After several people have commented they'd actually buy my book if it was published (not necessarily friends, so relatively unbiased!) I'm now waiting for emails from publishers...
If I do have any success I'll keep you updated... It's pretty scary...
Monday, 13 July 2009
Tuesday, 23 June 2009
Wednesday, 17 June 2009
Finished. :D
I'm declaring that DONE.
I still need to double-check a few things for actual publishing, but I'm calling it DONE. :D
Yay. :D
SoFoBoMo: http://www.sofobomo.org/2009/books/Xarra/hidden-coventry/
Issuu: http://issuu.com/xarra/docs/small_sofobomo
Phew! With 2 hours to go!
I still need to double-check a few things for actual publishing, but I'm calling it DONE. :D
Yay. :D
SoFoBoMo: http://www.sofobomo.org/2009/books/Xarra/hidden-coventry/
Issuu: http://issuu.com/xarra/docs/small_sofobomo
Phew! With 2 hours to go!
Monday, 15 June 2009
A break to photograph LARP
Saturday was spent wandering around Coventry trying desperately to get the last few photos I need. I'm still finding shots I'd love on Flickr, but, probably too late now!
Sunday, I was taking photos for LARPSoc (Live Action Roleplay) and then tried to stay up late to finish more photos...
I've got 3 days left - I finish on the 18th, and I've still got quite a few photos to go through and edit, however I'm working on text as well and my photo index is up-to-date...
I am paranoid I won't finish, but I'll give it a good shot... :D
Sunday, I was taking photos for LARPSoc (Live Action Roleplay) and then tried to stay up late to finish more photos...
I've got 3 days left - I finish on the 18th, and I've still got quite a few photos to go through and edit, however I'm working on text as well and my photo index is up-to-date...
I am paranoid I won't finish, but I'll give it a good shot... :D
Friday, 12 June 2009
5 days to go...
And I'm panicking!
The majority of the photos are in & sorted and I don't need to juggle colours too much (phew...) however I've got a few more things to do:
Take photos of St. John's.
Try and get a couple more in St. Mary's Guildhall.
I've got gaps for those.
Find spaces for the Random photos that need to go in, but haven't really got a 'location' section (as my book is kind of a tour of the hidden places...)
Take out the photos that I don't like now they're in a layout and figure out whether I want to put an alternate version in...
Stop looking at other people's photos of the areas as I'm now feeling very inferior. :(
Check the overlaps for Blurb BEFORE finalising it.
Put in the list of photos (about 5 pages!) at the back... I want to make it easy to find the locations...
Stop worrying they're all too snapshoty and nowhere near as good as other people's!
Again, not a SoFoBoMo picture, but I'm not Flickring any more of my SoFoBoMo pics atm... No time!
The majority of the photos are in & sorted and I don't need to juggle colours too much (phew...) however I've got a few more things to do:
Take photos of St. John's.
Try and get a couple more in St. Mary's Guildhall.
I've got gaps for those.
Find spaces for the Random photos that need to go in, but haven't really got a 'location' section (as my book is kind of a tour of the hidden places...)
Take out the photos that I don't like now they're in a layout and figure out whether I want to put an alternate version in...
Stop looking at other people's photos of the areas as I'm now feeling very inferior. :(
Check the overlaps for Blurb BEFORE finalising it.
Put in the list of photos (about 5 pages!) at the back... I want to make it easy to find the locations...
Stop worrying they're all too snapshoty and nowhere near as good as other people's!
Again, not a SoFoBoMo picture, but I'm not Flickring any more of my SoFoBoMo pics atm... No time!
Tuesday, 9 June 2009
Squirrel and More places...
This cute guy distracted me while taking photos around the cathedral. :) Again, not a SoFoBoMo photo...
I'm borrowing a monitor calibrator and praying I don't need to do everything again now... I'm just paranoid with practice prints!
I'm doing St. John's on Saturday, and then that's all the major ones done. IF I feel like it, the following places are options:
(I LOVE Google Maps for seeing if they're there/in range/ect... :P)
Peace Stone (Bayley Lane) - Probably not.
