Madison's London Blog

December 6, 2008

2008-12-06T01:30:00.000-08:00

Yayy classes are finished and I only have one more exam to go! Yesterday's party at Faraday was pretty fun. The photos looked great and I'm soo happy Sutherland won the professor award and that Luke and Sarah both won the Catalyst award! I haven't been blogging much because of work and stress but I thought I would put up my final portfolio and a few others just for fun. Hope everyone has a great last weekend in London!

November 28, 2008

2008-11-28T09:03:00.001-08:00

I hope everyone had a great thanksgiving! I had a fun night with my roommates at the Harvey Nicks restaurant. The food was really goood. Today I went to Borough Street market with ling. The market is like a maze. There are so many stands and tons of produce, fish, and meat. They also had some yummy looking bakeries. The weather was kind of a pain but most of the market is covered by an overpass so it wasn't too bad. Happy Friday!

November 26, 2008

2008-11-26T14:59:00.001-08:00

Ahh I'm so tired. I can't focus on anything and my brain hurts. I feel like I haven't stopped moving all week. My bed is going to feel so good tonight. More photo story stuff today and ecn class was particularly boring today. Happy almost thanksgiving!

November 25, 2008

2008-11-25T12:33:00.000-08:00

More photo story stuff today and I'm definitely getting sick. I feel pretty crappy right now. Great class today. I'm still thinking about that video we watched...very moving. On another note thanksgiving is so soon! I'm a little bummed that I'm not spending it with my family but in a way I guess I am..with my friends. My parents are meeting my brother in nyc on Thursday...I'm gonna miss my moms home cooked food...oh well. Ok thats all for now.

November 24, 2008

2008-11-24T13:11:00.000-08:00

So today I continued shooting my photo story. I think I got a few good shots but I really don't think my project is going to be as good as I had wanted it to be by Thursday. If I had started earlier it probably would have been better. I was outside all day again and was freezing. I think thats why I haven't been feeling very well lately...too much cold weather.

November 23, 2008

2008-11-23T12:40:00.000-08:00

What started out as a rainy crappy looking day ended up being pretty sunny and nice. I thought the weather was going to ruin my plans to go out shooting but it ended up working out. It was still a very cold day but manageable. I went to Speaker's Corner for a while and met some crazy people. There was a nazi woman, a Christian who wouldn't leave me alone, and a man who had some rather crude images placed around his stand. Those were just the highlights, I had a good time. I then headed towards South Bank to find my skater friends but I guess Sunday isn't a skating day or something. No one was really there so I just took some shots around the Christmas festival that was going on and also at the food market. I'm not feeling too well right now for some reason, I better not be getting sick...

November 22, 2008

2008-11-22T09:46:00.000-08:00

Soo today I made some skater friends near southbank...ahh so cute. I think I found my photo story finally. I also went to the food festival and the German Christmas market. It was so cold today and I was outside the entire day taking pictures. It finally feels like winter. The roommates are going to a play tonight that I wasn't too interested in spending 25 pounds on soo I don't know what my plans are for tonight. It will be nice to have the flat to myself for at least a few hours. I could use some alone time.

November 21, 2008

2008-11-21T12:49:00.000-08:00

So I attempted to find a photo story today. I went to Big Ben to see if I could do a story on the man who cleans the bell. I had to go through a lot of people but I finally got the right phone number. The man who manages the bell is away till Monday so I may or may not have enough time to get that story done. I'm going to definitely find one tomorrow though. I didn't take any photos today so here are some from my last shoot. Have a nice weekend everyone!

2008-11-18T13:04:00.001-08:00

Woohooooo!

2008-11-18T12:58:00.000-08:00

So thanks to Sarah :), I found out that one of the photos I submitted to the illustration category for College Photographer of the Year got to the Semi-finals!!!! I took the image over the summer in Prague when I was studying fashion photography. Yay I'm really happy. On the website, they have a video of the judges analyzing all of the images. It was interesting to hear what they had to say. Just thought I'd add that bit of info to my blog . Now back to my paper.

November 18. 2008

2008-11-18T10:07:00.000-08:00

This morning I went to Portobello road again to work on my business story. Then I headed to class and learned some more about flash. We were assigned to do a portrait shot outside using natural light and flash. Luke and I had a wonderful time obviously and got some nice pictures. Tonight I will continue to work on my paper...how fun for me.

