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02/25/2008 10:50:31 AM · #251 |
I am in awe....
Pet Portrait III
Votes: 72
Views: 123
Avg Vote: 6.3611
Comments: 5
Favorites: 0
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02/25/2008 10:51:36 AM · #252 |
Deb, not sure of your plans for lodgings, so can't really advise sites til we know.
The park is Richmond Park, southwest trains from Waterloo or underground(tube, metro) trains go there also. Local buses will get you there.
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02/25/2008 11:17:43 AM · #253 |
Richmond Park is just another bit of London. Straightforward enough, as the four-year apprenticeship for taxi drivers would indicate. (Although I don't actually know if all that's still true - do they still have the knowledge?)
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02/25/2008 11:22:36 AM · #254 |
Originally posted by raish:
Richmond Park is just another bit of London. Straightforward enough, as the four-year apprenticeship for taxi drivers would indicate. (Although I don't actually know if all that's still true - do they still have the knowledge?) |
I think they do, but when you are paying the fare, the knowledge goes out of the back window. Those detours, roadworks etc add up to a nice fat fare!! |
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02/25/2008 11:41:44 AM · #255 |
Oh, yay, so we might have a big TS gathering in London? :) How exciting, that'd be so cool!
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02/25/2008 11:44:41 AM · #256 |
Jelena, what's your school schedule like? Would you be able to go out and about and just generally entertain a harmless little old lady (that would be me) on either Monday or Tuesday? I wouldn't mind taking a trip up to Cambridge - that's where you are, yes?
Oh, and very interesting Wiki page! I'll try to stick to the tube or the bus, think?
Message edited by author 2008-02-25 16:45:48. |
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02/25/2008 11:48:11 AM · #257 |
Originally posted by purpleflutterby13:
Oh, yay, so we might have a big TS gathering in London? :) How exciting, that'd be so cool! |
I hope so, but I have been clearing a large area of Brambles and Gorse for a couple of weeks and my arms look like I have been self mutilating!! Should all be gone by the GTG. We are going to book a flight on the Eye at the end of the GTG as a parting photo op. I have wanted to go on it for a long time, and I doubt I will be in London again for as many years, so this is a chance to experience the Eye! |
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02/25/2008 11:50:20 AM · #258 |
| How much does it cost and what does it take to book a flight on the Eye? I may join you if you don't mind and it's possible to do so! |
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02/25/2008 11:54:01 AM · #259 |
Originally posted by Melethia:
How much does it cost and what does it take to book a flight on the Eye? I may join you if you don't mind and it's possible to do so! |
The cost is about £15, book on line and you beat the queues. It lasts about 30 mins and you are welcome to join us:)
I am not going to book until closer to date, so I can check out weather forecasts first. I don't want to be stuck up there in a capsule in pouring rain. It is a great trip, but not one that includes bad weather! I will stay on the ground if visibility is going to be bad! |
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02/25/2008 12:27:43 PM · #260 |
Originally posted by Melethia:
Jelena, what's your school schedule like? Would you be able to go out and about and just generally entertain a harmless little old lady (that would be me) on either Monday or Tuesday? I wouldn't mind taking a trip up to Cambridge - that's where you are, yes?
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Heh, yeah, I was just looking through my diary with the same thoughts... I'm meant to be doing a programming course that week, but I just checked, and the exact same course is running again in May, which kinda suits me better anyway (it requires background knowledge, and I'm on about page 2 of the book I need to read for it...)
So yeah, if you're up for it, it'd be lovely to have you :)
Monday's probably easier for sneaking away from work purposes. We could always stick around London on Sunday, then head towards Cambridge on Sunday evening? (it's nice and nearby, it's just 45mins on the train, and the last train leaves around 11pm). Or just come along on Monday morning.
Cambridge has lots of cute medievalness going on, the river's nice, there's lots of birds... Spectacular sunsets occasionally. And yes, you can very easily see it all in a day :)
Oh, and if you're interested - our fire spinning practice time is Monday 8pm, and they're all extremely willing models :) I'd be happy to take you along as a visiting photographer if you like. |
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02/25/2008 12:31:29 PM · #261 |
Pet Portrait III
Votes: 71
Views: 110
Avg Vote: 4.4507
Comments: 2
second commenter likes it. I feel better now.
doesn't take much, does it? |
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02/25/2008 12:31:52 PM · #262 |
I truly wish I could join yous all, but I basically can't afford the rent these days. (It's ok, though, I've got a wife and a D200 and they're both working).
At £15 a throw, Steve, mightn't one of these be interesting if you can whip up interest for a group? |
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02/25/2008 12:59:28 PM · #263 |
Originally posted by raish:
I truly wish I could join yous all, but I basically can't afford the rent these days. (It's ok, though, I've got a wife and a D200 and they're both working).
