Firemonkeyphoto

Time to buy shares in hardshell protective cases!0
neil posted in Travel, Neil on August 29th, 2006

The airport is currently a traumatic experience for any photojournalists travelling through, to or from the UK. The current hand luggage maxima are not designed for the traveller who owns laptop AND SLR equipment and would rather lose a pint of blood than check them in.
The current restrictions are being rigidly enforced in triplicate by people who don’t really give a damn about how delicate/expensive/irreplaceable your items are. You can’t blag it, I saw many people try today and all fail. The restrictions are enforced not only at check-in (as before) but before security, in security and possibly at the gate. Each time you must fully fit your kit into a wooden box before you can pass.

The good news is that a lowepro micro trekker 200 WILL go into the new restrictions provided the front compartment is empty. No room for a laptop though, and you can’t carry it seperately.
My Crumpler “the shrinkle” bag has been on two flights crammed to the brim with SLR kit and has travelled well, but I’d still prefer to have stuff in a crush proof case.

My advice: plan in advance, you CANNOT fudge/blag/trick your bag onto the plane. You have been warned.

Apparently not eaten by bears1
neil posted in Photos, Travel, Kate & Dave on August 28th, 2006

Where is Gomel??1
neil posted in Photos, Travel, Neil on August 26th, 2006

Back in Scotland, tanned and exhausted.

Italy was interesting. Definitely not a relaxing holiday.

Italians seem a bit aloof and rude at first (as they shove in front of you in a queue, deny your reservation or charge you “cover” at a meal) but the majority we properly talked to were funny, friendly, honourable and helpful. A key to this country is to take it easy. Expect to be jostled for no reason when boarding a train, get used to the fact that everyone is going to try to push past you, even if it means they are shoving you at an oncoming fire engine. Do not expect to use your credit card for everything, especially in budget hotels. In August, skip touring from 1pm til 3pm to avoid the incredible midday heat. Better still, skip August as its the Italian holiday month. Going back, I’d suggest getting a scooter in Siena or Florence at least for the days experience. The Italian driving style matched with the nippy scooter is fun to watch, somewhat like the Star Wars trench run.

The complete Italy gallery is here.

Martin and Marie0
neil posted in Travel on August 24th, 2006

My high school friend Martin got married before my trip to Italy. Congratulations guys! Enjoy Sri Lanka, if you want to put pics on the internets, just let me know!

My shots of their wedding can be seen (uncaptioned so far) here.

Firenze1
neil posted in Photos, Travel, Neil on August 24th, 2006

A random grab bag of Florence photos:

A lone boat fishes in the Amo river at night

Smoking (very popular here) and chatting at sunset

Daniele Frizzi preparing pizzas at the excellent “Le Antiche Carrozze” trattoria

One of many unofficial (and probably illegal) markets that dot Florence selling cheap knock-off D&G, Gucchi and other designer merchandise. The crowd is gathered around a street artist who at least produces original work. When the police appear, the stall holders roll their merchandise up into the sheet it sits on and move off.

Machinna professionale?0
neil posted in Travel, Neil on August 24th, 2006

Met some very cool people over the last few days, I’ll post the pictures I took soon.
So, today was the day of the paper. As far as I can tell, it all went smoothly. This smoothness was not aided by the fact that I was being filmed (!) and that two policemen were stood outside the room for my session. No other marine energy session this week has been filmed. For some reason, this session containing 5 papers besides my own was filmed by two large professional cameras and I was miked up to present my paper with a giant (but suprisingly forgettable) light pointed at my head. This was actually less bizarre than being asked for my pass earlier this week. What right minded individual would fly to Italy to gate crash a technical marine energy seminar?? The only reason I can think of is insomnia.

We just had to deal with the faff of moving hotels mid-week as our original hotel initially refused to take a credit card for our stay. Our new place is much superior, it has breakfast, wireless internet, air conditioning and everything is motorized. It also lacks the man munching bug that has been making me itch constantly throughout the conference.

Now.. if only someone can explain the constant presence of six policemen outside our conference venue?

A brief update2
Kate posted in Travel, Kate & Dave on August 23rd, 2006

Just a little note from us to say yes we are alive and well.  And that if you have any pennies at all save them all and go kayaking off Vancouver Island.  It was so good I didnt want to leave the boat…and this is me and water people!  We are heading off to go hiking tomorrow at the uncivilised hour of 6.30am so this is just a short hello.  We promise a much more detailed account of our 10 days on the island along with lots of amazing pics very soon.  We met Niki (for those of you it matters to) and she still rocks!!  Love ya all.  Kate

Back in Anglophonia!0
neil posted in Travel, Neil on August 21st, 2006

Our week of travelling has come to a halt in Firenze (Florence) where the conference holds me prisoner for the next
five days. I just hope I can sneak some shooting in during the slower sessions.

Today the conference began in the wonderful Pallazio Congressi. Its main auditorium is massive and a wonderful place to hold large meetings. Particularly as you can sneak in and out without being conspicuous. A flaw however was the espresso sized cups with ordinary strength coffee. Especially as today was policy, where the big hitters take their swings and retreat back into the ministerial-travel-ether. Notably today was a renewable energy presentation by the Energy Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Apparently they have hydro, solar electricity and water and wind. Not to any huge extent (as far as I could tell) but they did have demonstrator projects. The presentation was very much a “this is what we have done” job, and did’nt address the future ambitions for the technology. Alas no questions were being asked during the entire session. The conference had its ups and downs, the main downs being the inability of senior figures to produce a power point presentation of more than one slide (I need graphs, don’t just read numbers). The biggest up was “a letter from Grandpa Architect to an aspiring Grandchild” which had wonderful photographs and wrapped up a long day.