The Corridor (Peace Park) - Covered by ivy.
Bryan Bailey Memorial (Belgrade) - Probably not unveiled yet, covered in bin bags?
Princess Elizabeth's Pillar (Broadgate House) - City centre, so can probably pop by.
Peeping Tom (the cast in the Herbert) - I can't get a decent one in Cathedral Lanes, there's a cast in the Herbert.
Thread Through Time (Bull Yard) - Pity the laser doesn't work any more. :/
3 Tuns panels (Bull Yard) - Might be able to get a nice B&W shot?
Horse Benches (Corporation Street) - First find them...
Technical College Carvings (The Butts) - Maybe.
The Leveling Stone (Upper Precinct) - Easy one to grab.
Cherub Head Doorhandles (Cathedral) - Why did I forget?
Lockgates (Foleshill Roundabout) - Oooh, I like these...
Untitled Panels (Hertford Street) - Maybe.
Cow's Head (Swan Lane) - Lovely, but far too out of my range. :(
Good Samaritan (East ext. wall of physiotherapy block) - Will have to find.
Station Square Sculptures - Not sure...
Phoenix (CUSU Priory Street) - Not seen it?
Market Way figures - May have been demolished?
Lower Precinct Neon Signs - Apparently these are sculptures & art?
Lamb Street Scultpure (Lamb Street) - Can't see it on Google Maps?
http://pmsa.cch.kcl.ac.uk/BM/Region.htm is an interesting & very helpful page too!
I'm borrowing a monitor calibrator and praying I don't need to do everything again now... I'm just paranoid with practice prints!
I'm doing St. John's on Saturday, and then that's all the major ones done. IF I feel like it, the following places are options:
(I LOVE Google Maps for seeing if they're there/in range/ect... :P)
Peace Stone (Bayley Lane) - Probably not.
The Corridor (Peace Park) - Covered by ivy.
Bryan Bailey Memorial (Belgrade) - Probably not unveiled yet, covered in bin bags?
Princess Elizabeth's Pillar (Broadgate House) - City centre, so can probably pop by.
Peeping Tom (the cast in the Herbert) - I can't get a decent one in Cathedral Lanes, there's a cast in the Herbert.
Thread Through Time (Bull Yard) - Pity the laser doesn't work any more. :/
3 Tuns panels (Bull Yard) - Might be able to get a nice B&W shot?
Horse Benches (Corporation Street) - First find them...
Technical College Carvings (The Butts) - Maybe.
The Leveling Stone (Upper Precinct) - Easy one to grab.
Cherub Head Doorhandles (Cathedral) - Why did I forget?
Lockgates (Foleshill Roundabout) - Oooh, I like these...
Untitled Panels (Hertford Street) - Maybe.
Cow's Head (Swan Lane) - Lovely, but far too out of my range. :(
Good Samaritan (East ext. wall of physiotherapy block) - Will have to find.
Station Square Sculptures - Not sure...
Phoenix (CUSU Priory Street) - Not seen it?
Market Way figures - May have been demolished?
Lower Precinct Neon Signs - Apparently these are sculptures & art?
Lamb Street Scultpure (Lamb Street) - Can't see it on Google Maps?
http://pmsa.cch.kcl.ac.uk/BM/Region.htm is an interesting & very helpful page too!
Monday, 8 June 2009
Getting there...
Saturday I was playing in the studio, my first time and I'm so pleased with the results. Obviously this isn't a SoFoBoMo photo, but it was a nice break. :D
As far as SoFoBoMo goes, I'm on about 130 pages and about 227 images to slim down (I'll use about 20 probably...) I really shouldn't ask people if they know any hidden places if I want to wrap it up!
I have got an email with opening times for the church I'd given up on getting into, so that's the last place. Honest.
I'm really pleased with how it's turning out, and given I'm hoping to get a coupon for Blurb soon, I'm now setting it up into 11x13 for a proof book. :)
I have 10 days left, so, here's hoping!