At £15 a throw, Steve, mightn't one of these be interesting if you can whip up interest for a group? |
Certainly worth looking at!! |
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02/25/2008 01:06:57 PM · #264 |
Ok, I'm just reading a book called Egonomics, and there was a section I just read that I think really needs to be mentioned here... (it struck me as very relevant to DPC)
The entire book is about balancing self-esteem, basically. The argument goes - you need self-esteem in order to do all the things you want to do, etc., but when you go past a certain point, too much ego starts turning your main strengths into your main weaknesses. (eg. decisiveness can turn into stubornness, assertiveness into pushiness, etc.) And a lot of things can go wrong in life (or work) if your ego gets the better of you, as it can lead to a series of irrational decisions and actions.
Anyway, to cut to the relevant bit...
Competition, up to a point, is a good thing. It acts as a strong motivator, it makes you do your best and try harder. And it gives you an external measure of success, which is nice as you can watch yourself improve, etc.
But you should treasure the ability to take a step back from it and really reconsider it.
When you take a competition seriously, you're defining yourself in terms of its goals rather than your own. Something to be careful about. If your goals happen to overlap, that's cool, but often people get drawn in and just accept the terms of the competition without keeping an eye on their own motivations.
There are good reasons for taking DPC seriously. There are good reasons for not doing so. As long as your reasons are your own, rather than based on wanting to be better than other people. Heh, I wonder if I'm making any sense...
Anyway, my DPC survival guide would include the following tips:
- Take a while to consider why you're here. Is it for the community? For the feedback? For the sake of art? To get better at the craft of photography? To look at pretty pictures? To learn to make pretty pictures?
- Be prepared to be very critical of your own pictures. Before going on a troll witchhunt, consider if there's a reason why you're not connecting with people. Is the picture technically sound? Is it pretty? Is the meaning obvious? Having found the reason, consider whether you care or not. Are you happy with the picture? In the end, that's all that matters.
- Spell out the aims of your picture, and see if you've met them. A high score is a legit aim. A different legit aim might be for an image to have an impact on people. This one comes to mind: 
At the end of the day, you're the one and only judge of the success of your images, and your aims are your own.
- Remember scores are relative. It's not an absolute value. It's linked to who you're competing against, what the theme is, etc. And the diversity means that profound art might be beaten by cute puppies, or vice versa. Don't take your score or your placing as absolute. For the only absolute value, go back to your aims.
- Enjoy yourself. Have fun. Learn. And sometimes... Just relax, and take a nice step back from it all.
Anyway, I'm totally preaching to the converted here, but just felt like having a rant :) |
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02/25/2008 01:31:34 PM · #265 |
| well said. you should write a tutorial. ;) |
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02/25/2008 01:32:43 PM · #266 |
| What, a DPC survival guide? :) |
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02/25/2008 02:32:47 PM · #267 |
Damn, have I scared everyone away?
Um, sorry, ignore me, carry on chatting... :) |
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02/25/2008 02:58:29 PM · #268 |
Originally posted by purpleflutterby13:
Damn, have I scared everyone away?
Um, sorry, ignore me, carry on chatting... :) |
Actually  purpleflutterby13, that was very good. I'm just not sure where I fit in to that survival guide. I guess I'm here to please myself. At least I hope I am. I think everyone should read it. |
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02/25/2008 03:23:44 PM · #269 |
Wow sounds like London's gonna be a happening place...have fun everyone, and be careful ...if you're shooting at night in a park, watch out for yoofs...
Jeb, and anyone else interested in a quickie heavy horse primer: most draft breeds are colour-linked, how deliberately I don't know, though anyone wanting to show a team almost always wants a team that matches.
Belgians are always flaxen chestnut, like the ones you have in the pic. They usually do not have any white on them and if there is, it's on their faces.
Clydes are tall, very leggy, almost always bay (brown bodies with black manes/tails/lower legs) with lots of white on their lower legs and on their faces, usually some splashed on their bellies too. They have 'feather' - long hair on their lower legs - as do Shires.
Ditto Shires, I believe main difference is that Shires are heavier and deeper through the body, but relatively few Shires over here to best of my knowledge. I think Shires have heavier feather, too.
Percherons are either black or grey, esp. dappled gray, like someone did that sponge-painiting style on them. They tend to be fairly solid coloured, ie DON'T have lots of white on lower legs, faces etc. Ones that are quite old will eventually go gray all over and appear almost white. Maybe some but usually very little.
In my portfolio you'll see pictures of Clydes and Clyde crosses - Brio is Clyde/Thoroughbred so she is much more streamlined than, say, the tanklike Fifi, who is full Clyde. But notice that the colour of both girls and leg/face markings are very similar. (Fifi has feathers, Brio does have some but owner shaves them off for cosmetic reasons.) Hope this helps!
