"Look, I'm Sure The Castle Is Around Here Somewhere?"

"Yes ladies, it's right behind you!"

I was out for a photography stroll with a workmate at lunchtime today, as he wanted to have a go with my Olympus EM-1, as he is thinking of getting one. He currently uses a Fuji X-10, but he says that he's not happy with it.

So we had spent some time in the Old Market Square, where he took various pictures and had a feel of how the camera feels in his hands. He was quite impressed. We had made our way to the castle area of town, when I saw these two ladies, standing with possibly the biggest map of Nottingham that I've ever seen. I know the city centre is quite big, but I don't think you would need a map that big to see where all the streets and attractions are. It is hardly London or New York.

Fortunately I had been given my camera back by the time we got to the castle, so I was able to capture this scene for today's blog post.

I wonder if they ever found what they were looking for?

Gone In A Puff Of Smoke

I've never been a fan of cigarettes. I tried one at 16, couldn't see the point of it and so have never touched them since.

Whilst I was chatting to a fellow photographer tonight by the left lion in the Old Market Square, when this woman came up and stood on the other side of the granite figure.

Whilst we were chatting, I had my camera out, waiting to see if any interesting characters would be walking by. Looking round, I could see that this woman had just lit a cigarette, whilst she was waiting for someone. A date perhaps, as that is what the Left Lion is most famous for.

I watched for a minute or so, to see if she was going to have a puff. She did, so I just managed to get a shot whilst she was exhaling the smoke.

Don't Fence Me In

Part of the Old Market Square has been fenced off again, as a new attraction rolls into town, which I'll show you tomorrow.

While I was taking photos of the mystery object, this old chap stands next to me, to look at the same thing.

I thought it was quite a good opportunity to take a photo of him, so I just waited until he had finished looking at the scene in front of him, and while he turned towards me, I pressed the shutter.

Do you think he noticed?

Speak No Evil, Hear No Evil, See No Evil

Bit of street photography today and just look at these three old guys sitting outside Marks & Spencer's. I have no idea whether they are waiting for their wives who are out shopping, or just taking a breather. But I think it makes for a good scene.

Guilty

Another day of random shooting. Nothing really interesting except this one.

The way the three guys faces work together to make the scene. And I bet you are all thinking the same thing. The guy in the middle has just dropped a very big fart and the guy on the right has smelt it, while the man passing by heard it.

Street Life

Gail and I went on a little adventure this morning in Nottingham city centre. We participated on a street photography workshop, arranged by Michael Lau with a model and five other photographers.

The idea behind using a model was for those photographers that had not done street photography to become used to shooting on the street.

It's something I do all the time, to varying degrees of success, so I went along for the fun and to shoot Keiron our model for the day.

We went to various places across the city centre; especially the Lace Market and the Old Market Square.

Gail had no problem in going up to strangers and asking if she could take their photo. She seemed to spend more time doing this, than shooting the model.  Some people, including myself were a little bit more reserved about doing this. I actually prefer to shoot strangers in a way that they don't know that they are being photographed, which I think is the essence of street photography.