July 13, 2010 (from journal)

Yesterday was awesome! I got to go to the Tower of London. Supposedly, it is haunted, but it didnt seem like it was to me. I got to see some pretty cool armor, and the crown jewels. It was pretty cool. We had critique which went really well. Dr. Noble used some of my pictures as an example to show everyone. Last night, after I came back to my room I got to thinking about my final portfolio. I did some research on defining yourself through photography and came across this image that is burned into my mind. It was a girl with writing on her hands defining who she is. It is so cool. I am going to pitch my idea to Dr. Noble today and see if she has any pointers for me and see if it is ok. Hopefully she will like my idea and I will be able to do it!! If not, I will stick to doing the couples, but I feel right now that this idea is more my speed, and I can explain it better. So my plan is to take some pictures of myself, and get some other people to help me out as well. It should be interesting.

Class:
Meet at 2 in the courtyard to go to the victoria and Albert museum. Will pick a few things to discuss.

Today:
Shoot relationships. Doesnt have to be people
contrasting shapes/textures
harmonious shapes and textures
relationship between person and their work
art museum relating to art
as long as you can justify the relationship

Leave Sunday morning for Paris! :)
__________________________
So I pitched my idea to Dr. Noble. She loved my idea. She said that it sounded awesome. She wants London in the background of the images though. I am so glad she liked it!!


Entrance to Tower of London

July 14, 2010
Class:
Kensington Palace
-Diana lived there for 16 years
-concentrate on gardens and rocks
Serpentine Gallery
-used to be the carriage house
-now an art gallery
-outside is a cafe. awesome lines to shoot

-Diana memorial fountain
-near the park-Hard rock cafe (first hard rock)

-today shoot figure gournd, and relationships.
-Friday leaving @ 8:30 am for Oxford


July 15, 2010
Yesterday we went to Kensington Gardens. I got to see the Peter Pan statue. It was pretty cool! After the gardens, We went to eat at the Hard Rock cafe. It was so nice to have American food. That was totally the best food that I have had since I have been here. I am missing home cooking, Mama (and Daddy), and my dogs.....

(Kensington Gardens)

(Peter Pan)

July 10-12

July 10, 2010 (from Journal)

So today was a good day! I actually woke up for the bus today!! We went to the Dover, and Canterbury. Dover castle was my favorite stop for the day! When we pulled up, there was a sea mist which kept us from getting all the shots of the cliffs, but the view was still AMAZING! It was so cool getting to explore in the castle. I hated that we had to leave so soon. (We only had an hour and a half) On the other hand, by the time I got to Canterbury, my feet were killing my. Canterbury is a beautiful town, but it was so hard to not let my feet run the show! haha! Penny and I walked around together in Canterbury. We found an antique show that was pretty cool. We got to see the Canterbury Cathedrial, but they were having service so we couldn't go inside. Our feet were hurting so bad so we headed back to the bus about 30 minutes early, (which ended up being too soon) so we went to the Sainsbury's market and got a drink. When we were leaving Sainsbury's, some drunk man and a cop were yelling at each other which was quite entertaining. The bus ride back seemed like it took forever!

On the way to our tours, the tour guide's daughter and a few other people (including myself) were talking about haircuts. We got on the subject of bangs. When she was describing her's, she called them fringe. (which I found to be quite interesting) ALSO on the way to Canterbury and Dover, we passed a crime scene. There was bullet shattered windows, and blood on the ground. PRETTY EXCITING! LOL

Tomorrow, we are going to St. Paul's again, then planning on going back to shop at Camden Town Stables again!! Super excited!!!!



July 11, 2010 (from journal)
This morning, we woke up and went to St. Paul's again. The church is so pretty! It is NOTHING like my church though!! After church, we all went to eat. Our table was so nice. We sat outside on the river. I had a hamburger (which is nothing like an American hamburger) After lunch, we went back to the Camden Stables. It was so fun! I spent way too much money, but it is not every day that you get to go shopping in London. (specially for a Louisiana girl!) I got some pretty cool broaches (which have inspired me to create when I get home), a really cute scarf with a flower on it, a t-shirt with a camera on it, and a bag with a camera on it!
Right now, I am down in the laundry mat washing my clothes. I am hoping I loaded everything the right way. I will cry if I ruin my clothes and have nothing to wear...


