Roundhay Park, went to a bar/club called Carpe Diem for drinks one night and a place called Tropical World. Tropical world holds butterflies, birds, exotic plants, meerkats, a reptile room, aquariums, bats, sugar gliders and so many more. Definitely go check it out if you're in the Leeds area, it's opening a cafe soon so you might be lucky and get lunch there too!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7nXdRsdBqg0/VEPJS67gdLI/AAAAAAAACQ4/8q9TvDxktaI/s1600/butterfly%2B2%2Btropical%2Bworld.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7nXdRsdBqg0/VEPJS67gdLI/AAAAAAAACQ4/8q9TvDxktaI/s1600/butterfly%2B2%2Btropical%2Bworld.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5PJZf75h5CM/VEPJWZ0FO4I/AAAAAAAACRM/o1mDk--v23U/s1600/hands.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5PJZf75h5CM/VEPJWZ0FO4I/AAAAAAAACRM/o1mDk--v23U/s1600/hands.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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It's very hot and humid though and my lens kept fogging up :( Also photographing butterflies was so difficult as they were so fast and I couldn't get my camera settings right - I stuck to auto in the end.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ycvp6-Z-CVI/VEPiKeWs1oI/AAAAAAAACRg/w5LAYPBt584/s1600/fish.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ycvp6-Z-CVI/VEPiKeWs1oI/AAAAAAAACRg/w5LAYPBt584/s1600/fish.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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It was so much fun, I love animals and really liked the opportunity to photograph them, even if they were in enclosures/behind glass. It was good practice for next time. I only brought the /1.4 so I have some very short-focus shots, like the fish, so I'll try the standard lens and see how that holds up. I'd like to mix artistic styles with nature photography though, so this was my first experience with that. </div>
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L x. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102530877545710766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387231307241112333.post-39946139915853061182014-09-16T00:14:00.000+01:002014-09-16T00:14:53.790+01:00Summer in Scarbs II <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CzEIOPoUf-0/VBdj17wSk_I/AAAAAAAACQc/LiU5rjmLxUs/s1600/busy%2Bbee.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CzEIOPoUf-0/VBdj17wSk_I/AAAAAAAACQc/LiU5rjmLxUs/s1600/busy%2Bbee.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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I moved away from Scarborough about a month ago now, and there are many things I didn't like about it. The seagulls, the weather, the neighbours, the lack of clothing shops. But now that I am not going back, I'm missing a lot, such as the sea and my old GP and living near my friends and being within walking distance to everything I needed. On the brighter side, I'll be able to live somewhere else near these things again some day. </div>
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Bye, Scarbs <span style="font-size: xx-small;">thanks for the degree</span> </div>
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L x </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102530877545710766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387231307241112333.post-33256124487943076672014-08-28T13:57:00.004+01:002014-08-28T13:57:53.737+01:00Summer in Scarbs I <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Some photos I don't know what to do with. All taken in Scarborough this spring/summer. I didn't feel like uploading them to flickr. Let me know if you think I should though or if you like them :) </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hRaBIvu5QGU/U_8jnLUXfnI/AAAAAAAACPQ/Yu89URPioj0/s1600/sunrise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hRaBIvu5QGU/U_8jnLUXfnI/AAAAAAAACPQ/Yu89URPioj0/s1600/sunrise.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
Sunrise in July. The seagulls woke me up one morning and I decided to get up. I wasn't disappointed.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lUykZL4SL1M/U_8juj2Tf8I/AAAAAAAACPY/yqj020eh4_U/s1600/hayley's%2Bchicken%2Bnoodles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lUykZL4SL1M/U_8juj2Tf8I/AAAAAAAACPY/yqj020eh4_U/s1600/hayley's%2Bchicken%2Bnoodles.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
Hayley's chicken noodles. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RB820SYjKfY/U_8kWAp4jtI/AAAAAAAACPg/jSeUqFpnhbE/s1600/IMG_2100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RB820SYjKfY/U_8kWAp4jtI/AAAAAAAACPg/jSeUqFpnhbE/s1600/IMG_2100.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a> </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-clDcO7rSExQ/U_8k0OFZKFI/AAAAAAAACPo/38Qq8QfZyo0/s1600/IMG_1530.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-clDcO7rSExQ/U_8k0OFZKFI/AAAAAAAACPo/38Qq8QfZyo0/s1600/IMG_1530.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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L x.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102530877545710766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387231307241112333.post-25547473872474879972014-08-25T18:19:00.000+01:002014-08-25T18:19:00.089+01:00Summer's Ending I graduated university in July, which was both fun and upsetting. I said goodbye to my friends, and to the town I called home for 3 years. My university experience wasn't really the crazy social life that most people have, I was one of those boring sensible types who had mental breakdowns in the uni library when I had 3 essays due in one week (seriously we all nearly died). Even though I didn't go to many parties I did make some really good friends, friends I miss a lot now we've all left the little seaside town we spent university in. I learnt how to do so many things, such as cook and use a washing machine, go to appointments on time and live on my own. I gained confidence and skills I might not have otherwise, and made so many mistakes I couldn't even count them! (Maybe I'll share some with you one time...)<br />
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I stayed in Scarborough for the rest of my flat tenancy and then moved back down south to my brother's house, as he's let me stay with him a few months. My parents house wasn't really an option.<br />
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Right now, it's been raining all day and I can see the drops splashing on the patio. The shrubs in the garden are so green, so lush, so obviously English. I'm moving abroad. In six weeks I'll be in Lanzarote, working as a photographer for a hotel. Me! In the Canary Islands! As a photographer!<br />
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Wish me luck!<br />
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L xAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102530877545710766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387231307241112333.post-35766592525959869022014-08-15T16:12:00.001+01:002014-08-15T16:12:03.522+01:00Let's Talk About: Mental Health <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
I spend far too much time on tumblr so here are some tags/triggers so you can go on reading safely - contains: #suicide, #depression, #self-harm mention, #anxiety </div>
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So, as you probably are already aware, <span style="font-size: large;">Robin Williams passed away recently</span> (suspected suicide) and it really shocked and upset myself and many of my friends, as it has Williams' family, friends, colleagues, and admirers. I, for one, was unaware of Robin Williams depression, as were many, and it really highlights how "invisible" an illness depression is. Robin Williams was a great part of my childhood, playing in Mrs Doubtfire, Hook, Flubber, Dead Poets Society and many other favourites. The perhaps fortunate thing to have come from the media coverage of this is that it's triggered a surge in conversation about mental health (yes, I am also aware of how the media has wondered whether covering suicide somehow glorifies it, but I'm not getting into that today). </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My friend Faith has written <a href="http://www.kettlemag.co.uk/article/reflections-robin-williams-and-mental-health" target="_blank">a very insightful article on the situation and depression in gener</a>al,</span> and puts many of my own thoughts more succinctly than I would have written them. To add to that, depression is often a chemical imbalance of the brain, meaning that outside circumstances have no effect whatsoever on that person's wellbeing or perspective. <b>From the NHS health websi<span style="font-family: inherit;">te: "<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Some people still think that depression is trivial and not a genuine health condition. They're wrong. Depression is a real illness with real symptoms, and it's not a sign of weakness or something you can "snap out of" by "pulling yourself together"."</span></span></b></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">This in particular, has made me consider my own mental health, as <b>I have Seasonal Affective Disorder </b>(Winter Depression), and anxiety. I have had SAD (What a beautiful acronym, right?) for about 5 years, but I've only had treatment for it in the last three. Depression is very very horrible, and since I suffer it most in the winter, I particularly dread the run-up to Autumn since I know it'll be coming. I have it to the point that even in the summer months, if the weather is bad, I'll find it hard to get out of bed. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Before I was diagnosed with it, I heard a lot of nasty comments about my behaviour, from calling me lazy for not getting out of bed or doing anything; antisocial and moody for not interacting with people or activities, and I know I got people down by struggling to be positive or even smile. People would say, "you can't be depressed, you're laughing now" and I would question it myself. I would google seasonal affective disorder in my school breaks and be convinced I had it (self diagnosis does work sometimes!) yet nobody would take me seriously. <span style="font-size: large;">When I did finally go to the doctors about it, I got turned away from several, muttering, "Well you do have the symptoms of depression, but we don't think you have it, because you don't seem to."</span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Stigmatisation of depression extends to when you're on medication for it as well. I constantly get tutters and 'advice' such as "Anti-depressants are bad for you, you shouldn't be on them, take vitamins instead." <span style="font-size: large;">If I were to get out of bed each morning, brush my hair and walk out my door without them, don't you think I would be doing that? Do you think I chose this?? Do you think Robin Williams chose this? </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Thankfully, thank God, I have never been anywhere near suicidal, or self-harmed, but I know people personally who have, or have attempted either, and it is heart-breaking. <b><i>If you or someone you know feels like this, <span style="font-size: large;">PLEASE TELL SOMEONE.</span> Someone will always be able to help you, from a friend or family member or doctor/therapist/counselor or teacher. </i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">My photography archives, interestingly, don't go back past 2011 (What a shame. I had my pictures from 2009-2011 on my college harddrive and I forgot to take them off the system when I left so they were wiped :c), so here are some photos I've taken in the past which were about depression. </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-002WhTyCNW8/U-4Y4UpLzNI/AAAAAAAACOs/COmr9a7ToTg/s1600/week%2Bthree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-002WhTyCNW8/U-4Y4UpLzNI/AAAAAAAACOs/COmr9a7ToTg/s1600/week%2Bthree.jpg" height="418" width="640" /></a></div>