November 17, 2008

2008-11-17T09:56:00.000-08:00

Shitty weather today. I went to Notting Hill to photograph my business story. I think I got some pretty good pics. I plan to go back tomorrow too. Tonight I have to write a paper. Sadness. I really don't feel like doing work...Lately I've been getting home sick. I don't know why..I love being here but I think its because we're getting close to the holidays. I miss my brother too. Ok thats all for now.

November 15, 2008

2008-11-15T10:43:00.000-08:00

Today I did some exploring of markets. I first went to Cabbage & Frocks on Marylebone High Street. It's a pretty small market but did have some nice clothes and food stands. I then went to Dover Street Market in Mayfair which was the coolest place ever. Its described as a new type of retail concept from Rei Kawakubo of Comme de Garcons. Its 6 floors of bare walls and steel beams featuring over a dozen designers. Its kind of like an art exhibit of clothing that you can buy (that is if you can afford it). I sadly could not. I left empty handed and headed to Fortnum & Masons on Piccadilly. Its kind of like Harrod's but not as good. The Christmas window displays are really pretty though. Time to make some dinner...

November 13, 2008

2008-11-13T12:05:00.000-08:00

Time for the weekend! Ah I'm so happy this week is over...Three of my roommates are off to Amsterdam and the other one was supposed to go to Florence on the school trip and now is not for some reason. Oh well. I'm trying to decide if I want to go out tonight. We'll see what happens. Happy Thursday!

November 11, 2008

2008-11-11T11:03:00.001-08:00

Woke up pretty early today to go to the gym and then do some shooting. The weather was nice today and sun was out for most of it. After class let out, Luke, Helen, and I made our way to St. Paul's station and from there walked to the Eye. I think I got some ok shots of Big Ben, the Eye, etc. I have plenty of homework to do tonight...not looking forward to it. My mom and grandmother went home this morning. I'm really glad they came and miss them already...

I've been a bad blogger lately

2008-11-10T07:13:00.000-08:00

I have to apologize for the lack of posts recently. My mother and grandmother arrived in London on Thursday and I've been acting as a tour guide all weekend. I just now left their flat to have some time by myself and also to catch up on some homework. The rainy weather all weekend put a slight damper on their visit but we didn't let it get in the way of our fun too much. We covered a lot of territory these past few days. Friday we went to the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey (which was really beautiful), Big Ben, London Eye area, St. Paul's, Harrod's, and then finally dinner at an Italian restaurant in Knightsbridge. Saturday morning we woke up early to go to Portobello Market. It was so crowded and the rain didn't stop coming down. We then went to the theatre to see Billy Elliot, which was SO good. We lucked out with our tickets and really enjoyed ourselves. We then went to Sloane Square for some yummy food. Sunday we went to Speaker's Corner in Hyde Park which at the time we were there, wasn't too crowded but it was still fun to see. My mom and I then went to the Victoria and Albert Museum. The V&A is probably my favorite museum here in London besides the Tate. We saw the Cold War Modern exhibit which was really interesting. We then headed towards Trafalgar Square and saw the Annie Leibovitz Exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery, which was also very good. It's funny because one of my good friends is her niece and there are family pictures of her in the gallery...no big deal or anything. We also saw the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize exhibit, which I would recommend everyone seeing. I really enjoyed it. Finally, we went to Mayfair to eat some delicious sushi. Today we went to the Wessing Collection in Marylebone and tonight we are going to the Ritz for tea/dinner. I've very excited and hoping to get some shots of the area. Thats about all I have for now.

November 3, 2008

2008-11-03T12:10:00.000-08:00

Great Weekend. Halloween ended up being so much fun. It was also my roommates' birthday on Sunday. We went to this place called Church that I discovered over the summer. It's possibly one of my favorite places in London. It's really hard to describe, you just have to experience it for yourself. It's only open from 12 noon to 4 p.m. on sundays. We had a great time but unfortunately had the experience of a terrible hang over not this morning but last night. That was the only bad part. Today, I attempted to be a little more productive since I basically was a waste of space yesterday. I went to the gym, did some econ homework, read, did my laundry, and worked on my photo story. Not bad.

