I would like to think of myself as a reasonably well travelled person. However, there are a few occasions where I become very very British.  One of these occasions is my annual visit to the Royal Albert Hall to enjoy the Classical Spectacular. 



Twice a year the Royal Albert Hall is home to an amazing extravaganza of classical music, fireworks and flag waving along with oodles of pomp and ceremony.  The London Philharmonic Orchestra performs a collection of the the best classics,  all of which are easily recognisable and often you find yourself clapping long to the tunes or waving your flags. 



This year the show included some of the all time greats, such as:

BIZET Flower Song Carmen
MOZART Lacrimosa Requiem
RODRIGO Adagio Concierto de Aranjuez played by guitar sensation CRAIG OGDEN



TCHAIKOVSKY Sleeping Beauty Waltz
MASCAGNI Easter Hymn Cavalleria Rusticana
WAGNER Prelude to Lohengrin Act III



SUPPE Light Calvary Overture
HANDEL Zadok the Priest



VERDI Questa o quella
SOUSA Stars and Stripes Forever
VERDI Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves



HORNPIPE
NESSUN DORMA
RULE, BRITANNIA!



LAND OF HOPE AND GLORY
1812 OVERTURE





Below is a video clip from the "Last Night Of The BBC Proms".  Which is a very similar event held once a year.  This video clip  is a great way of seeing the Royal Albert Hall in all of it's splendour, and also a great way of capturing the atmosphere of the finale, which is always "Land Of Hope And Glory".  I confess to getting rather emotional and teary eyed when singing this in such an amazing location.  I am very very English, and some things simply reach deep inside and tug upon those patriotic heart strings of mine.



Those of you who know me, know that I only do things like this properly.  So I booked tickets for the best seats of the house.  Two seats in a box at the centre of the "Grand Tier".  When you sit in this location, you get to see the whole auditorium and capture the electric atmosphere and sound from every direction. 
It will come as no surprise to you that I did take my little faithful camera and captured a few pics from the evening.  They do not really capture the mood and the magic of the moment, but give a tiny little flavour of elegance, the colours and the lights and lasers.









I hope this has wetted your appetite.  The only thing left to do, is for you to jump over to the Royal Albert Hall website and check the "What's On" section, and book yourself some tickets to one of the amazing shows!


Until next time!!!

Graham x

Well, it has taken a bit of doing, but I am now well and truly on my way to getting my 40 things to do before I am 40.  I have to confess that they will not all probably get done by the time I reach the big FOUR ZERO but I won't be giving up on the list until they are done.  Here is a little taster of what I have been up to....

No.7  Watch a Shakespeare Play at the Globe Theatre, London



No.28 Enjoy a day at the races in style




No.29 Be a member of the audience at a TV show

No.40  Ride on a Steam Train

To see what I have accomplished so far, please click on this 40 Things Before I'm 40 link.

I have made a conscious decision to try and improve my urban/street photography.  I have a great passion for life in villages, towns and cities, and want to learn how to capture the true emotions of the people. the locations and the buildings.  I would dearly like to be able to take photographs that do not end up as "pretty" pictures but instead provide an image that tells a story.  I am now embarking on a journey to discover the techniques and approaches that will lead me to improve my work.

My first step is to undertake some research and find out what general information is available.  As a taster, these are the top 20 tips that I have so far able to find regarding street/urban photography. 



If you have any words of advice, please be more than welcome to leave a comment at the end of this article.

The photographs used in this article were all taken by myself, Graham Ettridge (apart from the first one, of course).  Once I have completed my research and self development within this field of photography, I will write another article to show how/if my photographic technique has changed.

I hope you find the following tips of use.

Thanks

Graham Ettridge.


1. Less is More – don’t take too much equipment and travel light. It’ll make you less obtrusive and you will be able to move around for the best shot quickly.

2. Off the Beaten Track – don’t just go to all the touristy shots – try to get ‘behind the scenes’ and ‘real life’ scenes.

3. Stolen Moments – anticipate moments between people before they happen.


4. True Colours – black and white is often where it’s at with street photography but at times colourful situations arise and can really make a shot – be on the look out for these.

5. In the Background – what’s going on behind your subject can actually ‘make’ the shot. Billboards, signs, graffiti and other visual elements can really make a statement in a shot.


6. Dare to Go Diagonal – don’t just hold your camera horizontally – experiment with angles. Street photography is a less formal medium – make the most of it.

7. Opposites Attract – shots which challenge the ‘norm’ in terms of composition and story/subject matter can be powerful. Look out for ‘surprising’ subject matter and composition.

8. What a Performance – street performers, parades and other street entertainment can be great subject matter on the street.

9. Off the Streets – other places where people gather in number can lead to great shots in this genre – zoos, fairs, shows, parks, sporting events etc all can be worth trying.

10.New Angle – find ways to get up high or down low – these new perspectives on subjects that are familiar can lead to eye catching shots.

11.Practise makes Perfect – over time and with practise your photography will improve. You’ll not only get better at technique but also spotting the things to focus upon on the street.

12.Fortune Favours the Brave – sometimes the best thing you can do is to get close to your subject – this can be a little confronting but will produce powerful images

13.Fun in the Sun – often we try to avoid shooting into the sun and the shadows that direct sunlight can produce – in street photography breaking these ‘rules’ can lead to great shots.

14.Ready to Pounce – have your camera out and ready to shoot at all times. Things can move quickly on the street so if you’re not ready you’ll miss lots of opportunities.

15. Revise the Revisit – street photography is not all about spontaneity – if you see a scene with potential don’t be afraid to keep coming back to it until you get the shot.

16.Frozen Motion – the street is a place of movement – to capture it and still get sharp shots make sure your shutter speed is fast enough. 1/125 or more with an ISO of 400 is what this article recommended as a base. I also think it can be fun to experiment with slower shutter speeds on the street – capture the movement as blur.



17.Street Wallpaper – blend in with the scene – shoot unobtrusively and unnoticed.

18.Life Through a Lens – ‘exaggerating perspective will help set your subject in context and provide a more forgiving depth of field’ – use a wide angle lens (or even a fisheye).

19.Expect the Expected – people can be suspicious of street photographers so shoot in places where people expect to see people doing photography. Smile, be polite and be willing to delete images if people protest.

20.Location, Location, Location – really this is what it is all about. Choose places where people interact with one another and times when they are present.