Tuesday 22 November 2011
Friday 18 November 2011
Taking a walk on the wild side
I was very lucky to have one of my closest university friends, Sherif, fly over to visit me as a surprise a couple of weeks ago. It was so lovely to see someone from home, having been away now for 5 months. It took me at least an hour to get over the shock of seeing him in the flesh rather than catching up through the universe of Facebook or Skype which I use as a somewhat connection to life back home.
So, after he came back from two weeks of throwing himself out of a plane/into a canyon in Queenstown, he came and stayed with me before going back to Blighty. With a long flight ahead of him, we both agreed that taking it easy was the way to go. What did we decide to do? Take a four hour walk around the Bay. I know a four hour walk doesn't sound like the most logical thing to do in terms of relaxation, but in a country as beautiful as New Zealand it's hard not to dig out the walking boots, or in my terms, Converse.
Taking a walk is probably the one of the most refreshing and relaxing of outdoor activities. There's a lot more to it than just putting one foot in front of the other. It's taking in the scenery around you, feeling the warm sunshine bask on your skin, feeling your heart pound against your chest as you tackle a monster of a hill and exploring new parts of a place you would never otherwise see. I'm currently staying near one of New Zealand's many beaches; Long Bay , which provides a trek down to the other side of its rolling hills. From Long Bay beach alone you can see mountains that are situated on a different part of the island, and Rangitoto, a dormant volcano lying not too far from the mainland against the turqoise of the Pacific. Not too shabby as far as scenery goes, especially one that's 10 minutes away from my doorstop.
After walking up quite a few inclines and over a couple of stiles, we ended up on a completely different beach, scattered with rocks (some of which I promptly tripped over), with a view over to the other part of the island where I could see the bare trunks of the edge of a logging forest, and masts of boats lining the horizon. It had such a peaceful feel to it, secluded from any type of traffic. Walking along our newly found stoney (and slippery!) beach, we came across trees that had fallen from the tops of the cliff edge now lying skeletal, grey with branches reaching like fingers forlornly to the water, as if it had been its last desperate act. It was an interesting and sad thing to see, all these trees uprooted all along the beach having fallen to their demise due to the cliffs eroding away.
We kept going until a marshy spot of ground made us come to a halt. Now, me being the amateur interpid explorer declared that the mud didn't look as viscous at first impressions and it sure wasn't going to put a stop to our adventure. So, on we went and sure enough with each footstep, our shoes and balance became victims to both my judgement and the mud. I don't think Sherif's TOMS will ever fully recover. We went back up to where we had walked down to the beach but unforntuantly, a boundary sign declared the end of the walk and the start of someone's private land.
But a walk like this is an experience to add to the wonderful moments I have. I can look back on it and think of it as a time where I got see another part of the Bay and where I laughed so much I couldn't walk. It was really nice to share it with a friend most of all, to have someone to talk to and share ideas, and laughter. I have always loved being outside, out of the house and away from any distractions. Sometimes it can be easy to forget that the Internet Explorer isn't the only place where you can discover and learn things. As Christopher McCandless wrote on his ill-fated, soul searching trip as depicted in the film Into the Wild, 'The freedom and simple beauty is too good to pass up...'
So, after he came back from two weeks of throwing himself out of a plane/into a canyon in Queenstown, he came and stayed with me before going back to Blighty. With a long flight ahead of him, we both agreed that taking it easy was the way to go. What did we decide to do? Take a four hour walk around the Bay. I know a four hour walk doesn't sound like the most logical thing to do in terms of relaxation, but in a country as beautiful as New Zealand it's hard not to dig out the walking boots, or in my terms, Converse.
Taking a walk is probably the one of the most refreshing and relaxing of outdoor activities. There's a lot more to it than just putting one foot in front of the other. It's taking in the scenery around you, feeling the warm sunshine bask on your skin, feeling your heart pound against your chest as you tackle a monster of a hill and exploring new parts of a place you would never otherwise see. I'm currently staying near one of New Zealand's many beaches; Long Bay , which provides a trek down to the other side of its rolling hills. From Long Bay beach alone you can see mountains that are situated on a different part of the island, and Rangitoto, a dormant volcano lying not too far from the mainland against the turqoise of the Pacific. Not too shabby as far as scenery goes, especially one that's 10 minutes away from my doorstop.