Florence last night produced a beautiful sunset, pictures soonish.

Palio part 2 Mk II1
neil posted in Travel, Neil on August 17th, 2006

The Palio?

Oh! Ka, Wow…

This spectacular and brutal race is one of those events
you simply could’nt concieve in this day and age. It simply
would’nt fit, it is too long in buildup, too short in race time,
too unsafe and far too unreliable.

The day starts in Il Campo, the town square (which is actually shaped like a sea-shell)
with a mass and blessing. It is one of the eerie hushes of the day. The instant it ends,
the refuse trucks start up and the chatter resumes. A dull practice “run” takes place where
the main aim is to run the distance without getting your horse knackered or injured. The horses
stop opposite their supporters on the track to get an instant bodygaurd.

The next step is to withdraw the Palio,a tall silk banner, from the Duomo (the Cathedral). This
is done in some ceremony to the beating of a drum. The men of each Contrade, not just the ten in the race, begin to put on tights and medieval garb. We watched the “Oca” contrade, who were racing, prepare. A huge horse is fitted
out in a dangerously narrow and suprisingly busy alleyway, meanwhile its rider drinks espresso
and smokes a cigar in tights, broadsword and tunic, laughing at the vain struggle to fit it with its bridle.

The race horse next appears as it is taken to be blessed in the contrade church. With the intense crowds at this point
and one incredibly flighty horse, this is’nt an easy task. The contrade men hold the crowd back whispering “no clapping! No flash!” and the crowd falls quiet to hear the blessing “Go, little horse, and return a winner”. In case you wonder, little horse is completely accurate.

These beasts are the formula one cars of the horse world, high revving, highly strung, all muscle and absolutely lacking
in bulk. The men of the contrade then form up in medieval dress, including a knight in full plate armour (in temperatures hitting 30C) and led by two men twirling flags.

Each contrade then marches to a piazza, crammed with people waving cameras or just watching the first of many flag tosses of the day. The mass of people in the narrow streets was extraordinary. We were forced to retire to Il Campo to wait for the return of the parade and the race itself. FOOLS!!!! If you are in town for the Palio, unless you get a railside pitch (at about 11am for a 7pm race) in the sqaure or spend E150-300 for a reserved seat in the stands, do NOT go in. It is simply horrid. You sit in baking sunlight, where there is no shade (although water is available for a price). Once you have been nicely toasted a cavalry squadron (two if the heatstroke has got you) makes a trip around the Campo track, finishing with a headlong charge, swords drawn, out of the square. This is wonderful, however then the tedium begins. The contrade and men of the ancient Sienese republic parade into the square in battle dress on huge horses.
Of which you can see the crest of the knights helmets (one backwards as his wayward horse reverses around the parade) above the press of people. The seventeen contrade then file in on the track. The first contrade’s display is impressive, especially the huge arcing flag tosses. However the next sixteen slow repetitions of the same thing destroys any enjoyment. The only good point is the entrance of the Palio on a cart pulled by four huge oxen. Now the race is ready to begin.

The entire crowd falls silent except for the insistent “Shhhhh!!!!” The ten running horses are then produced from the town hall’s special door. Each of the jockeys guide their horse to the cheering roaring members of their contrade. The horse then tries to deposit the rider in the crowd or stands. Once psyched up in this manner, the horses orbit behind the start finish line as lots are drawn for the starting lineup. This is the only public announcement there is during the race. One by one the horses are summoned to the start rope. After the first few horses, the gap at the rope becomes tiny (the track is only nine horses wide), and the waiting horses are crazed with fear and adrenaline. The crowd cheers and boos the horses (no more “Shhhh!”) while the jockeys try to stay on and keep the starting lineup. The analogy is trying to balance nine pins on their heads, then place a last pin (the final horse) across the top without them falling over. It takes a similar amount of time. Not helped by the Italians in the square yelling “Die!! die!” at the rearmost horse, who starts the race. After many attempts, the order is briefly preserved and the last horse charges the others from behind. The race is on!

A huge bang shakes the square as the start is declared void. The anxiously waiting crowd bays and roars as the horses must try to line up again. This time the horses are completely nuts. The Drago horse (I think) folds up over the start rope and flings its rider to the ground. All the other horses bolt and run about tossing riders off. The riders and horses are eventually restored (despite a possible broken arm) and line up once more. Suddenly they are off again, there is no bang and the horses scream round the square, Selva (forest) taking an early lead. Somewhere the Selva horse and another squeeze a rider from his horse and he is trampled. Once line astern, the race is over with Selva dashing across the line first.

The Palio is not presented. Instead it is placed on a second floor balcony and the winning contrade must build a human tower to climb for it, otherwise it will be torn to sheds by their rivals. While this is happening, the square descends into madness and despair. Next to us SOMETHING happens, no idea what, and Italians are running away or taking photographs. The crowd presses about randomly and we leave quickly for the Duomo.

The winning contrade march to the Duomo to give their thanks. The members not at the race are their already, crying and hugging. They all but break down the main door (sensibly left open) and flood into the magnificent church waiving flags and hoisting the Palio. Here the jockey bursts into tears and prayer at the altar amid a sweating crush of contrade members. The contrade then drums about the city all night and the next morning.

We slink off for food and the sleep of the incredibly tired.

And that’s the Palio.

Palio part 2!!0
neil posted in Uncategorized on August 17th, 2006

Anticlimax this time, just a post to say a handful of pictures of the Palio day are here and that we survived. The “Selva” Contrade won in case you can’t tell. Will post more when I am not keeping Alicia waiting.

Off to Lucca.