FUJI

Because my good lady isn’t as well as she used to be, I have had to rekindle my love of cooking, I used to teach it to my students years ago. Recently I treated myself to a small air-fryer oven, not the single drawer type, but a real mini fan oven, with a drop down door and rotisserie , it works beautifully and saves us money on gas bills. This is an 8inch square Bread and Butter Pudding, ideal for four good helpings , all done from scratch in less than an hour , 25 minutes baking time… A step or three away from my usual black and white, Street Candids. Shot with my iPhone 13 Pro…. FJJI

Because of my advanced age, I sleep downstairs now, just recently I have been woken in the early hours by , Nala , our. Rescue Bengal Cat , landing on my chest. Within a very few minutes she is giving my stroking hand, friendly feline head butts ; then she rolls right over for a belly rub, with a soft, silly look on her face. Many cats would shred your hand if you even tried to touch their tummy, but Nala revels in it purring loudly all the time. A sign of true affection and total trust between her and myself . The trouble is,ms he keeps unsociable hours, these pics were taken at 3:30 am. She does the same during the day, with my wife…. We have quite a unique moggy. Fuji

Cheers! Dee, Good to learn that you are still ticking regardless too. FUJI

Thanks Polly, I have lost over 3 stones in two years , the first two deliberately, after walking for 2 miles every morning, plus going on. Mediterranean diet , but the rest have dropped off since last June. The twinkle in my eye? My cafe proprietor friend, can make me blush at any time, she loves amusing my friends whilst embarrassing me……Great Fun ! She and her hubby make the best Italian Coffee. FUJI

Thanks Polly and all, I’m here doing my usual, early hours look at my iPad, I sleep extremely well , but in thre to five hour blocks , any time of day ;-)) You couldn't put the pic of me up for POTW Polly , it wasn’t taken by me, but thanks for the kind thought. FUJI

Hi, folks, I have explained to Clicker that I have had a very rough ride health wise during the past six months. My photography has taken a hit after four hospitalisations , seeing me diagnosed with heart failure; relying on a pacemaker, strong medications., plus a new mobility scooter…….. such is life ! But I remain as positive as ever, below you see me in my favourite Italian cafe , with its lovely proprietor, next to one of my favourite Candid Street Photographs of the year. My take on a. VERMEER. perhaps ? I wish every one a Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year. FUJI

Hi…..Thank you so much. Ive bitten the bullet this week , and ordered a mobility scooter. Something Inhave been dreading for years. All, of my energy has just drained away….it hasn’t stopped me shooting photographs though.. FUJI

Thank you Rye, praise indeed, much appreciated. So much water has gone under the bridge, since that amazing TIPF Day Out, I still treasure the pics we shot that day. I thank God, that I’m still able to go for my daily shoot, with the occassional, proper Street Shoot, in Leamington, Coventry or Stratford, my great photographer pal Brent , is my willing driver and carer for the day; we always end up with a great lunch. He has adopted my old GX8 , my GX9 is used with my large vintage lens collection, with my lovely X 100V being my go-to camera now. FUJI

Cheers1 Dee. Great to learn that you are still ticking…… I am with the aid incredible technology and meds…. Still, out most days with a camera….. FUJI

Thank you Mark……. Exactly ! FUJI

We live in an 1875 house with typical dark corners, one of those places is the foot of the stairs, where I sit, to tie my shoelaces. ‘Yesterday , on the very first day of winter, I was doing exactly that, in preparation for my usual walk; suddenly this full spectrum of light appeared on the quarry tiles, so I fetched a sheet of white paper , giving me just enough time to capture those amazingly pure colours. Where had they come from? The pair of middle doors both have genuine Victorian, cut-lead-crystal faceted door knobs , which I rescued from a grand rectory during the early 1960s. I was part of the joinery team doing a complete restoration. Two of us were allowed to share two sets each, after the new owners decided on matching porcelain sets for the whole house. The kitchen door-knob, had projected a single shaft of bright morning sun through one of its many corners, producing this full spectrum of pure colours ; it lasted just a few seconds. FUJI

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Hi, I thank you for your kind words and observations. That is so good to learn, the more you practice the more skillful you will become. The golden rules are. Try to become invisible, leave camera and lens bags behind, likewise tripod or monopod, travel light. Shooting from the hip is the term, for not using viewfinder or rear screen, yes; you will get many crooked , or unusual angles, but, as you say, they can add dynamism and drama. The late great Gary Winogrand made them, his trademark…..I use many of his , techniques during my outings. He became an expert, in looking as though he was simply testing his camera settings, whilst pressing the shutter…. I am also a huge fan of the enigmatic Vivian Maier ….

