Reminiscing Remedies...

They say dreams never do come true.. But they are wrong, I say they do...

You Hear Nature's Voice In The River That Ever Flows On Towards The Sea...

I have found that the "Nature" of the brief (excuse the pun) has been successful. I had a strong sense of the places in which I wanted to photograph... It was just a shame that the weather wasn't feeling as sympathetic... But none the less, some intriguing photo's were taken and it gave me a sturdy base in which I could work from. One of the best parts of the brief was editing the photo's... depending of the captions and typography included I adapted a certain look, whether it be suspicious, antique, or to enhance the prominent features of the photo's.

When it came to thinking of captions that could relate to the photo's presented in the blog I used personal opinions to create Strap-Lines... In some ways they juxtapose opinions of others... but that's what Strap- Lines are all about isn't it?? Gaining attention... causing controversy... obtaining an end result... and that's the process in which I entailed with the still shots.

The blog itself is very much nature based and I think the reason why I edged more towards this area was because of the beauty and simplicity of the forms, in which can be organically grown and adored by many of all ages and races... although this can be dismayed when development devours areas which people have grown fond of... In some ways the places in which you grew up with filled with screams of happiness have frayed into somewhere desolate...

Lonely is just one word chosen to represent so much...

I hadn't been to the Garden where there are Memory Tributes for many years... even though the appearance hadn't changed, I felt that the motives for people going there had changed...

Years ago it had been a place where families could enjoy lovely weather and have snacks in the Cafe, but now many senior members of the public go there to pass the time, sitting on benches by the water feature, or members of the public using it as a cut through merely shrugging of the Memories that some people hang on to...

Its such a shame as to how a place you grew up visiting can start to change so much without you even noticing...

Shut the windows of the past
And look forward to the future
Because the future is here
Right now for you
And you can take it with you...

Taking a walk on memory lane...

Whilst spending time within the area of the Garden, it became apparent that the older generation spent their time sitting on benches quite peacefully. The expressions pulled were the sort of reminiscing... it was quite sad to see senior members of the public sitting by themselves... who knows how far back they were mentally going back in time... Did their parents hold their hands as they skipped around the fountain... It was moments such as these which makes you consider how fortunate you are in which to have a future awaiting your arrival instead of a past to occasionaly flash back to...

Time Has Come, Time Has Gone...

- Time Will Wait For No Man -

The track is a forbidden place and I purposely chose this photo due to the fact it looks "Spy" like... The dark and morbid colours make it look like an unattractive place, but with the flowers and weeds which grow freely regardless of the public restraints... the view seems too tempting...

Whilst photographing, I noticed that this was a hot spot for Mothers and Children. The children were eager to see whether the trains were trudging along the tracks or just for the excitement of seeing something new for the day...

I Remember...

Whilst at my Mum's work, I saw an 'Artifact' on a window sill which was accompanied with cob webs and leaves... It reminded me of a toy which you were allowed to play with only with your Gran's permission.

To add to the setting of the still, I thought it would appropriate to incorporate Vintage style shapes meandering off from the typography, (Summer days spent playing with Granny's treasures...) I think this added to the style I was trying to obtain.

The way the sun beamed on to the sill where this object lay, picked up on the array of Autumnal colours.

In autumn when the trees are brown
The little leaves come tumbling down
They do not make the slightest sound
But lie so quietly on the ground
Until the wind comes puffing by
And blows them off towards the sky...

Leaves in the Autumn come tumbling down, Scarlet and yellow, russet and brown...

When I was walking around the park, I happened to be the only person there. It was deserted, the only noise was the wind whisking up all the leaves so they raced each other down the path...

I thought the typography included (Deserted Places, But Memories Are Forever Carried In The Wind) was fitting to the picture and the setting that I was within.

As I walked down the path, I reminisced the times as girl where we would visit the park, play tennis on the now non existent courts, and where my brother would play Sunday Football... Its funny how things change without you barely noticing...

There is something about Autumn
Which brings out such earthiness
Gold leaves adorn bushes and trees
Like an artist with a brilliant brush

I think this one of the nicest autumnal pictures in which I have seen, When I came across the the scene in the gardens of my Mum's work (Playgroup), I just had to take a picture. The colour were so vibrant due the leaves being dry, when the wind picked up they dropped so delicately back down.

I was researching the season Autumn on the Internet and a range of articles appeared, one of which included a quote "A Fallen Leaf Is Nothing More Than Summers Goodbye" I don't think the caption juxtaposes or contrast juxtaposes in anyway, it's like a perfect match!

Whilst completing this brief, I have found that looking at Robert Frost's poetry has really helped me interact with the the nature side which is the bulk of the blog content... This was taken from the preliminary part of Robert Frost's - Gathering Leaves...

Spades take up leaves
No better than spoons,
And bags full of leaves
Are light as balloons.

A Statement Made In Letters Tall...

Don't Get me wrong, I like a real Graffiti Artist as much as the next person... but the people that create this can't seriously think that their artists?

I find stuff like this really immature and disrespectful. It makes you think where are the Community Officers on our street when we need them?

The division is so blurred as to what is considered real Graffiti Art and what is just 'doodled tags' but "Banksy" defies all of my speculations... His work is some what witty, to the point, but has caused a lot of controversy in the Art Industry but as an aspiring artist he is one of thr sought after Graffiti Artists of the 21st Century...

Maybe the youths of today could a thing or two about the technique and style of Banksy
before defacing signs for the possible minutes of fame...

http://www.banksy.co.uk/outdoors/horizontal_1.htm

If people are keen on creating this sort of Art/ Statement, why are they so cowardly? At least be brave enough to formulate these tags/ pieces in Daylight...

Respect is one of the aspects which many people do not entail to their everyday lives...

"Should we chastise
Those who take part
Or recognise
This crime as art"

Is This What Nature Intended...

Over the past week I have taken a selection on still Photo's depicting how the setting I had chosen had changed (if it had) and what sort of people it attracted. The setting in which I had decided to explore was the area in which I grew up in, Carshalton/ Wallington. Admittedly the area didn't have much to offer, but from the word GO I knew the places in which I wanted to photograph, maybe due to the memories which were still in tact or the fact that they were becoming slowly unrecognisable due to 10 or more years of possible development.

Over about two days, I walked round stretches of park, concentrating on scenic shots and signage, I then moved on to overlooking a train track. This was an interesting part of the research due to the fact that the view of track was obscured by railings and mesh, but I think that the overall effect of the perspective worked well. I also visited a Memory Tribute Garden which as a little girl I was fascinated with. I loved the peace that ran through the gardens and the water feature central in the grounds. I was uncomfortable to see that there were cranes in the background obviously raring to rip down parts of the town which many people had grown fond of. Other than than, it hadn't changed an inch, fish swam without a care in the world, whilst new mums, pushed their little'un's round the fountain. Some really interesting stills were taken here...

Some of the areas were exactly as I had pictured them, but others were such a contrast in relation to what I had experienced as a little girl, it made me realise that nothing stays the same forever, but also for us to cherish those moments in case regret wanting to grow up too quickly...

This was one of the first still shots I took but I think it is one of my favourites, due to the simplicity of the shot, I didn't want to edit the photo too much so just rearranged with the exposure and contrast.