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Archives for August 2016

Course 2 Day – Day Five – Moment of Motion

18/08/2016 By ACOMSDave Leave a Comment

#developingyoureye #moment #motion #chance

That ‘Moment’ in Time

Today’s project set us the task to define a moment in our lives and share it with the viewers!
But, the task must convey to us movement, as a way of conveying time and fleetingness.

I then started keel-hauling my albums to find that one defining photograph and one defining moment.

The Ensemble of Moment

Lots of photographs came up, and some came close to defining that moment; for example:-

  • Spooky Funfair
  • You missed a beat
  • A burst of speed
  • A spectre awaits
  • Carrying the torch
  • Regal afront
  • Dead to the world
  • Leading the charge
  • Let’s exchange
  • That’s a stretch
Motion - Spooky Funfair
Spooky Funfair
Motion - You missed a beat
You missed a beat
Motion - A burst of speed
A burst of speed – wet bottoms

Oliva - Motion - A spectre awaits
A spectre awaits
Motion - carrying the torch
Carrying the torch
Motion - Dead to the World
Dead to the world

Motion - Leading the charge
Leading the charge
Oliva Motion - Peacocks display cymbals crash
Peacocks display cymbals crash
Motion - That's a stretch
That’s a stretch

Various cameras/smartphone cameras were used to take the photos, depending often on what was available; on most occasions taking photographs had not been the main thought of the day (hic).

Job to Do

What has come out of this review of some of my albums, is that I need to reorganise and re-title and also to tag my pictures to make them easier to find and analyze.

My choice of the Moment

So which picture have I decided to use as my main one, well it is the one titled ‘Dead to the World’ – it is the complete opposite of all those movement ones,it is off two lads (backpackers I believe) who completely exhausted fell asleep in Cardiff Museum in the main hall, where all the attendants allowed them to sleep, and even quietly directed visitors away from them.  The frame of the pillars again was chance, I was upstairs, looked over the banister rail and saw the lads and took the photograph – poor chance

Motion - Dead to the World

Dead to the world

 

 

Filed Under: Community Journalist Tagged With: backpacker, band, cymbal, parade, peacock, slide, water

Course 2 Day – Day Four: Natural World

17/08/2016 By ACOMSDave Leave a Comment

Day Four: “Natural World” — Leading Lines

Today I was tasked with capturing the natural world: snap a moment outside, big or small. From a close-up of a leaf in your backyard to a panorama from your morning hike, we invite you to document this wondrous world around us.

Now at first glance (thought) this seems a very easy project to go out and do, especially when you are living in Spain with its generally rolling sunshine, and people with a sunny disposition.

The problem is the heat – a lot of what you might target for photographs, when considered closely do not give you that oomph that would be expected.

However I persevered and came up with these  shots:

Natural World
Singular Perfection
Natural World - 2
Starburst
Natural World - 3
A Dying Art

Attacked by Pests
Natural World - 5
Gnarled with Age
Natural World - 6
Subtelty of Colour

Natural World - 6
Friends hanging out
Natural World - 7
History cut short
Natural World - 8
In Full Bloom -1

Natural World - 9
In Full Bloom – 2
Natural World - 10
Dying to show

 

Natural World

However after consideration when I got back from my safari, I decided that the following photograph reflected the qualities of the assignment – showing natural lines that lead you to different parts of the frame.  The photograph was taken on a Samsung mobile phone with 8 megapixels camera, which rendered a photograph with just over 3Mb, which I have now resized to 2Mb – hopefully without loss of clarity to the brief.  No flash was used, just the shadow and natural sunlight, which I feel makes for a wonderful atmospheric photograph

Natural World - Trunk in Shade

Trunk in Shade

‪#‎developingyoureye‬ ‪#‎trunkinshade‬ ‪#‎naturalworld‬

 

 

Filed Under: Editor to ACOMSDave Tagged With: camerphone, colour, dying, gnarled, history, natural, samsung, trunk, world

Using your smartphone as a camera

17/08/2016 By ACOMSDave Leave a Comment

Using your smartphone as a camera

I am currently taking my second ‘small’ 10 day course in photography with a different aim each day to make you look at the world differently through the eye of a camera. But in today’s world a camera, can be that super dooper SLR. The small compact hidden away in your pocket or more likely the ambiguous smartphone like the current favourite the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge with its 12-megapixel, f/1.7 shooter – deemed to be the best dynamic range ever on a smartphone camera (Tech Insider).

