WANSTEAD DAILY PHOTO

Sunday, 15 March 2015

MOTHERS DAY...

I'm pretty sure I questioned last year whether Mothers Day was a world wide event, I still don't really have the definitive answer. Anyway if you do celebrate it have a great day, if you don't just pop in or call your mum anyway and say hi.

I was on my way back from Wanstead Park yesterday when I spotted this lovely arrangement in 'Daisy's' the florist at The George pub end of the High Street. Very fitting I thought and the young lady who owns the shop is called Daisy as well so there you go...have a smashing day, I'm off for a Mothers Day breakfast in town, can't wait..

Saturday, 14 March 2015

HOT LIPS..

World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

....I'm pretty sure there was a song with that name, I just can't place it, never mind. As you may have guessed this picture was not taken in Wanstead. I had to make a journey into central London the other night to drop off a package. Walking back to the car I passed the office of the luxury lingerie supplier 'Agent Provocateur'. I am so pleased they had a glass door, otherwise I would have missed this spectacular sofa.

Friday, 13 March 2015

HORIZONTAL..

....no that's not me falling over. I thought I'd give you a break from Spring for a moment, I'm sure there will be more pictures to come quite soon. On a completely different subject. I'm always drawn in by bold horizontal lines in pictures, I couldn't walk past this fence and garage door without taking a couple of shots. If you stand back and photograph them from a distance quite often they don't really do anything, however if you get close and shoot along them that's quite a different story. It is for me anyway...

Thursday, 12 March 2015

COLOURS..

World © Geoff Wilkinson

This is another picture that I took last Sunday on my 'spring walk'. I go my jeans dirty kneeling down to get this angle, it was well worth it though to shoot through the grass from ground level.

Wednesday, 11 March 2015

LONE BLOSSOM TREE..

You may have seen the close-up picture of blossom on yesterdays blog. Well this is the tree that it was on, I thought it an odd sight. When I came across this lovely tree in blossom everything else around it seemed to still be thinking about coming to life. With the power lines in the background it looked like the solitary beacon for spring in an otherwise drab landscape, nice sky though...

Tuesday, 10 March 2015

SPRING IS IN THE AIR...

...as the song goes, actually I think it's now a bit more than in the air now. I had a stroll on Sunday and came across this lovely blossom on a tree. I think it's on an apple tree but I could be wrong, I found it on that funny bit of land behind the rugby club that eventually leads to the river. Now I know we have had a little but if we could only have some more sunshine..please...

Monday, 9 March 2015

A SELFIE..

Bit of a double meaning with this picture. Firstly it's a celebration of the first proper sunshine in a while, enough to throw a decent shadow anyway. Secondly a couple of people have asked if I could include a little photo information with the pictures. Well yes of course, I'm happy too, I can't promise it will be every day but when I can I will...

...and while I'm talking about photography and therefore art my friend Sophia is part of a visual arts exhibition at Queen Mary University, London. It will be well worth seeing, I'll let her tell you about it in her own words, it's on 11th till 15th March.....

Following an open call at the end of last year, ‘2015’ is the first collaborative exhibition by students at Queen Mary University working as the Visual Arts Collective. For many of the artists involved, this will be the first time their work has been exhibited. The exhibition comprises of photography, painting, print, illustration, video and sculptural works, representing the broad range of artistic practice within the university. There is no art department at Queen Mary, and instead students study and draw inspiration from subjects such as politics, geography, literature, medicine and other sciences and humanities resulting in the diverse show that we are putting on.

The exhibition reflects the breadth of interest and experience within the student body, and we are proud to include projects on international photography, reflections on gender and mental health, political works and aesthetic experiments, amongst individual and group explorations.

We hope that the show will inspire future students to work collaboratively and continue to hold annual exhibitions as we believe that it is important to encourage artistic practice as a part of life, particularly in higher education where it is easily neglected due to the demands of academia.

The website for the show is http://www.hundredyearsgallery.com/qm-visual-arts-collective-2015/

Sunday, 8 March 2015

SNOW QUEEN..