 | ||||
| Long Bay |
 |
| View from the top of the Bay |
After walking up quite a few inclines and over a couple of stiles, we ended up on a completely different beach, scattered with rocks (some of which I promptly tripped over), with a view over to the other part of the island where I could see the bare trunks of the edge of a logging forest, and masts of boats lining the horizon. It had such a peaceful feel to it, secluded from any type of traffic. Walking along our newly found stoney (and slippery!) beach, we came across trees that had fallen from the tops of the cliff edge now lying skeletal, grey with branches reaching like fingers forlornly to the water, as if it had been its last desperate act. It was an interesting and sad thing to see, all these trees uprooted all along the beach having fallen to their demise due to the cliffs eroding away.
 |
| Part of the tree graveyard |
 |
| Uprooted Pine tree |
We kept going until a marshy spot of ground made us come to a halt. Now, me being the amateur interpid explorer declared that the mud didn't look as viscous at first impressions and it sure wasn't going to put a stop to our adventure. So, on we went and sure enough with each footstep, our shoes and balance became victims to both my judgement and the mud. I don't think Sherif's TOMS will ever fully recover. We went back up to where we had walked down to the beach but unforntuantly, a boundary sign declared the end of the walk and the start of someone's private land.
 |
| The Dreaded Marsh Land |
 |
| Sherif's sunken footprint |
But a walk like this is an experience to add to the wonderful moments I have. I can look back on it and think of it as a time where I got see another part of the Bay and where I laughed so much I couldn't walk. It was really nice to share it with a friend most of all, to have someone to talk to and share ideas, and laughter. I have always loved being outside, out of the house and away from any distractions. Sometimes it can be easy to forget that the Internet Explorer isn't the only place where you can discover and learn things. As Christopher McCandless wrote on his ill-fated, soul searching trip as depicted in the film Into the Wild, 'The freedom and simple beauty is too good to pass up...'
 |
| Happy on our adventure |
Sunday 6 November 2011
Saturday 22 October 2011
100 things
Recently, I've been thinking to myself about what I want to do in life. Big subject, I know. But for me, and those who know me, I've always been focused on my future career, a path with which has caused me some frustration and confusion as time as gone on. I have ideas of what I want to do, and I've grown up thinking that the way to go was a straight 'school, sixth form, uni,' kinda deal.Then that's it. It would be time to go straight onto that all important first step of my professional life. How wrong and naive I was. As part of what the media have dubbed 'The Lost Generation'due to the continually rolling recession, my path to my dream future job , like many other people I know, is a case of wandering with your arms out in front of you in thick cloud rather than being able to see it in the horizon. Even an aspiration such as living in your own place out of university is seemingly hard now. So I did what quite a lot of young people are doing now. I went travelling. A dear friend of mine wisely told me that life is about living for the moment, and it's something that has stayed with me. I've been so caught up worrying what's going to happen for me in a year or two time, that I forgot to take in what's happening right now and what moments I would like to live in and have to look back on. So I decided to compile a list of things that I would like to do in my life at some point. Some of the things may seem a little silly, but it's things I want to do or try. Yes, a job is still important to me and obviously I will need one to fund some of my ambitions and who knows what will happen in my future.But whatever it is, I've now learnt to be quite happy that I don't know what my future holds, and to appreciate moments more. So this is what I would like to see happen in my life. I plan to have 100 things down, but am only half way done so far. I'm sure I'll add more as time goes on.