As far as SoFoBoMo goes, I'm on about 130 pages and about 227 images to slim down (I'll use about 20 probably...) I really shouldn't ask people if they know any hidden places if I want to wrap it up!
I have got an email with opening times for the church I'd given up on getting into, so that's the last place. Honest.
I'm really pleased with how it's turning out, and given I'm hoping to get a coupon for Blurb soon, I'm now setting it up into 11x13 for a proof book. :)
I have 10 days left, so, here's hoping!
Thursday, 4 June 2009
The Phoenix by George Wagstaff
Well, getting a 1TB drive today - finally can put all my photos in one place and clean up duplicates (they're spread over 4 drives at the moment, my old OS drive, my Stuff drive, my current OS drive and our very large shared drive... :)
Slightly worried this is putting all my eggs in one basket, but hey...
Hopefully then I'll be able to finish my SoFoBoMo book in the next 2 weeks! :D
Slightly worried this is putting all my eggs in one basket, but hey...
Hopefully then I'll be able to finish my SoFoBoMo book in the next 2 weeks! :D
Tuesday, 2 June 2009
Old Boss
So, I've now got an article about me and my SoFoBoMo project on the BBC Coventry & Warwickshire site (http://www.bbc.co.uk/coventry/content/articles/2009/06/02/clare_selly_feature.shtml)
I've got 2-3 more places to get photos.
I'm looking at a 150 page book. I have over 160 photos in about 95 pages atm.
I'm enjoying it immensly, but I'm kind of looking forward to wrapping it up now!
The picture is the earliest known elephant & castle in Coventry. I'm amazed it's still coloured!
I've got 2-3 more places to get photos.
I'm looking at a 150 page book. I have over 160 photos in about 95 pages atm.
I'm enjoying it immensly, but I'm kind of looking forward to wrapping it up now!
The picture is the earliest known elephant & castle in Coventry. I'm amazed it's still coloured!
Monday, 1 June 2009
Update... 13/31
Well, after a good 2 days of sunshine and photographing, I'm down to the last 3 areas I NEED to photograph for the book.
St Mary's Guildhall
Canal Basin
Underneath the Cook St. Gate.
There's other places - the Undercroft, the Canal, that I'd love to do, but not going to have the time (or space!)
When I started this, I worried I'd not get enough photos - now I have too many! I've gone from '60 pages will be hard' to '120 pages might not be enough!'
I've also found a useful book to help me write some blurb about some of the statues and sculptures. :)
So, yes, it's coming together. Processing is slow but ongoing, and it's looking rather good. And I've had good feedback from people who've seen it. I did a test print, which is a Good Thing as I'm printing via Blurb - and several photos were just out colour-wise... I'm now softproofing properly!
This week will be processing and, possibly, a few days break. :)
St Mary's Guildhall
Canal Basin
Underneath the Cook St. Gate.
There's other places - the Undercroft, the Canal, that I'd love to do, but not going to have the time (or space!)
When I started this, I worried I'd not get enough photos - now I have too many! I've gone from '60 pages will be hard' to '120 pages might not be enough!'
I've also found a useful book to help me write some blurb about some of the statues and sculptures. :)
So, yes, it's coming together. Processing is slow but ongoing, and it's looking rather good. And I've had good feedback from people who've seen it. I did a test print, which is a Good Thing as I'm printing via Blurb - and several photos were just out colour-wise... I'm now softproofing properly!
This week will be processing and, possibly, a few days break. :)
Monday, 25 May 2009
Council House Entrance
I'm actually not uploading many to Flickr now - it's taking long enough to process the ones I want anyway!
I've been unable to find a place that'll do a landscape photobook in A4, so I'm trying 10x8 with Blurb.com. I'm not entire sure they're the best choice, but I don't have huge amounts of options! ¬.¬
I'm now on 54 pages... o.O And about 100 photos... o.O I think I have a limit of about 80 pages...
Current places still to do:
Black Horse - Do on way home
Football figures - Do on way home
Ford's Hospital - Way home?