2011: While I was doing my A-Levels, when my depression was particularly bad. I got an A* for this piece in my photography class, because it conveyed "so much emotion."<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mLYiQrotegs/U-4W1ZQCO_I/AAAAAAAACOE/MV1FdkgbDTE/s1600/SAM_1073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mLYiQrotegs/U-4W1ZQCO_I/AAAAAAAACOE/MV1FdkgbDTE/s1600/SAM_1073.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
2012: When I got diagnosed with SAD. Wilted. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FG0cuqMnkG0/U-4YrC1k4kI/AAAAAAAACOk/AJ8LsVx8704/s1600/edit%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FG0cuqMnkG0/U-4YrC1k4kI/AAAAAAAACOk/AJ8LsVx8704/s1600/edit%2B2.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
2012: The alternate edit is on my Flickr, named "Winter Kind of Washes Me Out."<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MfqDSacbb7k/U-4Yj5iYVTI/AAAAAAAACOc/-tFcHcNLnUg/s1600/goodbye%2Bapathy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MfqDSacbb7k/U-4Yj5iYVTI/AAAAAAAACOc/-tFcHcNLnUg/s1600/goodbye%2Bapathy.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
2013: This autumn coincided with a break-up from a long term relationship. Everything suffered. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Lc9qALhJ0vQ/U-4YhPX3D8I/AAAAAAAACOU/VaEbgtvZ9kg/s1600/alexithymia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Lc9qALhJ0vQ/U-4YhPX3D8I/AAAAAAAACOU/VaEbgtvZ9kg/s1600/alexithymia.jpg" height="640" width="428" /></a></div>
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2013: I tried experimenting with a technique here (sort of failed oops). I couldn't think or speak that winter. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_QcLnz1zEKE/U-4W3VPWKFI/AAAAAAAACOM/8WP3nO40j_U/s1600/depression.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_QcLnz1zEKE/U-4W3VPWKFI/AAAAAAAACOM/8WP3nO40j_U/s1600/depression.jpg" height="296" width="640" /></a></div>
2013: Probably my most visual expression? I drew and painted a personification for depression and scanned him into the photo. A lot of people were upset and exasperated with me, but I think after this photo they kind of understood without my having to say anything (I couldn't say anything.)<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-13xAwQqsBEs/U-4hKWPDLUI/AAAAAAAACO8/x-hT-sEE4LM/s1600/rainy%2Bday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-13xAwQqsBEs/U-4hKWPDLUI/AAAAAAAACO8/x-hT-sEE4LM/s1600/rainy%2Bday.jpg" height="464" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">EXCLUSIVE! >>> Unpublished photo I did 2014. Named "rainy day". I tend to think of depressed days as "blue" or "rainy days". I like to use pixelation to convey wrongness or anxiety/sadness.</span> I didn't upload it to flickr because people I previewed it to didn't like it.<br />
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L x.<br />
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[Sorry this is so rushed, I've been so so busy recently and I have to go out tonight, so apologies! This has been on my mind for a couple of days but I only just got time to sit down and write it! xxx]Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102530877545710766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387231307241112333.post-41831308465091009832014-07-21T15:28:00.000+01:002014-07-21T15:28:44.115+01:00Art Imitates Life?<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
I've been thinking a lot about which direction to take my photography in... and to be honest, I'm still a little lost. <span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">I want to be one of those photographers who take beautiful, imaginary scenes that have been made through creativity and photoshop.</span> Something from a dream, perhaps, or a fairytale. I get ideas of such photos, sometimes I even write it down, but I never go ahead and achieve it. It just stays in my notebook, just an idea. I'll marvel at people's art work, because no-one can deny that it is art, beautiful photographic fine art. For example, these beautiful pieces: </blockquote>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A5SWDtmOAW0/U80aEmNW0YI/AAAAAAAACMs/OyPE05ZOwMw/s1600/rachel+baran.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A5SWDtmOAW0/U80aEmNW0YI/AAAAAAAACMs/OyPE05ZOwMw/s1600/rachel+baran.png" height="167" width="400" /></a></div>
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Rachel Baran</div>
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Sarah Stewart</div>
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Gina Vasquez</div>
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But then, I don't create that kind of photo. <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">My heart makes me take pictures of things around me, of places and people and little things</span>.</span> I take too many pictures of food and flowers and my duvet. Sometimes I'll take a picture purely because of the colours, or the aesthetic. I fall in love with film photography, even though it is getting more expensive and more difficult to print. I fall in love with bokeh, and clothes, and people's smiles. I like photos which make something seemingly ordinary look beautiful. Photos which show life as beautiful, because really, everything can be beautiful. </blockquote>
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However, life isn't really beautiful. I've been a hazard lately, so busy with everything, missing appointments and saying goodbye to friends and filling in government forms and crying late at night about how much a mess everything has been. I look at art every day but I haven't made much in weeks. I'm slowly coming round.<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">I <i>will</i> make something out of nothing. </span></span></div>
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I know this is probably stupid, but I worry that my photography isn't art? I mean, of course, I consider it such, but others might think I'm just taking pictures of things, that anyone could do. </div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">You know those Modern Art museums which most people (including myself sometimes, guiltily) think, "I could do that"? That red circle on a blank canvas? "I could do that". The sculpture of a bin full of rubbish? "That's not special, I could have done that." etc etc. Isn't that what everybody is afraid of? Doing something that someone else could replicate, or worse, have done before? Being cliche or unoriginal? Well, I worry about that a lot. I forget who, but somebody said,</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;"><b>"You could have done that? Yeah, but did you? No."</b></span></span> </div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;"> in response to Modern Art. I think it applies to any art really. It should be remembered. </span></blockquote>
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Even though I love imaginary pictures, I tend to leave my escapism for books and films and the internet! My photographs are more of a exaggerated diary, to show people how I feel and what I see and experience. Exaggerated because I only show what I want to, really. Pictures speak louder than words they say. </blockquote>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-otNOjBQkVIg/U80S9iiPosI/AAAAAAAACL0/uz6MRy-VPU8/s1600/Neil.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-otNOjBQkVIg/U80S9iiPosI/AAAAAAAACL0/uz6MRy-VPU8/s1600/Neil.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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____________. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YpH4U-GJnxI/U80XvfPbsKI/AAAAAAAACME/RxjDSEFd5Gw/s1600/sea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YpH4U-GJnxI/U80XvfPbsKI/AAAAAAAACME/RxjDSEFd5Gw/s1600/sea.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a>. Sin Titulo <span style="text-align: justify;"> </span></div>
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Some recent photos of mine, since I haven't been able to put them up on my blog. What do you think? <span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">Do you prefer digital manipulation or simple pictures?</span> Let me know in the comments. I love both, but I think I might be veering towards the simple pleasures. </div>
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L x. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102530877545710766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387231307241112333.post-44286637830359640872014-07-21T12:43:00.000+01:002014-07-21T15:22:49.259+01:00Featured Monday: Rona Keller Featured Monday is back! #4<br />
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Rona Keller is twenty-three years of age and currently living in the South of Germany, where she is also originally from. She met fame in 2009/2010 with her "52 weeks" project on DeviantArt and Flickr, and has since done lots of projects, worked and travelled in France, England and Germany. Her work is varied, from self-portraiture to still life and nature. </div>
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"After finishing school in 2010, I spent five months in France, worked a little and then took up my studies in Visual Communication. Memories of what I have done and felt during all that time have become extremely important to me, and taking photographs wherever I go allows me to remember all that means something to me — whether it ends up staying in that special place in my heart or not. The photos I take are my diary, full of experiences, people I love, places I went to and my everyday feelings."</div>
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<b>Q .What inspires you? </b></div>
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"My answer to this question is always quite simple: Life. As mentioned above, I really just take photos of whatever I find worth remembering and thus want to capture and express in a visual form."</div>
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(All images used with permission :)) </div>
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<b>Q. Who inspires you? </b></div>
