Blue, Blue. Electric Blue

There was an event in the Old Market Square today promoting the advantages of electric vehicles, like this Nissan Leaf

Various makes of cars were on show, together with a local bus operated by Nottingham City Council.

Due to the rain, there weren't that many people about to see what was on offer. I bumped into a photographer that I know who was taking some publicity photos for the council.

I just wonder if rain and electric cars are really meant to mix. But I suppose the rubber tyres will protect you from being electrocuted, should water get in the batteries!

Bee Bookaloola

The Beeman is feeling intellectual today, despite it constantly raining.

Sadly he hasn't been given an umbrella, so he has to read his book in the wet.

Hopefully the rain won't wash away the words of his novel, and he can still read. I just hope it isn't a library book!

I wonder what the title is?  With all the bad weather that we are currently experiencing, then it may be 'Ring of Bright Water', 'The Little Mermaid' or 'Moby Dick'.

Shelling Out

Walking through the Old Market Square today I noticed that they had started to dismantle the Spiegel Tent, now that the shows are finished.

The workers had done a fair amount of work in taking down all the mirrors, staging, and seating, and just leaving the bare shell and the entrance.

No doubt it has all been removed now and packed away in a truck ready to be taken to the next town for a few days. From  all accounts people have enjoyed themselves at the various shows that have been put on over the last few days that it has been in Nottingham. I wonder what next will pop up in the open space?

Wet

There's nothing quite like a shot of the city centre at night and when it's raining and you get some good reflections of lights in dark and shiny Tarmac.

Run For The Sun

As Nottingham has such a big student population, every night is student night at pubs and clubs across the city centre.

Walking through town last night we came across these two students dressed like they were on their summer holiday in Spain, rather than a very cold, wet East Midlands city.

Jingle Bells

The big switch-on of the Christmas lights in the Old Market Square happened tonight. It has been estimated that about 8000 people stood and watched the plunger being pushed. Not by anyone famous, but some children that had come from a renal unit of a local hospital.

It's always exciting to see the lights come on, even though they are always the same. The big difference this year is that the Christmas tree is in a different position and an open air ice skating rink has been built around it.

So instead of popping up a photo that might be similar to last years, here's a bit of an arty shot that I took of some overhead decorations reflected in a puddle.

Moody

This is Chrissy, our model for the evening, while we were doing a small lighting course at our friends studio in Clifton.

Besides working in the studio, we went outside and using just one flash, set up a shot like this one.

Castle View

I was in the city centre a bit longer tonight as I was doing some paid market research. Beer tasting actually. Nice work when I can get it!

So it was beginning to get dark when I left the bar where the market research was taking place. It had been raining too, so the sky was cloudy and the ground wet.

I thought the castle gatehouse looked quite inviting to take a photo of. Especially with the light glowing from the little window. Instead of the standard touristy shot, I went for a very low artistic view, with the camera resting on the ground.

Flash Flood

Whilst I was out at lunch today, I got caught in the most torrential downpour. I managed to dive for cover, whilst the heavens opened.

So I stayed undercover whilst I took a few photos of the people running about with their umbrellas looking for somewhere dry.

I was going to save this photo for Wednesday's Headbanger Challenge, but hopefully I'll be able to find something else by then.