First of my photos from the Rhein Partie project have made their way to flickr
In a bid to re-conquer my digital life, its time to show the blog a little more affection and stretch my social networking muscles. First of all, the excuses. As previously discussed (on many an occation) blogging about why i’ve not been blogging is at best dull. However in this instance i’m going to use it to plug some photographs.
So life’s been busy! There’s been some mountain biking in the lake district, drunkenness back home, a very busy spell at the office (including more geeky photos of equipment), a road trip to Brussels, and a holiday in the Alps for some more Biking!
Exciting stuff, and more than enough justification for a little break from the interweb.
However, although the 3w’s have welcomed me back into their warm familiar arms, certain stern words have been had with an old acquaintance.
Twitter.
You see really, i spoilt it for myself being a nice guy. Swept up by those who’s main life project involved getting as many followers as possible i found myself suffering a little twitter guilt and firing out a few too many courtesy follows. Foolishly flattered that people might be interested in what I’ve to say, the courtesy follow filled my stream with a few too many whom i knew nothing of, and have far to much nothing to say. So after a cull of twittererers (what’s the word for someone who uses twitter?) i’m hoping ill find my twitter stream a much more inviting and informative way to channel my procrastination.
image by Matt Hamm
Dear beurocratic policy making morons at the O2,
I was privelidged to get to see the great Lee Evans at your venue this Monday evening. No no, i insist the privelidge was all mine. I bought the tickets after all. Unfortunately, and this is why i’m having to write to you, my experience didn’t completely live up to expectation.
On entry to the venue a member of your fun police *ahem* security staff insisted that my camera was not permitted in the venue and as such i would have to check said camera in. A second member of your fun police confiscated my camera and telephoto lens and gave me two cloakroom tickets.
Working in production i completely understand that certain artists will make demands that must be met. The tannoy announcement made it very clear that Mr Evans was not a fan of flash photography. As such i would have been more than accomodating in leaving my camera behind if you had at any point made it clear that this would not be acceptable. However there was nothing on the website, no dissclaimer as i purchased the tickets and nothing that could be read with the naked eye was printed on the tickets. (Tickets have since been taken to a laborotry and analysed with an anatomic microsocpe. No unauthorised photography can just about be made out). Still your agent in the fun police didn’t ask if i had authorisation for my camera, he just marched me over to the point where i was expected to leave it with some incompetent monkey with a book of cloakroom tickets.
Additionally your obvious double standards have only fueled my distain. Leanne (who accompanied me to the show) and what seemed to be 30,000 other people were allowed in with their compact cameras and mobile phones. No attempt was made either to stop the guy in the raked seating that insisted – against the reccomendations of the tannoy announcement – to take a number of photos. Flash and all. As such i feel like i have been victimised, singled out if you will, for taking a interest in decent photography.
I am both saddened and dissapointed. I think you should go stand in the corner and think about what you have done.