1. Walk through Central Park during Autumn
2. Own an old film camera and use a darkroom again
3. Live in my own apartment
4. Go to Berlin
5. See Bon Iver in concert
6. White water rafting
7.See the Northen Lights
8. Get married (which won't happen for a long time though!)
9. Have an article or short story published
10. Live in Bristol
11. See my friends from camp again
12. Climb a mountain
13. Do something sponsered for charity
14. Meet Ewan McGregor (If only!)
15. Own my own cat
16. Read all of the 100 greatest novels of all time (according to The Guardian)
17. Take a photography course
18. Go to the Isle of Skye.
19. Go snowboarding again with my cousin Dani
20. Learn how to make jewellery
21. Grow my hair really long (I've been prone to having it cut short due to impatience)
22. Volunteer at home
23. Volunteer abroad
24. Own a bike with a basket
25. Be a bridesmaid (I had a chance once but couldn't because of my A Levels being on during the time of the wedding)
26. Watch every single Alfred Hitchcock film
27. Bake at least one of the each dessert ( Lemon meringue is off the list)
28. Get another tattoo
29. Slow dance with a loved one (I'm a romantic fool)
30. Go sailing
31. Go to the Rose Theatre and watch a Shakespeare play
32. Learn Origami
33. Go whale watching
34. Own a pair of Dr.Martins
35. Grow my own watermelons on my parents allotment
36. Go away somewhere with Laura, my closest friend from university
37. Learn how to blow glass
38. Go for a walk on a beach on a winter's day
39. Backpack across Europe
40. Go to St David's with my friends for another camping trip
41. Star gaze on a beach
42. Go hiking
43. Improve my guitar playing skills
44. Go to the Relentless Freeze Festival in London
45. Be a 'morning person'
46. Go to a Vivian Maier photography exhibition
47. Go Ice skating (albeit I am terrible considering I can't even walk properly on pavement as it is)
48. Sky-dive (I'm reluctantly putting this on the list as I'm a bit scared of heights, but it's definitely something I would like to experience)
49.Go backstage at a gig/concert
50. Keep surfing
51. Go scuba diving again
52. Spin a globe and go to the country my finger lands on (if circumstantially possible)
53. Go to a fashion show
54.Visit English heritage sights
55. Crowd Surf at a gig or festival
56. Go to a music festival abroad (Bennicassim, Coachella)
57. Learn how to wakeboard
58. Go on a night out with all my sixth form friends. (It's hard now everyone is doing their own thing)
59. Take an art class
60.
1. Walk through Central Park during Autumn
2. Own an old film camera and use a darkroom again
3. Live in my own apartment
4. Go to Berlin
5. See Bon Iver in concert
6. White water rafting
7.See the Northen Lights
8. Get married (which won't happen for a long time though!)
9. Have an article or short story published
10. Live in Bristol
11. See my friends from camp again
12. Climb a mountain
13. Do something sponsered for charity
14. Meet Ewan McGregor (If only!)
15. Own my own cat
16. Read all of the 100 greatest novels of all time (according to The Guardian)
17. Take a photography course
18. Go to the Isle of Skye.
19. Go snowboarding again with my cousin Dani
20. Learn how to make jewellery
21. Grow my hair really long (I've been prone to having it cut short due to impatience)
22. Volunteer at home
23. Volunteer abroad
24. Own a bike with a basket
25. Be a bridesmaid (I had a chance once but couldn't because of my A Levels being on during the time of the wedding)
26. Watch every single Alfred Hitchcock film
27. Bake at least one of the each dessert ( Lemon meringue is off the list)
28. Get another tattoo
29. Slow dance with a loved one (I'm a romantic fool)
30. Go sailing
31. Go to the Rose Theatre and watch a Shakespeare play
32. Learn Origami
33. Go whale watching
34. Own a pair of Dr.Martins
35. Grow my own watermelons on my parents allotment
36. Go away somewhere with Laura, my closest friend from university
37. Learn how to blow glass
38. Go for a walk on a beach on a winter's day
39. Backpack across Europe
40. Go to St David's with my friends for another camping trip
41. Star gaze on a beach
42. Go hiking
43. Improve my guitar playing skills
44. Go to the Relentless Freeze Festival in London
45. Be a 'morning person'
46. Go to a Vivian Maier photography exhibition
47. Go Ice skating (albeit I am terrible considering I can't even walk properly on pavement as it is)
48. Sky-dive (I'm reluctantly putting this on the list as I'm a bit scared of heights, but it's definitely something I would like to experience)
49.Go backstage at a gig/concert
50. Keep surfing
51. Go scuba diving again
52. Spin a globe and go to the country my finger lands on (if circumstantially possible)
53. Go to a fashion show
54.Visit English heritage sights
55. Crowd Surf at a gig or festival
56. Go to a music festival abroad (Bennicassim, Coachella)
57. Learn how to wakeboard
58. Go on a night out with all my sixth form friends. (It's hard now everyone is doing their own thing)
59. Take an art class
60.