The reality is that in most cases, you can achieve excellent photographs without resorting to really expensive equipment that professional photographers have – remember that is their livelihood!

I am going to develop my theme by using a smartphone with its camera. I do not have a really expensive phone, it is now about 3 years old, it is a Galaxy S4 mini which has an 8 MP camera.

The Way Forward

Whilst most of us will not be endowed with the high end smartphone camera, and in consequence we will have to be aware of their limitations, however to get around this we need to go back to basics:

  • Composition – think about light, the colours, the lines and where you have placed your subject.

    Smartphone Camera pic from Oliva

    Derby -Surrounded by kids

  • Join up – most of us take photos to share with others. Join with a photo-sharing group e.g. Instagram or Flickr – connect with friends and other picture takers – get and learn from their feedback, and develop enthusiasm for the camera.
  • Check out your camera app, and it’s basic features
    • Gridlines to your frame – helps you centre your subjects and gets horizon lines level
    • Enable or disable flash
    • Set a time
    • Adjust exposure level easily
    • Lock your focal point and exposure level
    • Shoot video
  • Know your camera – don’t just read the manual (which by the way you should do!), but practise using the various options on your camera
  • Smartphone composition pic from Newcastle

    My beautiful picture

    Develop a great compositional style – check out other photographer, look at the great ones, what doe they have in common ‘A great compositional style’.

  • Develop your ability to shape light
  • Develop your ability to see lines within a composition – is there a better line, just feet away?
  • Don’t crowed all the time – look for space within a compositional

 

  • Frame it! Frame it! Frame it! – Frames can help the viewer to focus on your subjects
  • Not everything is black and white! Remember changing your viewing position can change the colour of the picture – try it out and be selective with your shots Camera phone - ducks in a row
  • Look for reflections and shadows
  • Be aware of the shutter speed, what it does and how your camera may adjust a picture according to its conception of what is good –
  • Check your autofocus – sometimes you will need to override it to achieve that shot you know is brilliant

Some ideas for projects:

  • Take photographs of yourself, your friends or our family
  • Try macro photography – remember that manual I told you to read!
  • Get a group of like minded friends and do a photowalk through your town or city – do this once a week
  • A-Z – working your way through the alphabet, choose a place and try to find three or four subjects that match the letter of the alphabet.
  • Choose something, a word, a theme, a feeling etc. and try to get a collection of photographs to match that theme.
  • Go B&W instead of colour – what difference does that make to your pictures?

References:

  • Vodaphone – Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini
  • Phonearena – Samsung Galaxy S4 mini review -Camera – Still and Video
  • Photography Concentrate
  • Expert Photography – 10 weekend projects

Filed Under: Community Journalist Tagged With: balance, camera, colour, composition, guide, lens

Course 2 – Day 2 – Mystery – Manipulate Light

16/08/2016 By ACOMSDave Leave a Comment

During this second day of the photography course, I have been tasked to take a photograph that creates a sense of mystery – a spectre in your memory.  Having trawled through my photographs I came across a number which might have fitted the theme:

 

Lost in the underfrowth
The sands of time
Puddles of time

 

However whilst I felt they met the brief, I still thought they left something out – a sense of mystery, and because of this I have chosen the following image:

Times of Mystery and Suspense

The ghosts are waiting

 

‪#‎developingyoureye‬  #mystery #lonesome

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Community Journalist Tagged With: ghosts, memory, mystery

Course 2 – Day One: “Warmth” — The Quality of Light

16/08/2016 By ACOMSDave Leave a Comment

Course 2 – Day One: “Warmth” — The Quality of Light
Considering the direction and quality of light – The Lady in Shimmering Green lit from side and back

Day 1 - Warmth - The Quality of Light

The Lady in Shimmering Green

I took this photograph during the first night of the Moors and Christians Festival in Oliva, Valencia, Spain.  The extravaganza of the show with the wealth of colours and people made it a spectacle not to be missed.  Even after two and a half hours sitting (with the occasional stretch to waken my back and buttocks) I was still enthralled by the pageant.   Even though I had planned ahead, I was unsure of what I might see, and also what equipment I might need.  I took my trusty Fuji Finepix, with two extra sets of batteries, my iPad full charges, a small Vivitar 5Megapixel,  with two sets of batteries and two smartphones fully charged.

