kitchen appliance

kitchen appliance, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

When I see a hill, I always want to go up and see what it is like there. Especially if they have radio masts and the like. Here it felt like a crime scene and there was no one around, maybe just a place to dump a stove.

big wall, big art

big wall, big art, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

There is always something to look at, concrete walls included.

round-a-bout, one way, cross

round-a-bout, one way, cross, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

Too much information, it can be tough driving around Wellington. Today I be mostly walking.

oh oh ho ho

oh oh ho ho, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

I was intrigued by this Santa graphic. It fits the window perfectly, and the typography is nice. Inside it probably reads ho ho, but I think oh oh is good.

sad angel

sad angel, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

I found this nativity scene strangely disquieting, my wife said it was spooky. It had a medieval look to it. but I liked it all the same. Maybe the telephone lines are a stairway to heaven.

motel enclosure

motel enclosure, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

My wife was in the shopping mall, she had vouchers to spend. I spent my time on the street to see what I might find. I discovered this motel with a ubiquitous style, sort of an American look, which could be anywhere, except for the “ponga” tree fern, an icon of “kiwiana” for sure.

electrifying

electrifying, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

I have sensed that there is a photo here, I walk past nearly every day. It has taken some time to find it, I think this might be it, was probably the least obvious. I like the idea that this fence is alive with electricity, I have no idea why?

green house orange dress

green house orange dress, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

A year ago I would walk past here, to and fro from work, and not see a photo. Now I live down the other end of town. Each time I come this way, there is always a photo. The place seems so rich in visual poetry. It must be just an attitude, everything is different in the weekend.

street photographer

street photographer, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

Actually just a self portrait, who can resist a mirror on the footpath? The last place we lived in, the hotel opposite was lined with mirror glass. I used to watch people walking by. Some people studied themselves the whole 25 metres. It is part of being human to be self aware. And that's O.K.

corner rubbish

corner rubbish, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

If I was going to paint, I would start off with dusty green, and then add some warm yellow, plus a little blue. Just like this photo. Otherwise it is just some ambiguous reflections on a corner window with a bag of rubbish.

rough caste

rough caste, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

A style of vernacular architecture that probably has lost favour, if it ever had any. It maybe that something else is planned for this site. I have always thought there is a photo here. And this is one attempt.

lock the car

lock the car, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

A view down “The Terrace” with a man in a hurry.

depot

depot, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

These buildings are ex Ministry of Defence. They have a very familiar military look about them, but you will have to imagine them freshly painted.

stout street

stout street, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

It was because of the muted colours, the empty street, the lone red car, the simple building design that I took a photo.

seagoing scene #2

seagoing scene #2, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

This is my second version of this view, I am happier with this one. I am always drawn to the sea when the horizon is clagged in with a ship entering a shroud of mystery

down lonely street

down lonely street, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

I have been here early in the mornings, and there has been no one around. I have been here in the afternoons and no one to be seen. It has a strange back street feel about it. There is a café, with white linen table cloths. I have only once seen a car here, a Jaguar, someone was dining. Today I saw a man walking in the sunlight opposite, he didn't venture here.

where is the bus

where is the bus, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

It is Sunday afternoon. The shops have closed. It is Monday tomorrow, and maybe it is a long way home for these people. Lambton Quay and Balance Street around 5.00 p.m., it is a good time for a walk with a camera, as the streets have emptied except for a few.

white shed, black door, red flower

white shed, black door, red flower, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

I have often walked past this shed and taken a photo or two. Sheds are curious things. They are often photographed. My photos did not seem to add anything new. But putting a flower in front of the black door and it is not only about a shed any more. If one is wondering what is in the shed, I am guessing lawnmowers and rollers, this shed is surrounded by sports grounds.

wood bin

wood bin, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

The more interesting houses may not have landscaped grounds with water features. Just a big bin of waste wood can be a curious thing.

bush, crane, pole, house

bush, crane, pole, house, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

I just saw the patch of light on the trees, I know it's a bit of nothing, but with the crane and the pole, I though it was alright, and I turned it upside down and that was alright too. I guess when upside down it becomes abstract and one can judge objectively.

afternoon walking

afternoon walking, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

It was mid afternoon when I took this, not a time I would normally be photographing. The light is usually harsh, but today storm clouds were looming, I liked the light. I liked the cabbage trees too, all out in flower, seems like an early summer. Don't know what to make of all the stuff out on the footpath, so I just took the photo and kept walking.

everything and nothing in particular

everything and nothing in particular, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

This could be about a building, a garden, power poles, heavy trucks, or a woman wearing a blue skirt. It is about everything and nothing in particular. Just an arrangement of shapes and subjects. I just try and give the feeling of what it is like to walk down this street, the scene changing constantly with every step, a snapshot style of photography.

truck, man passing on steep incline

truck, man passing on steep inclin, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

I carefully framed the arrangement of poles, wires and crane. When I was happy with the composition, I waited a bit longer. A man came lurching up the steep slope, he looked furtive, or he was possibly avoiding having his photo taken. A heavy green truck went trundling down the winding road. I don't know what it all meant but it seemed to be a story.

pink Tintin

pink Tintin, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

Another yard with cars. It was the patch of blue against black, and the pink Tintin, and the arrow heads for sure that caused me to pause and consider.

empty space

empty space, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

This is a yard behind the shops in Cuba Street. There does not appear to be much happening here. Except I do like the red wooden leg off the fence, and the way the shadow points another way, and over on the metal door there is a shadow of a lamp that points another way. And I thought, that is a good enough reason for a photo.

mess

mess, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

Someone may live in this doorway, or maybe just a small party happens here. Though it is an arrangement of red, blue, turquoise and orange making a photo there is something here also about city life.

should I stay or should I go

should I stay or should I go, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

Another pedestrian danger photo. The little red walking sign said don't cross, but it seemed safe, I stayed behind and took a photo, it all ended happily.

tree decoration

tree decoration, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

The architecture decoration goes well with the trees new growth. I think it is a Spring thing. The building is the Papua New Guinea High Commission on Willis Street, Wellington.

waiting

waiting, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

Usually I like to get everything sharp in a photograph. This one is just a blur all over. And I think I like it that way, lends a dream like, just passing through, lost in ones thoughts. Walking can be like that.

look both ways

look both ways, originally uploaded by Lester Ralph Blair.

I was looking through the viewfinder, and thinking about this shaft of light. A woman strode across my view, there was a car travelling through this path of light too, I pressed the shutter. The woman crossed safely and the car was gone. That was good.

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.