from a city park

from a city park, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

A very small park actually, but there were birds in the tree. The centre building has a nice Middle East influence. The sun was warm, and I was heading home, and my mind was turning to thoughts of photography. I have looked at this building before and wondered how to take it, but these things take time.

dining out on cuba street

dining out on cuba street, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

When you are near the end of the street, there is a place where the coffee has come all the way from Havana. The food arrives fast. And one can sit out side too.

early morning, sunny side

early morning, sunny side, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

The café's are not yet open. The rubbish truck has been. The street is not crowded. A good time to photograph, no one takes any notice.

under the veranda on cuba street

under the veranda on cuba street, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

Around here things looks uncared for but I think that is what makes it interesting, and people like it like that. The shops sell interesting stuff, and there is always something going on and people about. I like to walk down here every once in a while, makes me feel that I am in Wellington.

stick in the bin, girl walking

stick in the bin, girl walking, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

This is one of my “the more the better” compositions. I could have taken it without a person, it probably wouldn't matter, but because it is a photo were one's eye can wander around, and the strongest element is a plank of timber in the rubbish bin, I am thinking, it is all O.K.

sing now

sing now, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

This photo is of a small no exit lane, with panel beaters and car painters. But the subject for me is how the colour does sing, even in commercial industrial parts of Wellington.

three houses, one builder

three houses, one builder, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

I find it curious that these three houses are the same design. There is actually four of them together but I think it looks better in the photo, there just being three. One has had a deck added which is even more curious.

yellow furniture removal truck

yellow furniture removal truck, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

These houses on the terrace are samples of the architectural look of Wellington. There are colonial villas up this end and beyond, and behind me are high rise apartment towers. Also in this photo is a yellow truck, and the top of a road work sign. I think they all help to make this a picture.

on the other side of the tracks

on the other side of the tracks, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

Most New Zealand towns that I have known have one street with shops. A railway line near by. A couple of suburbs, one on either side of the main street. This is a photo of Stratford round the back of the main Street.

drinking water & walking

drinking water & walking, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

This is an early morning, public holiday, downtown, from the street photo. Just me and someone else, plus a place to get a drink of water.

a collection of trucks for cleaners

a collection of trucks for cleaners, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

I like white vans and more the better. Whenever I walk around here I seem to take a photo, this one being a pole fractured photo which I often do.

alleyway dumping place

alleyway dumping place, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

A dark place, and a good place to put a waste bin, and a reflective window suitable for self portraits. Somewhere in central Wellington.

courtenay place landscape

courtenay place landscape, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

When I take a photograph like this, I am thinking of an overall colour field photo. Something where your eye can wander all over and not settle on anything in particular, but still having cohesion. It is a bit intangible.

underground drinking

underground drinking, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

There are plenty of bars in this area, but not many underground. I do not know what it is called, It was early in the morning, and I was just wandering around.

yellow van with parcels

yellow van with parcels, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

I was thinking of a photo of this English looking building, with a little arrangement of traffic light poles. The lens was set at 80mm which flattens everything out into a bunch of shapes. Then this truck pulls up, and I thought, everything helps, so I took a photo.

helpful signs

helpful signs, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

I am fascinated by doorways. Probably because one wants to know what is beyond the door. And one's life can change by going through a door. A mini journey. This door is pointing to other destinations. I also like the way the sign is fitted around the door handle.

dangerous

dangerous, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

I'm always glad to be out of a tunnel, this photo is not so much about that. Maybe it was the colour of blood on these shapes, and I saw a photo here.

37, 41, 43 some street

37, 41, 43 some street, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

It is not a grand entrance way, but for some reason I like it. I took a photo and walked on.

no entry, Orangi Kaupapa Road

no entry, Orangi Kaupapa Road, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

The thing I know about this road is that it is one way. It seemed a lonely place, and that is why I photographed it, plus the two “no entry” signs. The photo has only two colours that I can make out, green and red (plus some grey). It is close to Central Wellington, it is easy to get off the beaten track here.

commissioned wall art

commissioned wall art, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

I spent a couple of days in New Plymouth, and as usual I had a wander around. I found something new. A Peter Peryer photograph on the side of a building. A notice read that this large print was commissioned by the Govett Brewster Art Gallery. I have always liked this building for it's tall narrow utilitarian design. From memory it was once a music shop and they had pianos on the first floor. I think the photograph is displayed well on this minimalist structure, the photograph also has a minimalist look, focusing on the shape of a flower.

Wellington suburb #2

Wellington suburb #2, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

Houses dotted around the hills and surrounded by bush makes an unusual urban landscape. And in this case best viewed as black and white. New Zealand can be just too green sometimes.

Wellington suburb

Wellington suburb, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

When these houses were built there were no bulldozers. They just built to the landscape. In Wellington the landscape are steep hillsides and valleys. New suburbs are now flattened out, the land is made to fit the houses. I like the old way better, more visually interesting.

close to a pole and it looks like this

close to a pole and it looks like this, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

The house in the background has a piano key style. This goes nicely with the pole, I thought. Otherwise I don't think it has any meaning apart from the shapes and colours on a Wellington Street.