In the end I stuck with my Fuji, but what I did learn was that I needed to plan ahead for lighting especially when the jousting on horseback took place – unfortunately I was in the wrong place and didn’t have enough light or lens.

 

 

‪#‎developingyoureye‬ ‪#‎shimmering‬ ‪#‎green‬ ‪#‎lady‬

Filed Under: Community Journalist Tagged With: light, Moors and Christians, Oliva, photography, quality

Texas Twins: The Story of Morgan and Nash

15/08/2016 By ACOMSDave Leave a Comment

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EVERYTHING BETTER (if not, necessarily BIGGER) IN TEXAS (?)

Texas Twins: The Story of Morgan and NashTexas Twins: The Story Of Morgan & Nash
Howard Roffman
Bruno Gmünder
ISBN 9 763861 878582

The ‘story’ element in this publication is not very prominent, the “text” takes up less than one of the – square – pages. Morgan and Nash, who seem not to have a surname, were born in Louisiana, brought up in Texas and Hawaii, and moved to San Francisco. In SF a former clergyman gave them shelter and put them in touch with, among others, Howard Roffman, the photographer.
This charming book is a result of their convergence. Morgan, the Gay one is “grounded and eager to please” (and any red-blooded bull-root would be exquisitely happy to have him ‘please’ them… or them attempt to please him). Nash is “straight” (drat! drat!! & triple drat…!!!), he is also “impetuous and a rebel”.
They are very identical identical twins, though Nash (I think) has dimples, and wears a baby chin-beard in some shots. The twins, I’m glad to report, don’t wear much else in most pics., of two very handsome, well built (‘swimmer’s bodies’, rather than muscle-bound) blokes, the nude shots are sweet and rather innocent. You won’t tug your langer off viewing them (let’s not be too precious this is genuinely artistic, but it is classy porn – which can be artistic) but you would have a very slow pulse not to feel the odd stirring…
Having said, or rather, written, that, the boys (they are late teens / early twenties) have large – but not gross membra virile – and genuinely beautiful butts. They, said glutei, are not fantastically muscular but smooth and probably pleasant to run one’s fingers over. (I must have a cup of tea, or possibly something stronger, at this point…). You will enjoy this book, it shows two very attractive people at play at the beach, in deep snow, and – apparently – at work, or at least working on sledges.
On a purely personal note, I wouldn’t mind a book of Black, Brown and Beige (it’s the name of a orchestral suite by Duke Ellington, if you are racially sensitive), twins. Or ‘Oriental’ persons or persons from the South Asian Subcontinent (including Iran). Yes, this has gone too far. My Id is attempting to escape my skull.
Seán McGouran
Links:

  • Amazon.co.uk – Texas Twins: The Story of Morgan and Nash

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: photo books, texas, twins

GOODBYE LENIN!

15/08/2016 By ACOMSDave Leave a Comment

Good Bye LeninGOODBYE LENIN! – 2003
Bavaria Film International
Director: Wolfgang Becker
good bye Lenin good-bye-lenin-!
This genuinely charming movie stars the handsome, and talented, Daniel Brühl, as Alex. Daniel BrühlHe’s the son of Christiane (Katrin Sass – who doesn’t really look old enough to be his Mam), though it is implied that she was taken advantage of by the absent father who fled ‘West’.  Alex daydreams occasionally about the Da, usually imagining him very rich and driving a huge Merc. Said Father turns up in the course of the action, and while well-off[ish], isn’t super-rich. I don’t know which side of the Wall the makers come from, but this is a quite sharp point, the Eastern media tell the populace that the West is US-occupied, poor and backward: meanwhile everybody really thinks that ‘Wessies’ have money goodbye-lenin-1squirting out their ears.
The comedy consists in the fact that some days before The [Berlin] Wall comes down Christiane has a heart attack, and is hospitalised. She sees her son taking part in a protest march, mainly about the fact that the Wall is still standing,  he is struck by an ‘Ossie’ cop. Her response has partly to do with the fact that, as a True Believer, she thought that such brutality only happened in the oppressed West.
While she is in hospital, seen as ‘state-of-the-art’ modern, there’s no ‘Ostalgia’ but no denegation of the ‘system’ either – the Wall is broken down.  Alex and his techie-nerd friend Denis (Florian Lukas) conspire, when his mother

