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Well, the intention of seeing the Terracotta Warriors at the British Museum didn't quite come off on Tuesday but then I hadn't really expected it too. The back up plan though of going to see the newly reopened St Pancras Station, the Photographers gallery and The National Portrait Gallery was more successful however.
I'd heard a few things on the radio about the newly refurbished St Pancras Station, and so since the Tube could drop me there I though i would go take a look. The big glass roof does make for a wonderfully light and open feel to the station but then it is a very large open area anyway. There are (at least) two statues in the upper platform area, the one of John Betjaman admiring the roof and this one, which I think I prefer of the two purely for the size of it (apparently they were originally going to be kissing but this was vetoed, by who and why I have no idea but the information comes from a very trusted source). All in all, it is a beautiful station and has definitely been worth whatever they've paid for the restoration work on it.
Next stop was the National Portrait Gallery to see the entrants and winners in the fifth annual Photographic Portrait Prize. I had actually seen them on the website but really fancied seeing them at their proper viewing size. Portrait photography is something I haven't had much experience of (people tend to either hide or make threats when I point my camera at them) and so was hoping to get some ideas about what makes a good portrait. From seeing these I do think I prefer the more formal head and shoulders shots, they seem to be more of what portrait is about to me but then this exhibition runs the full range from that to just having the subject in the bottom of the frame and their environment informing the rest of the picture and all points in-between.
Then on to the Photographers Gallery which unfortunately wasn't showing anything in their main gallery space but I still got to mooch around their bookshop but as I wasn't looking for anything particular, I just got totally overwhelmed and came out empty-handed.
And so back to the tube to meet up with Anna and head back to our hosts just outside St Albans for a fun, relaxing evening together.
Was pointed towards this last week by one of the comments on this Making Light thread. I'm sure that a nominally 'censored' version of something shouldn't be more suggestive than the 'regular' version of it. Before anyone else says it though, yes it probably is just my mucky mind ;) That aside, it is very funny.
I'd heard a few things on the radio about the newly refurbished St Pancras Station, and so since the Tube could drop me there I though i would go take a look. The big glass roof does make for a wonderfully light and open feel to the station but then it is a very large open area anyway. There are (at least) two statues in the upper platform area, the one of John Betjaman admiring the roof and this one, which I think I prefer of the two purely for the size of it (apparently they were originally going to be kissing but this was vetoed, by who and why I have no idea but the information comes from a very trusted source). All in all, it is a beautiful station and has definitely been worth whatever they've paid for the restoration work on it.
Next stop was the National Portrait Gallery to see the entrants and winners in the fifth annual Photographic Portrait Prize. I had actually seen them on the website but really fancied seeing them at their proper viewing size. Portrait photography is something I haven't had much experience of (people tend to either hide or make threats when I point my camera at them) and so was hoping to get some ideas about what makes a good portrait. From seeing these I do think I prefer the more formal head and shoulders shots, they seem to be more of what portrait is about to me but then this exhibition runs the full range from that to just having the subject in the bottom of the frame and their environment informing the rest of the picture and all points in-between.
Then on to the Photographers Gallery which unfortunately wasn't showing anything in their main gallery space but I still got to mooch around their bookshop but as I wasn't looking for anything particular, I just got totally overwhelmed and came out empty-handed.
And so back to the tube to meet up with Anna and head back to our hosts just outside St Albans for a fun, relaxing evening together.
Was pointed towards this last week by one of the comments on this Making Light thread. I'm sure that a nominally 'censored' version of something shouldn't be more suggestive than the 'regular' version of it. Before anyone else says it though, yes it probably is just my mucky mind ;) That aside, it is very funny.