July 12, 2010
We had class critique today. I was excited to see what everyone's work looked like. All in all, I think my pictures looked pretty good. There are some things that Dr. Noble gave me to work on. She used 9 of my pictures as an example to show the class!!

while critiquing the pictures, here are some of the notes that I took:

-Be aware of edges and corners of your pictures
-look around and fram the picture properly (dont be so quick to shoot)
-it is ok to crop later
-watch out for clutter, be sure to simplify
-make sure shots of texture have a defined focal point
-be sure to watch the sky (dont let it get blown out)
-when shooting, be sure to have a full range of all colors and if black in white, be sure to have more than just black and white-have all kinds of greys
-if the sun is to your back, you will have a better, more interesting sky
-pubs are nice for lighting-they have an amber color
-be sure not to let the background distract you from the subject of the photo
-too much contrast if you cant see detail in the shadows
-burn background if it gets too distracting




I am sorry I havent posted in a while, but I have been super busy!! I will try to get back on later and post some pictures!! Dont be scared to leave me comments! I want to know yall stopped by to visit!!
:)

July 9 2010

So today didn't start off on a good note.

I slept through my three alarms and missed the bus to Stonehenge. So, after all, I didn't get to see Stonehenge.

After realizing that I missed the bus I took a little nap. When I woke up I got me some lunch, and then headed out to explore for a bit.
I made my way to the Thames River. I went the wrong way, so I worked my way back and ran into some construction. THEN, I had to go all the way around the construction to get to where I wanted to be.
I finally made it to the area around the London Eye, and Big Ben, which is where I originally wanted to go.

I did some people watching. Waited for a few shots, and got to thinking about our final where we have to have a theme and those 20 shots have to follow that theme. This theme can't be just anything. It has to mean something to you.
I have seen a million couples, and they always seem so in love. Who doesn't want someone to love? right?? So, I looked up some quotes and got a few to follow by and started shooting couples. I think I got a few good ones.

"A heart that loves is always young."
-Greek Proverb



"Love doesn't make the world go round, its what makes the ride worthwhile."
-Elizabeth Browning



"The more I think about it, the more I realize there is nothing more artistic than to love others."
-Vincent Van Gogh




After shooting for a while, I worked my way to a bench that is across the river from Big Ben. I sat there for a few seconds and I decided to start sketching, and this is what I ended up with:


I know its not the best...I didnt take my time and measure, but I enjoyed drawing it and I think its fun.

July 7-8

July 7
Today we went to the national gallery, and the national portrait gallery. We had originally planned to go to the changing of the guards, Parliament, Westminster Abbey, etc today, but it was looking rainy and when it rains the guards to not do the ceremony, so to play it safe we switched...

The national gallery was good. It was exciting to see artists like: Pietro Longhi, Grancesco Guardi, Canaletto (AMAZING detail in paintings), Giovanni Paolo Panini, Thomas Gainsbrough, Camille Pissarro, Theo Van Rysselberghe, Paul Signac, Georges Seurat, Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Henry Rousseau, Claude-Oscar Monet, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Venci, Jan Van Eyck, etc.
I appreciate the work, but I would rather look at more art from the Tate Modern.

The national portrait gallery was pretty cool.
They had more art that I found enjoyable. There was a (i guess you would call it) sculpture, where a man drew his blood and froze it to the shape of his head and it had to stay 20degrees below zero! It was interesting. It was shiny....pretty cool.

Tonight we went to a leacture given by James Elkin. He is an art historian and a writer. I found it hard to pay attention. He was talking about a book that I had never read.


The front of the national gallery.


fountain outside of the national gallery


July 8, 2010
Today we went to the House of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, and saw the changing of the guards. (I am sorry Darrell I didnt get close enough to the guard to get your picture!) I got some pretty shots today of the buildings, nothing too artsy, but they were still pretty. The changing of the guards was nothing like what I thought it was going to be like.