Florian Lukas

GOOD BYE LENIN!, Florian Lukas, Daniel Bruhl, 2003, (c) Sony Pictures Classics


is released from hospital, with the warn-ing that a shock, or even mild surprise, could kill her, to pretend that the ‘East’ (GDR – German Democratic Republic) still exists. It gets harder and harder by the hour, even foodstuffs are dumped, and Alex has to hoke about in garbage to find the bottles and labels from the old days. Fortunately for him the ‘old days’ were not so long ago though his mother was in hospital for months after the Wall came down.
Fortunately the taste of the food is unchanged (possibly another indication that not everything ‘Ossie’ was questionable.)  This is acceptable now, but fifteen years ago when this movie was made it was seriously ‘pushing the envelope’ to even hint at such a matter. Alex gets away with a lot, his friend Denis making videos of fake television news items and delivering them in a dreadful plasticky suit presumably of the sort worn by ‘Eastern’ media persons, which they play to his mother. She, inevitably, learns how to use the channel changer and, becomes very confused by what she sees.
They ‘lose’ the implement.
As she gets less fragile, she decides to have a wander outside, and is very confused by what she sees. There are ‘Western’ cars, clothes, and people: one piece of furniture, about to be moved into their block of flats, has an image of the Sacred Heart sitting on a shelf. She asks a young man moving this furniture where he comes from, and he answers “Wurtemburg”, which borders the Rhine. She is totally confused at this, but is returned to the hospital. Alex decides that the news film she views must be doctored. He and Denis show her the breaking down of the Wall – but imply it was Wessies escaping into East Germany that was happening. This stretched one viewers credibility somewhat; it is doubtful if there was much in the way of graffiti on the eastern side of the Wall. But the Western side was heavily graffiti’d. She swallows the notion that the crowds running away from the Wall westwards were actually fleeing eastwards. And the people from, for instance, Wurtemburg are refugees from the benighted West.
She dies shortly after this, Daniel Brühl manages to look simultaneously businesslike and ‘little-boy-lost’-like (like most adults, in a similar situation I assume; you wouldn’t mind a “wee greet”. But matters have to be taken in hand…).
This is a lovely, funny, humane film, see it, you’ll have a lot of laughs, a wee sniffle (or two). For Gay men there is also the prospect of seeing Daniel Brühl in his longish black gunks, (underpants, for the uncultured) he has smooth pale skin and slender, but athletic body. Don’t cheat and flick through the DVD just to see it. Anyway, it’s worth the wait.
Joe Dalton
 
Links:

  • Amazon.co.uk – Good Bye Lenin

Filed Under: Movie Reviews Tagged With: Berlin Wall, comedy, Daniel Brühl, Florian Lukas, Germany, Katrin Sass, lenin

