Textured condensation

In these photographs, I focused more on the actual condensation rather than the scene outside. I think they both have a real sense of texture to them - almost metalic or like precious stones. This contrasts strongly with reality, where touching the surface would destroy the pattern.

Condensation

I was experiementing the other day with photographing the view from my bedroom through the condensation on the window. This blurs vision and adds a haze of hexagonal shapes, making for a more atmospheric scene.

Garden frost

Had a beautiful frosty morning yesterday, so managed to get a few photos in the garden. I'd love (well, sort of) to get up early and go out and about to take advantage of the amazing light at that time of day. The potential for great photographs is there, but I don't think I'm getting it just yet. Could blame it on my wee camera, but I think I could do with more practice too! Bring on winter!

Liking the lichen

(Apologies for the cheesey title - couldn't resist)

Found some interesting patches of lichen on wooden posts on a recent trip to Dobbies (with the parents, I must stress!). Love the detail within these photos - the colours, patterns and texture. Could be an interesting project to try and reproduce in stitch? I like the idea of distorting the scale, for example by enlarging an area to make it less obvious what it is.

I like being able to see interesting details in something that is normally overloooked.

U2, Summer 2009

I took these photos at a U2 gig last year in Hampden Park, Glasgow. Managed to get right down the front, which was amazing! Particularly like the top photo of Bono - again, it's the silhouettes and light that I seem to go for.

Hoping to blog a bit more regularly over the next few months (rather than lots then nothing for ages!), so watch this space...

More College outfits

These were also made for my recycling project in College. I deconstructed and cut into t-shirts, layered and gathered bits, and stitched them back together. Inspired by sections of some of my drawings of everyday objects, I also added black stitching to give a bit more detail. I really like being able to take something ordinary and change it into something new and different! All these garments appeared in the end of year fashion show at The Old Fruitmarket in Glasgow, and were pictured in The Evening Times!

Reduce, reuse, recycle

For a self-directed project in college, I looked at recycling and the idea of taking everyday objects and making them into something new. I took this idea into my fashion class and recycled a gents suit jacket and shirt into a skirt and top (both from Oxfam). I loved working on these, playing around with ideas on the mannequin until I came up with something that was totally different from the original garments, but used some of their features such as buttons and seams. I love to try and do more of this kind of thing - making use of old clothes or clothes in charity shops and giving them new life, instead of always buying new things.

Travis gig, Barrowlands

I quite often annoy the people around me at gigs by taking lots of photos, but I think it's a great opportunity to try to capture the moment and the atmosphere of the night. The results are a lot more spontaneous than my usual photographs, but still play around with light and silhouettes.

Botanics - Kibble Palace

Kibble Palace (one of the greenhouses) reopened in 2006 following a multimillion-pound restoration. It lends itself well to photography, with lines and shapes created by the impressive iron and glass structure, and is one of my favourite places to visit in Glasgow. I particularly like the top photograph, with the contrast of sun and rain, glass and iron, and the sense of looking in from the outside.

Botanics - secret staircase

In one of the greenhouses, partly hidden behind masses of leaves, is a beautiful spiral staircase. I assume it is used to gain access to the tops of the plants, but it's like finding a stairway to a hidden world, and the wrought iron is a beautiful contrast to the surrounding jungle. As it's so hot in the greenhouses, the lens on my camera steamed up, creating the effect in the final photograph - I think this just adds to the other-world feeling!