Welcome to Breakfast in America
My photo journal is an eclectic mix of things; there’s no guiding theme or topic. It is whatever happens to catch my attention, what I’ve been thinking, doing, and whatever my current obsessions are. At the moment, they are clearing some of the backlog on my ‘honey-do’ list, backpacking and hammock camping.
Recent posts
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Negative Space
Negative Space. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. Taken on the covered deck in the back garden. I was experimenting with negative space.
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Don’t Look Now (365: 35)
Don’t Look Now (365: 35) – At the very last moment I’ve decided that this is my photo for today. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved At the very last moment I’ve decided that this is my photo for today. Hey, I’m getting lucky at aiming the camera – I can even do it with my eyes shut! OK the burnt-out head makes me look like I’m thinning on top – but I am, so, tough 🙂
The original was a tad blurred so I sharpened this (who has been reading the Photoshop book then). Gosh I look like my uncle Keith – scary.
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Morning shave
Morning Shave. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved -
Resting (365: 34)
Resting (365: 34) – I haven’t got any enthusiasm for photography right now. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved I haven’t got any enthusiasm for photography right now. I’ll get this over and done with for the day, and go back to sleep 🙂
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Sneeze (365: 33)
Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved In the last few days I’ve been coming down with a cold, and taking these self portraits has become a bit of a pain. This picture is awful, the alternate is slightly better, but this one sums up how I feel.
Something odd seemed to be happening to my camera too. No matter what I did, the exposure went wrong – I’ve had to make manual adjustments to get things right. I guess if my brains were working I would have spotted that I’d changed the metering program. After three days of horrid pictures It slowly started to dawn on me. What is that funny little icon on the display? D’oh! D’oh! D’oh. Another line to my pre-photographing mantra, check all the camera settings – not just the ISO and f-stop. I’m taking a day’s leave tomorrow, a day at home will help me shake off this cold.
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The Red Dress (365: 32)
The Red Dress (365: 32). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved For my final foray into the Copycat mini-challenge, this picture was going to be ‘The Red Shorts,’ but then I thought I’d go one better.
The original is stunning and a favorite of mine. So respect to Laura – and she’s a lot more supple than me too. Trying this pose could have ended up with me off work with a bad back for months. This picture could get me into more trouble than any of my other shots; I didn’t ask if I could borrow the dress!
14 Oct 2007: I really ought to re-name this shot ‘Albatross.’ It is one of my most viewed photographs, it has been ‘explored’ on Flickr, and it just won’t shift off the top of my ‘most popular photographs’ list.
Note on mini-challenges. Trying to come up with an original idea for a photograph each day is extremely difficult. So the people completing the 365 Days project, came up with ‘Mini-challenges’ – ideas for pictures. This one was to make a copy of someone’s picture. I like a challenge, especially for a laugh. This was one of my contributions to the Copycat mini-challenge. It’s a shame Laura’s picture is no longer available. It was so much better executed than mine.
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February 6, 2007
February 6, 2007. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. It’s not been a good night. I’ve taken over a hundred pictures and the good picture fairy hasn’t shown up. Most have gone straight to the recycle bin. So, all in all, it has been a bit disappointing. Oh well day 32 tomorrow.
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Deliberate (365: 31)
Deliberate (365: 31) – Or if you prefer. ‘Red tie at night…’ Re-edit. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved I typically had one hour to grab and process a picture each day. So many of the shots and much of the processing were hurried. I think the original shot would have worked better if I’d decided to cool down the lighting (make it less yellow). It was one of my early attempts at the bleach image effect, and I tried to get it in-camera.
I cannot remember if ‘Deliberate’ was referring to my expression or the over-exposure of the image. It works for both.
Today (2021) I prefer the spot color approach.
Deliberate (365: 31) – Or if you prefer. ‘Red tie at night…’ (Original version). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved -
Searching for an SP
Searching for an SP – SP – Self Portrait as they were called in the days before ‘Selfies.’ Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved It wasn’t unusual to take 30-60 pictures in a session just to find one I was happy with. This is one of today’s ‘outtakes.’
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Waking Up (365: 29)
Day-028 Waking Up. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. In the summer I sleep in the garden;
I don’t rough it; I have a sofa bed, which stays indoors over winter while the air is damp. In October I vowed to spend one night a month sleeping out and last night was February’s turn. It was a cool night, hence the duvet and sleeping bag.
I just love my Fuji Finepix F30 camera to bits.