When getting off the tube, we came out right under big ben....I felt so small standing underneath that. It is so pretty up close.


The guards practicing before marching in for the changing.


Westminister Abbey

July 6, 2010
Today our shooting assignment was repetition. Dr. Noble still told us to shoot line as well.

While going back to St. Paul's I saw this stairwell and Found it showing both line and repetition.


This image was shot outside the Tate Modern. It shows line and repetition as well.


We went to the Tate Modern today. I could have spent all day in there. I have studied this art work before, but it is totally different from seeing it on the computer and text books. These paintings and sculptures were large. They pulled you in. The kept your attention. It was so inspiring to see so much of the work and artists that I love!


Wham! by Roy Lichtenstein

The room full of Andy Warhol work.






JACKSON POLLOCK!!!!!!!


Here is a list of a few of the artists that I got to see today:
Man Ray
Pablo Picasso
Julian Trevelyan
Jackson Pollock
Robert Motherwell
Juliao Sarmento
Joseph Beuys
Frances Bacon
Louise Bourgeois
Jake Chapman
Dinos Chapman
Marcel Dzama
david Snigley
Max Ernst
Franz Kline
Claude Monet
Joan Mitchell
Niki de Saint Phalle


Today I planned what I was going to do for the mini break. Katrina and a few of her friends that are on the trip are planning on going to Rome. I am going to go with them to Rome. The day before we leave for Rome, Katrina and I are going to go to Normandy.

:D

Hey guys and gals!! I am sorry it has been a few days since I have posted anything! Since class started we have been going nonstop!!

July 4, 2010
(from my journal)
"*HAPPY 4TH OF JULY*
This morning we got up and went to church at St. Paul's Cathedral. The church was so pretty inside. After church, Dr. Noble, Victoria, and I caught the tube for the first time (which was crazy) and went to the Texas Embassy for Lunch. The Texas Embassy is where people used to go before boarding the Titanic. After lunch Victoria and I headed back to the courtyard to meet for our London Calling walk about where we went to Camden Town. Camden town is CRAZY, but I loved it there! Supposedly, Amy Winehouse lives in that area. We stopped at the Camden Stabels Market for 30 minutes. There were so many shops! It was crazy! We totally did not have enough time there. Victoria and I are planning on going back next Sunday."


(St. Paul's Cathedral)




Texas Embassy- now turned into a restaurant. The place was decorated for July 4, and all of the workers were dressed as American idols. (Wonder Woman, cowboys, Pocahontas, etc)


July 5, 2010

The shooting assignment for today was line. Finding things that directed your eye to the focal point. We went to Covenent Garden, and also a Graffiti park that was across the river from Big Ben. Dr. Noble told us that arches and doorways could frame our photo and count as line as well.
During lecture, Dr Noble gave us this quote:
"If you want to be a great writer, then you have to read a lot. If you want to be a great musician, then listen to a lot of music. If you want to be a great photographer, then look at a lot of art."

We had our welcome reception tonight. We all dressed up and walked over to the King's College church and Dr. Mackamann spoke to us all, then a priest prayed over us. Following that, there was a reception for us with snack foods. Dr. Noble, Zach, Victoria, Anita, a few other people, and myself all went to Stamford Arms to play darts after. I did pretty good for it only being my first time to play darts. (If I would have gotten one more, then I would have won)



LOOK MOM!!!! I found Big Ben!!!! (He says hello!)


One of the pics that I shot from the graffiti park. Loved the colors on this one! :)

Cheers,
Allison

7/3/10

Day number 2

Had our first day of class today! We went over all of the usual stuff. (rules, expectations, and everyone introduced themselves)
After class we headed to the british studies orientation where we went over the same things. Dr. Mackaman (program director) talked to us along with a few other teachers.

After orientation, Dr. Noble, Zach and I went to eat at at a little pub. I had a nice meal called Bangers and Mash. (sausage and mashed potatoes)

After lunch, we left out on our orientation excursions which led me to the Imperial War museum.

Victoria and I were so worn out after this that we headed back to our flat and went to bed.


(taken outside Imperial War Museum)