St. Mary's Guildhall - Try Sunday morning?
Christchurch Spire - Erm...
Canal Basin - Erm...
Far Gosford Street - Erm... Might skip?
Spon Street - Way home if I get the 19W
Canal Walk - Next weekend?
New Cathedral - Hope for a sunny weekend!
Old Cathedta from top of spire - Next weekend
Whitefriar's Monastery - No idea.
I'm worried I have too many pictures, but I can't see any getting left out...
I've been unable to find a place that'll do a landscape photobook in A4, so I'm trying 10x8 with Blurb.com. I'm not entire sure they're the best choice, but I don't have huge amounts of options! ¬.¬
I'm now on 54 pages... o.O And about 100 photos... o.O I think I have a limit of about 80 pages...
Current places still to do:
Black Horse - Do on way home
Football figures - Do on way home
Ford's Hospital - Way home?
St. Mary's Guildhall - Try Sunday morning?
Christchurch Spire - Erm...
Canal Basin - Erm...
Far Gosford Street - Erm... Might skip?
Spon Street - Way home if I get the 19W
Canal Walk - Next weekend?
New Cathedral - Hope for a sunny weekend!
Old Cathedta from top of spire - Next weekend
Whitefriar's Monastery - No idea.
I'm worried I have too many pictures, but I can't see any getting left out...
Friday, 22 May 2009
My Bane...
This was a picture I've been trying to get for a few days. It was not working in colour. At all. Luckily I tried turning it black & white, which works nicely, but doesn't quite fit with my idea of doing colour. Ah well, a few B&W shots should work... :/
There's a few items around the city which just are not wanting to be photographed. These gargoyles, the tower on top of Bluecoats - which I think I'll try as a HDR...
I'd rather not spend the weekend reshooting, there's plenty of places I need to go for the first time!
There's a few items around the city which just are not wanting to be photographed. These gargoyles, the tower on top of Bluecoats - which I think I'll try as a HDR...
I'd rather not spend the weekend reshooting, there's plenty of places I need to go for the first time!
Thursday, 21 May 2009
Edit, edit, edit...
Went around town taking more photos today - and editted some more. I'm trying not to over-use the perspective correction too much, but I'm realising that I probably don't spend enough time getting it right in-camera.
I usually have to straighten, and at least a few pictures are a bit OOF but they're gargoyles and grainy anyway, so the camera wasn't having fun focusing on them... :/ I always have to boost colours/contrast, but I guess that's 'cause I shoot RAW.
The perspective correction, however, is WAY too tempting to straighten up some pictures from odd angles. I've only used it on a few - the door panels and circle pictures being the obvious ones where they're sets... But I used it on another and then tweaked the picture until it looked 'normal' again. I feel like I cheated a little...
But then, I editted bird poop off a gargoyle because, well, bird poop. :P
Was late for work today because I went to get pictures of the Council House... Oops... But hopefully they should be OK.
I'm also debating, assuming I'm over the 35 pictures, putting in one or two of my not-going-to-get-again-easily shots... Hmmm... I know it's bending the rules slightly, but...
Anyway. Back to editting. And maybe bed eventually!
I usually have to straighten, and at least a few pictures are a bit OOF but they're gargoyles and grainy anyway, so the camera wasn't having fun focusing on them... :/ I always have to boost colours/contrast, but I guess that's 'cause I shoot RAW.
The perspective correction, however, is WAY too tempting to straighten up some pictures from odd angles. I've only used it on a few - the door panels and circle pictures being the obvious ones where they're sets... But I used it on another and then tweaked the picture until it looked 'normal' again. I feel like I cheated a little...
But then, I editted bird poop off a gargoyle because, well, bird poop. :P
Was late for work today because I went to get pictures of the Council House... Oops... But hopefully they should be OK.
I'm also debating, assuming I'm over the 35 pictures, putting in one or two of my not-going-to-get-again-easily shots... Hmmm... I know it's bending the rules slightly, but...
Anyway. Back to editting. And maybe bed eventually!
