Looked a decent day today so packed up the tripod which is a bit of a rarity for me and set off on my adventures. Turns out it wasn’t as nice as I thought and the wind was absolutely baltic.
I cut short the planned journey and instead headed for a nearby graveyard firing off three or four shots with a wee filter on the old kit lens. This is my shot of the day fired for 60 seconds.
A 50mm lens on the body for this shot from Sunday past. I was out and about for a little walk and some fresh air before the return to the day job with three cameras in the bag. The trusty old DSLR , the Bronica ETRSi and my little converted to infrared camera all getting a little airing.
Above is my best shot of the day, I thought the barbed wire coming out of the darkness would look pretty cool. When I get that focus point right it really is a sweet little lens to have, it’s actually my favourite and the one that more or less lives on the body.
Below is an infrared landscape. Sadly this camera only shoots JPEG so I don’t get too much control over the editing, the IR does make a nice black and white which I think could be handy on an upcoming trip back to Europe. That’s if they let us Brits back in!
Seeing as we’ve had a dusting of snow I venture out like a 21st century Shackleton in search of epic adventure.
Well maybe not epic, a quick skirt around the local reservoir was enough for me. Three chaps had a walk around the frozen water and then one of them slipped on the old skates and shot around the ice which appeared to be thick enough for some winter sports.
A Sunday stroll with the camera ended up shooting some texture in the local woods.
Perhaps I’ve posted this final shot before but it’s a tree I can’t help but photograph. It’s twisted trunk curling around creates a nice image.
Just starting out on my wee ten miler on Wednesday past I spot a slightly frosted leaf. I like frost and I like a single leaf, they remind me of New Order’s True Faith single cover.
I always hope I can make one of these woodland trails look spooky and otherworldly. Think I’m still falling short, perhaps a mist shrouded day would be better.
Finally a forgotten driveway soon to be engulfed by the creeping foliage and hidden for good.
Well today is the last day of my Christmas holidays and despite telling myself at the start I’d do something everyday I did nothing daily. Made up for it today with a ten mile walk through the country highways and byways of Angus. I didn’t intend on going so far but I did and whilst heading homewards I passed a little stone circle site. The last time I was here the field was full of cows and knowing that in the UK people are more likely to be trampled to death by cows than eaten to death by tigers I decided not to chance a field full of dairy producing beasts on that occasion.
There’s three stones in this field but only one has markings on it. Whilst there the sun was going down directly behind that stone, if you’re a bit of a mystical hippy then this was probably the time to be here.
Apparently standing stones in the UK date from around 3000 BC. Now I know everyone that sees these things does it but you can’t help but place your hand on it knowing that five thousand years ago someone else had their paws all over this carving these shapes.
The old Bronica ETRSi was given an airing today so there’ll be film shots coming soon you lucky followers!
Tomorrow I’m back to the daily grind.
Frankenstein or the Mordern Prometheus is 200 years old this year and before scandalously running off with the married Percy Shelley the young Mary lived in Dundee for a bit.
The cottage is no longer there, replaced by a handy set of steps which some people refer to as the Frankenstein Steps. A small plaque is on the wall to commemorate that the cottage is mentioned in the book.
Seeing as it’s a big birthday for the book and that the chances are I won’t be around for the three hundredth celebrations I thought I’d do a little knock up of the steps with its famous 1931 film.
Above Dr Frankenstein and his assistant rob the grave of a recently buried chap. In the book there is no assistant but the films tend to have loyal Igor at hand. This is actually the first time I’ve ever been in this graveyard. I was hoping some of the dates would go back to the time Mary would have lived in Dundee but the earliest I could spot was 1839.
The monster at the top of the steps, rays of sun though the clouds and the Tay road bridge powering over the river. When the book was released the rail bridge was still 60 years in the future and only lasted a year before falling in a furious storm.
Dr Frankenstein sits at the bottom of the steps contemplating what he has done and the consequences that it has brought.
Battle not with monsters, lest ye become a monster, and if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.
Colin Clive who played the part of Dr Frankenstein had his own demons. He was a chronic alcoholic and dead by the young age of 37. His manic scream “It’s alive! It’s alive!” lives on.