Yet another person got stuck under a train today. This time on the central line. Sounds pretty awful but I must say that I did laugh to myself when the conductor made the announcement. How can you not? Maybe I'm just a terrible person.

Halloweeeen

2008-10-31T12:45:00.000-07:00

Today I had full intentions of working on my photo story but failed miserably. I couldn't find my subject. He wasn't working today I guess. Yeah not a good day for me. I also haven't been feeling well all day, my stomach has been hurting for some reason, and I have a lot on my mind. I've come to the conclusion that whenever I'm dealing with something I don't want to be dealing with I keep my ipod in my ears all day. I guess all the music is a way to block my mind from actually thinking. Kind of terrible to say but hey I'm being honest. The picture I'm posting tonight wasn't actually taken today. I took it yesterday. Disappointing portrait.

Tonight we are going to Ministry of Sound for Halloween. I'm not too thrilled with my costume but I pretty much didn't put any thought or time into it. My friends bought everything for me. As most of you know Halloween is pretty much an excuse for girls to dress like sluts. My guess is that Londoners follow this trend too but maybe not. We'll see. Don't really feel like dressing up.

October 30, 2008

2008-10-30T13:39:00.000-07:00

Brrr it was so cold today! It was very difficult getting out of bed this morning. I set my alarm for 7 and it was completely dark outside when I woke up. Definitely a negative of wintertime. I took some pictures of my sociology professor during my morning class and we had an adorable guest today...his four year old daughter. She wasn't feeling well at school so came to faraday to be with her dad and go home early. Happy almost Halloween!!

October 29, 2008

2008-10-29T15:35:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm sorry to disappoint but I don't have a photo to post today. I was inside most of the day doing work and that kind of stuff. I'm loving the weather right now, I'm ready for winter. Halloween is so soon yay. Okay that's enough.

Back from Break

2008-10-27T09:02:00.000-07:00

Hey I hope everyone had a great break! I just got back from Paris last night. Two of my friends and I went on a trip to Venice, Florence, Rome, and Paris. We had such a great time and saw so much. We walked for hours everyday and tried to soak up as much culture as possible. We stayed in hostels the whole trip which was okay with me. Our hostel in Rome was pretty dirty but nothing we couldn't handle. Well, actually both my friends were pretty unpleased but other than that we had a great trip! We ate such good food and lots of gelato, pizza, and pasta. Yum yum. The morning we left Florence, we got caught in a pretty violent student rally that we later found out is taking place all over Italy. I have to look up some more information on it but it has to do with the public school system and the government. We had to literally run through the rally to get to the train station so we wouldn't miss our train. I still managed to take some photos in the midst of all the confusion. What else...Well in Rome we saw the pope which was pretty exciting. I loved Vatican City and the museum there. In Paris under the Eiffel Tower, we ran into a few of my friends from Syracuse who are studying in Madrid. So random but really fun. On our last night we went to this really great fondue restaurant where they serve wine out of baby bottles. Yea that's right. We then went to an extremely euro club and danced all night to techno music. Great way to end our trip. I have to say though I'm happy to be back in London, I missed this place. Here are a few of the shots I took over break. See you all this week.

October 15, 2008

2008-10-15T13:39:00.000-07:00

So I either got an A on my econ exam or I failed. I have no idea how well or not well I did. We shall see. Anyways, one more day till break! Woohoo. I don't really have much to say but that. Hope everyone's midterms are going well!

October 14, 2008

2008-10-14T09:36:00.000-07:00

Nothing too thrilling happened to me today. I'm getting very excited for fall break, I just need to get through this week. I have a ecn exam tomorrow that I'm not feeling particularly good about right now. Hopefully a night of studying will help me out a bit. As I was walking back from class today a tree with yellow leaves caught my eye. Sometimes you don't even notice the things right in front of your face. Fall is my favorite season and the changing colors of the trees is one of my favorite parts. I slightly wish I was back in Scotland. The clean air, the vast landscapes, and the quietness of the countryside was such a nice break from the hectic atmosphere of London. Oh well.