Boys On Film 2: In Too Deep

15/08/2016 By ACOMSDave Leave a Comment

BOYS ON FILM 2
In Too Deep
Peccadillo Pictures
2007
5 060018 651637
peccapics.com
Boys on Film 2: In Too DeepThe title of this collection In Too Deep (sounds, well, it is, a bit ‘nudge-winkery’, but the reference is to one contribution (Kali Ma), set near a swimming pool, and implicitly to some sexual / emotional encounters in the nine movies on offer here. Two are from the USA, both set in New York City, two from Australia both set in Sydney, and one each from Sweden, Canada, France, Mexico (Bramadero, a word meaning number of – ambiguous – things. It is practically a dance piece, two beautiful men meet, it is hardly social-realism, maybe it is ‘magic realism’ in a building which was either abandoned in mid-build, or possibly it is on a major public holiday but the occupied buildings we see are not en fête; no bunting, no banners, no people, and is deserted. The men have sex, and… stirring… it is). The actors and director, as in the rest if these reviews, will be unnamed, as they are available on Peccadillo’s website.
Canada’s and one of Australia’s contributions are very short, The Island shows the Director-performer, (Trevor Anderson) trudging through northern Alberta, the snow is deep, but so packed he can walk on it – for a person from damp, ‘temperate’ Ireland, it’s just a bit seeing him walk on water. ‘The island’ is imaginary, a macho man phoning-into a US talk show suggested that all “homos” should be dumped on an island to “give each over AIDS”, and die out. Do such people think we breed? Where do Gay women fit in? And are there no bigots in Canada? If there are, no Canuck seems prepared to own up to it. While going walkabout in snowy Alberta Trevor daydreams about this “homo Utopia”, at which point the film bursts into full glorious [Techni(?)]color and animation. The full northerners’ nonsense notions about warm countries comes in full spate. Sun, check; sex, check; sangria, or vino anyway, check. There are no typhoons, hurricanes, or tsunamis. This too-short short is a real charmer.
Love Bite involves two teenage blokes (mid / late teens), in one of their bedrooms, smoking a spliff. One attempts to tell the other, very handsome, bloke, that he has a secret. For some reason said bloke thinks he is queer and is disgusted, a wee piece unlikely in a major Oz city these days, but let that particular hare sit — the boy is a werewolf. The end of the vid is very gory. The performers are Will Field and Aidan Calabria. The other item is Working It Out about the problem of a couple in a commercial gym, one is consumed with jealousy. His partner tries to calm him down. The chap isn’t having it, he is the sort of person who ‘dresses’ for the Gym, his ensemble is red, including a baseball cap he wears reversed. (Is this a ‘dig’? The fashion among US teens died the death about 1990.) Needless to say Mr. Jealous is the one who gets off with the guy who joined them on their exercise machines. The tale is a bit glib, the performers were not terribly engaging and gyms are not very photogenic. This is not an ex cathedra statement, probably everybody else who has watched this little comedy of modern manners thought it was hilarious. I was slightly bored, and would have gone on to the next item, if i were not in ‘reviewer’ mode. The actual next (and last) ‘item’ was Futures & Derivatives.
It was interesting because one could barely grasp the gist of the thing. It is, on the face of it, about a portly ‘businessman’ trying to impress a (very Big Business)-man on how up to speed is the accountancy (?) firm he works for. It isn’t, really. An outside expert is brought in to put a ‘presentation’ onto DVD, said ‘expert’ works through the night. There’s an arnacho-hippie under that suit’n’tie. He creates a serviceable DVD, though it also contains images of calm seas and cloud formations. He decorates the office walls with large paper flowers and other decs. Which turn-on the office drones when they arrive the next morning. Mr. Big, Mister Beauchamp (pronounced ‘bo champ’) seems to be able to take all the extraneous effects in his stride, and the contract (content unspecified) is given to the company.
Lucky Blue refers to a budgerigar, the pet of a travelling family, ‘carnival’ workers, in Sweden. An image of Lasse, the cute son of the family, is on the cover of this vid, behind his shoulder is the back of Kevin (Kevin? – in Sweden?) the tall, slender, blond boy he lusts after. The end of the yarn has Lasse singing a silly love song to Kevin. It is, officially, a contribution to a ‘talent show’ – the boys kind-of get away with it. And, implicitly, live happily ever after. Yes, it is sweet, but not tooth-, or mind-rottingly so.
The puzzlingly named Cowboy, from Germany, features an estate agent or surveyor, played by Oliver Scherz, sizing up a farm that has fallen on hard times; rusty machinery, a house dissolving into the overgrown vegetation. He encounters the only resident, a beautiful wild boy; tall, slender, blue-eyed, blond (any devout Nazi’s wet dream, Pit Bokowskipossibly more than metaphorically), played by Pit Bokowski, (info for impatient persons who may want to Google his ‘particulars’ asap). They meet at the ruined farmhouse and out-buildings and engage in interestingly explicit sex, the wild boy remains on the farm while the estate agent drives away to his city home, and girlfriend.
Weekend in the Countryside features the lovely Théo Frilet and Pierre Moure, and a ‘mature’ man who seems to be the owner of the farm, or small estate, the two young men are staying on. The narrative is slightly off-centre. Théo’s character is afraid of the dogs the man keeps. The latter is relaxed about the matter, (it is not stated – but the great Napoléon was, after all, – terrified of cats), but Pierre Moure’s character, apparently is not. Théo / Charles, goes to swim in the nearby river and encounters the three barking dogs. He takes to his heels, trips, and takes up a self-defensive, fœtal, posture, lying on the ground. The dogs’ master calls them off and apologises. Théo leaves the town by train, the other young man goes to the station, and sneers through the train window, “pedé”, Englished as “faggot”, but he had approached Charles in the shower. He placed his hand on Charles’s (rather lovely) bosom – and was, gently, rejected. So who was the queer? This is an interestingly ambiguous ending – it probably would not be as effective in the Anglosphere. It’s not that we are ‘superior’, or more ‘advanced’, we are actually more crude. Think of the situation bisexuals find themselves in, in the US and the UK, despite the – English, in particular, taking a high and mighty attitude to ‘America’. Incidentally, this isn’t ‘Anglophobia’, a Mortal Sin according to Ireland’s ‘revisionists’, – it is a observable fact of sexual culture.
Kali Ma is set in New York City, and features what is (or was) called in the US an ‘East Indian’ mother and son i. e. not a Native ‘Red Indian’ (a designation deeply resented by Native Americans). ‘Ma’ is played by Kamini Khanna, who is, well… oblong  She is seen, in the opening scenes dancing, singing – and cooking.  Almost simultaneously, it seems, we see her son in, presumably his High School, ogling a honkie athlete (?) showering. He then goes to the

