The simplest smile from a man in red hat. The giggles from a child as he holds his mum’s hand. The ‘Hi ya!’ from the family as they leave their flat. The morning puja.
The nod of hello, a man in yellow, on patrol. The smiles as the boy and his dad ride their bikes. The wave of the lady that helps cross the road. The morning welcome.
The chatter of the ladies on fluorescent daily run. The ‘morning’ from the girl with the curly dog. The warmth of the morning sun. The warmth of community.
The courtesy of the man in the green hatchback. The eyes that smile as they wait for their bus. The fellow people that you see every day. The strength of the morning.
All this puts the ignorance of the man in the black saloon in his place. He’s still a danger though, #forbearance, becare!
Trees; their forms, colours, textures, details, patterns, etc.
That’s a theme posited by a contemplative photography group that I’m linked with. To be honest, my past projects have been very ‘nature’ related and I am a tad tree-ed out at the mo. But it’s been on my mind. The group’s creations and ruminations may lead to reflections on the period of ‘advent’ that is also imminent.
IMAGES – As I say, my scrapbook is bare. I have not risen to the task… but have mulled it over. I have not felt moved to ‘capture’ moments on camera. Instead, I have found myself occasionally absorbing and soaking up things that I may have previously tried to capture and be creative with. So currently there’s a lack of material, but there is a tangible resonance and spirit of the temporary season we are in. Eeeek! Empty, lacking, absent, redirection…
ADVENT – Alongside this we have the season of ‘advent’. In recent years, I have followed a the vibrant ‘advent’ capers led by Brian Draper. Alas, he’s busy this year with other commitments. So no guiding twinkle. Eeeeek! Absence, loss, redirection…
I am left with thoughts of the #temporary #brief #limited #momentary #transitory #ephemeral #impermanent #mortal #perishable #shifting #transient #volatile #interim #changeable #evanescent #fleeting #fugacious…
What are your plans for Advent?
Indeed, do you ‘plan’ advent or does it just happen?
I mentioned the other day that true ‘friend’liness, whether merely passing or with the value of ‘times past’, is extremely powerful.
Some will say whatever; “I couldn’t care less… stop chasing rainbows”. I find that reaction sad, it’s not about rainbows it’s about the here and now and the person and place around the next corner. True friendliness can change your world. ❤ was created ★ !
People knock social media for its shallowness and frippery, but consider the fact that a significant % of your life is now online (you’re online now), a significant proportion of your spending decisions will be made online. ‘Online life’ is a fact. Like anything, it’s how you interact with (react to) social media that gives it value.
Stars and Hearts
A lot’s been written recently about Twitter’s break this year with its 10-year-old ‘favourite’ gold star ★ symbol and its new adoption of a ‘like’ red heart ❤ symbol.
Other platforms already use the heart but for tweeters “Oh no, no, no!” was the initial outcry and a quick reactive poll about the change with more than 9000 votes said 12% liked it and 88% disliked it. No! to the hearts!! We don’t ‘like’ change do we? I must say when I first saw the little heart ❤ I thought it a bit childish and not as worthy as the star ★ . Not really appropriate for the cut and thrust of twittersphere.
However Twitter has reported that “It’s a change that’s been fantastic for the platform… We see now 6% more hearts, 6% more likes on Twitter than we saw with favorites…”
As I say, a lot’s been written about the ★ and ❤ thing – you can ‘like’ a lot of things, but a lot of things can’t be your ‘favourite’. The heart ideograph has a lot of loaded baggage, as has the star glyph. Lots of ‘nations’ have stars ★ on their banners but unless I am mistaken none has a heart (yet). The heart icon has only relatively recently gained the “loves” significance with the 1970’s “I ❤ NY” etc.
In the end all ‘they’ want is our love (& ££££). But £ aside, is it more effective to heartily think ‘I love this’ with a heart, or register ‘I think this is good’ with a star? In our European culture, a heart is more emotional than a star. Oh no, emotion!! Can’t go there can we?
I have not been a publicly cuddly person, I dislike public shows of affection and I sigh at the mention of “heartfelt wishes” and “send them my love” etc. And, I hate (yes, extremely dislike; I think it’s quite unhelpful) the use of the heart when referring to the idea of a soul. But, I have warmed to the little heart ❤ symbol. Perhaps it’s living with (and loving) three females or perhaps I am getting old.
What’s in a symbol?
Depending on your culture there can be a lot of connotative significance given (loaded) to a heart or star symbol but from my perspective…
Star ‘symbol’ special, scientific, fame, pointy, sharp, characteristic, celestial, attainment, high ideals, distant, imaginary?
Of course there will always be those that hate (Grrrrrrffff!) both stars and hearts, but I say again; true ‘friend’liness, whether merely passing or with the value of times past, is extremely powerful.
Seasonally you can debate and argue about the mythical star ★ in the east and the significance of the story. But I don’t think you can argue with the heart ❤ element. We love because we were first loved 1 John 4:19 . Immanuel, ❤ was made flesh ★ ?
I guess it’s a choice, click ❤“I love life” or ★ “I think life is good”
I have written before about living with ‘our dog‘; “one can’t help noticing the warmth of a living creature when it sleeps on your lap. When he looks for attention. When he shows ‘signs’ of affection. When he identifies with you … you feel closer to nature, more alive…”
So photos… Whether you’d like bespoke pictures taken of your little buddy, or if you have prints that you’d like improved – a lot is possible!
You can see here a few projects that I’ve completed below; Fly, Kite, Rigsby and Bracken…
In the cases below, I have been asked to take a selection of new shots, and I have reworked them for use as canvas prints, framed prints and birthday cards etc.
If I can help with some new shots/prints of your little (or big) buddy, just let me know!
