One for you Rodney, one for you Ian, one for you Hannah...

(To be sung in a ‘normal’ passionate singing voice)

I’m a one-track lover,
down a two-way lane.
Drivin’ fast down the Highway,
must’ve been insane.
Cos the temperature’s too high.
Travellin’ way too fast.
And I knew our lovin’ was too hot to last.

(This next part to be rapped…)
She’s smooth like ice,
Cold to the touch and it isn’t very nice when you’re left,
(normal singing – “cold to the touch”)
Alone, your lady treats you bad leaves you hangin’ on the phone.
(normal singing – “It’s hard enough”)
Take off, shove your lovin’ in the wheels,
put the pedal to the floor cos you’re heading for the hills.
(normal singing – “we should be making love”)
Gotta get away, can’t take it no more.
Man you don’t need this,
(normal singing – “we should be making love”)
Leave her at the door.

The door… The door… The door. Sanch! Open the door. Open the door Sanch. Sanch?

Rogue leader standing by...

Me and Hannah have watched both:

Star Wars: A New Hope
and
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

In recent weeks. Been meaning to watch them again for ages.

This is what I think:

There is no doubt that both these first two films are FUCKING AMAZING. No matter how many times you see them, they are still increadible and full of joy and wonder. They actually feel plausable if thats possible.

There is also no doubt that Empire is the greater film and in fact the greatest of all Star Wars films and probably in the top 10 or so greatest films ever. Thats just a fact.

Sure its a bit cheesy and flawed in a few places, but that adds to its charm.

As good as they ever where, thats what I say.

Episodes I, II and III do not exist in my world.

That was funny wasn't it!

See what I did, I said I would update and just said I was tired.

AH HA HA.

I am, its true.

Handing in the exam project a week tomorrow. ARGH!

For those of you who don't know...the exam project is a 6 week long self directed project. You hand in a proposal for a project at the start and then work on it for the next 6 weeks, handing in a finsihed body of work. You are allowed no help, guidance or input from any lecturers or staff and when you hand in, you are given a number - the theory being its marked blind. They read the proposal then look at the work and mark you against how you met your own brief, in theory - without knowing who did the work. In reality I am sure they guess generally due to peoples own photographic style and general subject matter.

I choose to do a project about the night. Perhaps I will post the proposal I wrote up here at some point. I choose the night as I have been into night photography for ages, in fact, thats how I first got into Photography. I did a night project called 'chasing light' at the end of last year and never felt it was quite concluded. In fact, I have never really got accross what I want to about the night in photography so thought I would attempt it for this piece. What is more, I was tactical. Choosing the night means I can shoot at night and print etc during the day. Also I could continue with my major project during the day and shoot the exam project at night. Clever huh? Time management and all that.

Its gone quite well I think. I like the images I think. It will look quite good I think. Can't be more specific than that as I have seen the same frigging images for so long now, I am too detached from them to judge them!

Running on empty a bit as been in the dark room all day, everyday for weeks now printing it. I have finished the smaller prints which will form a book and have to take it to be bound professionally tomorrow (exciting). Then I have to re-print the images in the larger size for my protfolio box. See in the proposal you had to say what the work would be used for and being the chump I am, I said it would be an exhibition and book. Hence I have to make prints for both!

Can't wait for next week when its all done! That will then be 40% of my degree done (20% on the dissertation and 20% on exam project). So I can concentrate fully without disruption on the major piece.

Its been relentless, especially with the Guf problems and such, but hey, its character building and I am feeling good about it now, and quite confident as a fair whack of the printing is done.

I also got contacted by the North Laine Photography people, they are doing a collective exhibition of all the finalists for the competition last year, of which I am one. I decided to show the night project I am working on and they really liked it, so are showing 9 of my images and in fact my own hand prints, which is nice. Not sure when it goes up...so I will let you know.

Other than that, haven't had much time for anything else! Desperately fighting off a cold and pretending it doens't exist so it will bypass me. Finished watching all 5 seasons of Babylon 5 and feel lost without it.

Sorry, thats a boring update and post isn't it. All I ever bang on about is school, but thats all there is at the moment!

To cheer you up, here is the text that will be at the start of the book I am doing for my night project. Its a passage from Herman Hesse's Steppenwolf and is lovely. It sums up why I like the night. If you haven't read Steppenwolf or anything else of his...do...he is an amazing writer!