Monday 12 September 2011
Touch, Pause, Engage! RWC 2011
Most people grow up in a sports orientated family. Football, cricket, baseball. Children continue their support of a family favoured team when their older, playing the sport or going to matches with a member of family sharing great sporting moments, celebrating ,or commiserating, together. For me, the sport is rugby. My Dad has always watched the sport and also grew up playing it, as well as my Mum. So, it was hard not to try rugby out which I did when I was 15 and from which I continued to play at both my home club and university,up until this year. I don't look like the 'typical' rugby player, but women's rugby has actually grown in popularity over the past couple of years. Therefore, in my opinion, this means that the stereotypical image of female rugby player is getting more and more vague as women of different shapes and sizes give the sport a try. Every time I've told someone that I've played the sport, they are always surprised but then there is always a 'good for you' element in their exclamation. Women in sport is something that I applaud, particularly in rugby that is predominantly known as a 'man's game'. For me, I'd swap 'high heels and make up' for a pair of rugby boots and mud any day.
But it's not just the fact that I've played rugby that interests me in the sport. The drama and spectacle surrounding rugby competitions makes it an intriguing game to watch. I've been there on the pitch with the feeling of being so nervous you feel sick and your heart pounding so hard in your chest as you face your opposition waiting for the referee to blow the whistle. It feels like time slows, a Wild West movie style moment where you stand staring your opposite player down frozen to the floor. But there's such a burst of adrenaline when you start playing you forget all about your nerves and it feels great being part of a team and working hard together to win a game. There's obviously injuries involved in rugby, I've had my fair share! A broken nose, a now permanent bulgy finger (thanks to my ignorance of not listening to my cousins advice of seeing a doctor as she thought it was broken), and I've had so many stud marks and bruises of spectacular colours from being tackled or hit by a flying studded boot. But that's just part of it. Watching a game gives you a similar kind of feeling to being one of the players. You feel part of it all the way. The power and endurance the players go through on the pitch keeps you on the edge of your seat, as you will your team to push on to keep up the effort and get the ball over the try line (which usually consists of holding onto the edge of the couch and screaming at the TV. We've all been there whatever sport we watch!)
So it was just my luck that my trip to New Zealand conicided with the country playing host to the biggest of Rugby competitions; Rugby World Cup 2011. Rugby in New Zealand is what football is to the UK. It's the main sport of the nation, with the All Blacks being the country's beloved team. New Zealand is one very much to preserving their traditions, in particular the Maori culture displayed in the Haka , the Maori war dance the All Blacks perform before each of their games. You can feel a sense of pride amongst the rugby fans before the match begins just from this one part of showmanship. Before the RWC had even begun, there were flash dance Hakas cropping up in the cities of NZ in the anticipation to the competition beginning. The All Blacks won their first match against Tonga, with the knowledge that New Zealand is backing them 100 per cent. You can't walk down a street without seeing an All Black flag in a window or on a car.
Above: Flash Haka, Below: All Blacks show they're not to be messed with
My aunt, cousin and I managed to go to a Rugby World Cup match at the closest stadium to where I'm staying; North Harbour. Despite being an England supporter, I went to go and watch Australia Vs Italy because being part of the atmosphere is so exciting and definitely not one to miss. I was seated amongst a sea of golds and blues, face painted in the Australian flag supporting the team from 'across the ditch' as the Kiwis say.
At half time, the score was 6-6 a result of seemingly lacklustered game play from both sides. Australia are amongst the the favourites, England, South Africa and France, to win the World cup, but it seems to me that all the favourites are off to a shaky start as one of my friends calls it.Underdog teams in the likes of Romania and Japan have even shown that they are not ones to be underestimated as seen in the Romania's game against Scotland who only upped the ante in the last 10 minutes of the second half. Japan's efforts were also definitely not to be sniffed at. This was similar in England's disappointing show, confusingly wearing an all black kit and then only going on to win against Argentina by 13 points to 9 with unconvincing effort. The New Zealand teams style of play obviously didn't rub off from their poorly made black kit.
Australia eventually woke up and went on to win against Italy, much to my delight, winning 32-6 by scoring 4 tries in the second half. But what I love about attending rugby matches is the fact you get to sit with fans of the opposition and there are no animosity or feelings of tension. Everyone is there to watch their team play and to enjoy the atmosphere. While I was at the match there were at least 5 Mexican waves, and each side sang their teams songs. It's pretty comical how the crowd becomes this automatic in-sync sound machine, sharing the cringes at a hard tackle (oooohhhh! That's gotta hurt..) or acknowledging good game play even if it was from the other side (yeah, ok, that was a pretty good try).
