29 June

Another visit to St James's Park today and the flowers, waterfowl and other wildlife were on fine form! What did I learn today?

That a squirrel's favourite chocolate is Cadbury's Whole Nut...

Other things I learned at the park today...

If you get lost, ask a pigeon...

Ducks' beaks come in all sorts of sizes, shapes and colours...

Ducks' feathers are also pretty amazing...

There are several species of geese in residence at St James's Park...

I have a particular fondness for diving ducks (although they move so fast it's difficult to get a good picture of them)...

And pigeons...such posers...

Finally, an update on the baby coot chicks - they're growing up so fast...

28 June

This magnificent beast lives on the back of the Edith Cavell statue.  I like the contrast of the green moss and I am also in need of some fortitude right now!

27 June

It was tempting not to go out this lunchtime as I had plenty to be getting on with and Central London was on the toasty side.  But rules is rules so I took a quick stroll around the cooling fountains of Trafalgar Square. 

The water looked interesting against the backdrop of grey clouds so I took several close-ups of the top of the fountains...I quite like the effect.

25 June

Obligatory bee and flower picture for the weekend!  The lavender plants are a major draw for all sorts of different species of insect.

24 June

I was struggling with inspiration on Friday and in the end none of the pictures I took really grabbed me.  But the whole point about being disciplined is to keep going even when it's not working.  So, here's my offering - it's from a doorway in the area around Covent Garden.  Lions' heads seem to be a major theme in building decorations as well as bearded male faces. 

23 June

The eyes of London are watching you...

22 June

I walked out at lunchtime today into this (no, not the lamp post, the rain storm!)  Just thought I'd share.

Anyway, the rain eased enough for me to snap a few shots from under my umbrella.  I returned to my old favourite, the Coliseum, to discover some carvings I hadn't noticed before.  There are a lot of torches and flames all around the building but I particularly liked this shot of an artist with her easel...I've photographed her before (see 2 June) but had not noticed what she was holding.  It was the easel and paintbrushes that struck me today.

21 June

An interesting light for Midsummer's Night...

20 June

I don't very often get to the City of London as it's too far to go in a lunchbreak.  But as I had to be there anyway today, I thought I'd take advantage.  It has just as many weird and wonderful beasts on the buildings (perhaps more) as the West End.  I liked this reflection of the "Gherkin" - the warped glass makes the Gherkin look ever so slightly crazy, a "through the looking-glass" version or a window into bizarro-world...

Even the Royal Exchange has an animal familiar...

Apparently the grasshopper was on the crest of the founder, Sir Thomas Gresham.  It was later copied at Faneuil Hall, Boston, MA.  The things I learn...

Something from the weekend...

This weekend was most sociable, with a friend's 80th on Friday evening and a trip to Cambridge on Saturday and Sunday.  This first picture was taken from the train on Saturday - I was trying to capture something of the amazing clouds.  I like the contrast with the graffiti...

Sunday saw us at my friend's allotment.  The first picture is the obligatory weekend bee encounter, while the second is the fruit of our labours.  The salad was delicious with the added bonus of some new potatoes we pulled up as they were clogging the strawberries!  The flower is a nasturtium and rather tasty.



17 June

Today was a very sociable sort of a day - out for lunch and dinner!  So, a limited amount of time to take pictures.  I grabbed this one on the way back from lunch - she sits on the side of the National Gallery, hidden by leafy trees but keeping watch all the same.

Couldn't resist...

...posting an image of a coot chick!  I wasn't sure what it was when I first saw it - the feather colours are amazing and I thought it was some piece of rubbish floating in the lake!  It looked relatively newly hatched and had tiny stubby wings it practiced stretching but it still moved around the water with amazing confidence.

16 June

This gorgeous flower is in a new section of planting in St James's Park.  I love the way the colours came out. 

15 June

Today's picture is a lucky experiment.  Ducks can move surprisingly fast in the water and this little guy was out of focus by the time I lined up the shot.  Still, I rather like the result so I thought I'd share it!

