London

<3 50mm

October 24, 2006

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Some recent, random stuff..

The 50mm f1.8 is a heavenly lens. Oooh yeahh. (It really makes me say that)

Just look at the DOF! Ahhh

I’ve been learning how to play poker. I’m going to become a gambling addict.

I felt rich holding this

Unfortunately it wasn’t mine. My cousin won that on Saturday, but that was after losing £700. I lost £50 : ( I’m going to make it back next time though ;)

I still haven’t been on these slides at the Tate Modern.

The queues were apparently 2 hours long that day.  I have better things to do with my time! Like..gamble :D

Playing around some more with my new toy aka 50mm f1.8 lens

So, the Church of Scientology is taking over the world. They’ve bought a six-storey building in London, and engraved ‘Church of Scientology’ into it. They’re clearly here to stay.

I went in and spoke to a scarily chirpy woman who told me they’d recently bought the building. Hm.. I don’t know how to feel about that, but I can’t say I’m too enthralled by the prospect of having a large Church of Scientology presence over here.

I love the Bargehouse in Southbank. It’s an old building full of character that contains a photography exhibition.

Not sure exactly what was going on here but the Navy were putting on some kind of show in Trafalgar Square

I took that shot from the steps of the National Gallery. It was bucketing down – horrid, horrid weather.

The weather is extremely depressing, and my navel piercing looks like it’s going to get rejected a SECOND time, because it’s looser than it was originally, making me feel even more depressed. I’m not the sort to get upset by material things at all, but for some reason my navel piercing is precious to me! I have to see my piercer about it to determine whether it’s just settling in and migrating temporarily or whether it looks like it will indeed reject completely like it did the first time. I still have a scar from then, and I’m still not completely over it. The thought of having another scar there is just blah : (

Why would it even reject? The first time I’m certain it was rejected because I changed the barbell before it was 100% healed up – I was told I could take it out after 6 weeks when it should have been 6 months.. this time it’s been pierced behind scar tissue which should actually keep it in better, and I’m not allergic to any kind of metal. I’ve been looking after it well, and I’m not obese (apparently navel rejection is more common in fat girls :o). So whyyy should this happen? Hmph, I’ll have to wait and see what the outcome is once Mr Piercer has examined it. Damnit. :(

Some hot chocolate would definitely cheer me up

I actually took this in a coffee shop in India. Coffee over there is pretty much just as expensive as it is here which struck me as a little odd. I guess it’s only for the Indian upper class.

I haven’t finished writing about India yet – watch this space for Chapter 5..
This weekend I’m finishing off a roll of film – it’s been so long since I last used the EM that I don’t even remember what film is in it..I think it’s colour though ¬_¬

NUJ Protest: Murder of Anna Politkovskaya

October 14, 2006

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Bit of a delayed blog. I’d forgotten to submit this – doh.

14th October ’06
Russian Embassy, Kensington, London

Anna Politkovskaya was a Russian journalist who openly condemned the Russian Government and who strongly opposed the Chechen conflict. She was shot to death on October 7th, 2006. She is, in fact, the 13th journalist to die in a contract-style killing since Putin came to power.

The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) held a protest at the Russian Embassy, calling for Yuri Fedotov, the Ambassador, to hold an official inquiry into the killing.

There was some confusion to begin with, with protestors not knowing whether to stand outside the Russian Consulate, or down the road, at the Russian Embassy. I’d always assumed they were one and the same..but apparently not.

They stood opposite the Consulate.

Is it me, or does this this guy look uncannily similar to Anna? Hmmm

There weren’t many protestors as this snapshot shows.

Having said that, it was an enlightening protest. I suppose when there are less people, you have more of a chance to talk to people and find out what their views are.

Jeremy Dear, the general secretary of the NUJ, led the demonstrators to the gates of the Russian Embassy.

They asked to see the Ambassador.

No surprises that the answer was ‘no’.

So, the wreath was placed on the gates, as well as the placards..

..and the police wasted no time in ushering people away, particularly the photographers.

Once we’d left, they wouldn’t let any of us back into the road, and they told us not to take anymore pictures when the wreath was being removed by security.

We still continued to take pictures although none of mine came out particularly well – would have needed a telephoto lens for that! The police began shouting at us to stop and I did, but another photographer carried on. He told me later that the law states that we have the right to take pictures in any public place, and even if the police tell you to stop, it’s not a criminal offence, and I should stand my ground. It’s hard to know what to do in a situation like that, though, and whether it’s worth risking hassle from police.

The wreath was eventually moved from the Embassy, to the Consulate. I have no idea why they had such an issue with that.

The Russian government is known for being corrupt, and I wonder just what part they had to play in this murder. It’s quite likely it was carried out by a Russian citizen – Anna defended the Chechens, which would not have been popular with the Russians.

One thing is for certain – freedom of speech is clearly a dangerous thing.

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