Manish Dayal

NEW YORK, NY – AUGUST 04: Actor Manish Dayal attends the “The Hundred-Foot Journey” New York premiere at Ziegfeld Theater on August 4, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)


locker room and changes his clothes, we see his (Manish Dayal)’s fine, quite athletic, body. There is a close-up of his neat bum, wrapped in his gunks (underpants for the uncultured). He gets beaten up by a honkie (Brendan Bradley) and is seen lying in the locker room with messages written all over his naked body. One is the ambiguous “Property of Kit” (it may not be ‘Kit’ as Manish’s lovely neck is not flat), “Fag” is prominent. ‘Kit’, if my well-out-of-prescriptionBrendan Bradley specs are not failing me, is not the boy in the shower.
This is where cuddly ‘Ma’ (I hope this isn’t a Hindi or Urdu word) becomes ‘Kali’ (goddess of destruction and even death). This has happened before, and her son had told her the bullying was a thing of the past. She is seen martially tramping to the house of the honkiie boy, (on a rather grand Estate / Scheme, the kitchens are 21st century ‘state of the art’ (yes; I live in a hovel)). When she raps on his door, he (Brendan Bradley) is sneerily amused. He makes crude remarks about the boy he enjoys bullying. She chases him around his own house, and and out into a swimming pool area. There they have a (very funny) fight, choreographed by Ron Keller of KFX Entertainment. Miraculously, she ties him to a metal chair with her pashmina, and tosses him into the pool.
Her son (his name is spoken in the course of the action, but I can’t interpret it, yes, not merely poverty stricken, but ancient too) appears at this point. He dives into the water, unties ‘Kit’ and revives him.
In the next scene, the boys (in the same now very dry-looking, clothes they were seen wearing in the course of the action are sat at a table. ‘Ma’ places the feast she has prepared before them. Then orders them to “EAT!” They look slightly rebellious at first, but when she barks the order at them, they grab – at the same piece of bread. Neither of them really objects to this improper piece of table manners.
What happens next is left to the viewers’ imagination[s] – fevered in my case…
This wee gem, sorry for the cliché, – but it is, – was “Written and Directed by Soman Chainani, and was “Made in partial fulfillment of the Degree Requirements of the MFA [Master of Fine Arts – we hope] Film Program at Colombia (New York City – we hope, arís – upstart]. Not being familiar with Indian sub-continent languages, and too idle to ‘Google’, we don’t know this person’s gender, (possibly a Gay man?)
If this spritely, professional-looking movie is only ‘partially’ part of a Colombia University degree, they are clearly worth having.
There is one slip in continuity, as noted above. Other ambiguities are meant to be there.
Seán McGouran
 
Links:

  • Amazon.co.uk – Boys On Film 2: In Too Deep [DVD] [2008]

Filed Under: Movie Reviews Tagged With: boys, cowboys, gay, love, movies, werewolves

Bianchi: Outpost by Tom Bianchi

15/08/2016 By ACOMSDave Leave a Comment

ISBN is:  9780312142834 / 0312142838
Bianchi: Outpost
by Tom Bianchi
Publisher:St. Martin’s Press, 1996
Edition:Hardcover
Language:English
Bianchi OutpostThis (very short) small-format book by Tom Bianchi,  seems to be a spin-off from a larger project, based on using a Hollywood swimming pool as a back-drop. This was for images of two (or pairs of) handsome, largely naked, men. They are smooth, ‘built’, but not overly muscled men, mostly Aryans. Nothing wrong with that: but the setting is southern California, specifically Los Angeles / Hollywood; probably the greatest concentration of glowingly beautiful males of every ‘race’ on the planet