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"Lately I have been falling in love with lots of film photos that inspire me on a daily basis, here are a few people who took them: Danielle Hughson, Daniel Farò, Millie Clinton, Megan Corkill, Joe Curtin, Cassoday Harder (those last three are my long-time favourites)."</div>
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<b>Q. What advice would you give beginners?</b></div>
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"Whatever it is that makes you happy about taking photographs (or any other art or form of living), go for it!"</div>
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Rona can be found on<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ronaaa/" target="_blank"> Flickr</a>, <a href="http://instagram.com/rona_keller" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, her <a href="http://ronakeller.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">blog</a>, her <a href="http://www.ronakeller.portfoliobox.eu/" target="_blank">website</a>, and <a href="http://rona-keller.deviantart.com/" target="_blank">Deviant Art</a>. </div>
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L x. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102530877545710766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387231307241112333.post-47277267528438842562014-06-18T16:07:00.000+01:002014-06-18T16:07:59.672+01:00Early Bird Film <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Sorry for my absence, but I've just finished university and had a lot of issues to deal with this month. So yeah, I now have a degree in English language and literature, although I don't know the grade yet. Recently I had the pleasure of discovering <a href="https://www.facebook.com/amamakphoto" target="_blank">Amamak photography</a> and have been completely inspired. I love the combination of fashion and vintage in their work. I decided to have a go with my old Holga 135, but sadly, 3/4 of the pictures I took didn't come out. I'm still new to film, although I was able to sort out my composition a lot better than last time thanks to an <a href="https://www.flickr.com/groups/lomo/discuss/72157607231453253/" target="_blank">old flickr thread</a> explaining that you should aim higher than what you actually want to photograph. Which seems very wrong at first, but it appears to have worked. </div>
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I took indoor photos, which didn't work at all, and a few others didn't turn out either. However, I managed to scan these success stories and upload them here:</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hOh6KGZ6VxY/U6GjQD6w0MI/AAAAAAAACKo/MX3Nv41DDwU/s1600/bag+edit.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hOh6KGZ6VxY/U6GjQD6w0MI/AAAAAAAACKo/MX3Nv41DDwU/s1600/bag+edit.png" height="422" width="640" /></a></div>
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(These photos have been retouched in Photoshop to match their original, more accurate colours, but otherwise are unedited)<br />
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These are my last photos from the Holga, since it's temperamental nature isn't very cost effective. Hopefully I'll be able to invest in a Polaroid instax 210 next!<br />
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What do you think? Hope you're all having lovely summers (or winter!).<br />
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L x. <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102530877545710766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387231307241112333.post-81674897414029494362014-05-21T17:11:00.001+01:002014-05-21T17:11:30.119+01:00On My Shelf<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Inspired by this video by 'booktuber' Sanne (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3p7Dn-7Rp_E" target="_blank">original</a> here, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjunzLSIqYw" target="_blank">second one</a> of Sanne's here):</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/jyP4FiMrMDw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">I thought I would do a blog post version of this! I know this is VERY different to what I usually post, but I wanted to inject some life into an otherwise badly neglected blog. I've been absent for quite some time unfortunately, but I've almost finished university (gasp, shock/horror) so my schedule has freed up a little. If you didn't already know, I really love reading, I own a fair amount of books, but have hardly any bookshelves! Which is pretty lame, right? If you want to know what I'm reading, you can follow me on twitter or goodreads. Hope you enjoy this post, and let me know if you would like any more like this! </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Bookshelf 2 - 5 = <b>The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins </b></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RGg8h0isb3o/U3zNVjdSsVI/AAAAAAAACJs/aajYV70QtAM/s1600/thg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RGg8h0isb3o/U3zNVjdSsVI/AAAAAAAACJs/aajYV70QtAM/s1600/thg.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">If you're interested I have a very emotional book review of THG on my Goodreads (Be warned, only read if you've read the book! Spoilers!) so I shall give you a spoiler-FREE description of it. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">I have the series in these pretty covers (the second editions or something?) which I adore. THG book was raved about immediately back in 2009/2010, although I didn't get round to reading it until 2012. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">The Hunger Games, in case you don't know (really? you haven't seen the film yet?), is about a dystopian America wherein there are 12 districts which are controlled by the first, called the Capitol. They lead a competition named The Hunger Games, where two candidates from each district must compete to the death. The protagonist is Katniss, who is unfortunately, rolled into it all. It's quite a good series, although the writing in the first one really does my head in, it's quite bad. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">3/5 </span><span style="color: yellow;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Android Emoji', Symbola, serif; font-size: 26px; line-height: 33px; text-align: center;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Android Emoji', Symbola, serif; font-size: 26px; line-height: 33px; text-align: center;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Android Emoji', Symbola, serif; font-size: 26px; line-height: 33px; text-align: center;">★</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 17px;">Bookshelf 1 - 9 = <b>The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks </b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 17px;">Where would any nerd/zombie killer/worrier be without their trusty Zombie Survival Guide? I got the regular-book sized version, although there's probably a big and pocket version too! There are many different editions of these two! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 17px;">This fun (scarily hypothetical) handbook covers how to survive from shelter, weapons to use, how to travel and what to wear to survive a viral zombie attack (the book also covers different types of zombies, so don't fret if the world is subject to a 'The Last of Us' endemic!). It is the sister book to World War Z (which I also have a copy of), which is well worth a look if you fancy it. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; line-height: 17px;">4/5 </span><span style="color: yellow;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Android Emoji', Symbola, serif; font-size: 26px; line-height: 33px; text-align: center;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Android Emoji', Symbola, serif; font-size: 26px; line-height: 33px; text-align: center;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Android Emoji', Symbola, serif; font-size: 26px; line-height: 33px; text-align: center;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Android Emoji', Symbola, serif; font-size: 26px; line-height: 33px; text-align: center;">★</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Book shelf 1 - 5 = <b>Hamlet by William Shakespeare</b> </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--2nQ916E3Ss/U3zOEy-qvLI/AAAAAAAACJ0/EPvjAY3SjXo/s1600/hamlet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--2nQ916E3Ss/U3zOEy-qvLI/AAAAAAAACJ0/EPvjAY3SjXo/s1600/hamlet.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; line-height: 17px;">Ah, Hamlet. Everybody has heard of this play, but probably not read it. My edition is part of the Penguin Classics beautiful collection of blue illustrations on white. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; line-height: 17px;">Basically Hamlet's dad, the King of Denmark, dies, and Hamlet (questionably) sees his father's spirit who claims that his brother killed him. Driven almost to insanity, Hamlet spends the majority of the play wondering whether to believe him or not. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; line-height: 17px;">I would definitely recommend, or if you would rather see David Tennant's pretty face enact the play, watch the RSC play on youtube. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; line-height: 17px;">4/5 </span><span style="background-color: white; color: yellow; font-family: 'Android Emoji', Symbola, serif; font-size: 26px; line-height: 33px; text-align: center;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: yellow; font-family: 'Android Emoji', Symbola, serif; font-size: 26px; line-height: 33px; text-align: center;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: yellow; font-family: 'Android Emoji', Symbola, serif; font-size: 26px; line-height: 33px; text-align: center;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: yellow; font-family: 'Android Emoji', Symbola, serif; font-size: 26px; line-height: 33px; text-align: center;">★</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 17px;">Book shelf 2 - 8 = <b>Les Miserables by Victor Hugo </b></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xxDsUJ4G4J4/U3zPYc-kqxI/AAAAAAAACKA/zILThzQ0Nqs/s1600/les+mis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xxDsUJ4G4J4/U3zPYc-kqxI/AAAAAAAACKA/zILThzQ0Nqs/s1600/les+mis.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">I can't really review this book since I haven't got round to reading the BRICK that is 900 pages long! But I absolutely adore the 2012 film and the 25th Anniversary live musical versions, so I can't wait to read this. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 17px;">Bookshelf 4 - 5 = <b>Dracula by Bram Stoker </b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 17px;">Can you tell I like Gothic/fantasy fiction yet? Haha. The best vampire novel of all time, probably. I have a terrible cheap edition of this novel (lovingly eyes up the Penguin Hardbacks version), I'll have to update it sometime. