Catch-up

It's gonna be updated soon...I hope!

Darkroom

This morning I have been in the darkroom processing the film which I shot on Sunday.  The photographs seem to be mostly ok, it's all about experimentation at this point though, so it isn't vital that they are all good.  I now have four rolls developed, next job is to make contact sheets from them.

Last morning =[

This morning we went into Carlisle to have a mooch, then off to Wetherspoons for a traditional fry up =]  After this we came back to the flat and Mum and Dad went home.  

Thanks for such a lovely weekend - I really enjoyed it. xxx

Chillax

After goiong to Hadrians wall we decided to go back to the travelodge and just chill out for the rest of the day, so we watched TV, read, napped and the such until Matilda came on, which we watched - such a great film!  Then we watched half of Men In Black, and Top Gear - one of the best in year!  It was really nice just to spend time together not really doing anything.

Hadrians Wall

I'm not sure o the exact point but we headed out of Carlisle, towards Newcastle and stopped along the way so I could experiment with the Nikon FM2 I have out from uni.  This is for David's brief on "stillness and motion", focussing on the use of aperture and shutter speed.  It was really beautiful.  On the way back to the travelodge we stopped at a pub for lunch and had a roast dinner - so good =]

Shelia and Brian

This evening we went to visit Shelia and Brian and have tea with them - a lovely salmon and pasta meal with winter fruit strudel and custard for pudding. It was really nice to see them and Brian's photographic work.

Gretna Outlet Village

After visiting the anvil we decided to go to the outlet shopping centre there, as Suzie and Rick thought it was good when they came to visit.  It was really good – plus we had coffee (well, I had hot chocolate) at Thorntns, and late lunch at O’briens – amazing sweet red pepper soup with a fresh crusty roll.  Got some more christmas shopping done and found Sweater Shop Jumpers - SO excited.  A good day again.

Gretna Green

We decided that when up north, the place you have to go to is Gretna - it's so famous, but there really isn't much there.  They did an average of 15 weddings a day there in 2004 though!

Keswick

Today we went to Keswick for the day.  I found it to be such a lovely place when I when with Lea and Tom that I thought it would be fun to take Mum and Dad there.  We went to the same pub for a fish and chip lunch, and mooched around the shops in the afternoon.  A lovely day.            

Roses

Mum and Dad bought me Roses - they look so pretty - Thank you =]

Mum and Dad!

Mum and Dad are coming up to stay for the weekend, and I'm going to stay with them in the travelodge.  I have no lectures until Monday afternoon, so get to spend the whole weekend with them - SO EXCITED!!!

Interim Crit

This morning we hd an interim crit with Sam, for our brief on unusual viewpoint (photographs taken from below 30cm or above 160cm).  It went well for me, although I feel it wasn't really that useful, because three weeks into a five week assignment most of the class hadn't even started yet.

Art Prize

I had to call up my art teacher from QEGS this morning to see if Mum and Dad could collect my sketch books to bring up for me on Thursday.  He told me that I had won last years art prize, which is really exciting.  Unfortunately I won't be able to go to prize giving to collect it because I have a critique that day, but I am still really pleased =]

New Brief

This afternoon we got our second technical processes brief from Dave.  It is about stillness and focus, concentrating on the use of aperture and shutter speed to alter the depth of field and movement in photographs.  All of the photographs have to be done on black and white 35mm film which we have to process ourselves, and all prints must be made in the darkroom.  I am really looking forward to getting going with it, got to go and book a camera out tomorrow then =]

Christmas cup

As of November 5th Starbucks have had red cups, however tonight is the first time thati have actually got a takeaway since they arrived so I felt it wasn't too cheeky to ask for an extra cup to go on my notice board in my bedroom.  The red ones just make me so much happier =]

Christmas lights

Tonight Lea, Hayley and myself went into Carlisle to see the Christmas lights being turned on in "the Christmas City".  Well...funny story - we were in Starbucks when they actually turned the lights on, so we missed that.  But we saw them once they were turned on, and watched the really bad band that they had from Newcastle - it was quite fun.  But the lights are pretty and it was nice to feel like part of the city, it was good fun.