"With playful lightheartedness, I trod the mist pavements of the narrow streets. As though in tears and veiled, the lamps glimmered through the chill gloom and sucked their reflections slowly from the wet ground.
The forgotten years of my youth came back to me. How I used to love the dark, sad evenings of late autumn and winter, how eagerly I imbibed their moods of loneliness and melancholy when wrapped in my cloak I strode for half the night through rain and storm, through the leafless winter landscape, lonely enough then too, but full of deep joy, and full of poetry..."

Its lovely isn't it? Sits with my images really well too.

One last thing, henry's new blog post made my day today! Its brilliant and if you haven't read it yet, do so! You wont be dissapointed. He may not be prolific, but its worth the wait. It brought a wry sense of glee to my face and if he had been near by, I would have shook his hand...or worse.

Update Smupdate

Thought I would give you a genaral run down of the life of John!

I am tired.

Hey You...STOP, THIEF!!!

Whatcha.

So the Guf, its been a problem child of late. Technically its only been a problem child once and a problem child has also affected it. Let me explain.

Saturday a week ago I got a text from Maff saying he had walked past the Guf on his way to Phil and Iso's birthday/housewarming and had found the rear van door open. He shut it and kindly informed me of what he had seen. I was having a meal with Pa and Rosie at the time and by the time I got the message and got home it was half ten. Inspection of the Guf revealed that some little shits had stolen everything from the back of it. That consisted of ALL me and Hannah's camping equipment, built up over the years into a veritable orgy of camping joy. EVERYTHING. Well, everything I use when staying in the van to take photos anyway. The list includes a 15tog double duvet, two pillows, gas stove, gas lamp, gas (for stove and lamp!), cuttlery set, plates, bowles, travel mug, thermos, speakers for MP3 player, cigarette lighter converter to turn it into a pin socket and a load of other useful things that will take ages to replace like lots of sachets of sauces, salt, pepper, sugar etc taken from service stations, spare bits for the curtains, the odd tool and alike. All of it was in a few boxes and bags and they grabbed the lot and made off with it.
Fuckers.
Mother fuckers.
So much stuff, probably worth at least £200. Worse than that though, I have to try and replace as much as I can afford before I can go on anymore road trips for my major project.

Perhaps what angers me the most is the complete uselessness of the items stolen, I mean, its not like they can be sold for much is it. If it were a stereo or something perhaps I could see the point more, but this is just inconvenience and expense for me for no real gain of their own.
Maybe they were keen campers and wanted the stuff?

What goes through the minds of these people...

Little shit 1: Hey, little shit 2, we need some camping stuff you know in order to have some camping fun.
Little shit 2: Your right Shit 1, we do. But I have not much money and would prefer to spend it on hats.
Little Shit 1: Right, me too. What shall we do then?
Little Shit 2: Well, is it just me or has that van (guf) got a lot of camping stuff in it?
Little Shit 1: It has by the look of it, yeah.
Little Shit 2: Well, we want it, they have some...so thats not fair is it?
Little Shit 1: Correct, why should they have something we want?
Little Shit 2: Lets nick it then? That will teach 'em for having stuff we want.
Little Shit 1: YEAH...lets do it.

I imagine thats how it goes.

Scum.

the second problem happened this weekend as me and Hannah ventured to Worthing to go charity shopping. A fine Saturday afternoon plan. We chugged along in the Guf, bargain bound, until, on just entering Worthing, I happened accross a puff of steam/smoke from the bonnet. So we pulled into a side road, lifted the bonnet and were greated by water spewing out and boiling atop the engine.
Looked like a radiator problem.
Luckily, having foresight, we had joined the AA when the Guf was first purchased. Got on the blower to them and three hours, many phone calls and some stern words later, they finally turned up.
Mr AA (a jolly nice chap) confirmed the belief that the radiator had a problem and towed us back to blighty.
Today, I took it to a garage and they have replaced the radiator at a cost of £180.
Crapping shit buckets.
At least its mended and promptly, byut £180 on top of £200 of lost stuff makes John an unhappy and really skint man.

Two things in two weeks to one guf...is the world trying to tell me not to drive? That the CO2 emissions are not justifiable even if I do make a world changing photographic project off the back of them?

I dunno, all I know is that it was increadibly bad timing given I have a week to hand in my exam project!