People often wonder how I can get so very close to my unsuspecting subjects, during my searches for , my mono Candids; shots which are unposed, completely, natural and spontaneous . Here , then is the answer, my newish camera, is small, I’m not striking a, photographers pose. I shoot blind, without using the viewfinder or the back screen. Yes! I miss quite a few, but the occasional number are real winners . My subjects don’t need to be behind a cafe window, but I am pleased this lady was, because I am featured in mid-shot….. fascinating stuff ? FUJI

Thank you all. My approach to Street Photography has changed greatly, the same goes for , post processing. I am much sneakier now, an oldie like me can be invisible in Crowd. My Fujifilm X 100 V , appears innocuous compared to many other cameras. No more shooting in color then using CS6, Topaz and Silver Effex for me….I have a vintage film/Leica simulation set in menus…good looking shots appear, as long as I get the three main manual settings right for the weather and light. ‘My challenge is to get as close to my subjects as I can, unnoticed, using the same methods as the late great Gary Winogrand . FUJI

An assisted trip, to another town yesterday, made a great day out for this now , very old Togger .. FUJI

Many thanks, for your observations and kind words, I shoot mainly in black and white for my, Street, projects now. The camera has lots of amazing pre-sets of film simulation , so no post processing required except for cropping and straightening if required. I have to take things very slowly now; so no rushing about, or stress.. FUJI

Hi, folks, I have recently bounced back, from an extremely scary period of my life; since my pace maker was fitted back in early June, I have been forced to call out emergency ambulances three times , with stays in hospital, with chest pains , shortness of breath and collapsing…. To cut a long story short, I have advanced age heart failure, incurable but treatable they say. So CT scans, chest x-rays , echo cardiograms , much prodding and incredible changes of medication ; I am able to walk into town again with my camera. Naturally I have strict order to take things slowly; so no shopping, I have it all delivered weekly now. This means I can concentrate on my new Street project of totally unposed candies of many of the people who happen to cross my path. My aim is to be as invisible, and unnoticed as possible to get really close to my subject. A very real challenge , I use various techniques including that used by Garry Winogrand, who pretended to be adjusting his camera, whilst shooting from the hip or shoulder. Here are a selection of my best, to date; all will eventually be self published like my other projects. My Fujifilm X 100 V is a truly remarkable camera and lens, it is often mistaken for a vintage film camera; I am stopped in the street quite often , by once users of of film cameras in the past.. I’m sorry I’ve been absent for so long, but it is what happens as age takes a grip. very best regards FUJI

It is just over a year now since we adopted Nala, who had spent most of her tiny life in a vets being treated for unexplained lacerations on her tiny tummy. Then, on being prepared for spaying ready for rehoming, cysts we’re discovered on her ovaries… that meant another few weeks in the vets hospital, and then in a foster home. She is a Bengal cross , so can be extremely lively as she proved to us by knocking things of high surfaces , during her first few weeks. Since then she has slowly but surely turned into a most amusing, loving, affectionate indoor cat; she loves her toys, craves affection , and returns it in bucketfuls , thes three pics show just what I mean. FUJI….Health report. ‘Three weeks ago, I had another set-back , after experiencing chest pains in the early hours, a 999 call saw paramedics treating my for over an hour, then admission from A&E to a cardiac ward. Thankfully, after, tests, a scan, X-rays , blood tests and much prodding , heart problems post pacemaker were dismissed. But I was kept on oxygen for the whole of my stay of four days. It has since been discovered that I have been suffering a severe internal infection , which affected the whole of my immune system… a course of anti-biotic cured this, slowly my oxygen levels, BP and heart rate , are normalising; a further check by my doctor is due tomorrow… Have no fear though, I am back on my feet, doing my usual Street Photography, Art projects and woodwork, besides meeting friend over coffee on a daily basis… I’m just an ancient old fogey , who refuses to give up……. Nala has been a huge part in my recovery . Best regards to all FUJI

I couldn’t resist recording this little spaceman re-docking with his …Mother-Ship. FUJI

I know that look so very, very well, plus a double meow of annoyance. Cats are amazing…. FUJI

WOW! ……. A huge thank you for all if this wonderful feedback…. Nala’s is still,a feisty very young adult , the introduction to her harness is a very slow one… I would rather be safe than sorry, we too live on a very busy main road, our old, and most of our neighbour’s cats have had expensive brushes with traffic, and, once, with a lead-less racing greyhound .. Nala spent the whole of her kitten-hood in a rescue vets hospital, with serious cruel, septic, lacerations of her abdomen, then on being prepared for spaying later they discovered cysts on her ovaries, meaning even more surgery… we rescued her from a foster carer. They , and we have been totally amazed at her transformation , from a terrified bundle into the confident , funny, strong feline she is today. Thank you again. FUJI

The open-air seating at our local cafe’s are proving to be very popular this summer. The a decisive Moment ! FUJI

Our rescue cat , Nala, has been with us for almost a year now , as you can see, she is beautiful, gentle, funny, and somewhat eccentric. She loves to hide in plain sight, her natural camouflage is incredible…. She still has bouts of the , Zoomies, but doesn’t climb as high, and she doesn’t break thing from high sideboard displays as when she first arrived. Here she has totally surprised my by literally flying on to my chair back, like a greased rocket..then sitting behind my head staring with those an]maxing yellow eyes of hers. her climbing tree is a great favourite too, as is hiding, or observing from the top of the stairs. On meeting her first thing, or on me returning from outside, she automatically rolls right over, then stretches to her full length for a vigourus tummy rub… loves being brushe but not being picked up or cuddled… she prefers to choose herself if she wants attention, by bunting us white her hard pretty head. She never demands food… makes a sachet of wet food last a morning…then helps herself from a bowl of best quality kibbles and her water fountain… We don’t let her outside, so she is a true house cat…. I have an escape -proof harness and lead, so one day I can take her into our tiny back garden…but not yet because it is like attempting to dress an clawed octopus just yet. After her truly horrible start to life as a seriously abused kitten, she is , happy, thriving, funny,,eccentric, lovable and cheeky … FUJI

Thank you Andy….much appreciated….a little like Ena Sharples. Isn’t she?