Saturday evening with Lea

We decided to go and get Chinese from Stanwix with Hayley as a change for dinner.  We popped to the Spar while we were waiting and came home with our take-away and yazoo.  Good night guys =]

Pub

Lea, Hayley, Greg and I decided to go to the pub tonight.  It is just around the corner at the back of uni, and is a proper old man drinking pub.  It was a right laugh, then we visited the Spar shop and came home.  It was so funny when we got home - we were sat in the kitchen and Greg and Hayley were knitting, while Lea and I were colouring in.  Fun times!

Fire alarm

The fire alarm went off at about 11:30 which scared the life out of us, so we went outside and waited in the freezing cold, about 25 minutes later a fire engine turned up with blue flashing lights and everything!  About 10 minutes after that we were told that we could go back inside.  I don't know why it went off, but now I can get back to colouring!

Darkroom

This morning we had a darkroom induction at Caldewgate.  We were shown how to use the enlargers and the dry to dry printer which replaces the wet chemistry.  It's good because it's fast, but it's just not the same as using the wet chemistry, it doesn't smell the same or have quite the same effect.

Christmas Shopping

This morning I went Christmas shopping with Hayley - and I've finished!  Well...almost, I only have three presents left to buy.  It only took me about two hours to do all my Christmas shopping - how organized is that?

Second Critique

I have just returned from my first critique with Dave, our technical processes lecturer. It was for the pinhole camera brief. I was really pleased with the quality of my final images, they were well focussed and well exposed.  The crit went really well, Dave seemed really impressed as did the head of photography.  Unfortunately we don't hand the work in until we have completed the next brief, so I won't get the grade back until after christmas.

Lazy day

As I got all of my work finished yesterday it's been a pretty lazy day today - done a bit of cleaning and tidying, and went to Morrisons with Alex, but it's been really nice to not be under so much pressure or a day =]

Work, work and oh, yeah, a bit more work.

I have been working so hard all day but have finally got my second brief finished for the crit Monday afternoon.  I'm trying to be organized and not leave anything to be done the day before it's due in...so far so good!

New Cooker

We got a new cooker this afternoon as the oven door on the old one was warped so it took far too long for anything to cook.  The new one is amazing - so much faster.  =]

Sue you will be missed

Today we lost our first fish...Sue.  She will be sadly missed.

Newcastle

I spent the day in a very drizzly Newcastle today on a Photography trip to the Baltic, Side and Biscuit Factory Art Galleries.  At the Baltic we saw a Steve McQueen installation which I really didn't get, and a Wang Quingsong image which I really didn't like.  At the Side Gallery we saw a WeeGee exhibition which was a lot more interesting to me.  Then on to the Biscuit Factory which is an amazing exhibition space showing some of the work from last years Photography graduates at the moment - very interesting.  Then we went into Newcastle for an hour or so and wondered the min street - it seems like it would be a really nice place if the weather wasn't so miserable.  Definitely more exploring to be done here.

Relief

I managed to stay awake until about three, then woke up at six with the tv saying "Barack Obama is the 44th President of the United States, and also the first black president".  Good times =]

GObama!

Wow it's exciting!  I actually do not want to move!  I have the internet and TV both going with different info.  Come on America...Obama all the way!

Obama FTW

It's crazy how much coverage the US elections are getting over here but I'm finding it really interesting.  I hope Obama gets it, he seems to have his head screwed on, all those who can vote, please do, and those who can't it's the thought that counts.  Here's hoping...

Darkroom at Brampton

We have just had a small darkroom set up on campus, so this afternoon I went with my pinhole camera and did some developing which was most enjoyable, but also very frustrating!  Below is a photograph of my drying line with the photographs hanging from it in my room.

Critique feedback

I just got the results from my first assignment... I got 67% which is three marks off a 1st!    Sam didn't really have anything bad to say about my work either, and she was impressed at my organization and attention to detail in my research and planning.  I am so pleased, especially considering it is the first one.  Well, it has certainly set me a standard to live up to, lets hope that the next one goes as well...

Lea's Back!