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17px;">The beginning of the novel is a bit slow, but once you get past that it is really exciting. Much better than film adaptions, even if you feel like you know the story, check out the novel anyway! </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17px;">5/5 </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: yellow; font-family: 'Android Emoji', Symbola, serif; font-size: 26px; line-height: 33px; text-align: center;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: yellow; font-family: 'Android Emoji', Symbola, serif; font-size: 26px; line-height: 33px; text-align: center;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: yellow; font-family: 'Android Emoji', Symbola, serif; font-size: 26px; line-height: 33px; text-align: center;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: yellow; font-family: 'Android Emoji', Symbola, serif; font-size: 26px; line-height: 33px; text-align: center;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: yellow; font-family: 'Android Emoji', Symbola, serif; font-size: 26px; line-height: 33px; text-align: center;">★</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">And I'm going to tag <a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/link/blog?blog=4599623&frame=1&frame_type=b" target="_blank">Natalie's Book Blog</a> to do the same! Your numbers are 1 - 7 /3 - 6 / 2 - 2 / 4 - 10 / 3 - 8 </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">L x </span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102530877545710766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387231307241112333.post-67801466884377986162014-05-21T15:00:00.000+01:002014-05-21T15:00:49.175+01:00Get To Know Me: Liebster Award Nomination<h4 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">written 3rd March 2014. published 21st May 2014. </span></b></h4>
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Oh wow, I got nominated for a Liebster Award. I've seen this floating around people's blogs and never thought I would get one, so thank you. I was tagged by Natalie at<a href="http://brokestudentfashion.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank"> Broke Student Fashion</a> (who you should really check out if you're into making your own clothes/fashion and beauty). I'm not one for tagging on this blog, but I've been convinced, haha, so here goes: </div>
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.790000915527344px; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">How long have you been blogging and what inspired you to start?</span></i></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"><br /></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Erm, depends on what you define as "blogging." Informal blogging I've been doing for about four years, but this blog I started last summer. I decided to start this one because I wanted another platform to show my photographs and stuff that wasn't the necessarily finished work that's on Flickr. I'm still branching out, experimenting with what goes on this blog so we'll see. </span> </span></span></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">What is your alcoholic beverage of choice?</span></i></b><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></b><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">Haha well, I am <i>very </i>partial to fruit cocktails - mojitos, daiquris, bellini, you name it. I also like Rose/White wine, fruit ciders, and alcopops. Basically anything fruity and sweet. Anything. </span></span> </div>
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<blockquote style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="font-style: italic;">What is your favourite pet - cats, dogs or something else?</b></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">Bunnies and cats. Forever and forever. I can never decide on whether to get an indoor Netherland dwarf/lop rabbit OR a fluffy kitty such as a Ragdoll or Munchkin! I really like rodent pets though, so hamsters, chinchillas, rabbits, we're good. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">Back at my parents we have a lot of pets, but currently they have my cat (She's all old at 12 years now bless her), four chickens and two dogs. </span></span></span> </span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span></blockquote>
<blockquote style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"></span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b style="font-style: italic;">Do you wear makeup every day?</b></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">Not at all! I only actually started wearing make up AT ALL last year? So I'm still at that terrible experimental stage that most people go through at 14. If I had the time and patience I would wear make-up daily, but sadly it's not yet. </span></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></span></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"></span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b style="font-style: italic;">Where would your dream holiday destination be?</b></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">Well, St Lucia Wetland Park in South Africa is my paradise. I went there two years ago and it was the most relaxing, amazingly hot and interesting place I've ever been. It's got beach, animals, restaurants and free wifi, what more could you want? </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">More generally though, I prefer places with sun and cultural interest, so I can spend mornings site-seeing or visiting museums and the afternoon tanning! </span></span></span> </span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span></blockquote>
<blockquote style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"></span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b style="font-style: italic;">Have you ever tried vlogging? If not, would you ever?</b></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">I'm very hesitant to admit I have, and it is a lot, lot harder than I imagined it would be. I've only done 2 videos. Ideally I would like to revisit filming and actually vlog on youtube. Maybe later this yea<b style="font-style: italic;">r. </b></span></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"></span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b style="font-style: italic;">What is something that scares you?</b></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">I'm scared of being out of control. </span></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></span></div>
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<blockquote style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"></span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b style="font-style: italic;">Where do you see yourself in five years time, both personally and professionally?</b></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">Well, I would be 26... which sounds awfully old to me, right now (apologies for my friends and relatives who are that age and older haha!). Personally I would like to have a stable income, at last! I would like a proper house or apartment full of my own things. I would hope to have made some progress with my photography and maybe not be alone? I really don't have high expectations, wow. </span></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></span></div>
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<blockquote style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"></span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b style="font-style: italic;">How would you describe your clothing style?</b></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">Hmm, well I seem to swing from "girl-who-likes-indie-folk-music-and-takes-pictures-of-her-food" look to the "girl-who-wants-to-look-edgy-and-girly-at-the-same-time-but-lacks-the-funds" look. I like florals, pastels, black, interesting leggings, over-sized knitwear and flat shoes. I do try and express myself through my clothing, so it tends to change with my mood! </span></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></span></div>
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<blockquote style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"></span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">What book have you read and enjoyed recently? </i></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">I haven't had much time for reading lately, but I'm enjoying A Clash of Kings by George R</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">R Martin :) </span></span></div>
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<br />
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">I'm unfortunately not in much of a blogging community since I hardly ever blog (:/) but I really recommend these photography blogs (a teeny sample of the ones I read!):</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/link/blog?blog=3958251&frame=1&frame_type=b" style="line-height: 20.790000915527344px;" target="_blank">Gina Vasquez </a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/link/blog?blog=3696612&frame=1&frame_type=b" target="_blank">Rosa Joy</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/link/blog?blog=10020215&frame=1&frame_type=b" target="_blank">Ksenia Kylkova</a>, </li>
<li><a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3785850" target="_blank">Kitty Gallanaugh</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/link/blog?blog=779073&frame=1&frame_type=b" target="_blank">Caitlin Worthington</a> </li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<span style="line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">L x </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102530877545710766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387231307241112333.post-13541803908304150672014-04-21T17:24:00.002+01:002014-04-21T17:24:44.038+01:00Print Giveaway!<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Hello! </span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hhu9z0jBl-0/U1VFtujPWXI/AAAAAAAACJQ/C5lzBTTauXY/s1600/flowers+print+text.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hhu9z0jBl-0/U1VFtujPWXI/AAAAAAAACJQ/C5lzBTTauXY/s1600/flowers+print+text.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I'm doing a print giveaway on facebook and and Flickr, where you can win up to three prints of your choosing from this selection: </span><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/leilapeach/sets/72157644231151273" rel="nofollow nofollow" style="background-color: white; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">https://www.flickr.com/photos/leilapeach/sets/72157644231151273</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I ship internationally, and there'll be</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> THREE winners:) I'll contact those winners by facebook or email. Prizes are:-<br />winner: one 10"x8" print and two 6"x4" prints of their choosing.<br />runner up one: three 6"x4" prints of their choosing.<br />runner up two: two 6"x4" prints of their choosing.<br /><br />To ENTER:<br />The winners will be chosen by a random number generator so the more you do the more likely you'll win!<br />1. Leave a comment on flickr (HERE:<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/leilapeach/13952822451/" rel="nofollow nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">https://www.flickr.com/photos/leilapeach/13952822451/</a>) on which ones you'd like to win<br />2. Like my facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Leigh-Anne-Peach-Photography/489960371052716) and tell me you have done so<br />3. Leave a comment on my facebook page letting me know which ones you'd like to win.<br /><br />Giveaway ends 4TH MAY 2014 - GOOD LUCK!!! xxx</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102530877545710766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387231307241112333.post-60489180995526446662014-04-14T18:54:00.001+01:002014-04-14T18:54:55.643+01:00Spring-Time <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QYAe49ltCmI/U0wanzrdQcI/AAAAAAAACIs/2ioMpZWjm-c/s1600/me+and+natalie+full.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QYAe49ltCmI/U0wanzrdQcI/AAAAAAAACIs/2ioMpZWjm-c/s1600/me+and+natalie+full.jpg" height="440" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Natalie and I went into the woods by the cliffs and did a silly little fashion shoot which involved many more stupid outtakes than actual usable photographs! I was kind of going for fairies with eyeliner freckles but I'm not really sure how successful it was.<br />