List of places to go.
I need a list (other than post-it notes!) of places I need to go to take pictures:
Black Horse - Roundabout near station.
Football figures - Roundabout near station.
Ford's Hospital
St. Mary's Guildhall - Try Sunday morning?
Naiad statue in Lady Herbert's Garden - no longer there. :(
Christchurch Spire
Canal Basin
Far Gosford Street
Spon Street
Canal Walk
West Orchard's Dome?
New Cathedral
Old Cathedtal (inc. from top of spire?)
Whittle Arch at night.
Timezone thingy under Whittle arch at night.
Whitefriar's Monastery
Argh... This is going to take years!
Black Horse - Roundabout near station.
Football figures - Roundabout near station.
Ford's Hospital
St. Mary's Guildhall - Try Sunday morning?
Christchurch Spire
Canal Basin
Far Gosford Street
Spon Street
Canal Walk
West Orchard's Dome?
New Cathedral
Old Cathedtal (inc. from top of spire?)
Whittle Arch at night.
Timezone thingy under Whittle arch at night.
Whitefriar's Monastery
Argh... This is going to take years!
Wednesday, 20 May 2009
Gargoyle on Coventry Cross
And now I've editted this to pieces to take out some background, I'm off to bed. Only 56 more in my 'to process' pile - and some are duplicates...
Zonk.
Zonk.
SoFoBoMo Day 2/31
Uploading about 20 more images for SoFoBoMo... However there's a 'set' of 5 and a 'set' of 12 that will be used together, so I probably should count them as only 2 images!
Also discovered the perspective tool - so I got to correct a horribly skewed picture (evil shop in the way!) and the 12 panels are from the bank door, so correcting them makes them look a lot better as they weren't taken straight on!
Had a good after-work photo session going round Coventry witha friend yesterday. The picture's from the walk and is the elephant on the very tall pole opposite the Godiva statue. It was backlit, and I under-exposed to get the sky, and I'm really pleased with how it's come out. :)
Got some of the photos I wanted to reshoot, and she showed me places I'd not found yet. I really need to go slightly further afield (Far Gosford Street) and I've got a list of places to go from a quick google and look at the CVOne pages:
Canal Basin
Far Gosford St
Council House
Canal
West Orchard's dome
Black Horse
Well, it'll keep me fit!
Only another ton of photos to go through. And I need yet another reshoot of the tower over Bluecoats School. Argh.
Also discovered the perspective tool - so I got to correct a horribly skewed picture (evil shop in the way!) and the 12 panels are from the bank door, so correcting them makes them look a lot better as they weren't taken straight on!
Had a good after-work photo session going round Coventry with
Canal Basin
Far Gosford St
Council House
Canal
West Orchard's dome
Black Horse
Well, it'll keep me fit!
Only another ton of photos to go through. And I need yet another reshoot of the tower over Bluecoats School. Argh.
SoFoBoMo Day 1/31
So, yesterday I decided to do SoFoBoMo. This is a challenge to yourself (like NaNoWriMo) to produce a photobook in a month. My month will therefore be 18th May - 18th June. :)
The most important thing (apart from the pictures) is a title. And the My Coventry project the BBC ran, and I got exhibited in, inspired me to choose, well, My Coventry as a project. The nooks, crannies and bits and pieces that people don't always notice in Coventry.
Equipment. I use a Canon 1000D (Digital SLR) and 4 lenses - 30mm 1.4, 105mm 2.8, 70-300mm 4-5.6 and a 18-55mm kit lens. This lot should be sufficient, although I really wish I had an off-camera flash... :/
While I was taking pictures (actually, lying on the grass trying to get some bluebell pictures - none of which came out sharp) a man started watching me. Just standing and watching. And when I moved on, he just moved to a different seat. Which seemed creepy. Turned out he was a photographer and interested in watching someone at work... :) Was a nice guy. :)
Now I just need to figure out how to take 20+ more decent photos, figure out re-takes and if I can get access to any better angles... Oh, and then put it all together! Wish me luck...
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