October 13, 2008

2008-10-13T04:15:00.000-07:00

I arrived in Aberdeen, Scotland after a seven hour train ride filled with catching up on sleep I had lost the night before and music on repeat from my ipod. Jenny who goes to Edinburgh and is the daughter of my host mom greeted me at the train station. Jenny is a senior at university and is studying zoology. She came home for the weekend for her friend, Vicky’s 21st birthday party. We hopped into the car where Jenny’s mom was waiting for us. It was then time for dinner, which Annie and I grabbed at a lovely restaurant in the center of Aberdeen. Jenny couldn’t join us because she was late to meet up with her friends. After dinner, we headed to a traditional Scottish Cehilidh for Vicky’s birthday. At first, I had no idea what a Cehilidh was. Annie told me it is a night filled with traditional Scottish music and dance. She also told me that I would be sweaty and sore by the end of the evening. At this point I wasn’t too thrilled about attending the event. However, once we arrived I was greeted by a rather large group of Jenny’s friends from university who were so welcoming and kind. The dance began around 8 o’clock and didn’t end till midnight. At first, when Annie told me I had to participate in at least one dance, I immediately didn’t want to. I had no idea what was going on and was a bit nervous that people would think of me as the stupid American who didn’t know what she the hell she was doing. My fears were shortly erased when Jenny’s friend Billy asked me to dance with him. He led me through the entire dance and I ended up picking up on the steps rather quickly. The music was beautiful and the whole atmosphere was really enjoyable. When I wasn’t dancing, I was taking pictures attempting to document the event. At the end of the night, I was sore and most definitely ready for bed. Annie lives 45 minutes away from Aberdeen and I almost fell asleep mid conversation a handful of times in the car. Jenny’s mom opened her home not only to me but also to all twenty of Jenny’s friends from school to stay the night at her house.

I woke up Saturday to a breakfast of cereal and tea; not so much of a culture shock there. We then drove to Vicky’s house for her birthday lunch where her friends and family were present. From my window I saw rolling hills for miles on end. The sun was out and so were the cows and sheep. Vicky’s home was really beautiful and the lunch her mother made was delicious. The dessert was even better—hot sticky buns with pudding. Yummm. Annie and I then dropped off Jenny and her friends at the train station who were heading back to school. Afterwards, we drove home and it was about time to start preparing dinner. I tried to help as much as I could but mostly just watched Annie cook for fear of messing up the recipe. We had croustade for dinner, which consists of lots of vegetables, potatoes, and a breaded crust. It was so good. Our evening was filling with good food, good wine, and good conversation. I don’t think there is anything much better or more enjoyable than that. Annie is a very intelligent, well-spoken, outgoing, and kind person. We talked about music, education, art, the election, tattoos, boys, style, films, her family, my family, traveling, and everything in between. She introduced me to new artists such as Richard Thompson, Ismael Lo-Jammu, and Mary Black. After dinner we started to watch a movie called, Two Days in Paris, but rather quickly turned it off. It was pretty bad.

The next day Annie’s son, Joe and his girlfriend came over to take me on a hike of a wooded area near their home. I love hiking so it was the perfect afternoon for me. The views were awesome. After the hike, we went home and were greeted by a beautifully prepared lunch of fish pie and baked apples. The fish pie wasn’t my favorite but the apples were really good. It was a long afternoon so Annie and I decided to just watch some TV before heading back to the train station for my departure. I really had an eye opening experience in Scotland thanks to Annie and the rest of her family. I feel like I learned so much about the world, life, and myself in such a short period of time. I will forever be grateful of my homestay in Scotland and hope to see Annie again in the future. I will forever think of her as my second mom. I plan on sending her a cd of pictures that I took over the weekend along with some music that I think she will enjoy. I could write pages and pages about my experience but I think I’ll stop here. I wouldn’t want to bore anyone too much. Here are just a few random selections of photos I took this weekend. I'll post more later on.

October 8, 2008

2008-10-08T11:40:00.000-07:00

Hmm what did I do today. Well since the weather was so nice out I decided to run in Hyde Park again. I then ventured off to Topshop to do some exploring of clothes. That store is insane. I swear there's never a time in the day when it is not overwhelmingly crowded. I left rather quickly but still managed to buy a scarf and a headband. The exchange rate today was the best its been in a while so hey I figured my purchases weren't too much or extravagant. Then it was time for class. ..World Economy. It happens to be an interesting class, but our professor is just so dull sometimes I can't bear it. Tonight will be filled with homework and more writing. I'm just waiting for the weekend to arrive....noon tomorrow woohooo.