Still, as the often right and logical thinking Hannah pointed out to me, better in Worthing than in Edinburgh! Which is true, small mercies and all that. At least I could get it sorted before it affected my major project.

Lets just hope bad luck don't come in threes! ;)

Burn it all!!!

Following my recent revelations into driving to the supermarket and if its better or worse for the environment, I happened accross an article that said some top environmental scientists in Sweden hve announced that we should burn rubbish!

There report suggests that inciniration is over looked as a solution and is often the most appropriate way to deal with rubbish rather than recycling!!!

Not sure how much of that is based on the economic costs of each solution though!

It makes you think though, how good is recycling really? Re-use is clearly the best option all round, but does recycling harm the enviroment more due to the power it takes to do etc?

We just don't get enough information about it. EXAMPLE - whilst drying my hands earlier following a hefty PISS I was torn between the hand dryer and paper towels. A dryer takes power to heat the element and blast the air etc, so does it actually do more harm than using a bit of paper to wipe away the moisture?

Hmmm...if only things could be black and white, like an old movie - you know where you are with them!

Balls to Busses

I noticed on the busses today and out and out lie!

They have there tired and stupid campaign of morons from Brighton and Hove on the side in a dumb pose shouting about why they love the busses. this campaign irks me and always will 1) because nobody really likes smelly, expensive and badly run busses that much. 2) the people they choose are morons and 3) its all just a bit boring now and doesn't inspire anyone. I don't care if Jerry the Juggler thinks busses are the best way of juggling multiple appointments in a day, screw you Jerry!

Anyway, it said next to one such advert:

"Busses, the cheapest, cleanest and most efficient way to travel in the city"

Well, excuse me but thats just bollox! Walking or cycling is! Both don't cost a penny, are very effeciant as you can avoid traffic and take short cuts and are very clean as well as being good for you!

Sure busses have their place and are perfect for long trips, commuting and such like - but they are not the best means of transport available...walking is! As for cheap, £3 for a saver is not cheap, thats a lot of money!

Busses, who needs them (for short and easy journeys especially when the traffic is bad, unless you are tired or need to get somewhere quickly or its very early in the morning!).

By the way...is it Busses or buses? My SPAG SPAZ wont tell me.

Gufshop

I broke a cardinal sin today...I went shoping in Sainsburys and drove there!!

I know, I know, its wrong and lazy and harmful to all around me. But circumstance meant it was my fate as I was gufing around the place on erands anyway, we needed food BAD ASS, I was working from 5 etc etc etc and so it was a time management crisis.

But I must say, it was like a breath of fresh air! Firstly I traveled (and travelatored!!!) to Lewes Road Burys. A larger store for sure. What a treat to have bucket loads of choice and many a product unavailable at the ordinary burys on London Road. I revelled in my choices.

Also I used a trolley! Not a full sizer, but one of those granny size trolleys. It is probably the second time in about 5 or 6 years I have used a trolley and I was loving it! Not careful stacking of things in a basket that always end up spilling out if you round a corner too fast, and no limiting myself to only getting a basket full! OH NO I could go CraaaZZZzzzzzyYyyyyy!!!!

I didn't go crazy.

But, knowing I was driving the shopping home meant I could buy in bulk! par example, I bought FOUR TINS OF TOMATOES (count em) instead of the usual 2...all because I knew my arms wouldn't suffer and I had a whole granny trolley to fill! SELECTA!

I also managed to buy a bumper pack of scowers instead of the normal three, that then go manky quickly resulting in washing up with manky scowerers until replacements can be sought.

Yeah!

Anyho...this all got me pondering the ethics of the drive and shop as aposed to the walk and shop and I thought...hmmmm...buying in bulk aint that a good thing? I am saving money due to economies of scale (if you want an in depth economic explaination of this principal...let me know ;) ), I was saving on packaging as I could buy LARGE rather than small. I was therefore probably saving on the miles the food travelled as I was cutting down on buying small items a few times by buying a big'un one time (two time, yeah, yo..yo..yo - just a quick fugees impression there).

So, is driving less than a mile to a supermarket actually wrong, sure I am using petrolium spirit highly inflamible, but I am saving on food miles, packaging, money and all that jazz. Even saving on bags as I could over fill them as I only had a short walk with them.

What fun I have and what things are exciting in John World!!!

Try something different today....drive to Sainsburys!

P.S Did you know London Road Bury is shutting on the 28th of Feb and the new New England Quarter one is opening? Not sure whether to be happy or sad.