14 June

This guy keeps watch over Charing Cross Road, just down from Leicester Square.  I expect he's seen some sights in his time!  All these faces and fantastic creatures lurking on these buildings...it's making me wonder why we put them there...

13 June

A trip around Trafalgar Square this lunchtime.  I am fond of these fountains and they are highly photogenic, it turns out!  Each one is a slightly different variation on a mer-people theme, with dolphins, sharks and other fish accompanying.  In the background is the National Gallery and the 2012 Olympic countdown clock.

11 June

Three more shots from the garden this weekend.  The beetles (I think - I'm referring to them as "jewel bugs" in my head) were absolutely stunning in the sunlight.  Not sure what their proper name is - any suggestions?  And then back to one of my favourite subjects - bee and flower!  If you zoom in on this one (click on the picture) you can make out the pollen on the hairs on the bee's back.

10 June

Today was another trip to St James's Park and I was determined to go, despite the ominous looking clouds gathering over Trafalgar Square.  The heavens opened just as I was getting into the swing of taking pictures, but luckily the trees provided shelter from most of the downpour.  The squirrels are extremely tame, running over as soon as you stop, in hopes of food (the pigeons are similar).  I caught this lucky shot as one of them paused for a nibble.  I know they are considered a pest, but I am rather fond of them.

9 June

Me, last night  - "hmm, better put my mobile phone and camera battery on charge."
Me, this morning - "paperwork, check, mobile phone, check, keys, check..."
Me, at lunchtime - "camera, check...oh, hang on a moment, why's this not working..."
So, yes, managed to charge the battery and not replace it in the camera - d'oh!  So, I've scouted some interesting places to take pictures tomorrow or next week, and in the meantime thought I'd share this one I took yesterday.  These "mutilated" rooftop statues are part of Zimbabwe House.  After a quick Google search, I discovered they are by Epstein.  Who knew?!  I think they're pretty incredible.

8 June

Today's lunchtime was a bit wet in several senses of the word.  Still, the sun did stick his head out on my way back to the office and I caught a shot of this lovely (former) fountain in the courtyard of St Martin-in-the-Fields.

7 June

Sometimes, like today for instance, the treasure is not so much in the photo as where my camera takes me.  Wandering around Covent Garden, struggling to feel inspired and thinking that very thought to myself, I noticed a gap between buildings.  It led to this totally lovely courtyard called Ching Court.  Apparently it is named after an architectural ironmongers' company and there is certainly a lot of unusual ironware around it.  For more information go to http://www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk/page2896.htm

6 June

Today's photo comes to you from St James's Park.  The pigeons around Trafalgar Square and St James's Park are always quite ready to get close to humans, particularly if there is bread available.  I don't think they quite knew what to make of my camera, but they posed nicely anyway!  I particularly like the colour of the eye against the grey feathers.  There were also some very cute baby moorhens but they moved too fast for me to get a really decent shot. 

I was also treated to a rather wonderful marching band practice, which was a great way to end my lunchtime break.  Apparently they were practicing for this (http://www.guardsbeatingretreat.com/).

Till tomorrow, folks!

4 June

Two pictures today!  Well, it is the weekend.  I'm not planning to post at the weekend, necessarily, but it was a beautiful day on Saturday morning and I spent some time with the bees in my parents' garden, and here are my 2 favourites.

3 June

Looking up around Leicester Square, there are all sorts of fantastic beasts and creatures, watching all that goes on below.  It was hard to pick my favourite picture of the day...perhaps more later. 

2 June

I discovered that the Coliseum has all sorts of interesting carvings and statues on its roofs and walls.  I do love the optical zoom on my camera.

1 June

This photo was taken in St James' Park.  I love St James' Park and don't get down there as often as I would like.  Now I have an excuse!

First project

This first project is about getting me out of the office at lunchtime!  There's a simple structure to keep the creativity going: take my camera out with me each lunchtime during the week, take photos around London, pick one that I like and post it on this blog.  Initially I'm committing to do this for a month, from 1 June to 1 July.  And we'll see how it goes then.  Hopefully I'll have an interesting set of photos at the end of it, and an idea of my next project.