October 7, 2008

2008-10-07T12:07:00.000-07:00

I am very sore. I went running this morning in Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens for an hour and pushed myself a little too far. Sometimes I just get runners high and can't stop myself. Its a problem. Anyways, what else happened today. Well, I broke my sunglasses that I got from Camden over the summer somehow. I think they got crushed in my bag. I'm hoping that I can get them fixed. They were only like 5 pounds but they're my favorite pair. I have to start writing this sociology response paper tonight and I have no idea what the article is talking about. That should be fun. Time for homework. Yay.

October 6, 2008

2008-10-07T01:11:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone. As you have probably noticed, I've been a bit absent from blogging this past week. I've been going through a personal/family issue and my mind just hasn't been able to focus on much else. I've also been having trouble sleeping lately probably because my mind is racing most of the time. I am though beginning to feel a little better thanks to the support of my close friends here and at Syracuse. My mom and grandmother are coming to visit me in a few weeks which I am looking forward to very much. Sunday, the day of my grandfather's memorial, I went to a night service at St. Paul's Cathedral and was able to light a candle for him in the front of the church. This week I'm going to try to focus on school and my work as much as possible. I will be back to my regular daily blog starting today.

-maddy

October 2, 2008

2008-10-02T03:24:00.000-07:00

I have never felt so alone, anxious, and depressed as I do at this moment. I want to be with my family. A body of water separates us. Now I know the feeling of real pain. I want to go home.

September 29, 2008

2008-09-29T11:28:00.000-07:00

Today I visited Dali Universe near the South Bank. Dali is one of my favorite artists. I think he is a genius and has one of the most creative minds of all time. He once said, "Everything alters me, but nothing changes me." I think this quote illustrates the way I feel about my life right now if that makes any sense. Anyways, the exhibit was really enjoyable and I saw a lot of his work, particularly sculptures, that I have never seen before. There was an exhibit in Paris that I saw a few years ago that had more paintings than sculptures. There was also a small section on Picasso's work. All in all it was a great day!

September 28, 2008

2008-09-28T11:01:00.000-07:00

Today I went to St. Paul's for an afternoon church service. It was so beautiful and it made me feel better after I left. I did some homework and food shopping and that was pretty much it. Relaxed Sundays are the best.

September 26, 2008

2008-09-26T14:01:00.000-07:00

London Fashion Weekend is the best place on earth. My friends and I went to tonights session and had a great time. It was filled with designer clothing booths, shoes, bags, jewelry and you could get your makeup done, hair cut, and nails polished all in the same location. Elle magazine hosted the event outside the National History museum. They also had free champagne! The night ended with a fashion show. It was a great event to say the least.

It was difficult to take photos inside the event with security, etc. but I did take a photograph outside of the building! (Not a very good one though).

September 25, 2008

2008-09-25T12:53:00.000-07:00

Long day...I'm tired. Six hours of class is no fun but at least it's the weekend now! My friends and I just booked our fall break trip. We're going to Venice, Florence, Rome, and Paris. I'm so excited! Living in hostels should be interesting but I've done it before so I'm not too worried. I'm going out in a little with some friends to Crazy Larry's in Chelsea. I don't know what it is but hopefully it will be a good night.

September 24, 2008

2008-09-24T12:13:00.000-07:00

Today was a dreary day. It was cloudy, dark, and rained a little throughout the day. Class was pretty boring but he let us out early which was nice. Yesterday I received a package from my mom and dad filled with all my favorite things! It reminded me of home and I got a little home sick. Hopefully, the sun will come out tomorrow. Can't wait for the weekend!

September 22, 2008

2008-09-22T10:16:00.000-07:00

Today was a museum day. The weather wasn't particularly nice so I headed inside the Victoria and Albert Museum. I was there all day and saw a wide range of art including sculptures, fashion design, photography, drawings, paintings, stain glass art, Raphael's cartoons, and my personal favorite, jewelry! They had jewelry from almost every time period and country. The royal tiaras and rings were insane. The photography exhibit wasn't too impressive but they did have Talbott's photo book called, "The Pencil of Nature." The museum itself is quite beautiful and it even has a library which reminded me of the one in Disney's, Beauty and the Beast.