I popped along to The Duke pub yesterday morning, it's just a short distance from our Gallery in Nightingale Lane. It was a full house with children attending a screening of 'Frozen', the Walt Disney animation film. In case you are not familiar with the story it was inspired by Hans Christian Anderson's fairy tale 'The Snow Queen'. There was face painting and cake as you can see from the picture of eight year old Caitlin with a snowflake cake. The occasion was to help raise money for the Wanstead Playground Association who would like to bring the children's playground on Christchurch Green up to scratch. We wish them well in their endeavours, if you would like to donate they have a Crowdfund site at www.spacehive.com/wansteadplayground, just click on the link, all donations gratefully received. Now back to the film...

Saturday, 7 March 2015

WHAT THE ...

Abstract or what. I noticed the effect of the light coming through this glass panelled door, its a bit odd. As they say 'the jury's still out' on whether I like it or not...still it's interesting and a bit different from yesterday's picture.

Friday, 6 March 2015

NIGHT, NIGHT,

Lovely sky the other evening as the sun went down. As so often happens it only lasted a few minutes before the colours changed and the 'lights went out' so to speak. I grabbed this shot before to all happened... oh.. and I like the moon in picture as well.

Thursday, 5 March 2015

JUST A SIMPLE...

World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

...picture. I'm almost at the end of this set of Wanstead Park pictures. I took this one shortly before I left the park. It's a very simple picture but I like the bare branches of the trees against the sky. I'm sure on my next visit they will be covered in buds or leaves.

Wednesday, 4 March 2015

POT PLANT..

I think I have said before how amazing it is the way plants just pop up. They seem to have the ability to grab hold of any tiny piece of soil take root and start to grow. I found this one the other day, there was just the tiniest amount of soil in the pot but it seems to be thriving with no attention from anyone. Wonderful stuff...

...and wearing my other hat, if you live in Wanstead or the local area you may be interested in this lovely experience..

Create a stunning image...

with local Wanstead artist Wendy D'Souza Daniels.

Wendy will be running a Skills Day on Sunday the 8th of March 2015 1pm till 3.30pm at 'eightyfour' here in the heart of the original Wanstead village.

You will create a stunning image using PaperArtsy acrylic paints and stamps, Spectrum Noir alcohol ink markers and colouring pencils. There will of course be the usual tea, cake and chat, we look forward to seeing you on the day.

Places are limited to just eight, you can either call the Gallery on 0208 530 1244 or Wendy on her mobile 07947 662 390 to reserve yours.

The cost is just £12.50 per person including all the materials that you need on the day.

'eightyfour'

84 Nightingale Lane,

Wanstead,

London E11 2EZ

0208 530 1244

You have to be eighteen or over to attend this workshop.

Tuesday, 3 March 2015

A SENSE OF PROPORTION..

This is another picture from my Wanstead Park excursion and its one of my favourites. What I really like about it is that there is no real sense of scale. Its actually quite a small block of ice resting on a log with that lovely plant growing around it. To me it looks like an ariel view of an ice covered mountain range surrounded by jungle.. its all in the eye of the beholder..

Monday, 2 March 2015

HIDDEN FIND....

I found this little gem hidden away in the garden yesterday. What a lovely find for the 1st of March, must a sign of Summer not too far away...

Sunday, 1 March 2015

I'VE GOT THE HUMP..

I came across this strange sight in Wanstead Park the other day. Its an area of ground covered in humps, there are dozens of them. At first I though they were mole hills but on reflection I think they are too large and as I say there are masses of them next to each other. I have no idea what they are but if any readers know please let me know!

Saturday, 28 February 2015

LITTLE AND LARGE...

These two came to see us at the Gallery yesterday. I couldn't resist taking a picture, I thought it would make a nice change for you from Wanstead Park photographs. Should you ever meet them on their Wanstead strolls that's Roxy on the left and Olley on the right and very handsome they are too..

Friday, 27 February 2015

MORE OFF THE TRACK..

This is another picture from my little off the path excursion in Wanstead Park. After I shot the close up that I published yesterday I pulled back to include quite a bit more. I quite like the different jumble of leaves, twigs and ivy etc, its a bit more chaotic than the close up.

Thursday, 26 February 2015

OFF THE BEATEN TRACK...

Its always interesting to move a little off the path and see what you can find. In this case just three or four feet of the pathway I came across a fallen log with this plant growing on it. I have no idea what it is but it looks so delicate and fragile I took great care not to disturb it.

Wednesday, 25 February 2015

LEADING WHERE ?