<br />
I've also been spending my time studying for university, with my boyfriend and friends hanging out, and of course taking photographs. It's strange because looking through my folders, spring is my least documented season. Perhaps it's because I'm always busy in March/April, or lack inspiration (winter does that to me). I mean how many photos can you really take of blossom trees?<br />
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(Garden flowers) </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z7EgQUZeNUo/U0wfQT_lxEI/AAAAAAAACJE/H-8Azx17uUU/s1600/canada+geese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z7EgQUZeNUo/U0wfQT_lxEI/AAAAAAAACJE/H-8Azx17uUU/s1600/canada+geese.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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(Canada Geese at the pond) </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tMyf6UAUYQU/U0wamCZmIXI/AAAAAAAACIk/SAwor2iyKnc/s1600/birthday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tMyf6UAUYQU/U0wamCZmIXI/AAAAAAAACIk/SAwor2iyKnc/s1600/birthday.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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(The cake I baked Neil for his 21st Birthday) </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wbQLEQyF7k4/U0wam5hLsrI/AAAAAAAACIo/3SUw9n83t5I/s1600/natalie+fin+one+layer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wbQLEQyF7k4/U0wam5hLsrI/AAAAAAAACIo/3SUw9n83t5I/s1600/natalie+fin+one+layer.jpg" height="582" width="640" /></a></div>
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(Natalie looking up at the trees) </div>
<br />
On reflection, this winter has been particularly turbulent for me, as I had to deal with a lot of my problems myself. I don't mean no one would help me, I have wonderfully supportive friends, but rather I was the only person who could deal with the problems. Things like sorting out relationships with people, maintaining my health, keeping up with university work and managing the household chores. Standard daily activities are hard when the days are so short and dark. But! April brings the arrival of spring, finally.<br />
<br />
Spring and autumn are seasons of change, and spring in particular is a precursor to change in the academic calendar. All students know this. And this spring, is my final spring as a student. Being in a slump lately has seriously damaged my work ethic, but with the bright, windy days of this month, I've brightened up considerably. Although I'm not particularly religious, I've always liked Easter. It's nice to celebrate fertility and spring, rebirth, a fresh start; lambs and chicks are born, the daffodils and crocuses come out, and the days get longer, and of course, all that chocolate!<br />
<br />
I hope you are all having a wonderful Easter and/or break (if you're still in school/college)!<br />
<br />
L xAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102530877545710766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387231307241112333.post-31335735154904868692014-03-31T16:00:00.000+01:002014-03-31T16:00:00.545+01:00Featured Monday: Rosa Furneaux (Rosa Joy)#3<br />
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This week's feature is of Rosa, known mostly as 'Rosa Joy' on Flickr. She's only 22, but has traveled, studied and volunteered in many countries (England, Tanzania, South Africa, New York, California etc) and continues to go further. Hailing from my own home county in England, I have always felt a close affinity to her work and experiences. Rosa's photography is mostly documentative, but she also has experience in portraiture and conceptual work. She has been featured in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.259741194052406.86800.109590815734112&type=3" target="_blank">numerous online publications</a> and a couple of art galleries in England. Rosa's earlier work, such as her <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/aida_e/sets/72157622294773737/" target="_blank">52 weeks project </a>and <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/rosas-one-hundred-days-of-summer/" target="_blank">100 days of summer</a> series have been featured in other publications in the past, so I've decided to showcase her more recent work here.<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Q. <b>What inspires you?</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
“Big changes in my life are often catalysts for my
own photographic creativity. Figuring out where to go next, falling in love,
travelling. At the moment I am living in California, 5000 miles away from my
home in rural England, and I shoot almost every day. An impending sense of loss
‘inspires’ too; I fly home in about four months, and my camera is one of the
best ways to preserve the things I’ve found here.”<br />
<br />
Q. <b>Who
inspires you?</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
“At the moment, my biggest inspirations fall
somewhere between the worlds of fine art photography and photojournalism. My
own work is settling somewhere in this space while I graduate, although
eventually I would like to work as a photojournalist. Kate Holt, Luc Delahaye,
and James Nachtwey are particular favourites. Closer to home, I’ve found
great friendship in young photographers from all over the world through
photography sites such a Flickr. Of these, particular inspirations are Rona
Keller, Lexi Mire, Laura Zalenga, Elizabeth Gadd, and Ana Luisa Pinto.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>In my personal work I also take
inspiration from Julianna Swaney’s beautiful illustrations, and I’ve recently
become reacquainted with work by Gregory Crewdson for a darkroom project, which
has been a real joy.”<br />
<br />
Q. <b>Do you
have any advice for beginners?</b><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Shoot
lots, shoot often, but shoot with a critical eye. Find what you like and
explore it in depth. Keep an open mind, listen harder to constructive criticism
than flattering internet praise, remember Google is your friend, and always
quote your source. The camera doesn’t make the picture. Travel as much as you
can.</span>”<o:p></o:p></div>
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You can find Rosa on <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/36087356@N07/" target="_blank">FLICKR</a>, her <a href="http://rosajoy.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">BLOG</a>, her <a href="http://www.rosajoy.com/" target="_blank">WEBSITE</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/rosajoyphotography" target="_blank">FACEBOOK</a> and <a href="http://instagram.com/rosajoyous" target="_blank">INSTAGRAM</a>. </div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102530877545710766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387231307241112333.post-11524651919259956932014-03-17T19:40:00.000+00:002014-03-17T19:40:17.349+00:00Featured Monday: Caterina Neri (Violaselvatica*) #2<br />
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Caterina, mostly known as Violaselvatica* on Flickr, is 23 years old and Italian. She is currently trying to bring her photography to a professional level, along with illustration. She specialises in macro and portraiture photography, often depicting scenes of home or nature.<br />
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Q. <b>What inspires you?</b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"My biggest inspiration is life itself. I find inspiration in nature, music, feelings, emotions, sensations. I'm fascinated by moments of unique beauty: a certain kind of light, mood...I'm grateful I can capture them with my camera."<br /><br />Q. <b>Who inspires you then?</b><br />"I'm always amazed by the great talent I see in people who create for passion. Whether It's a photograph, a painting, a music piece, I feel privileged to see such talent arise. I enjoy watching talent come to life in beautiful works of art.<br />Some of my favourite photographers and artists from the past truly inspire me too."<br /><br />Q. <b>What would you advise beginners?</b><br />"I think I still have to learn a lot :) the only advice I feel like giving is...if you love doing something, don't stop. Don't quit it because maybe someone thinks it's "wrong" for you. Protect your passions and your dreams, cultivate them, because your heart resides in them.<br />More specifically for photography: Take photos, take photos and take photos! This is the best way to understand what's your "call". What you prefer to portray, how and why. This is the most natural way to start creating a connection with your inner "photographic eye/view". "</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Caterina can be found on <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/96863414@N03/" target="_blank">FLICKR</a> and <a href="http://instagram.com/violaselvatica" target="_blank">INSTAGRAM</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102530877545710766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387231307241112333.post-72856256050645700612014-03-14T16:00:00.000+00:002014-03-14T16:00:06.110+00:00Sea Portrait - behind the scenes <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Hey! </div>
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This month has started off Spring with beautiful sunshine and mild weather. I went for a walk with my friend <a href="http://withlovefromopal.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Faith</a> last week to the seafront, and had a good time playing on rocks and having a late lunch in town. Despite living by the coast I rarely take photos of the sea, so I thought I'd change that a bit (since I'll be leaving this summer)! </div>