I don't really like the images I took today but I didn't really have much else since I was inside most of the day.

September 21, 2008

2008-09-21T10:14:00.000-07:00

Ahh yet another wonderful day in London. First stop was Harvey Nichols, one of London's greatest department stores. I walked around each floor gazing and yes drooling over the beautiful clothing that I do not have the funds to buy. The shoe department was like heaven. I decided to leave before making any rash decisions and met my friends at the Festival of Food at Southbank Centre Square. It's a four day festival celebrating local foods and produce as well as demonstrations by chefs and tastings. There was everything from ice cream to cheese to a hog roast! (no thank you). We then wandered around the Southbank area and came across many street performers including a headless man! Well, not really but he was pretty entertaining.

September 19/20, 2008

2008-09-20T12:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's trip to Lacock and Bath was really nice. Both towns are so beautiful and the great weather and light made the trip that much more enjoyable. We didn't spend as much time as I would have liked in Lacock but maybe I'll go back at some point. I took the photo of the kid of a leash because I cannot stand that parents do that! Leashes are meant for dogs, not children. Anyways, we then went to Bath which is also a great town. Will forced me to walk to the top of the town on a road that was at about a 45 degree angle. I was sweating by the time we got up there but the views were definitely worth it.

Today I visited Regent's Park. I went to the Queen's Gardens and sat there for most of the day. It was so nice out and I enjoyed every minute of it. There were people everywhere and a wedding reception too! I wish I could have my wedding there. I ended up sitting fairly close to this old woman reading the newspaper. I started taking pictures of her and she quickly hid her face behind paper. I thought it was pretty funny. I will definitely be heading back to Regent's Park in the near future. I suggest everyone goes.

September 18, 2008

2008-09-18T12:45:00.000-07:00

Today was too long. I woke up at 7, went to class at 9, had class again at 2 and then went to the gym afterwards. I'm very tired but I might still go out. Tomorrow were going to Bath which I'm looking forward to. I'm not, however, looking forward to leaving at 8:15. Maybe I shouldn't go out.

September 17, 2008

2008-09-17T10:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my 21st birthday. I am so old. I had such a good day and night thanks to my friends. We had a great dinner in Soho and then went to this club called Punk. I had such a fun time and wished it would never end. Thanks for all the birthday wishes everyone!

September 15, 2008

2008-09-15T12:17:00.000-07:00

Today was filled with homework, birthday planning, and Hyde Park exploration. I stupidly wore shorts today and was freezing walking around! It looked like it was nice from my window but I guess not. I walked around Hyde Park for an hour or two and then came home to do some more homework. I love my roommates. After I ate dinner they surprised me with cupcakes from Hummingbird Bakery and champagne! I was so surprised and the cupcake I ate was delicious. I might have one for breakfast tomorrow. I'm so lucky to have such great friends.

Also, I liked the motion blur in the image of the guitarist I took. It is heavy on the blur side but I thought I'd post it anyways.

September 14, 2008

2008-09-14T13:36:00.000-07:00

I had a nice time walking around Camden Town today. We wandered around the shops and did a lot of people watching. The style in Camden is great. We somehow ended up in Kentish Town which isn't the nicest town. The weekends weather has been so nice...I hope the sun sticks around for my birthday on Tuesday!

September 13, 2008

2008-09-14T03:09:00.000-07:00

Today I walked around Hyde Park and documented Proms in the Park. The sun was out and the atmosphere there was great. I had a nice afternoon and then went out to dinner with my roommates. We discovered a great outdoor eating area called St. Christopher's Place that I will definitely be going back to. Another great day in London.

September 12, 2008

2008-09-12T12:05:00.000-07:00

I would call today a very lazy day for me. I slept in fairly late and then took a nap in the afternoon. I haven't been feeling well lately, I hope I'm not getting sick. I went outside for a while to get some fresh air. I discovered a really cute area about 10 minutes from my flat. Marylebone High Street has tons of shops, cafes, and pubs with a real neighborhood feel. I had a delicious chocolate pastry at a French cafe yum yum! The rest of the afternoon was filled with window shopping which was sadly interrupted with rain. I then headed home to go to the gym and will hopefully catch up on some more sleep tonight.

