Monday, December 27, 2010

Diesel spinning round

I took this picture of Diesel on the roundabout in the childrens playground behind our house. I used a slow shutter speed to show the motion of the roundabout going round with on camera flash to freeze my subject.

The fight in-flight of the Yellow Billed Kites


Air Combat
Originally uploaded by Chris Bloom
While at Tracy's parents on Christmas Day, we spotted a Yellow Billed Kite in a tree obviously with some (unidentified) prey it had caught. One of his mates decided we wasn't going to allow his friend to enjoy his meal in peace and swooped down on the lunch session. The result was this airborne tussle, it was over really quickly but miraculously I had the camera pointed in the right direction at the right time.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

My best photographs of 2010?

Using Flickr's Interestingness as a guide but not a judge and jury, I have compiled my top ten pictures from 2010. I have stuck to what Flickr has classed as amongst my most interesting but have excluded images which I dislike or I think are pointless. I have also tried to choose a variety of shots so if there were two similar scenes I have chosen the one I prefer.

10. Anybody in South Africa in the immediate period leading up to the World Cup would have witnessed a sea of SA flags flying from vehicles.
South Africa

9. During a trip to the Drakensburg in August I took advantage of the low light pollution and clear cool skies to capture these star trails. A thirty minute exposure.
Chunk Of Universe

8. Getting up at an unholy hour of a Saturday morning to capture a sunrise that doesn't happen can be a tad disappointing. It does though encourage one to look for other things to capture, such as this Pigeon fly past.
City Birds

7. The added police presence for the World Cup was very welcome. Not only did one feel more secure about carrying a camera around town, it also offered some photographic opportunities.
The Joy Of Giving

6. An early morning beach front shoot. The pier outside uShaka with the new restaurant under construction. Holding my D300 precariously close to the Indian Ocean.
Rushing Sea

5. Street vendor pushing his cart down Smith Street towards the beach front in the early morning.
Cruising Down Smith Street

4. Diesel walking towards me. Very difficult type of photograph to take. Firstly one has to lie on ones stomach to get the right angle and secondly, camera auto focus systems don't seem to like Black Cats especially when they are moving towards the camera
Diesel On The Prowl

3. World Cup Fan Fest on Durban Beachfront. This pic wasn't necessarily a favourite of mine but it was selected for a Flickr Blog article on the World Cup so I guess it deserves a mention here.
Having A Whale Of A Time

2. Candid street portrait taken on the Durban Beachfront during the FIFA World Cup 2010
Durban Beachfront - 21 June 2010

1. Moses Mabhida stadium at night taken from the top of the Old Mutual building in central Durban
Moses Mabhida By Night

Sunday, December 19, 2010

France 1986

In 1986 we went to Western France for our summer holiday. I have no idea where most of these pictures were taken as I didn't take any notes at the time. From what I remember we drove from Calais down towards Bordeaux and then back again, I'm not sure the exact routes or where we stopped on the way.

France 1986

France 1986

image16

France 1986

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Tom Walkinshaw 1946-2010

Sad to hear the news that Tom Walkinshaw has passed away today. He gave an incredible amount to motor sport. His TWR team fielding Jaguar XJS's in the European Touring Car Championship in the early eighties before moving with Jaguar into the Group C endurance championship. Later on he was involved with the Benetton F1 team and then famously hired the reigning world champion Damon Hill to the Arrows team in 1997. Pictured here is one of the TWR Jaguars at the Brands Hatch 1000km in 1986.

Jeffreys Bay

In 2007 we spent a week down in Jeffreys Bay. There was plenty of surfing action to photograph amongst other photographic opportunities in the area.

Jeffreys Bay

Jeffreys Bay

Gamtoosmond

Marina Martinique

Marina Martinique

Cape St Francis

Cape St Francis

Jeffreys Bay

Still Working Fine, Thanks


Blue Waters And Beachfront

View from top of the Moses Mabhida arch

Thursday, December 09, 2010

Cambridge: St Mary's Church

One of the many historic Cambridge landmarks and also a great place to take pictures of the city.

The church from outside.
St Mary's Church

From the top of the church tower.
View From St Mary's Church Tower

View From St Mary's Church Tower


Cambridge

Cambridge

Inside the church.
Cambridge

Monday, November 29, 2010

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Morning Cycle Ride Around Pinetown

Some shots I took while on my cycle ride this morning



Union Lane

Union Lane


Alpnie Motors

Alpnie Motors


Union Lane

Union Lane


Gone Till November

Gone Till November


Discount Centre

Discount Centre


People's Choice

People's Choice


All Shadows Lead To McDonalds

All Shadows Lead To McDonalds


Alpine Motors

Alpine Motors




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