26
Jul
2009
Edinburgh Prints
If I was pressed to pick a favorite place to visit, most people could tell you it was London – with all apologies to the rest of the world and some of the fabulous places I’ve visited. But a very close second would be Edinburgh. Despite the cold winters I’ve visited during, there is a warmness in my memory of this welcoming, old city. There is evidence of human activity around Edinburgh stretching back into the Iron and Bronze ages. By the 8th century, Edinburgh was part of the kingdom of Northumbria, an Anglian kingdom. When the city was formed, it surrounded Castle Rock, the stump of an ancient volcano, site of King Edwin’s Fort, which was known as Din Eidyn (Edwin’s Fort). The land leading up the rock gradually came to us through the ages into English as first Edwinesburch and finally Edinburgh. And in time, the territory where Edinburgh lay went from Northumbria, to the Danelaw, and finally the Scots.
This ridge that is the core of Edinburgh today is known as the Royal Mile, a stretch of old town that rises from the Queen’s palace, Holyrood, at the foot, to Edinburgh Castle at the top of the mile. It’s along this mile that the buildings bear out the history of the medieval city that blossomed in Scotland.
Edinburgh on the Phone
While this print doesn’t portray much of the Medieval charm that can be found along the Royal Mile, it is my favorite shot from that storied street. I know, sometimes I feel like a one trick pony, but I really love these classic red phone boxes. And in this case, there was very little color in this photo, being at night, so yes, I had to do my classic spot color red on this one. I really love how this one turned out, the wet paving stones reflecting the street lights and that pop of red from the telephone booth really just makes me think of those damp evenings walking around the old city. This was taken along the Royal Mile just above St. Giles Cathedral, which can just be seen on the skyline in the middle of this shot.
Deceptive Beauty - Holyrood Palace
As long as we’re discussing the Royal Mile, I might as well show both ends of it. At the bottom of the Royal Mile is Holyrood Palace, directly adjacent to the new Scottish Parliament (something of a message there you think?). Holyrood is the official home of the reigning monarch in Scotland. The Queen spends a week here each year, although her actual residence and favored summertime retreat is at Balmoral, where she moves onto from Holyrood. There has been a royal presence at Holyrood since King David I of Scotland built an abbey there in 1126. All that remains of the Abbey today is ruins adjacent to the palace, the current incarnation of which was built in the 17th century. This photo was captured on the evening of a storm, owing to the exceptional sky over the palace!
Edinburgh Dusk - The Castle
Perched at the top of castle rock in a particularly defensible position, is Edinburgh Castle. There has been human activity here since the 9th century. The current castle mostly dates from after the 16th century (although there are some older buildings within the castle walls). This photo was taken as dusk set on my last evening in the capital city of Scotland. The Esplanade, where the famous military tattoo is held each August, stretches out before you and the castle is lit up. This is the scene that hovers over the city each night.
There are more photos of Edinburgh and Scotland in my Britain gallery – I hope you’ll take a look!
2
Jul
2009
London Calling – Print Available
To date, my most popular print was taken on my second trip to the UK in May of 2005. I have always had a fondness for the traditional British Red Telephone Boxes. There’s something about them that immediately says Britain. I simply cannot tell you how many photos I’ve taken of them in previous and subsequent trips. In some ways, they have very much become dinosaurs in this age of mobile phones, but from Scottish Islands to city streets in London, you’ll still find these boxes dotting the landscape.
The first Red Telephone Box was the result of a competition in 1924 and was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. There were a few iterations culminating in the current design in 1935 to celebrate the silver jubilee of King George V. This is the familiar design that has found its way throughout the United Kingdom and beyond today.
London Calling - Red Telephone Box
This particular phone booth was photographed near the Embankment Tube Station near the Thames. It was taken with my simple point and shoot Olympus camera. Obviously, I then utilized photoshop for the final product, converting the image to black and white and then with a virtual brush, removing the black and white layer just from the phone box to allow the booth to really shine. While I’ve seen this type of selective color treatment done frequently, it’s definitely a style that requires just the right image. I believe I found it in this case.
Although so far I have mainly created work that was destined to be printed for display, this is one work that I have also converted into a popular t-shirt which is also available.
London Calling T-shirt
26
Nov
2008
Dawdling Through England
Say Cheese in Avebury!
I finally had a tourist cheesey goodness moment in Avebury. It was my second trip to the lesser known stone circle in Wiltshire. Four years prior on my first visit to London, I took a day trip out that included a morning stop at Avebury. It’s a bit of a contrats to Stonehenge. A much larger circle and surrounding ditch and mound still evident. It lacks the horizontal stone lentils of Stonehenge, but if memory serves it is an older site. There’s also a village plop in the middle of it that has in fact harvested some of the stone for its buildings and over the years removed some of the stones due to their pagan past. All told, if you are in Wiltshire, it’s a must stop on your itinerary.
Reaching Back - Avebury Stone circle and Earth Works
Avebury Standing Stones In the Sun
Avebury - An Eternity of Sunlit Days
I just have to add to that last one that the British continually joke about their lack of sunny weather, but in some weird way it makes days like this one so special. Bright blue sky filled with puffed white clouds and a green carpet on the ground – what more could one ask for?
There are also many more photos from the Roman Baths, Bath Abbey, the city of Bath, and the wee village of Lacock to check out in my England September 2008 album. You can pick up where I left off with my last blog right here.
And to see you off, one bit of photoshoppery from the village of Lacock.
Selective Color Image from the Village of Lacock, England
