Gloucester

A few weeks ago Gary and I visited Gloucester. We went to an Open-day for a Masters course that Gary was interested in. It turned out that the course wasn't right for him, but that's OK, he found another one closer to home anyway! :)

We spent two days and one night staying in the centre of Gloucester. It was lovely to have some time for just us. We got to talk about grown up things and do grown up things. Though Cas was on our minds a lot and we brought treats home for him. 

I took some pictures on the Sunday around Gloucester, the sky was beautifully clear blue. The histogram on my camera told me all was exposed well and I was happy. Then when I got home and loaded the images on my PC.....THE HORROR.... my sensor is DIRTY. The non-photographers amongst you will not understand this pain, but basically those beautiful clear blue skies were covered with dirty splodges from dust on my sensor. I saved the images and left them, whilst I sulked!

Anyway, I decided to stop sulking and do the editing work to remove the marks. I HATE photoshop with a passion. I use Lightroom to process my images, and love it. But photoshop always makes me feel clumsy and doesn't seem intuitive at all. So I avoid it. If images really need a little touch-up that Lightroom can't handle, I outsource (to Gary). However, cleaning these images was a simple job, and I wanted to share them, because Gloucester is a pretty place. So I braved photoshop (aren't you proud of me?!)

This first picture is the Cafe where we had breakfast. I loved it, especially because it had the most delicious tea!

 These docks where on the way between our hotel and the centre of Gloucester's shopping area. There were some pretty boats, and like I said, gorgeous blue skies.

This church was right in the middle of town:

And then, of course, there was the Cathedral. It was gorgeous, and undergoing some renovation to the stonework. 

We had a lovely time. And it wasn't as painful as I thought it would be tidying up those skies. My camera is off to the "cleaners" at the end of month! 

C

xxxx

The "L" challenge

So, this week I've been off work ill. I've been completely incapable of doing anything, which for me is torture (and probably for those around me too). I HATE not being able to do things. I get restless, bored and frustrated. Earlier in the week, I was complaing explaining to Gary that I was upset because I hadn't managed to do ANYTHING! Knowing me as well as he does, he quickly translated this into me exacerbating my illness by stressing about all the things I wasn't getting done. He very FIRMLY told me that I was banned from anything to do with my PhD, to take the responsibility for the lack of work off me. (He's really clever with this one, he knows I'm way tougher on me than I would be on him, so if he says I can't, then I can't). In order to keep me occupied, he challenged me to take pictures of 10 things beginning with the letter L. However, since I couldn't go out, I had to do this in our house.

I couldn't even manage to take the pictures earlier in the week, but I did spend some time thinking about what I could shoot. Today, I felt a little better, so I set off to complete the challenge:

1) Leaf-lights:

2) Liquid:

3) Lock:

4) Lego (obvious choice in our house):

5) Laces:

6) Lemur:

7) Lion: 

 8) Lambs: 

9) Lamp:

10) Lead:

After all of the shooting, I went back to the living room where our lovely dog demonstrated his NEED for cuddles. So bonus shot:

11) Luke (could you resist those eyes?):

This was actually quite fun, it wasn't too demanding, and once I'd taken the shots there was some minimal processing which engaged my brain again. However, it has left me really tired (how lame is that?! I HATE being ill! Did I mention that before?) so I'm off to veg on the sofa and cuddle my dog. 

C

xx

A Little help

This post is a little different to my usual posts. I'm not sharing pictures, I'm going to share a story, and ask you all for a little help.

The story starts just over 11 years ago, when my son was born. Cas was born early, 7 1/2 weeks early to be exact. He was a tiny little thing, weighing 4 lb 5 oz and 18 inches long. He spent three weeks in neo-natal intensive care. He was on a monitor, and regularly forgot to breathe. Premie's brains aren't fully developed, and since they're not supposed to be breathing yet, they need to be stimulated. Cas was given a daily dose of caffeine. He was pretty healthy for a premie, but let me tell you, watching your child stop breathing, waiting for them to start again. Hearing the alarms, and still having to wait (the nurses wanted us to leave him, because premies often start breathing again on their own). Holding your tiny baby in your arms, and willing him to breathe: IT DOESN'T GET SCARIER THAN THAT.

Cas had very few complications, he had a little jaundice, and was small. But he was mostly healthy, and he was a fighter. We brought him home a few weeks after he was born. When we got home he was just 5lbs. He was still tiny, but he was jaundice free, and healthy.

This story is one of many. While Cas was in the hospital, there were many others in his situation and many that were sicker than him. Friends and family have since had experiences of babies needing extra help, which is what brought home to me how much I want to do what I'm about to ask for your help with.

A few years ago, after buying my camera, I came across this website. At the time I thought my photography skills were not up to scratch. But this last year, I have been mulling over the idea more and more. As a parent who has been in NICU (or SCBU) I know how hard it can be. But I also know how many special and treasured moments there are there. The first time you hold your baby, the first time they look in your eyes. I have snapshots of Cas's first few weeks of life, and I treasure those photos. Though the situation was painful, and still is sometimes when I think about it. That is the story of my son's start to life, and those pictures document it.