Lea just got home from a weekend with her family.  It was so strange her not being here - I missed her!  Glad she's back now and refreshed from seeing her Mum =]

Films

I just finished watching Saw with Tom - goodness knows why it's a horrible film!  Now we are going to watch Over the Hedge so I can actually sleep tonight.

Pumpkin Feast

We decided to cut our fabulously carved pumpkin up this evening and made pumpkin soup, pumpkin and potato mash, roasted pumpkin, and toasted pumpkin seeds.  I have never tasted mash so good - it was AMAZING!!!  Granted it did take us over three hours to make it, but still, it was so worth it, and there is enough soup left for tomorrow too =]  We are going to buy more pumpkins next week in the sale and make more mash and soup.

Fireworks

I watched the fireworks in Britt park this evening from our kitchen window with Greg, Laura and Hayley, because we decided not to go out and see them.  These are some photos taken on my new camera - I think they turned out pretty well.

Starbucks

This morning Hayley and I had some jobs to do in town, so we walked in for 9am through the beautifully still frost streets - it was so pretty and cold.  We had breakfast in Starbucks to warm ourselves up, then did our jobs and came home.  

Pumpkin Carving

As it was almost the end of Halloween Greg bought a pumpkin on his way home from work for us to carve.  We carved it and kept all of the seeds to toast tomorrow - Happy Halloween!

Trick or Treat

Alex wanted to go trick or treating tonight, as neither he or I have ever been before, so the two of us and Hayley went knocking on the doors in our block.  We got a few sweets - what a fun little adventure =]

Pre-Halloween party

Tonight was our Halloween party as Lea is going to her grandparents for the weekend tomorrow.

New Camera

Well, it looks ok, and seems to take good photos so far, but I miss my old camera.  I was really quite attached to it, it travelled far with me, and stayed in great condition.  Ah well, this one is a 'better camera'.  I'm sure I shall have many-a fun adventure with it too =/

Pumpkin Carving

Tom and Lea bought pumpkins this afternoon and carved them.

Bus/Camera/Shopping

Straight after my lecture this morning I walked to the bus stop about half a mile down the road to get the bus to PC world (which is in the same retail park as Asda, about three and a half miles away).  I needed to take my camera back and get them to replace it, as there are lines going across all of the photographs.  After quite a while of me persuading them that I need to have a camera with me at all times, they decided to replace it for me with the newest model, and I paid the difference.  This turns out to be a fairly good deal, as I had had my old camera for over two years, and this far better one has only cost me £40.  It's on charge at the moment, so hopefully it will be as good as it first appears.  I then walked back to Asda to do the shopping and caught the bus home.

Last Day

Today was Suzie and Ricks last day here, they came to mine at about 11 so we could walk into town and have a mooch together.  It was a nice walk in, through Rickerby park alongside the somewhat flooded river with the cows and sheep. We wondered around for a while, Mia got a lovely cardigan, had some lunch in Starbucks, wondered around for a while longer and found Freya a BUS!!!  So exciting it's untrue!  Then we walked back to halls.  They left at about half past 3.

I have had a fantastic few days with them here, it has been so nice to share where I am at the moment with them.  Thank you so much for visiting =]

Afternoon out

I had Visual Literacy this morning until 12, but then this afternoon I walked into town to meet up with Suzie, Rick, Mia and Freya.  We went to Tullie House so the girls could 'make a masterpiece' - they were given paints, pens, paper, glue, leaves and all sorts to make some very pretty pictures.  Then off to Starbucks for a coffee - the perfect thing to do on a very cold afternoon.  We walked back to their hotel later in the afternoon.  We had a lovely evening meal in the brewers fair at the hotel - it was great.  Then we went to the play area (Wacky Warehouse style) which was great fun as there was no-one else there so all of us got to have a good play.  A great evening, they brought me home at about 9 ish, everyone shattered!