The World Cup ends on the 23rd of October, and who knows who will be in the final judging by the fight back from the underdogs. I'm backing England all the way, but I'll still enjoy watching great play from other teams who also deserve to go on and win the cup.
But it's not just the fact that I've played rugby that interests me in the sport. The drama and spectacle surrounding rugby competitions makes it an intriguing game to watch. I've been there on the pitch with the feeling of being so nervous you feel sick and your heart pounding so hard in your chest as you face your opposition waiting for the referee to blow the whistle. It feels like time slows, a Wild West movie style moment where you stand staring your opposite player down frozen to the floor. But there's such a burst of adrenaline when you start playing you forget all about your nerves and it feels great being part of a team and working hard together to win a game. There's obviously injuries involved in rugby, I've had my fair share! A broken nose, a now permanent bulgy finger (thanks to my ignorance of not listening to my cousins advice of seeing a doctor as she thought it was broken), and I've had so many stud marks and bruises of spectacular colours from being tackled or hit by a flying studded boot. But that's just part of it. Watching a game gives you a similar kind of feeling to being one of the players. You feel part of it all the way. The power and endurance the players go through on the pitch keeps you on the edge of your seat, as you will your team to push on to keep up the effort and get the ball over the try line (which usually consists of holding onto the edge of the couch and screaming at the TV. We've all been there whatever sport we watch!)
So it was just my luck that my trip to New Zealand conicided with the country playing host to the biggest of Rugby competitions; Rugby World Cup 2011. Rugby in New Zealand is what football is to the UK. It's the main sport of the nation, with the All Blacks being the country's beloved team. New Zealand is one very much to preserving their traditions, in particular the Maori culture displayed in the Haka , the Maori war dance the All Blacks perform before each of their games. You can feel a sense of pride amongst the rugby fans before the match begins just from this one part of showmanship. Before the RWC had even begun, there were flash dance Hakas cropping up in the cities of NZ in the anticipation to the competition beginning. The All Blacks won their first match against Tonga, with the knowledge that New Zealand is backing them 100 per cent. You can't walk down a street without seeing an All Black flag in a window or on a car.
Above: Flash Haka, Below: All Blacks show they're not to be messed with
My aunt, cousin and I managed to go to a Rugby World Cup match at the closest stadium to where I'm staying; North Harbour. Despite being an England supporter, I went to go and watch Australia Vs Italy because being part of the atmosphere is so exciting and definitely not one to miss. I was seated amongst a sea of golds and blues, face painted in the Australian flag supporting the team from 'across the ditch' as the Kiwis say.
 |
| North Harbour Stadium, NZ |
 | |||
| My cousin Bex and I facially showing our support to the Australian Wallabies |
At half time, the score was 6-6 a result of seemingly lacklustered game play from both sides. Australia are amongst the the favourites, England, South Africa and France, to win the World cup, but it seems to me that all the favourites are off to a shaky start as one of my friends calls it.Underdog teams in the likes of Romania and Japan have even shown that they are not ones to be underestimated as seen in the Romania's game against Scotland who only upped the ante in the last 10 minutes of the second half. Japan's efforts were also definitely not to be sniffed at. This was similar in England's disappointing show, confusingly wearing an all black kit and then only going on to win against Argentina by 13 points to 9 with unconvincing effort. The New Zealand teams style of play obviously didn't rub off from their poorly made black kit.
Australia eventually woke up and went on to win against Italy, much to my delight, winning 32-6 by scoring 4 tries in the second half. But what I love about attending rugby matches is the fact you get to sit with fans of the opposition and there are no animosity or feelings of tension. Everyone is there to watch their team play and to enjoy the atmosphere. While I was at the match there were at least 5 Mexican waves, and each side sang their teams songs. It's pretty comical how the crowd becomes this automatic in-sync sound machine, sharing the cringes at a hard tackle (oooohhhh! That's gotta hurt..) or acknowledging good game play even if it was from the other side (yeah, ok, that was a pretty good try).
 | ||||
| Italy fans |
 |
| Australia and Italy |
The World Cup ends on the 23rd of October, and who knows who will be in the final judging by the fight back from the underdogs. I'm backing England all the way, but I'll still enjoy watching great play from other teams who also deserve to go on and win the cup.
 |
| Me next to the Cup! |
Monday 29 August 2011
A Thought Bubble...