This is one of many of the footpaths that run through Wanstead Park. As you can see they are well trod, they are usually worth following though and despite the worn look its unusual to pass anyone else. In the summer when the trees and bushes are in full flow and the birds are singing you really could be in the middle of the countryside and not just a few miles from central London

Tuesday, 24 February 2015

THE GROTTO..

I walked along the path following the lake in Wanstead Park
last Sunday and arrived at The Grotto. Built in 1761 it was actually the boathouse for Wanstead House in its heyday, as you can see it's a bit of a ruin now but it still looks attractive. I think there has been some work going on as there appears some debris in the lake and the undergrowth around the site has been cut back to allow access to the fence. You can now get a clear view of what was the inside as you can see below. It wasn't great light so I converted the pictures to black and white. More Wanstead Park to come...

Monday, 23 February 2015

SUNDAY, SUNDAY..

I popped over to Wanstead Park yesterday for an hour. It was such a lovely morning, even a little sunshine. The park was busy, a typical Wanstead Sunday, families out with children, joggers and of course dogs. Don't ya just love Wanstead..more on the park later in the week.

Sunday, 22 February 2015

HALFWAY...

A strange sky last night I arrived home. There was a heavy grey cloud coming in from the East, as you can see it was chasing away the blue sky that was overhead. I appeared to be on the exact half way point underneath, strange feeling....

Saturday, 21 February 2015

BLUE SKIES..

You probably realise by the view that this photograph was not taken in Wanstead. I have been looking through photographs that I took on a French trip a couple of years ago, this is one of my favourites. The blue sky just reminded me of sunshine and warmth, something sadly lacking for the last little while in London. In case you are wondering this is the bridge that runs from La Rochelle to Ile d Re, one of my very favourite places, roll on summer...

Friday, 20 February 2015

REFLECTION...

These windows are in the porch of Christ Church on Christchurch green. I've always liked them, this is one of a pair, they face each other and let in such a soft light before you enter the church itself. As you can see I took this picture through the gates, I like the way the curves of the ironwork work with the shapes of the tops of the windows. A nice place to sit and reflect..

Thursday, 19 February 2015

UPSIDE DOWN ?

No..its not. I was trying to find a different angle of Christ Church when I discovered this puddle across the road from the church. Fortunately it was in the right spot for a reflection shot, I quite like the trees in the picture as well...

Wednesday, 18 February 2015

YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE...

World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

...or sunset in this case. I mentioned a couple of days ago that I have some more photographs of Christ Church that I want to post. However before I do I just had to show you this sunset picture that I took last Sunday. It's taken looking along Elmcroft Avenue from the junction with Buckingham Road, pretty spectacular sunset I thought....

Tuesday, 17 February 2015

ON TOP OF THE...

World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved
...world or at least Wanstead. This cockerel is at the very top of the spire of Christ Church, that's a long way up. I'm not sure what you would call him, a weathervane perhaps, I'm not sure. Anyway he's very handsome and when the sun came out on Sunday it really lit him up.

Monday, 16 February 2015

SPRING ?..

Its been a very busy weekend. I did manage a little time to have a walk along to Christ Church on the green, pictures of that later in the week. In the church grounds however I did find these shoots pushing their way up through the dead leaves. I know it still February but could this be the first sign of Spring?

Sunday, 15 February 2015

INTRICATE..

After I had taken the pictures of Alexandra Lake a few days ago I took the opportunity to have a wander around Aldersbrook. Its the Edwardian estate off Aldersbrook Road opposite the lake, I like that period of building and I can always find something of interest to photograph there. Although it was a fairly miserable day weather wise this painted woodwork over a front door really stood out in the gloom.

Saturday, 14 February 2015

VALENTINES DAY...

Yes... in case you haven't noticed it's Valentines Day. I'm not quite sure how this plays out in the rest of the world. I know it's popular in Canada, and I suspect the rest of the northern hemisphere but I don't know about the rest of the world. So please let me know if your country celebrates this romantic occasion. If you live in Europe and as this post goes live from 1am you still have plenty of time to rush out and find a florist if it's slipped your mind..

I photographed this display at Lillies of Wanstead, our local florist, as I walked along the High Street. What did I get my wife... ah, that's a secret.

Friday, 13 February 2015

ALEXANDRA LAKE..