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This first photo of Faith was a composite of nine photos in the end, and you can see how I began the rough stitching of it together here. It took me hours and hours editing, and I'm fairly inexperienced in layer masks and cloning so I found it very difficult and frustrating. It's not nearly perfect but it's really the best I can do with the limited free time I have (university work is so time-consuming!) </div>
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As you can see, I just about managed to put it together seamlessly, and enhanced the colours in Curves, Levels, Colour Balance and Selective Colour. After about three or four hours of editing I did get quite lazy (and angry haha), particularly with cloning, but hopefully it's not TOO noticeable. </div>
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Thanks Faith, for being my model, and here are a few other (unedited) snaps I took:</div>
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Hope everyone has fab weekends!<br />
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L x<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102530877545710766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387231307241112333.post-24277085688330065412014-03-10T13:00:00.000+00:002014-03-10T15:26:26.826+00:00Featured Monday: Katherine Hodgson <div style="text-align: justify;">
Hi, just wanted to try out a weekly feature post on some great photographers, so here's number one. Let me know what you think!</div>
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Katherine is 21 years old, a student in England and a personal friend of mine. She's got experience in a wide variety of photographic genres, from macro to landscape and bands to wildlife. In addition to winning second-place in a <a href="http://www.northnorfolknews.co.uk/news/photos_see_the_top_three_prize_winning_pictures_in_cromer_s_new_year_s_day_fireworks_competition_1_1866122" target="_blank">photo-competition</a> for her local area, she has photographed numerous famous bands and musicians for her university, such as <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/katherinehodgson/12927001093/" target="_blank">Alex Turner</a> (from the Arctic Monkeys) and <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/katherinehodgson/13031895554/in/photostream/" target="_blank">Tom Odell</a>.</div>
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<span style="background-color: #f7f7f7; line-height: 15.359999656677246px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Q.<b> So...What inspires you?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f7f7f7; font-family: inherit; line-height: 15.359999656677246px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"I don't think there's anything in particular that inspires me. I'm very much a fan of utilising natural light and so enjoy taking photos outside most, so I guess the sun plays a big part in inspiring me. I did a 365 Project (which I never actually got round to uploading all of) in 2011 and the winter months were the toughest for me due to lots of miserable weather and so few daylight hours. I definitely use my camera more in the summer months."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f7f7f7; font-family: inherit; line-height: 15.359999656677246px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"As far as inspiring people, to be honest, [Leigh-Anne] inspire me. The first person I followed on Flickr (who wasn't a friend) was Rosa Joy, after [Leigh-Anne] introduced me to her work, and also Rona Keller, also introduced to me by [Leigh-Anne]. I'm also a fan of Shelby Robinson and Kitty Gallannaugh. From there I became interested in self portraiture, though I didn't attempt it myself for quite a while. "</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f7f7f7; font-family: inherit; line-height: 15.359999656677246px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"I would advise beginners to take a camera everywhere, be it on your phone, a compact, or a (D)SLR if you don't mind carrying about, and just take pictures. If you're unsure as to how to use an SLR, just adjust settings and see what happens. Perhaps look up the exposure triangle so you have some idea of what each thing does, but other than that, just experiment and don't be afraid of going manual."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f7f7f7; line-height: 15.359999656677246px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Katherine can be found on <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/katherinehodgson/" target="_blank">FLICKR</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/KatHodgsonPhoto" target="_blank">TWITTER</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/katherine.hodgson.165?fref=ts" target="_blank">FACEBOOK</a> and on her <a href="http://katherinehodgson.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">BLOG</a>. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">L x </span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102530877545710766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387231307241112333.post-64163470711838044892014-03-08T14:45:00.002+00:002014-03-08T14:45:40.465+00:00Post-Christmas // January 2014: Part II<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Hello again! <o:p></o:p></div>
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A slightly more positive note is
that without being too fastidious about it, I have tried to be healthier, in
regards to diet and exercise. I know, it’s very cliché, and I’m trying not to
put too much emphasis on it because I would like it to be a lifestyle change,
rather than a fad. With a push from my friend <a href="http://brokestudentfashion.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Natalie</a>, it looks like I’m going
to the gym Mondays and Saturdays every week. Again, nothing strenuous as I am
so unfit it’s not even funny. Kind of inspired by Youtubers <a href="http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfAEEhKikW1676DCa_0OWLA" target="_blank">Louise</a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRa48B9_dKNRPum0z040Ozw" target="_blank">Lex</a>
(told you I watched too much Youtube).<o:p></o:p></div>
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Now I know it is absolutely
ridiculous to post about January in MARCH, of all times, but I need to update you
on my promised film photos. Well, first off, I have never used this camera
before, and rather cockily, I thought I could handle it. I was completely misguided.
My first mistake was not reading the instructions! I loaded the film
incorrectly, so when it came to unwinding it, I did it wrong, and opening the
back (thinking it was unwound) I exposed half the film. Exasperated I left my
camera for a good month before braving taking it to Boots and begging them to
take care of it! The young man behind the counter was very nice and informed
me, while unwinding the rest for me under the darkroom curtain, that the film
had torn. I was expecting any photos I had taken to be lost. However, I did get
<i>some </i>photos (yay) and here they are:<o:p></o:p></div>
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York Cathedral (in the rain)</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aQDFaKfIj68/UxsqsFHIFwI/AAAAAAAACDE/58XM3RkeDus/s1600/002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aQDFaKfIj68/UxsqsFHIFwI/AAAAAAAACDE/58XM3RkeDus/s1600/002.jpg" height="430" width="640" /></a></div>
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York, can't remember where</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ptr8HJrKM34/Uxsqsu2GuOI/AAAAAAAACDI/Ap5LNGFn9jQ/s1600/003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ptr8HJrKM34/Uxsqsu2GuOI/AAAAAAAACDI/Ap5LNGFn9jQ/s1600/003.jpg" height="432" width="640" /></a></div>
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Lincolnshire, Fens (on a train)</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q-CeGcVETMQ/UxsqtsXBYgI/AAAAAAAACDY/yk5c5yNelaY/s1600/004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q-CeGcVETMQ/UxsqtsXBYgI/AAAAAAAACDY/yk5c5yNelaY/s1600/004.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Scarborough, North Sea </div>
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Scarborough, on the way to university </div>
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I'll try and do a better job next time! And here's to catching up... </div>
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L x</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102530877545710766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387231307241112333.post-87833296595817269162014-01-29T22:26:00.000+00:002014-01-29T22:26:08.056+00:00Post Christmas // January 2014: part i <br />
<br />
Happy New Year!<br />
<br />
After Christmas I started documenting my days on my new baby, my Holga 135. A lot of people ask me why I choose to use an old film camera instead of my DSLR, but ever since I first used film in 2009, a love affair began. Digital photography allows you to perfect a picture, since you can view the picture afterwards and adapt accordingly. Film allows you to enjoy it more, since you don't know how the photo will turn out, and half the fun is the anticipation!<br />
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<br /></div>
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I’ve never
liked January. It’s the New Year, but what changes really? It’s the
continuation of December, but even more bleak, since the colours and excitement
of Christmas have disappeared. Autumn is my season of change; the sun lowers,
the leaves die, the academic break ends. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The end of the
year has been slow, convoluted and full of glitter. It was slow because nothing
seemed to happen at all, it was convoluted because not only did I nearly break
myself with university stress, I had to deal with travelling and organising,
deal with feelings and people. It was full of glitter because it was Christmas.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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I went to see
The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug with an old friend, Neil, and we said a sad
goodbye at the station. I drank lots around the family dinner table and hated
every moment of it, I missed my parents and spent New Year’s Eve quietly with
my friends playing games and watching TV. I ate until I was overfull every
night. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The turning of
the year was spent mostly indoors and not sleeping properly. I did uni work
sporadically and spent far too much time on Youtube. The days were meant to be
longer but I don’t see it yet. I yearn to go places and see people but I have
too much spare time and not enough money. I’m always restless, so I write poems
hoping the feelings will leave my chest. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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"Next to the winter birch - <o:p></o:p></div>
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I can see the wind brushing <o:p></o:p></div>
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Against your chapped lips. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I could see your form - <o:p></o:p></div>