Said males in the pics don’t do anything particularly ‘interesting’ – just the sort of thing anyone does near a large swimming pool, not excluding swimming. There is one lovely image of two quite mature, naked, men kissing, in a kindly, not passionate, and not slaveringly sexy sort of way. Not that ‘passion’ and / or ‘slaveringly sexy’ would have been in any way unpleasing.

Other images are of, mostly couples, in intimate poses; lips hover very close to crotches, and it isn’t hard to guess what will happen shortly after the various images have been shot. It’s interesting to speculate what the photographer, Tom Bianchi,  would be doing, would he remain a disinterested spectator?
Or…?

For me, the most sexually… stimulating… image is the last one; a fine set of legs, a sculpted butt, and – interestingly – the upper body swathed in a loose shirt. The chap’s head is missing, well… it is cropped out of the image, but with an elegant arse like the one on show, it isn’t really a loss. Though it is, no, doubt, very attractive.

Richard Lyttle 
Currently this book does seem to be available on Amazon.co.uk, however with a little research and by using Bookfinder.com, I have found 27 stockists at various prices.

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: bianchi, outpost, Photographs, swimming pool

HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT? – LGSO

12/08/2016 By ACOMSDave 1 Comment

Hiding in Plain Sight - LGSO - London Gay Symphony Orchestra
Hiding in Plain Sight – Queer people in NornIrl are used to (locally) powerful elements, namely the now-largest political party, the DUP DUP(Democratic Unionist Party) and the Free Presbyterian Church, both constructed by the late Dr. Ian Paisley, being resolutely opposed to, in essence, any rights for LGBTs.  The situation in other places, particularly other parts of the ‘Anglosphere’ can can appear wreathed in a pinko-lavender glow.  We are cosily slotting into British, especially London society, it seems.
How odd, then, was it to read and hear of the puzzlement on the foot of the BBC Proms recent ‘outreach’ to amateur LGSOorchestras.  (Most such bands are not ‘amateur’ in the strict sense of the word, being made up partly of professional musicians who teach or are ‘session’ musicians in recording studios,or are simply retired or bringing up families).
The puzzlement was caused by the LGSO (London Gay Symphony Orchestra), even liberal[ish] blatts were, on the face if things, taken aback.  The blatts seemed not to have been aware of the LGSO’s existence, including the journos who should HAVE KNOWN – LIKE THE ONES WHO DIDN’T TURN OUT WHEN IT was working with the USA choirs.  Even the local blatts, and the (two) in Islington are professional and consceintiously ‘local’ – and have Lefty histories, they were started by Communist Party people who left after Prague in 1968.  A substantial number of them didn’t want to simply dissolve into their surroundings.  That was by an organisation founded on May 1996, that has 150+  members, and gives a minimum of four concerts per annum, usually given in the C of E church Saint Sepulcre, Holborn Viaduct- the up-coming autumn one is billed for  St. S’s.usually in a church on the border of Islington and the City of London.  It first rehearsed and gave concerts in the Drill Hall a Gay-oriented arts centre, since closed down due to ‘austerity’.
With a bit o’luck the LGSO (there’s a similar band in Birmingham) will get ‘picked on’ by the Beeb and show their stuff.  They really ought to make records, some major bands in London, and similar large cities sell recordings of the concerts audiences have just sat through.  The LGSO filled the Royal Festival Hallsome years ago accompanying LGBT choirs from Europe and the USA.  Thus it isn’t unused to critical audiences – though the critics in the ‘straight’ press ignored the event, even though it was given on behalf of two charities.
Further links:
  • LGSO Twitter
  • Speak Out London and the Drill Hall Archive

  • RADA Studios
  • LGSO – London Gay Symphony Orchestra
  • Gisela Meyer at the NPL Musical Society

Hiding in Plain Sight - LGSO

Filed Under: Community Journalist, Music Reviews Tagged With: BBC, bigotry, classical, democratic unionist party, DUP, journalism, LGSO, London Gay Symphony Orchestra, music, professional

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