The first photograph (black and white one) posted is sadly and obviously not one of mine. Hosoe Eikoh is a japanese photographer who my brother introduced me to years ago. Much of Eikoh's work focuses on charged subjects such as death and erotic behavior. Over the summer, I stumbled upon this image in the Japan section of the British Museum. What a wonderful surprise. I just wanted to post this on my blog because it is one of my favorite images I have been exposed to. Go see it at the British Museum!

September 10, 2008

2008-09-10T12:08:00.000-07:00

Since I didn't have class today until 3:40, I woke up and decided to walk around the St. Paul's area. I have been to the cathedral before and think that it might be the prettiest one I've seen while traveling. They didn't open the cathedral until 2 pm because there was a private ceremony being held in the morning. There was a line of people that seemed to go on forever waiting to go inside. It was rather cold outside so I didn't stay very long but I did get a few pictures I liked. I then decided to get a coffee at Starbucks to warm up. There was a man inside with his laptop open and the biggest camera lenses I have ever seen! I walked behind him and saw pictures of Prince Charles and Camilla on his computer! It turned out that he was a member of the press and the event that was held this morning involved the royalty! I secretly took a few pictures of his laptop. On my walk back I came across a small shoe repair store with two men working. They allowed me to take pictures of them and were quite friendly about it. I'm thinking of going back there seeing as I was pressed for time today with getting to class on time. Class was pretty boring today. World Economy is a complex topic that right now doesn't seem very interesting to me. Hopefully it will get better as the semester goes on!

September 9, 2008

2008-09-09T10:28:00.000-07:00

Today I had a fairly routine day. I went to the gym in the morning, ate lunch, and headed off to class. I walked about halfway down Oxford Street taking pictures along the way. That street is always so busy. I was a little overwhelmed by the crowds surrounding me. As I was walking, I kept on coming across characters who I so desperately wanted to photograph yet felt too nervous about their reaction to my camera to actually do so. That is something that I must work on while here in London. I also took note of the amount of street and city cleaners I've seen so far in London. They seem to be everywhere! I enjoyed class today and the guest lecturer we had who spoke about wire services; a field I don't know much about. I am looking forward to staying with a British host family for a weekend. I just filled out the application and can't wait to find out where I will be placed! I'm about to make dinner now, more to come tomorrow!

FYI:
The first picture of the British man in the suit was taken yesterday. I wanted to take more pictures of him as this one isn't that great but he walked away too quickly. I only took three images of him. I just liked the way he was dressed and the addition of the telephone booth behind him. I thought it represented London quite well.

September 8, 2008

2008-09-08T11:01:00.000-07:00

Today I decided to do some more research on Hyde Park. I walked around, took a lot of pictures of people, nature, etc. and then headed over to Kensington Gardens. It was a nice afternoon filled with tons of walking! I am now very exhausted and will definitely not being going anywhere this evening. Hope everyone had a great day!

September 7, 2008

2008-09-07T11:10:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed the day I just had. My friends and I went to the East End Markets and toured around the entire area. Our first stop was the flower market; I have never seen such gorgeous flowers. We then went to Brick Lane which I will definitely be going back to. I loved everyones style and the vintage shops were so good! Lastly, we went to Petticoat Lane which was a bit overwhelming with all the people around. On our way back home we stopped at Regent Street Fair which was full of performers, food, and more shops. It was a very enjoyable day.

September 6, 2008

2008-09-06T12:12:00.000-07:00

The rain today affected my plans to walk around Hyde Park for a few hours. I did manage to get there but only stayed for a short period of time. I came across a mary-go-round near the entrance of the park. It was small and charming. Hopefully it won't rain tomorrow!

September 5, 2008

2008-09-05T09:39:00.000-07:00

Today I decided to visit The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square. I looked at numerous paintings from 1250 to the 1900s. A few favorites included, Van Gogh's "Sunflowers", Cezanne's "Bathers", and "The Arnolfini Portrait" by Van Eyck. Before I entered the Gallery I walked around the square and came across some interesting subjects. I documented stone washers, tourists, children, and the surrounding architecture. It was a great day!