a very plain pole

a very plain pole, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

sometimes a pole can be useful in a visual way. When a strong coloured pattern seems a bit overpowering, then the visual plainness of a mundane 'pinus radiata' pole will do, there is always one nearby.

circles of contentment

circles of contentment, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

Whenever I walk past these flats I cannot resist another photo. There is a circular theme here . It still looks like a fantasy village were everybody lives in a state of happiness, and big trucks are not allowed. I hope this is true, (about the happiness).

walk down woodward

walk down woodward, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

Woodward is an interesting little street, giving access from The Terrace to Lambton Quay. On this short lane one can shop for kitchenware, hats, coffee, menswear, dine in restaurants and cafés, and that is just from memory, there might be more. I find it very photographic, for some reason.

couple on Woodward

couple on Woodward, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

The photographs I'm posting this week are my B sides. They are variations on subjects I have photographed before. That should be okay, some people spend a life time on one subject. I read of someone, who unable to leave their room, photographed the tree outside their window, in all it's change from season to season, and variations of light. Also B sides can be better, I just did not see it first time round.

Look

Look, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

This is another piece of playground equipment. It looks like a telescope, and maybe is was at sometime, but the device just seems to be hollow. I spent a lot of time looking though hollow tubes as a boy, so I guess it would be enjoyable to use. These playground photos were taken at Frank Kitts park.

spring machine

spring machine, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

I thought this was a very attractive spring bike to play on at Frank Kitts Park. There were no kids around at this time of day, just a pigeon. Which makes the process of taking a photo much simpler.

orange curtain

orange curtain, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

If one has a nice orange curtain, one should show it off. I found this curtain subject while walking home, up 'The Terrace'.

live a little

live a little, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

Including signage and posters in photographs probably goes back to the American photographer, Walker Evans. He called his photography a documentary style. William Eggleston said he liked to photograph democratically, which I guess to mean, he takes photographs of anything. Looking at photographs in books, gives one the inspiration of "I could do stuff like this" but the stuff that I do, does go off hopefully in ones own direction, and I like to include the signs, especially if they are good, because it does document the look of a place.

checker pattern 2

checker pattern 2, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

This was my second photograph of this corner, I guess the geometric pattern appealed.

Checker pattern 3

Checker pattern 3, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

I took several photographs of the grey checker pattern, including the zebra crossing sign. Always a favourite. I shall post one to illustrate. Though I think I like the photo there is a bit of an austere preciousness about it. I looked through the viewfinder to see if the reflections on this car roof may add something, then the owners appeared, that definitely helped.

construction huts & pedestrian

construction huts & pedestrian, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

Having returned to an area were I have photographed before, and now it is all different with construction sites and other signage. Some people will see me composing a photo and will give a wide berth, others will just walk on by, and I am often happy when they do, as in this case where the woman's shoes matched the builders paintwork

mechanical

mechanical, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

This is a part of a floating crane on the Wellington water front, it is called the Hikitia. In the weekends there are men in overalls working on its upkeep. I would presume they are enthusiasts. I like it when people have a passion for something. It is like the enthusiasm you see around steam engines and trains.

cycle wheel shadow

cycle wheel shadow, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

My interest is a sense of place, us as people, where we live and what we do. That is why a bicycle on an empty Wellington Street on a late Sunday afternoon is a photographic subject for me. I wonder what it is doing there, I like the way the light strikes it and makes a nice wheel shadow on the footpath. And the two people in the middle distance appear to have a halo each

building site

building site, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

My generation are giving up their little houses in the suburbs and coming into the city to live, a good few of us anyway. You just come down the lift and you are right there, everything that you might want. In my case just a walk around with a camera and I am having a good day. This building site is Chews Lane. There will be shopping and apartments, it will be a landmark in Wellington I'm sure.

into a glass darkly

into a glass darkly, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

This is looking into the car park window on the sea side of Frank Kitts Park. I was thinking someone may walk past on the sunny side and I would have a little figure there. I waited for a time. The only people walking past, were behind me, wondering what I was doing.

a boy running

a boy running, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

This building on 'The Terrace' had a wonderful stained glass frontage. There were few people here on this late Sunday afternoon. I was able to take my time framing a photo, composing all the different light that was bouncing off the glass and signs – and then a boy ran speeding down the street.

iconic

iconic, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

I was on my way home and looked up at the Hunter building, Victoria University. Have wondered about taking a photo but thought that everybody with a camera in Wellington probably have already, it's such an iconic building. Today was especially grey and it seemed to suit the architecture. I took a photo anyway.

small shed

small shed, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

Continuing along Upland Road towards Kelburn trying to reach the clouds on the hills, I came across a small lonely shed. It had a door very similar to the truck on the previous post. Which was nice.

truck door

truck door, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

It was on the way back and I looked at the truck again. I don't know why but there seemed to be a photo from this angle too. Maybe it was the strong corrugated sliding door.

orange truck

orange truck, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

I walked past this truck with the orange side. I though there are possibilities here with this arrangement of cars and houses stacked one on another.

tree like man walking

Tree like man walking Tree like man walking tree like man walking, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

I only had an hour this Sunday, and I wanted some photos for posting this week. It was overcast with clouds hanging on the hills. I set off for Kelburn to see what I could find, maybe a cloud. I found this tree that looked like a man running. This is an afterthought, it was just the twisted trunk and the houses opposite that I thought had possibilities.

hydro slide

hydro slide, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

This slide is in New Plymouth, I lived in New Plymouth for some time, but have never tried this hydro slide experience. I just love the visual effect of it. I don't know if it is architecture or sculpture, but it sure looks like art to me. It is so evocative of summer and holidays. I like photographs that look forward to something rather than nostalgia.

big truck, empty street

big truck, empty street, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

I found this “big rig” down a side street in Carterton. It was parked in the middle of the street. When you are this big It's O.K.