Wildlife Photographer of the Year. At the Nat. Hist. Go and see it.

That is all.

That’s a Rudemendation.

Got the book. Absolutely amazing images as always.
Will definitely go see it, if it ever tours to the provinces.

Graham; I went today, with me mum. We go to see it every year. Every year, we are stunned by the quality of work. S’why I won’t gush on about it; just go and see it! It’s only on ’til Sunday.

The top image was taken by someone under 18 years old. My fave. A truly amazing, captivating image. So good, ittud make you cry.

I said I was not going to gush on about them…

That pic of the geese/swans!!!!
I could look at that for hours, amazing!

Yep, coming to Newcastle in June apparently. Will go see it then.

Tour dates at http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/temporary-exhibitions/wpy/tourVisit.do

That was me mum’s fave pic. A stunning photo, without question. She said it showed a kind of ‘community spirit’ of the swans. I’m going to get a print of it done, to surprise her.

I would love hate to be one of the judges….

Graham; there’s nowt better a venue, than the Nat Hist, though!

Afterwards, we went to look at rocks and stuff. There’s a ‘Vault’, right at the end of the room. With some proper blingy shiny stuff. But what blew me away, was a piece of meteorite; next to it, was a tiny glass tube. Inside the glass tube, was a kind of smudge in one corner. That ‘smudge’ was apparently millions of incredibly tiny diamonds. The blurb next to it said ‘this is the oldest thing you will ever see’.

Today, my mind has been boggled.

I assume that by “get a print of it done” you mean “I’ll get her a nice official print from the official shop, thereby helping to support the exhbition I’m so fond of”, rather than “I’ll print off my own knock off copy” 🙂

No no. I’ll get a proper one done! They’re actually not too spensive, tbh. I’ll get it framed at a local place run by a feller who used to be a teacher of one of me mates. Thus supporting the local economy.

I have no problem supporting such an exhibition; £6.90 is such a small price to pay, considering you get the whole Nat Hist to enjoy for free! I always leave a donation anyway. It’s a national treasure, and truly one of the greatest museums in the World.

Tortoises are mostly fat.

Snakes have *lots* of ribs.

I want a pet mini-armadillo.

Good lad.

Yeah the Nat is an amazing museum, but I’m not going to make it down to London before Sunday. I’ll wait for it to come to Edinburgh or Newcastle.

(Believe it or not, Edinburgh actually has some passable museums and galleries too – though obviously they are built from sticks, mud and our own faeces 😉 ).

built from sticks, mud and our own faeces

Blimey! You’ve proper progressed in recent years, then! 😀

Concrete is what you want. Loads of it. Wattle + Daub is sooo passe, dahling…

I do feel really priviledged, every time I visit something like the Nat Hist. Hoping to do the V+A next week. and maybe the British Museum the week after.

Trouble is, that I tend to go whenever there’s an exhibition on, and get all ‘museumed out’, after a couple of hours, and keep missing some really good stuff. The Japanese collection at the V+A is where I’m making a bee-line for, next week. Their collection of Netsuke thingies is just fabulous. There’s one of a skeleton figure, beating a drum, and it’s just bloody incredible.

I do love living in London, me.

I’ve been to that before – as you say, there’s some stunning stuff on display.

Only thing that irked me, were the photos alledgedly taken by young children – many of them were so good, it seemed kinda obvious that their parent set the camera up & they just clicked the button so it took the pic…

Thanks for the reminder! Was hoping to get up there at the weekend before it closes. Lunch at the Cod, stroll across to the Museums, tea and cakes at Valerie then home via a cold one at the local. Lovely.

Also bought the book, can’t put it down!

Get and see it, Flashy! What you messing about for??

As for the kids pics, I have no reason not to believe they were done by kids. Kids with wealthy parents, lots of good kit and lots of guidance, mind.

One think I did notice, there was only one pic, out of the whole lot, that was taken on film, as far as I know. One. All the rest were dijical. Film, for most photographic purposes, is truly dead. 🙁

Think I’ve got a bit of ‘Culturelust’ now. I want to go and look at amazing things. There’s only so long, I can stare at the mirror…

Just been rather busy of late, old chap, not had time to trundle over!

Yep, coming to Newcastle in June apparently. Will go see it then.

