Month: December 2014

Taylor Wessing ’14 at the NPG

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Popped by the National Portrait Gallery this evening to catch the 2014 Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize whom I have been following since 2003. This year’s finalists again, are varied in their styles, and some are rather predictable. There are however some gems, like the above catalogue cover image titled Arvi by Sami Parkkinen.  There are also a smattering of portraits of celebrities or persons of significance, like Steven McQueen, Silvio Berlusconi, and Lenny Henry. My pick of the show is Stella by Michele Aboud (below).

.National Portrait Gallery Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize

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This image above by Ian Atkinson was also a finalist entry in KL International Photoawards 2014 and was exhibited in Kuala Lumpur in August 2014. (Lewisham Chair of Council, Cllr, Obajimi Adefiranye, from series The London Borough Mayors 2013-2014)

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The exhibition at the NPG runs till 22 February 2015.

http://www.npg.org.uk/photoprize1/site14/index.php

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

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InstantLondon – Trafalgar Square

Every year the people of Oslo present a tree to the people of Britain as a symbol of gratitude to the British since the end of WW2 in 1947. The tree is the focus of Trafalgar Square during the month of December. I can’t wait to see the back of 2014. This has been a year of tragedies, not least the MH370 and MH17 incidents, ISIS, ebola, Peshawar and countless other atrocities committed by man against man, and against nature. Let’s wish that 2015 will be better and we can see the beauty in humanity again. Thank you to all who have visited this blog, please do continue to drop by and also post your comments.

USA – CUBA

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Musicians from La Bodeguita del Medio, Havana 2011

What great news to end 2014, hopefully to be passed by Congress. USA will begin normalisation talks with Cuba following over 50 years of sanctions in trade and diplomatic relations. We went there as a photography workshop group in 2011 and found the Cubans to be warm and friendly, open and very resourceful. No doubt there will be inevitable changes should travel restrictions be lifted, on both sides.

Virgin, Ronciglione

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A brief afternoon tour of some nearby medieval hill towns in northern Rome, took me to the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Catherine, in Ronciglione in Viterbo on my third day. This statue of the Virgin with the crown of 12 Stars represents the Woman in the Apocalypse in the Book of Revelation.

Corso Vittorio Emanuele II

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I have been to Rome several times, and each time, a new experience surfaces. Depending on the time of the year and the season, Rome either attracts or repel me. In the height of summer, you can literally be smothered with dust and the heavy air with the stifling heat, but in the winter months, the city can be serene and grand. Actually it is always grand. Like a living museum, the city and the Romans who live here provides a visual entertainment, full of historicities, stylish fashion and the typical reserved warmth of Italians. Rome of course is a city steeped in history, and a crossroads of peoples from all over, a meeting point and a cultural mishmash. Not least, due to the fact that Vatican City, the seat of the Catholic Church welcomes millions of pilgrims from all over the globe throughout year, especially in the warmer months.