I'm thankful that..
Hurricane Irene didn't hit the upper East coast as bad as the media were making out. NYC was completely shut down, and I was worried that it would disrupt my flight to LA today. Unfortunately, 25 people died in the storm which makes me more thankful that it lost power the further it moved up the country as it could have been a lot worse.
I loved...
going to the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. I love Modern Art museums as you never come across anything the same in each one and you discover new installations that blow your mind. One in particular was the Carlito Carvalhosa installation, Sum of Days that combines sound and space. You walk through this sheeted maze that has speakers and microphones hanging down that records and plays back sounds from previous visitors. The older the recording, the quieter it gets until it becomes a whisper. It was pretty eerie but I could have stayed in there for a while. It was strangely enchanting.
I watched...
The Martin Scorsese film, Shine a Light; a recording of a Rolling Stones concert in Central Park. It was so cool to lie on the grass on a summer evening watching one of my favourite bands that I grew up listening to.
I bought...
new Vans trainers. Mine got pretty ruined from the rain in Massachusetts while I was working at camp. I was a fool to take my wellies.
I miss...
The Pinkhill girls. These are the girls I lived with whilst working at camp and we all got along so well and we all became great friends. I'm going to miss them!
I'm going...
to LA today for two days. My plan: beach! I need to relax before my epic flight to the Land of the White Cloud, New Zealand. I'm so excited for my trip and to see my family over there.
I'm listening to...
Florence and the Machine's new song 'What the water gave me'. If her new song is anything to go by, I'm really looking forward to her new album being released.
A photo...
I love the fact he's throwing Wilson....
Hurricane Irene didn't hit the upper East coast as bad as the media were making out. NYC was completely shut down, and I was worried that it would disrupt my flight to LA today. Unfortunately, 25 people died in the storm which makes me more thankful that it lost power the further it moved up the country as it could have been a lot worse.
I loved...
going to the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. I love Modern Art museums as you never come across anything the same in each one and you discover new installations that blow your mind. One in particular was the Carlito Carvalhosa installation, Sum of Days that combines sound and space. You walk through this sheeted maze that has speakers and microphones hanging down that records and plays back sounds from previous visitors. The older the recording, the quieter it gets until it becomes a whisper. It was pretty eerie but I could have stayed in there for a while. It was strangely enchanting.
I watched...
The Martin Scorsese film, Shine a Light; a recording of a Rolling Stones concert in Central Park. It was so cool to lie on the grass on a summer evening watching one of my favourite bands that I grew up listening to.
I bought...
new Vans trainers. Mine got pretty ruined from the rain in Massachusetts while I was working at camp. I was a fool to take my wellies.
I miss...
The Pinkhill girls. These are the girls I lived with whilst working at camp and we all got along so well and we all became great friends. I'm going to miss them!
I'm going...
to LA today for two days. My plan: beach! I need to relax before my epic flight to the Land of the White Cloud, New Zealand. I'm so excited for my trip and to see my family over there.
 |
| From here.. |
 |
| To here! |
I'm listening to...
Florence and the Machine's new song 'What the water gave me'. If her new song is anything to go by, I'm really looking forward to her new album being released.
A photo...
I love the fact he's throwing Wilson....
Saturday 27 August 2011
Never eat Oreo cookie popcorn...
The thing I love about modern art museums is how the plethora of obscure and vivid works of art from across the world can transform the life of an inconspicuous building. Take the Tate Modern for example. Having been an old factory, it was transformed from a place made for monotonous construction into a place for reflection and eye opening experiences. The MOMA, Museum of Modern Art, in New York City is no different. From the outside, it looks like a banal office block that joins all the other towering buildings of NYC that stand to attention like obedient soldiers. Looking down the street, it feels like the buildings follow the curvature of the earth; they go on for so long.
My preferred section of the museum was, of course, the photography gallery. It offered a wonderful collection of photographers work with no definitive theme in mind. The photos in the gallery themselves range from the early 1900's to the early 80's, providing a satisfyingly interwoven voyeuristic view into cultures and society through the decades.