Message edited by author 2008-02-25 20:41:16. |
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02/25/2008 03:37:07 PM · #270 |
Originally posted by purpleflutterby13:
Damn, have I scared everyone away?
Um, sorry, ignore me, carry on chatting... :) |
It was dinner time on this side of the pond. You didn't scare us off.
I think your survival guide is very well thought out and well written. It is something worth saving and returning to again and again. It takes some time to think it through, and it is worth thinking through on a regular basis. Thanks. |
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02/25/2008 03:55:24 PM · #271 |
The way my Pet is doing is bringing me damn near to tears! I keep getting more awesome comments, one I cannot talk about yet, but it's like nothing I have ever gotten.....EVER!!!
Pet Portrait III
Votes: 82
Views: 144
Avg Vote: 6.4146
Comments: 7
Favorites: 0
Just in the last 10 minutes....
Pet Portrait III
Votes: 84
Views: 147
Avg Vote: 6.4405
Comments: 8
Favorites: 0
And the comment? Another wonderful one!
Is it possible that I have captured the true essence of my pet?
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02/25/2008 03:57:45 PM · #272 |
Originally posted by raish:
Richmond Park is just another bit of London. |
Isn't Richmond Park where Alex Saberi gets all those fantastic shots of deer and trees in the morning mist? |
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02/25/2008 04:15:44 PM · #273 |
Originally posted by snaffles:
Belgians are always flaxen chestnut, like the ones you have in the pic. They usually do not have any white on them and if there is, it's on their faces.
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Okay.....can you do an analysis in dork-understandable terms.....as good as I am with colors.....I know what taupe, ecru, and aubergine are....what the heck is flaxen chestnut?????
[thumb]651428[/thumb]
Whazzis???
ETA: This is one of the two previously featured.
ETA II: BTW, these things are HUGE!!!
Message edited by author 2008-02-25 21:17:10. |
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02/25/2008 05:58:13 PM · #274 |
Originally posted by purpleflutterby13:
Ok, I'm just reading a book called Egonomics, and there was a section I just read that I think really needs to be mentioned here... (it struck me as very relevant to DPC)
The entire book is about balancing self-esteem, basically. The argument goes - you need self-esteem in order to do all the things you want to do, etc., but when you go past a certain point, too much ego starts turning your main strengths into your main weaknesses. (eg. decisiveness can turn into stubornness, assertiveness into pushiness, etc.) And a lot of things can go wrong in life (or work) if your ego gets the better of you, as it can lead to a series of irrational decisions and actions.
Anyway, to cut to the relevant bit...
Competition, up to a point, is a good thing. It acts as a strong motivator, it makes you do your best and try harder. And it gives you an external measure of success, which is nice as you can watch yourself improve, etc.
But you should treasure the ability to take a step back from it and really reconsider it.
When you take a competition seriously, you're defining yourself in terms of its goals rather than your own. Something to be careful about. If your goals happen to overlap, that's cool, but often people get drawn in and just accept the terms of the competition without keeping an eye on their own motivations.
There are good reasons for taking DPC seriously. There are good reasons for not doing so. As long as your reasons are your own, rather than based on wanting to be better than other people. Heh, I wonder if I'm making any sense...
Anyway, my DPC survival guide would include the following tips:
- Take a while to consider why you're here. Is it for the community? For the feedback? For the sake of art? To get better at the craft of photography? To look at pretty pictures? To learn to make pretty pictures?
- Be prepared to be very critical of your own pictures. Before going on a troll witchhunt, consider if there's a reason why you're not connecting with people. Is the picture technically sound? Is it pretty? Is the meaning obvious? Having found the reason, consider whether you care or not. Are you happy with the picture? In the end, that's all that matters.
- Spell out the aims of your picture, and see if you've met them. A high score is a legit aim. A different legit aim might be for an image to have an impact on people. This one comes to mind:
At the end of the day, you're the one and only judge of the success of your images, and your aims are your own.
- Remember scores are relative. It's not an absolute value. It's linked to who you're competing against, what the theme is, etc. And the diversity means that profound art might be beaten by cute puppies, or vice versa. Don't take your score or your placing as absolute. For the only absolute value, go back to your aims.
- Enjoy yourself. Have fun. Learn. And sometimes... Just relax, and take a nice step back from it all.
Anyway, I'm totally preaching to the converted here, but just felt like having a rant :) |
I like how you pop in here from time to time and articulate for us our reasons for being Suckers. :) And as for only preaching to the converted, I'd like to think your 'rants' at least serve to provoke thought about the Principles of Suck in those suckers-to-be who are still lurking (we know you're out there!).
[like Juli, I was away coming home from work/having dinner, too.] |
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02/25/2008 06:31:28 PM · #275 |
Originally posted by purpleflutterby13:
Anyway, I'm totally preaching to the converted here, but just felt like having a rant :) |
i like you preaching so rant on. |
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