Happy New Year

Happy New Year to all our followers, now I’m retired it’s good not to spend the New years Eve standing here like I did seven years ago when we started the family blog.

Our blog is 7 years old

It s a surprise to find that our family blog which started in December 2004 is still as popular as ever after over 2000 posts and over 75,000 site visits now at 70 a day we still seem to have some pictures that people enjoy.
This was my first Blog Page
 The most popular searches include A Labrador puppy , Taronga Zoo's Kodiak bear , A wet girl on PulteneyWeir and A Cane Corso Puppy .

Strange searches include Hob Nailed Boots for Children  and  John Straffen

And stars of TV and film  Johnny Depp in Bath , Anthony Head  and Nicolas Cage in Bath

Every boys dream.

For most boys of my generation the dream of riding on the footplate of a steam train was the thing (I did it three times) but for me it was to go up a turntable ladder.
When I was shooting this picture 30 years ago there was no Health, Safety and falling off ladders legislation.
So they let me go up the ladder and entertained my youngest daughter while I did it.

Other pictures Wendy Farr.

Seagull Rescue at Bath Abbey

A set of my pictures from the 80s of firemen and inspector Ian Burns from the RSPCA rescuing a seagull that had speared its wing on a lightening conductor, It was in the days before the seagulls became the nuisance they are now.

A thought for Christmas Eve

On this Christmas Eve spare a thought for the small traders in the Podium who have lost their premises by the expansion of the Waitrose Bath supermarket.

This is a before and after picture of Bath Photo Optics owned and run by Peter Larkin.

Peter is in the RUH at the moment for heart surgery, a condition not helped by the loss of his shop.

He is hoping to reopen on a new site sometime later this year. 

I never was a Waitrose customer (preferring to go where I can park easily and free) and I am certainly not going to start shopping there now.

Rhydian Roberts Christmas Concert in Bath

Rhydian stands on a headless woman

 Rhydian sings with the excellent 
Bath Chorus at the Grenville Jones
Christmas concert in the Forum in Bath

The Fabulous Stockingtops

Looks like they've bought a lifeboat?

Looks like they've bought a lifeboat? 

Polaroid 180

 Here's something for the instant picture fans.

This is me taking my own picture in a mirror.

In those days Polaroid B&W film had to be coated 

with a gooey sort of lipstick to make it permanent.

But I used the 180 in the studio because flash 

meters were as rare as hens teeth in those days.

Please note I have found out how to tuck my shirt in now.

 The camera is a rare manual Polaroid 180 camera
Produced: 1965-1969 / Original Retail: $189.95
Estimated Production: 51,000 - (80,000)
  Lens: 114mm, f/4.5 4-element Tominon
    Shutter: Seikosha leaf shutter, 1 - 1/500 sec
    Flash: M and X sync.

with a Zeiss Rangefinder
    Built-in self-timer ("V" setting on flash sync lever)
    Manual exposure. (either by conventional shutter/aperture settings, or by the EV system) 

A league of nations camera.

American design and film, German viewfinder, Japanese shutter and lens.

This picture of Wendy and I was taken with

it about 45 years ago, the Polaroid colour film

didn't need coating.

Bath Christmas Market

 Second attempt at photographing the Bath Christmas Market.

That's Better.

John Cleese turns on Bath Xmas lights

John Cleese's partner Jennifer Wade throws her head back and laughs at Johns Basil voice.

X Factor contestant Lascel Wood 

 Grenville Jones

Stockingtops 

Former Strangler Hugh Cornwell

Cheap Street, Frome

 

The traders in Cheap Street, Frome certainly 

know how to make the best of an empty shop.

Bath Christmas Market

Not quite got my Christmas Market picture with the 8mm lens right yet better try again, here's a grungy one.

Goodbye Ken

 

I was sad to hear of the Death of  Ken Russell, I first photographed Ken it the 70's when he was shooting "Savage Messiah" in the Abbey Church Yard just outside the family shop.
He had turned Shores Shoe Shop (later Binks Restaurant and soon to be the Roman Baths Cafe) into the Lartigue Gallery.

Here he is With  Dorothy Tutin 
who played Sophie Brzeska

Then in 2004 I photographed 

Ken at the Priory Hotel.