It is? Cool have to keep my eyes open for that which one Sage or Baltic or one the museums, which ever really will do as way better than the NH Museum.

I’ve not been to either, but I refuse to believe the Nat Hist can be bettered, I’m sorry. Different, maybe, not better.

Flashy; move yer arse! You’ve only got until Sunday! It’s been on for months!

Once again, I find myself agreeing with RudeBoy.

RB, the thing about the kids photos from when I went ~ 7-8yrs ago, was that digital photography was only just starting to take off.
As you suggest, they certainly had wealthy mummy & daddys as the eqpt. list accompanying such photos was both extensive & expensive!
But it was more some of the subject matters, to get such results on film, for example, needed a keen eye & steady hand, etc, so it did leave myself & friend that was with me, with the impression as I said – quite a large helping hand was givem methinks.

The photos themselves though, absolutely stunning, year after year!

Yeah, see what you’re saying, but then; surely all art is a reproduction of an older idea anyway?

I like to think that the kids are encouraged to ‘see’ pictures, and given guidance, rather than just ‘press a button’. You’d be surprised what kids can actually achieve by themselves. Modern equipment has loads of automation, but things like composition, framing, anticipation etc all require skill.

I know it’s galling, but I’m sure some of those kids are genuinely talented. Enough to make you spit, is not it?

The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

It is? Cool have to keep my eyes open for that which one Sage or Baltic or one the museums, which ever really will do as way better than the NH Museum.

27 June 2009 to 20 September 2009 at the Great North Museum
http://www.twmuseums.org.uk/greatnorthmuseum/

All the rest were dijical. Film, for most photographic purposes, is truly dead.

Wondered when you’d mention that RB. The capture technology really doesn’t matter – it’s all good 🙂

..to get such results on film, for example, needed a keen eye & steady hand, etc, ..

What can you mean? How does capturing something on silicon rather than cellulose remove the need for either a steady hand or a keen eye?

Graham; it is with sadness, that I must finally admit, even to myself, that film, is ‘dead’. I must say, it’s demise has come quicker than I anticipated.

I need a Nikon D700.

And I think you misunderstand dave-rudebar. Film = Dijical.

Ah fair enough. Thought he was implying that digital made it easier, rather than mum and dad helped them cheat.

I need a Nikon D700.

Would be nice! Actually I’m fairly happy with my D80. What I desperately need is time to actually go out and take photos*.

* ..and a 500mm f4 VR lens.. and a ticket to Africa…

Ah cheers Graham the Hancock it is then best Museum in the world.

Don’t start…

October it gets to Aberystwyth. Booked in diary 🙂

Surprised it isn’t coming to Kelvingrove (best museum in the world), National Museum of Scotland (best museum in the world) or the National Gallery of Scotland (best museum in the world).

😉

Bit rubbish that Londoners get it in one of their nicest museums and the rest of the country seem to have it in much smaller venues.

Yeah but least we get it in the best museum in the universe.

Ta RB, down in London for weekend while wife trudges 26.2 miles.

Do you think it is bad form to head off to the Nat Hist for the afternoon rather that try and pick her out amongst a cast of thousands?

Joking really but will try and get there on saturday, thanks for the heads up!

Huge queues, so couldn’t get in. Went to the excellent Baroque exhibition up the road at the V&A instead. Superb. Truly superb.

Remember, folks, the word “museum” means, “Let us think”. Best word in the world, I reckon.

CFH, what time were you there? We were there for the 1545 ticket, a most excellent use of an afternoon (also wandered into the V&A to take a quick squiz at the jewellery exhibition, mmmmm sparkly 😀 )

Was in at about 1200, old fruit.

Some stunning stuff in there, wasn’t there? That silver chandelier was a real highlight for me!

Ah, Flashy, you gave up too easily. We went on Thursday; went in about 3.30ish, quite a few people, but not too many you had to wait to look at the pics propply.

Going V+A next week. Hope they’ve updated the 20th Century display.

Best word in the world, I reckon.

You could be right there, me old China.

Well, the unemployed can go on a weekday…. 😉

The V&A is sublime. Make sure you look up on the way in, not just at the amazing glass sculpture, but also at the stunning clock above the central arch.

The Japanese room is a thing of wonder, well worth a moment.