Tesco Tea

We went to Tesco and picked some sandwiches up on the way back to Suzie and Ricks this evening with some other munchies and juice.  We sat about and ate and watched tv - it was a really nice night.  Then they brought me home about 8.30 ish.  Unfortunately the photo hasn't worked because my camera is broken =[

Camera Obscura

We turned our lecture room into a Camera Obscura in this afternoons lecture.  We blacked out all of the windows and the door, then made a small hole in the covering of one window (the bottom photograph is taken through the hole).  We then put backing paper up as a screen for the image to project onto for us to see. It was really successful - you could even see cars moving!  So much fun - we sat in a camera =]

Lunch

Suzie, Rick and the Girls picked me up from uni at 11 this morning to take me into town and go to Wetherspoons for lunch - the big breakfast there is SO good =]  Then they took me back just in time for my afternoon lectures while they went to Gretna.

Welcome to Carlisle!

Suzie, Rick, Mia and Freya brought me back up to Carlisle this afternoon/evening.  We left home at 9 minutes past 3, and got 3 hours 40 minutes later - really good time.  It is so exciting that they are staying up here until Wednesday, we are going to have a great time.  So, welcome to carlisle folks, hope you have a fantastic visit! x

Roast Dinner

Fabulous - what more can I say?  Roast cockerel with veggies, roast tates and yorkie puds =]

Breakfast

We all had a lovely cooked breakfast this morning after Howard and Janet had left (they were going to see friends for brunch).  Fry-up with breakfast bread donuts and breakfast muffins.  Yummy =]

Sleeps

Suzie, Rick, Mia, Freya, Mum, Dad and I are sleeping in the lounge tonight, Emma, Rob, Evan and Calum are sleeping in the Toy Room and Howard and Janet are sleeping in a bed.  Good times =]

Christmas Puddings

The time old tradition of making the Christmas Puddings and then each having three stirs and making a wish happened this evening.  And then of course the mixture must be tasted =]

Family Meal

Emma, Rob, Evan, Calum, Suzie, Rick, Mia and Freya are joining Mum, Dad, Howard, Janet and myself for the night at home.  It is so nice to have everyone together again.  We had the nicest meat pie, chips, peas and gravy with an awesome choice of puddings - chocolate fudge cake, banoffee pie, frozen mocha or ben and jerry's ice cream.  A great meal and a great evening.

Boston

This morning I went into Boston with Mum, Dad, Howard and Janet to do a few jobs.  I realized just how much I dislike Boston, firstly the traffic is a nightmare, then there is the matter of the strange people there, all together it isn't really a very pleasant place, however I did meet up with the kids to make the day somewhat brighter =]

Two out of three

This is me with Slaw and Mark, two of the chefs from the Leagate,it was great to see them again!

The Shire

I am now officially back in Lincolnshire - well, I have been for about the past four hours after the 215ish mile drive, but hey.  We picked up fish and chips on the way home, then I went back to the Leagate for an hour or so for a catch-up, then came home.  It is so great to be back, I love Carlisle, but I miss it here so much - it's home.  It is so great to see Mum and Dad, and it's nice that Howard and Janet are here too.  Now I'm looking forward to seeing all of the Kids and little people tomorrow - good times guys, it's good to be home =]

Home

I'm just about to start packing because I am going home today - Mum and Dad are coming to pick me up this afternoon then taking me home for the weekend and Suzie, Rick and the girls will be bringing me back on Sunday, then staying till Wednesday.  I am SO excited - can't wait to see everyone =]

Celebrations and merrimentations

As Greg was at work tonight and Tom has gone home me and Lea decided to order in Chinese tonight to celebrate the end of our first brief.  We watched Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion and ate chinese.  It was a great night - well done team =]  Now I'm off to hoover and clean rady for my visitors on Sunday...

First Critique

I have just got back from my first critique of a fully assessed brief - I was so nervous!  It seemed to go really well, the head of Photography Mike England came to look at our work before our critique, and he said he was very impressed that I had ventured into the studio, and that I had used the lighting very effectively which I was really pleased about.  Then it was time for the critique:  this is where you present your work to the whole class and lecturer as well as some students from other years who come and sit in, and then they ask questions and make observations about the work.  People seemed to be quite interested and reacted very well to my images.  A third year student commented that I used the lighting effectively, and that it was a great first attempt at being in the studio.  My portfolio which has my research sketchbook, contact prints, final prints and critical appraisal in, along with the feedback sheets from today.  We should get it back at some point over the next two weeks - so fingers crossed for at least 40% (that is the pass mark).