Nocturnal blur is not mandatory, of course. A degree of hand-held "sharpness" is always possible at night, if that's what you want. A lamp-post, a railing or a solid pillar are your friends, in this regard. But on a cold, haily, windy night at slow shutter speeds, things are going to be moving around, even if you lug a sack of ready-mix kwik-set cement around with you, so as to mount your camera to something really solid. Anything to avoid carrying a tripod!
But, talking of unnatural devices, look... What is that? No, not the London Eye! Look, some sort of spherical alien pods are glowing ominously in the foreground... It seems that when they emerge, these cosmic strangers pass among us, grey, unseen, oddly flat. Who knows what they are seeking? Do they crave the warmth and colour of humanity? Or just a ride on the merry-go-round?
And somewhere, presumably, they have parked their mothership, improbably difficult as that may seem in central London, even for a modest family hatchback. It's hidden in plain sight somewhere, no doubt, if only to avoid a ticket. Whoah, what's that, lurking in the shadows beneath Hungerford Bridge? Quick, get me Captain Jack Harkness of the Torchwood Institute on the phone! Or if he's busy, the Alien Parking Section of Southwark Council...
Ah, of course... Thanks... An excellent plan, Jack. When you're 2,000 light years from home and in urgent need of facilities, a trap is easily laid...
London is saved. For now... But do keep an eye out for those weird flat aliens, folks, and remember: they always seem to come in breeding pairs. The truth is out there...
2 comments:
Enjoying these very different images (and the accompanying narrative), Mike. Coincidentally, I was in the same neck of the woods the night before your visit. I was astonished at the number of people posing, snapping and even carrying extremely large tripods at 6:00 in the evening....the South Bank seems to be one big photography project. Speaking of which the demolition of the Ford Factory is well under way and might provide an interesting subject for you.....the old Meridian TV studios are finally being developed as well - alongside Northam Bridge.
Oh, those tripod carriers! It's cheating, IMHO, like putting insects in the fridge to quieten them down, or using mashed potato as an non-melting ice-cream substitute under hot lights... (I'm kidding -- I just hate using one).
Can you get anywhere near Ford? I'd have assumed it's a hard-hat and "can I see your pass, sir?" area. Though I have had a high-viz waistcoat made with "PHOTOGRAPHER" boldly lettered on the back... (not a lie, and might ease access to various places)...
Mike
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