Kite and Fly – Cornish working CockersRigsby – A fine old, nay mature, chocolate Lab.Bracken – a loveable Spaniel / Poodle (Cockapoo)
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(of course all this helps keep the other ‘dog‘ in its place).
I AM. Images breed Assumptions and in turn create Motives.
You are ‘seen’ by the people you serve, the people you provide for or supply to. You are seen and your images are inescapably important.
Despite what we may think we know and subscribe to, ‘the surface’ is often all there is. The surface is ripe for images, assumptions and motives. We can be here today and gone tomorrow. Unless we strengthen it, reinforce it, empower it, make it engaging, memorable, true and honest, ‘the surface’ is often all there is.
Even God said “I am who I am” to Moses (Exodus 3:14)
Creativity is most prevalent when one looks outside of the familiar routine. Yes, “drive” is what gets things done, but a mindful drive might be more fruitful. “Every good tree bears good fruit” through a process of simple interaction, fecundity and growth. Less haste and less speed
Perhaps Solomon said it first“diligence leads to riches as surely as haste leads to poverty”.
It has been said that “Jules is indeed a talented and motivated individual”.
It would seem that I enjoy, and I’m good at ‘adding sizzle to the sausage’…
I am a creative and I can help you mix it up a bit!
A friend asked me if I could take the imprints off these very old photos. Yes is the answer.
It’s not easy but with a little retouching, cloning and blending etc not a bad result.
This was a relatively quick job for some small wall prints. I can produce higher quality work if images are needed for enlargements etc. It’s all down to time (and patience!).
Retouched ImagesOriginal Images Scanned
Another quick job; a friend asked me “can you remove the person from this picture and make it look a tad better?” Yes…
If I can help you revitalise any old prints or indeed new pics, just let me know!
A picture’s worth 1000 words… it’s an old chestnut of a phrase, but it’s very true!
A moving picture can be worth even more.
As a graphic communicator, I learnt that in 1920’s, Frederick Barnard wrote about graphics and advertising “One look is worth a thousand words“. He incorrectly suggested that the phrase came from Eastern philosophy and a Chinese proverb: “One picture is worth ten thousand words”. This source is reportedly a myth, but advertising sticks!
Other ‘stuff’ that’s ‘worth ten thousand words’:
“One timely deed is worth ten thousand words” – The Works of Mr. James Thomson, 1802.
“That tear, good girl, is worth, ten thousand words” – The Trust: A Comedy, in Five Acts, 1808.
“One fact well understood by observation, and well-guided development is worth a thousand times more than a thousand words” American Journal of Education, 1858
“The drawing shows me at one glance what might be spread over ten pages in a book.” Ivan S. Turgenev, Fathers and Sons, 1862.
But yes still a picture can be worth 1000 words … for good or ill!
Harvest, the visual cornucopia of autumnal fruiting, the deciduous passing of rich natural efflorescence can’t fail to touch most people in some way. The celebration of this season has been part of cultures for millennia.
But our festival of harvest these days tends to be packaged and sealed in tins and preservatives. The kids took a tin of grapefruit to school and probably sang something poetic about fruit, corn and thankfulness.
We are thankful for what we have and we think about those who do not have what we have.
Who are they? Poor people in other parts of the world? Hummm.. Perhaps a collection for charity will make us feel better. After all, almost three million children are thought to die annually because of poor nutrition.
Our celebration seems to be a ‘feel good’ moment and yes I can imagine farm labourers celebrating at the end of a hard season in days gone by, rightly so.
“We plough the fields and scatter…”
Our food and bounty increasingly comes from post-colonial poorer countries where our lust has arguably raped and enslaved. Curiously, Helen Walton, the wife of a founder of Wal-Mart, one of the richest women in the world said: “It’s not what you gather in life, but what you scatter in life, that tells…”
Yes I believe we should truly celebrate and express ourselves regularly: “Alas, for those that never sing, but die with all their music in them” Oliver Wendell Holmes
But I fear our cultural train ploughs on: “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation under games and amusements of mankind” Henry Thoreau
I’m reminded of the story of Zaccheus who gave back four times as much as he had gathered.
Yet, still I pop to Tesco ‘cos we’re “out of fruit”.
23/09/2015 It has been a while since I wittered about simply “riding my bike” but before it comes to an end here’s a bit about Leicester’s Melton Road Cycleway…
I have now moved off the main roads even more and it’s nice. But…
… the bit that takes some patience and tolerance is the bit after Thrummy; a very poorly surfaced and disjunctive cyclepath(?) to Troon Way, and then there’s a horrendous surface of the cyclepath(?) down Melton Road past Rushey Mead School.
This route is the main route from East Goscote, Syston, and Thurmaston into the east of Leicester City. But the facilities for this route as a cycling option for all are poor. I mean if Mrs Miggins, Mr Chopra, little Jonny and Veena are to ‘ride a bike’ more are they supposed to be attracted by this?
I’ll ask the council etc what their plans are. After all I understand they’d like more people to use the bike as a transport option.
The second part: after 40 seconds in… a horrendous surface of the cyclepath down Melton Road
The first part is not much better: a poorly surfaced and disjunctive cyclepath to Troon Way
.
I now have compiled a selection of images from this route (26th October 2015) and the Council have been asked about their plans. They can potentially make what is currently an option for the dedicated laughable minority, into an appealing, healthy, wholesome, people-centred, safe, money-saving, and potentially lifesaving option. People would then have a decision to make?
Black Friday Saloon.
I guess it’s a choice, click 
As a graphic communicator, I learnt that in 1920’s, Frederick Barnard wrote about graphics and advertising “One look is worth a thousand words“. He incorrectly suggested that the phrase came from Eastern philosophy and a Chinese proverb: “One picture is worth ten thousand words”. This source is reportedly a myth, but advertising sticks!
Jules P Richards 