One particular part of the gallery that I adored was the unknown photos; photos lost or unclaimed joined together through an owner's carelessness or misplacement by a loved one. Unattached through a death or absentmindedness, perhaps.
But the unknown photos, dating in this section mostly from around the 30's and 50's, all gave a window into a moment in the photographers life, the subjects of the photos endearingly immortalized in joy, tribulation and fond love. While the other photos in the gallery gave the viewer a look into a particular world they wouldn't otherwise see, these photos were different. The characters in the pictures had some connection to the photographer which gave them an air of personal attachment and affection that was easy to relate to. We've all been behind the camera with a want to capture a special memory to be able to look on in years to come. A photo of family, friends, lovers. Each of these photos had a beautiful nostalgic characteristic. The now vintage fashion, culture, the fact it's printed in black and white film ( a favourite of mine!) gives them a time capsule feel to the fact that even though they were taken over 50 years ago, people could still enjoy them now. Lost photos finding a new found appreciation.
I have always taken to appreciating street photography and these photos, in a way, followed that line. They still have a story behind them but perhaps in these photos it was more obvious to who the people were, or their background. The fact that these photos can give a personal connection to the viewer is what I loved about them. A comedic line up of friends or family reminded me of my Dad lining up with his brothers and sisters which had become somewhat a sibling tradition whenever they were together captured of course in photos throughout the years. A group of friends captured laughing uncontrollably over a clumsy fall or an in-joke gave me flashes of memories with my friends and the times I've had with them where I've laughed till my ribs hurt, or being amongst them and feeling right at home with them.
Although these photos are all from a little way back in the past, each one could easily transpire in modern times. The time we live in moves fast and sometimes we can loose track of what is important amidst the want for technology and other materialistic commodities that fill our lives. Fashion, society and cultures may have changed dramatically but the way friends and families work hasn't. That's why photos like these are important, so that they can symbolise what has been or is part of ourselves and what we will look back fondly on as nothing else, really will suffice.
*Apologies for the quality of my pictures of the photos. My iPod camera doesn't quite do them justice.
My preferred section of the museum was, of course, the photography gallery. It offered a wonderful collection of photographers work with no definitive theme in mind. The photos in the gallery themselves range from the early 1900's to the early 80's, providing a satisfyingly interwoven voyeuristic view into cultures and society through the decades.
One particular part of the gallery that I adored was the unknown photos; photos lost or unclaimed joined together through an owner's carelessness or misplacement by a loved one. Unattached through a death or absentmindedness, perhaps.
But the unknown photos, dating in this section mostly from around the 30's and 50's, all gave a window into a moment in the photographers life, the subjects of the photos endearingly immortalized in joy, tribulation and fond love. While the other photos in the gallery gave the viewer a look into a particular world they wouldn't otherwise see, these photos were different. The characters in the pictures had some connection to the photographer which gave them an air of personal attachment and affection that was easy to relate to. We've all been behind the camera with a want to capture a special memory to be able to look on in years to come. A photo of family, friends, lovers. Each of these photos had a beautiful nostalgic characteristic. The now vintage fashion, culture, the fact it's printed in black and white film ( a favourite of mine!) gives them a time capsule feel to the fact that even though they were taken over 50 years ago, people could still enjoy them now. Lost photos finding a new found appreciation.
I have always taken to appreciating street photography and these photos, in a way, followed that line. They still have a story behind them but perhaps in these photos it was more obvious to who the people were, or their background. The fact that these photos can give a personal connection to the viewer is what I loved about them. A comedic line up of friends or family reminded me of my Dad lining up with his brothers and sisters which had become somewhat a sibling tradition whenever they were together captured of course in photos throughout the years. A group of friends captured laughing uncontrollably over a clumsy fall or an in-joke gave me flashes of memories with my friends and the times I've had with them where I've laughed till my ribs hurt, or being amongst them and feeling right at home with them.
Although these photos are all from a little way back in the past, each one could easily transpire in modern times. The time we live in moves fast and sometimes we can loose track of what is important amidst the want for technology and other materialistic commodities that fill our lives. Fashion, society and cultures may have changed dramatically but the way friends and families work hasn't. That's why photos like these are important, so that they can symbolise what has been or is part of ourselves and what we will look back fondly on as nothing else, really will suffice.
*Apologies for the quality of my pictures of the photos. My iPod camera doesn't quite do them justice.
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