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Among the rhododendrons<o:p></o:p></div>
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But it was fading. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Just an illusion - <o:p></o:p></div>
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Although your eyes burned into me
<o:p></o:p></div>
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Could have sworn they did. <o:p></o:p></div>
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(Of course they didn’t.)"<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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You don’t have chapped lips. I
made that up. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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L x. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102530877545710766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387231307241112333.post-16054471180532757252013-09-05T21:47:00.001+01:002013-09-05T21:47:40.977+01:00'He didn't know this world' ; What do you really know about the sea?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g90YnzHCfno/UijoDHc15JI/AAAAAAAABG0/KMRRTQAlMv0/s1600/day+forty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g90YnzHCfno/UijoDHc15JI/AAAAAAAABG0/KMRRTQAlMv0/s640/day+forty.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
This morning (11th July, 2013) Natalie and I were talking on facebook and she linked me a facebook page sighting of a beached whale in my local town (I can't find the facebook page anymore but here's<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-23283313" target="_blank"> a news article</a> on it). Curious, I clicked on the picture and I think my heart slowed down a little. I wasn't aware whales swam this close to the coast in the North Sea, but I was gravely mistaken. I stared at the man stood beside the mammal, showing what had happened. I remember reading, 'I was on a walk along the beach when...'. It was uploaded about an hour and a half ago. It would still be there.<br />
<br />
My heart seemed to slow down and accelerate at the same time, and I couldn't move. I've never seen a whale face to...fin? Never with my own eyes. The first film I ever fell in love with was 'Free Willy' (even though orcas are technically a type of dolphin) when I was four or five. I still have a scrapbook from when I was six or seven years old where on one overcast spring day I made a poster for the WWF on donating money for protecting whales (quite impressed with my cetacean knowledge at that age - I listed Narwhale, Humpback, Northern Right Whale etc, with drawn pictures to match!). In my third year of high-school I did a presentation at school about Japanese and Norwegian illegal Whale hunting. Last summer in South Africa, I begged my mum to let me go on a whale-watching trip on a local boat but for one, it was R900 (I think it was about £60 at the time, the value of Rand isn't very stable) which was out of my price range, and she said it was "a waste of money". I settled on buying a postcard with a "South African Southern Right Whale" photoset. In short, I really like whales.<br />
<br />
I only had a little time before people would intervene and either move the whale or section it off from public view, so I set off, my blood pumping. It was a long walk to where I thought the Whale was, and it turned out to be further down the beach than I had thought afterall. I walked through the cliffside, and found overly-friendly squirrels within camera distance (I only had my 50mm/ 1.8 lens on at the time, which was a big mistake) until a man listening to music rudely walked in front of me and scared all the animals away.<br />
<br />
I walked past the spa and through the grassy hill that edges the shore on the far side of South Bay beach, where the tourists don't go. There were a lot of dog walkers and locals sitting on the hill and on benches, as it was good dog-walking weather (overcast but dry, low wind). I was starting to wonder if I had walked past the Whale as this stretch of beach ended; there are lots of rocks and scree between South Bay beach and Cayton Beach. Then I saw people walking down the hill. I saw people discussing the whale. I looked over the hill and saw nothing, but people were walking in turns down through the rock pools and round the headland. I decided to change lens. In my rush I didn't click it into place and my standard lens fell down the hill onto the scree. I actually screamed (which was embarrassing since there were a fair amount of people around) but when I went down to pick it up, it was undamaged except for a mild scuff on the side of the lens.<br />
<br />
Once my lens seemed to be okay and was re-secured onto my camera I headed down a concrete path that finished half way and led to a tumultuous path of rocks and algae. An elderly man stood by the edge smiled at me and gestured through, "The whale is that way. You should keep to the rocks as much as you can to pick a path."<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-osqBZsiDLDo/UijoGul1JlI/AAAAAAAABHI/cmwxK62avYo/s1600/whale+one+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-osqBZsiDLDo/UijoGul1JlI/AAAAAAAABHI/cmwxK62avYo/s640/whale+one+.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I had to climb/jump down the path onto the rocks and maneuvered through waves of slippery seaweed and water. I made the bad decision to wear ballet flats and soon enough my feet were soaked through.<br />
<br />
On my way down I passed the RSPCA, the Sealife Centre people, the Scarborough Beach services, the RNLI services and the local police. Nobody seemed in any particular hurry. Behind me were locals and a few marine biology students from Leeds University.<br />
<br />
I saw it from a way off. It didn't look much like a whale. When I did finally come to the animal, I was disappointed that it was cautioned off and surrounded by people. I didn't really know what I was expecting really, but the illogical, romantic in me wanted to take an artistic portrait with the whale. Instead as I approached, I thought of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronicles_of_Ancient_Darkness" target="_blank">Chronicles of Ancient Darkness</a> series, and the second book in particular that was all about the sea.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">'Leaving the trees, he found himself on a narrow, curving beach of grey sand. At his feet, purple mounds of seaweed gave off a salty stink. To his left, great slabs of rock lay in chaos, as if shattered by a giant hammer. To his right, the Widewater flowed into the shimmering Sea.'</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O4SCY9xvNyg/UijoFGZTBrI/AAAAAAAABG8/GrYjWASFLjE/s1600/whale+five.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O4SCY9xvNyg/UijoFGZTBrI/AAAAAAAABG8/GrYjWASFLjE/s640/whale+five.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
The whale probably wasn't fully grown; it was a Minke whale, and I couldn't believe this was the animal that the Japanese whale-hunters nearly hunted to extinction in the 1980's. It wasn't magnificent, it wasn't breath-taking. It was terrifyingly sad.<br />
<br />
Its tongue was swollen and outside its mouth, its stomach almost to bursting point from gasses escaping the body, on its side, useless. Flies were surrounding its stomach and tail, the skin eaten away in most places, leaving the translucent layer between skin and meat. It didn't smell from the side I was on. It had died hours ago. I didn't know how, or why, and neither did anyone else. Everyone just stared at the whale. I brought my camera up to my face and almost took a picture before letting my camera down again. I felt kind of wrong, photographing this dead animal. I felt like I was exploiting the situation. It didn't feel right. I took a deep breath and walked down to the tail-end of the whale, and looked at it through my lens like a specimen. Instead of taking photos of a deceased and decomposing animal, I took photos to document this whale's condition. I've never seen a whale before. Here's a photo of a whale's stomach. Here's its tongue, its tail, its fin.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RvKmUjxuuwM/UijoRQ0DQGI/AAAAAAAABHk/wN0jVnl1sWk/s1600/whale+three.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RvKmUjxuuwM/UijoRQ0DQGI/AAAAAAAABHk/wN0jVnl1sWk/s640/whale+three.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Later on, I found out it had died after being caught in lobster pot ropes; hence the damage to its tail. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The whale was cautioned off at three sides, and its tail was attached by rope to a rock, presumably so when the tide came back in, the whale wouldn't wash up on the main beach, in front of the tourists' beach mats. Nobody was behind the whale, and I wanted to take a photo of its back, but the elderly lady beside me warned me about going on to that side. I ignored her. I walked behind the tail and up the beach to see the whale's rather flat dorsal fin and blowhole, but the smell made me physically stagger. This was why nobody was on this side! I've never smelt anything worse than that in my life. It smelt of rotten fish, like you find on a seaside town quay, but magnified by ten thousand. Breathing through my mouth had no effect, I could smell it still, quite bad. It seemed to penetrate my face, making my eyes water. I ran up to the back of the whale and took a quick look, shot a photo and ran back so I was upwind again. The elderly lady laughed at my expression. "Yes, it smells, doesn't it?"<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WZ7c4nScE7Y/UijoG-4Og9I/AAAAAAAABHM/BHJsrKCbl5M/s1600/whale+four.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WZ7c4nScE7Y/UijoG-4Og9I/AAAAAAAABHM/BHJsrKCbl5M/s640/whale+four.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QHR_9ItTVdQ/UijoMfk1lZI/AAAAAAAABHU/MX8gnbOdye0/s1600/whale+two+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QHR_9ItTVdQ/UijoMfk1lZI/AAAAAAAABHU/MX8gnbOdye0/s640/whale+two+.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Everyone was leaving. I was the only person who stayed for long. Teenagers, the elderly, families, all came up to the whale, said a few quiet words, stared for a few minutes and trudged back down the long rocky path on the beach. I went back to the last side, the one where its mouth was open, and instead of looking at parts, I saw it wholly. While taking photos I was looking at the whale in details; its tailfin, the skin in shreds, blood and blubber. I stepped back and looked at the whale as an animal again. And I saw its face. Its eyes were closed, its tongue lolled, laid onto its side. As if it was in pain, dehydrated, lost, on the surf and decided it should lie on its side, close its eyes and die. In one moment, I felt my heart clench as I thought about the whale as one would think of a person. I closed my eyes. I had to leave.<br />
<br />