So, here's what I want to do. I want to offer a service, pretty much like the Pictures of Hope Foundation do. A photography service that offers a free photo-shoot and a CD with images to ANY parent who has a child in the Special Care Baby Unit (or neo-natal intensive care). I want to help those families document those first days of their premies life, or those families whose babies are sick and need help. I want to give them something that will help them remember how amazing and SPECIAL their little ones are.

And this is where you come in. I have attempted to contact local hospitals, but have had no luck. I am assuming it's because I'm not getting through to the right people. So, wonderful internet people, do any of you have any type of link with Hospitals in the Lancashire area? If you do, please get in touch with me at Urbantangerinephoto@gmail.com

Thank-you in advance.
Happy Friday!

C
xxx

Manchester Christmas Market 2012

After our failed attempt at getting to the markets on Friday (Cas got sick in the car), we finally managed to get there yesterday.

Cas and I stopped in Kendals (it'll NEVER be "House of Fraser" to me!) and bought some cool gifts for Gary. And then as the light faded, we hit the markets. I was armed (as always) with my camera and Cas's eye. Together we took pictures that represent Christmas to us. I love spending time with my son, and being able to share a passion is beyond AMAZING.

The first thing we came across was this cool Rudolph on King Street! Cas kindly posed for some shots for me (you can tell he's used to having a camera pointed at him!)

Whilst we were on King Street we had lovely music provided by this kind gentleman (who also posed nicely for a photo)!

A little further along King Street, we found these guys. Cas is desperate for one of the penguins! :)

Personally, I REALLY want one of these "Advent Trees"!

Cas and I really like these candles, though I don't think I could ever light them, they're WAY TOO CUTE!! 

The Manchester Wheel has vanished! Not sure where it has gone, but the replacement is very pretty!

We had a great time at the Markets, and it now officially feels like Christmas! 

If you want to see more pictures, then check out my slideshow. (The music is the wonderful Tony Bennet. You can keep Michael Buble, he's got nothing on Tony!)

Happy Christmas guys!

C

xxxxx

P.S it's my first time posting a slideshow, so fingers crossed it works. ;)
PPS so it helps if you export the slideshow with the correct quality, though apparently this means Blogger doesn't like it! Hence, YouTube. 

The Steampunk Market

A couple of weeks ago, Cas and I were invited to a Steampunk market. Since we first showed him what Steampunk is, Cas has been crazy about it! So the opportunity to take him to an event was one that I wasn't going to miss. 

The market was held in this very pretty church. The light inside was lovely!

 Almost everyone was dressed in Victoriana style.

 Cassius, not wanting to be left out bought himself a waistcoat and a badge:

And Gina "accidentally" bought this corset...............

 Which definitely improved her assets!! ;)

The charming Mikey then inducted Cassius and I into The First Tea Company!

 Which, I gather means we will be attending more Victoriana type events. I therefore, scouted the market for outfit ideas........

 I think this is very me...... though it does need a Top-Hat.....

And finally, I HAD to take a picture of this AMAZING wig!!

 All in all, it was a lovely day. The people were lovely, the clothes were gorgeous, and we had fun. If this is what Victoriana people are like, then I'd be happy to spend more time around them!

C
xxxxx

Manchester Pride 2012

 The Manchester Pride parade has become a mother and son tradition. Cassius has attended the parade every year since we happened on it by accident when he was four. At first it was a family thing, and Gary came too. But then one year Gary was busy, and I had the parade and Cassius to myself. Now, I wont let ANYONE (not even Gary) come to the parade with us. It is sacred time for me and my son. Time when I get to stand with him and be proud of the tolerant young man he is growing up to be. Proud of the City that I think of as home, as it accepts my wonderful gender non-conformist son. Proud that he can stand with his "Pride" teddy-bear, and not feel self-concious, actually wave that bear proudly and unashamedly. And watch that bear's waves returned with smiles. My eleven year old son, can let go of the prejudice that often surrounds him, let go of the shackles of being a "real boy" and be himself. And he is applauded, and welcomed with open arms into our community. This is what the Pride parade means to me. This is why I get emotional every year. As I watch my people walk with heads held high, with defiance and love.

Each year Pride makes me proud to be British. To live in a country that accepts LGBT people, that allows them the same legal protections as straight people, and even allows them the same rights to legal marriage (albeit under a different name). I watch as policemen and women, firemen and women, nurses, doctors, teachers, students and all manner of other people, walk through Manchester city centre to show solidarity and tolerance. This is my city, my country, my home, and each year at this Parade I remember why I love it so!

 I took far too many pictures, and struggled to even trim it down to those I'm going to include in this post. But I wont apologise for that, because there were so many pictures that captured all of the things I've tried to say above. So here they are, the pictures that tell the story of this years Manchester Pride Parade.

The theme for the Parade this year was "Queer'd Science", which made the science geek in me very happy! 

Even our "Conservative" party support LGBT rights. Told you, I'm proud to be British!

C

xxxxx