This is another picture that I took while at Alexandra Lake the other day. It was bittery cold and as you may have seen here the other day the edge of the lake was fringed with ice. I rather like the way the tree has toppled over, in black and white I think it has a nice wintery feel.

Thursday, 12 February 2015

DAY OF THE BRUSSEL SPROUT..

Remember 'Day of the Triffids', the novel published in 1951 in which tall carnivorous, venomous plants have a crack at taking over the world. That's what occurred to me when I spotted these brussel sprouts underneath this fine mesh. I think the mesh is to help keep the frost off them, I thought it made them look like ghosts rising up....

Anyway between Triffids, ghosts and of course brussel sprouts I don't think I'll be getting an allotment any time soon...

tall, venomous carnivorous plants

Wednesday, 11 February 2015

ICE AGE..

Hmmm.. I seem to be having a black and white week. My trip to Wanstead Flats wasn't completely spoiled by the rain, I did manage to grab a few pictures. I took this one at Alexandra Lake, I just liked the way the broken ice had been left in among the stones and leaves.

Tuesday, 10 February 2015

A LITTLE RAIN..

I popped over to Wanstead Flats on Saturday, I haven't been there for ages, I though I'd just see if anything was going on. As you can see the from the photograph it started to rain as I arrived so I shot this picture through the car windscreen. Not too disappointed, I quite like the out of focus figures in the background escaping from the rain.

Monday, 9 February 2015

JACK the....

...Ripper! While I was sorting out yesterdays taxi picture I came across this other Spitalfield's photograph that I am very fond of. On the 25th January I posted a photograph of an alley in Wanstead after dark. A reader in Canada remarked that it reminded him of old Whitechapel, Jack the Ripper territory, this photograph was taken in very much in that area. I waited for a figure to enter the alley with an open billowing coat, I think it rather captures the atmosphere of that time in a modern way.

http://wansteaddailyphoto.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/after-dark-4.html

Sunday, 8 February 2015

TAXI !

Not a Wanstead photograph but Blosson Street in Spitalfields. One of the great things about photographs is that they evoke memories. I had a comment on a post earlier this week that made me think of publishing this picture. Hope you like it..

Saturday, 7 February 2015

SPACE JUNK...

.....that's what occurred to me when I saw this mess from across Nightingale Green, I'm not sure why space sprung into my mind. Anyway, close up, it looks to me like an old stool that someone has thrown out. I'd rather they had taken it to the dump, still a least it hadn't fallen off the International Space Station.

Friday, 6 February 2015

CLOUDS..

An amazing sky last night as we left the gallery. There was a very low bank of dark cloud above the rooftops, I wasn't in a good position to capture it. I did manage to grab this shot at the Green Man roundabout though, I really like the underpass in the foreground and the colour difference that it gives.

Thursday, 5 February 2015

CONVERSATION...

World © Geoff Wilkinson - All rights reserved

So the chat went:
'I think I'll try photographing trees at night, with out flash of course'
'Naaaah it'l never work'
'I'll try it anyway'
'Mmmm, actually I quite like it!'

Wednesday, 4 February 2015

AND THEN LIGHTLY SPRINKLE...

a little snow over Wanstead. When I saw these footprints in the snow yesterday morning it reminded me of my childhood.

I was always fascinated by tales of the abominable snowman or the Yeti as its known. Those classic photographs of 'the footprints in the snow'! These footprints are of course made by our milkman Steve from Parker Dairies who unlike the Yeti can always be relied on to turn up and deliver whatever the weather.

Tuesday, 3 February 2015

ALMOST DARK..

I am a big fan of contrails, theres nothing like looking up into the sky and wondering where all those aeroplanes are off to. Normally the contrails are white but the other evening I came across this one, what a fabulous colour, perhaps it caught the last rays of the sun. Don't know where the 'plane was going though...

Monday, 2 February 2015

BLUE MOON...

.... the song became a hit in 1961 when The Marcels recorded it. Anyway, I'm no astronomer but why was the moon on show at 2.55pm one day last week, shouldn't it just come out at night? The sun rises and sets on a regular basis why is the moon different, is it in an elliptical orbit? Any thoughts or facts gratefully received.

Sunday, 1 February 2015

SUNDAY..

I found this gate post at the back of Christ Church on the green. I like the split in the wood textured and feel of it. The staples left in from where notices have been pinned add a bit to it as well.

Pages