So I did. I was sad for the rest of the day. Nobody else seemed to understand. Once people heard about the whale, and how sad it was, the conversation would turn, and people didn't get why I was still pensive. Why I was only half paying attention. I couldn't stop thinking about the whale.<br />
<br />
L x.<br />
<br />
'<span style="font-size: large;">A black fin broke the surface. He gasped. ... Another towering fin broke the surface. So that's a Hunter, thought Torak. Suddenly he heard a splash - and turned to see a column of spray shooting high into the air. The water became a chaos of flying foam and shattered sunlight.... For a moment a dark, shining eye met his. Then the Hunter arched its gleaming back and dived.</span>'<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jgu5x5NwrY0/UijoM1m9Q3I/AAAAAAAABHc/4WzyaZTVlMo/s1600/whale+six.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jgu5x5NwrY0/UijoM1m9Q3I/AAAAAAAABHc/4WzyaZTVlMo/s640/whale+six.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102530877545710766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387231307241112333.post-28528662738350669892013-07-04T18:35:00.000+01:002013-07-04T18:35:09.474+01:00Misc; Here are some edits that I made. They're not completely connected, and I'm also not sure where they fit into my flickr stream either... only the first one belongs in my Summer 100. Perhaps they belong in the comments section, or somewhere else in my stream. Together they sort of harbour the feelings I have had this summer:<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ao_2bYXSe-s/UdWvvmGaw4I/AAAAAAAAAvE/7DWSKVUtfdQ/s1600/day+thirty+one.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ao_2bYXSe-s/UdWvvmGaw4I/AAAAAAAAAvE/7DWSKVUtfdQ/s640/day+thirty+one.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Taken the 2nd July while packing to visit Stephen near Sheffield. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q7zsaqhN2Io/UdWvwkV9a5I/AAAAAAAAAvQ/XHwYGwYNUVM/s1600/stephen+edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q7zsaqhN2Io/UdWvwkV9a5I/AAAAAAAAAvQ/XHwYGwYNUVM/s640/stephen+edit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Stephen from that day we went to the beach. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AyFuiGzzt7c/UdWvvifrRWI/AAAAAAAAAvI/pM6t82zAwUk/s1439/fuck+the+patriarchy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AyFuiGzzt7c/UdWvvifrRWI/AAAAAAAAAvI/pM6t82zAwUk/s640/fuck+the+patriarchy.jpg" width="482" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4KV5ZXBktyM/UdWvvp4ApBI/AAAAAAAAAvA/hx8MiO4zQI8/s1600/sea+overlay+practice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4KV5ZXBktyM/UdWvvp4ApBI/AAAAAAAAAvA/hx8MiO4zQI8/s640/sea+overlay+practice.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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An <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=knBCHagqs2w" target="_blank">overlay technique</a> I got from Sarah Haley Stewart</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Dxd8Lrg2S38/UdWv1pPfD5I/AAAAAAAAAvg/f0VUbkY64EM/s1600/day+27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Dxd8Lrg2S38/UdWv1pPfD5I/AAAAAAAAAvg/f0VUbkY64EM/s640/day+27.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gWyJkkwhL6g/UdWv1hZgmjI/AAAAAAAAAvc/LI5dRa78W04/s1500/day+28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gWyJkkwhL6g/UdWv1hZgmjI/AAAAAAAAAvc/LI5dRa78W04/s640/day+28.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Unfortunately I don't have a cat, but Natalie and John have a cat that visits their place a lot. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
L. x </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102530877545710766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387231307241112333.post-75069501972045674762013-06-22T19:19:00.000+01:002013-06-22T19:19:29.291+01:00I am longing to be with you, and by the sea, where we can talk together freely and build our castles in the air<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OemfyvgzZv4/UcXhCnbjKVI/AAAAAAAAALE/bv6g55G2BpI/s1600/katherine+bw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OemfyvgzZv4/UcXhCnbjKVI/AAAAAAAAALE/bv6g55G2BpI/s640/katherine+bw.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
A while back now <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/leilapeach/9023166955/" target="_blank">my friend Katherine</a> came up from Sheffield to see me. I never really had the thought processes lined up to blog about it properly at the time, but I think now's the time. Katherine unfortunately turned up late to my town due to delayed connections at York, which sent my mind racing in anticipation. She did eventually arrive, an hour later, and we dropped her stuff off at mine (her light packing sent me aback quite a lot - I usually pack half my flat to even go away for a weekend. I should be more like her, I decided). We set off into town and I showed her around the unimpressive shopping centre and charity shops (again nothing, which was rather disappointing. I was looking for an outfit and the charity shops usually provided such, but not today). After calling my friend Natalie for help, I bought a skirt that should last (if a little expensive for my budget) and we headed back home.<br />
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The next day we went to Whitby for a day out and my job interview. We managed to get on the bus and spent the next hour chatting about holidays and summer as the bus struggled through the hills of the Yorkshire Moors. Katherine told me she felt like she was on holiday as the location reminded her of when she went to the Yorkshire coast with her family, and it certainly felt like a holiday with duck-egg blue skies and warm air. When we got into the Whitby bus station (ha if you can even call it that) we grabbed sandwiches at the Co-Op and raced up the Abbey steps to my interview. Since last time I was at Whitby I must have got fitter because I managed the climb easier this time. While I was in my job interview Katherine explored St Mary's church and the cliffs surrounding it.<br />
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I didn't bother getting photos of the Abbey and the church, but in the future I will since there's quite something about reading about a place and actually visiting it. And here my love for Gothic Literature comes in: one fabulous thing about living in the area I do is that many of the authors in this genre used to live around here. The Brontë' family, perhaps the most famous example. Anyway, according to Whitby town records (thanks to Natalie for this treasure) Bram Stoker, the author of the most famous vampire novel in history, Dracula (Sadly Edward Cullen may rival this fact) stayed here for only a couple of days, but based half of his novel in the town. Having read the novel excitedly (it really picks up pace when the story is stationed in Whitby) I saw the Abbey as a slight disappointment. Having pictured the scene in dark, ominous weather with luxurious thorned roses entwining themselves between cracked headstones, and the Abbey's spires touching the clouds - well reality was quite different. The graveyard was clean, orderly and trimmed, the Abbey certainly tall but not at all scary looking, and the church was fairly ordinary. Perhaps it was the too-bright sunlight, but it didn't seem quite such a dangerous place to set a horror story in (I've had this visualising problem before, years ago; I went on a school trip to Ypres and visited WWI and WWII graves, including Tyne Cot and Menin Gate and struggled to take in the magnitude of massacre by the very hot weather and happy students around me). I wanted to visit the bench in the story of Dracula, the one the 'crazy' man sits on in the novel when Mina visits - and more importantly, the very one Bram Stoker sat on while ruminating on plot points of his story - when to my horror I discovered a coastal landslide had sent the bench cascading down into ruins. It had happened a week or two before I first visited Whitby, so probably early May, so I went right up to the cautioned off wire fence and peeked through, trying to imagine it there. It was kind of hard, and everything I had expected of Dracula's setting seemed incorrect.<br />
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However, I couldn't remain sad for long because Whitby is such a quaint and interesting town. Katherine and I went in and out of many kitsch and touristy shops, picking and glancing over products. At around three or four o clock we went to Marie Antoinette's Cafe, the only one I was familiar with (Natalie and I went in there last time). To my dismay, I forgot about Katherine's nut allergy and she couldn't try any of the cakes I had been boasting about, but she contented herself with a scone with cream and jam so that was fine. While we were gabbing I got a phone call - I had been accepted for the job. I couldn't keep the smile off my face (Well in between bouts of anxiety about it all).<br />
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Katherine only stayed for three days, so we slowed things down and hung out in our pyjamas until mid-afternoon. I felt bad for not taking her to the beach so we set off to the seafront only, to my chagrin, to meet the sea - the tide was in. Not being able to touch the sand we walked around the Spa and stopped at the pavilion, looking out to sea, to take photos. Katherine has such beautiful, long hair I had to take photos of her! It was nice to take photos <i>with </i>someone because even though we had the same scene, our photos came out so different.<br />
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On our way back we took photos of flowers in the park and then Katherine packed up and caught the train back home.<br />
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L xAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18102530877545710766noreply@blogger.com0Whitby, North Yorkshire, UK54.486335 -0.6133469999999761154.449434499999995 -0.69402799999997611 54.5232355 -0.5326659999999761tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2387231307241112333.post-79854534499781262742013-06-03T20:15:00.000+01:002013-06-22T16:37:42.988+01:00Rock Pools The weather has been really good to us lately and has stayed sunny and warm for a few days. My boyfriend Stephen and I went to the beach for a couple of hours. The tide was coming in, but we had caught it as it was out, so there was no rush to get back to shore. In among the bladderwhack-seaweed there were limpets, tiny fish and shrimp and clusters of barnacles and sea-moss. Our feet picked between these parts onto the dry rock so that we didn't slip over, and while Stephen jumped between pools and crevices I went around them the long way, holding my camera up in protection.<br />
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(sooc: might edit this later and upload it to flickr.)</div>
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Will most likely upload the one of myself onto flickr soon. Hope you're also enjoying the summery sunshine in the UK. <span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;">♥</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">L x</span></span></div>
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