St Pancras Hotel & British Library

On June 6th, the day of the London Salon of Photography Exhibition opening, Sue McGilveray and I headed into London to do a bit of photography before the event.  While walking past the St Pancras Hotel, a very kind security guard invited us in to take some pictures of the interior.  Brilliant!  After about 30 minutes, however, a different security guard asked me to leave as I was taking too many pictures.  Not quite so brilliant.

I should confess that I have a bit of a "thing" about high Victorian gothic architecture, and I've always wanted to get inside George Gilbert Scott's amazing edifice.  I wasn't disappointed - other than being restricted to the ground floor.

Having been evicted from the hotel, Sue and I walked round the corner to have a look at the British Library.  Quite a place, but sadly we didn't have very long there.

Wimpole Home Farm

I'm very behind on processing images at the moment, but here are a few from the end of May.  Izzi (now 20) came home for the weekend, so we decided to revisit one of her favourite haunts from when she was a child: Wimpole Home Farm, which is run by the National Trust.  Not much seems to have changed since we last went there around 10 years ago, but it was still great fun.

First the pigs, and some of the (incredibly endearing) piglets.

The calves were fairly endearing too.

Next some ponies, donkeys and a horse which was being groomed.

The was also a "sheep-shearing and hoof-trimming" demonstration going on in the barn.  Excitement for all the family!

Outside there were sheep and goats aplenty...

...and finally a wagtail, which decided to get in on the action!

Anatomy of a Disaster

Let's face it: we all enjoy a good healthy dose of schadenfreude.  So, while photographing the goings-on at a water jump, there was a small part of me hoping that someone would come a cropper.  Well - they did!

What's interesting is that, because the whole sequence was captured using the motor drive, it's possible to look in detail as to how the situation unfolded.  It's clear from the first picture that neither of the rider's feet are in the stirrups, so what happened next was rather inevitable.  I think the facial expression says it all...

Apart from a slightly dampened spirit and a small loss of pride, you'll be pleased to hear that no harm was done to either horse or rider.

Horses (and other animals)

A few more pictures taken during the Cambridge Camera Club outing to Little Downham for the Horse Trials.  This time I've concentrated on the paddock area where the horses were being exercised before their turn in the competition.

The animals were quite stunning, and beautifully presented too.  Number 260 was being made ready for her turn in the show jumping ring...

...and number 249 was warming up for the cross-country.

As regular readers of this blog will know, I'm a complete sucker where dogs are concerned.  This beauty (a cross between a labrador and a spaniel) spent her time watching one of the water jumps - and, being part labrador, wishing that she could take a dip!

I haven't posted any Homo photographicus for a while, so the following pictures are long overdue.  First off is Chris, with his rather fetching hat and designer stubble.

Next up comes Paul, who has obviously spent time modelling for Auguste Rodin's The Photographer.

Then Phil, who has managed to perfect the "rabbit caught in the headlights" look.

Finally Ann, who is sporting a striped lens with matching jumper.