Diaries of a photographer (and a van)...Part 8

2/2/07

11:55 - The genious of my location is that I am equidistant between England and France!

Came to Dover yesterday to photograph the White Cliffs, which appear in the top 10 landmarks list. Yesterday I walked along the top of the cliffs and photographed them from that perspective...today, I got a round trip ferry ticket (I am not allowed to get off!!!) so I could shoot them from the sea - the view most people probably get of the cliffs.

Its funny really, its a good 3 hour round trip or so for 20 minutes of frantic photography to get a good glimpse of the cliffs as the boat machines over the chanel.

Stayed in the Guf last night...first time on my own. Found a spor in a village called St Margarets on Cliffe. There is a car park by a war memorial, very secluded with sea views. Even managed to do some night shots while I was there, most productive.

I think the major project is finally taking form. All the locations I have visited so far (Eden, Brighton Pier, Houses of parliament, White Cliffs and Stonehenge) have got me excited and I can now really see the potential of my concept.

I thought the white cliffs would be really hard to do - bit they fit the bill perfectly. They are marred by an almost constant view of the large and very busy port. The cliffs themselves are big, long and white! Quite picturesque I guess. Perhaps they are the landmark that has most confused me thus far. Are they really more impressive than any other cliff or is it the connotations with war and returning home that allow them to find themselves in the list? Its funny the things people choose to nominate as a favourate landmark - is it based on aesthetic or their symbology to our culture and history?

Nearly in France now...at which point I go back again!!!

I have seen no blue birds over the White Cliffs of Dover, who know, tomorrow maybe? Just you wait and sea!

12:11 - The vibrations seem to indicate we are nearly there!
I remembered something else interesting. When I was buying my ticket, the old man was curious as to my round trip with no stop off in France. I explained I wanted to photograph the cliffs and he commented on how the weather wasn't good for it. That sums up my project - people want to and expect to see landmarks in glorious subnshine, clear days and a picturesque view. But that is not the true picture - the landmarks are frequently drab, seen in poor conditions and not as impressive as the postcard would suggest.

13:20 - I love the way all forms of transport invent their own terminology for things...and always choose amusing phrases or words. 'Alight' has always been a favourate of mine as why can't they just say 'get off'.
However, a tannoy announcement moments ago gave me a new favourate...'muster station'. What an amazing term! 'Muster', what is that about? And combined with 'station' you know your in for a treat.

The ferry has left Calais and I am homeward bound, in impressive time! One concern is that the beast has turned around! You can't get up the front of the ferry either and so the view as we approach Dover may not be so good. Still, perhaps a different perspective will be a fruity perspective.

I am passing the time with my new games. One is called 'Friend or Foe' where I work out if people are french of english ;)
The other is called 'Truck your luck' and involves indentifying the lorry drivers! Its easier than you think as it can be done by viewing the portions of food they get! Massive pile of chips = trucker, normal plate of food = tourist.

Oh..the fun I can create!

13:40 - Humans think they are so clever with tehir big boats and muster stations. We have conquered nature. But it is other forms of nature I often come to respect for the way they play us and use their initiative.

The seagulls, for example, are following the ferry in quite large numbers. They fly alongside - easily matching pace and amass behind the boat. I was wondering why, then figured that the ships swell must churn up the sea life, perhaps brign fish etc to near the surface. A patient gull can await their moment and reap the rewards. Now thats as clever and shows as much initiative as building a boat does it not?

Its funny how we create things to enhance or improve our lives, but the impace is always much wider reaching. The sea gulls get a hefty feed off the back of the boat! We affect far more than we realise and often in much simpler and smaller ways than we anticipate.

Mum told me that the Eden project is over run with Robins - they will nest anywhere and are brave bastards and the biomes provide no predators but lots of prey...so they flourish! Natural instincts triumph and adapt.

14:01 - I'll level with you, I am bored now! Ferrys are quite dull really, especially when you don't get to get off and its just straight back again!
Taken a few digital shots on board, but alas - I cannot afford to use film in the mamiya for non project shots as I am getting through film at an alarming rate! This degree is going to financially scar me for life!

To rub salt into the wound - I saw a snack dispensor and went for the chocolate treat that is a Kit Kat. Alas, the machine is broke and the Kit Kat emerged as a mass of molten chocolate! I knew I should have gone with P&O.