Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas one and all. I'll be back in the New Year.

Discovery: Voki

The third edition in my Discovery series on A Slice of Photos.


Voki allows you to create customised avatars with the optional addition of a voice. You can put the avatar on, for example, you're personal website to welcome your visitors to your site or to explain something. Whatever takes your fancy.

They have recently released also, Voki Classroom. Online there are also Lesson plans and if you sign up, you can manage students and classes using Voki.

I've not used this myself yet but I have visited some fellow students' websites and been greeted by an avatar. Visit www.voki.com

asliceofphotos@mail.com

Discovery: Which?

This is the second feature of my Discovery series.

Which? is an magazine that "campaign to get a fairer deal for all consumers and publish expert, unbiased information to help you make the right choice, whatever you're buying." (directly from Which website)

I think it is a brilliant magazine and website. They reviews lots of interesting everyday items and have their own "Best Buys". You also occasionally see television adverts with brands such as Ariel featuring the Which? Best Buy award logo. They are a highly regarded consumer company and do wonders for the general public. It's always good to refer to Which? before buying, for example, an expensive appliance.

Go check out their website at www.which.co.uk today or subscribe to their factual and very useful monthly magazines for even more.

asliceofphotos@mail.com

Discovery: SlideShare

Aside from my usual photographic blog posts, I'm going to be posting with you over the next couple of weeks some of my web favourites.

The first one in the "Discovery" series is SlideShare.net. This is a simple but elegant and useful website for sharing, in particular, presentations.You can also share documents but I personally think you should use Slideshare for what it says on the tin "Present Yourself" through presentations.

There's this new idea of collaborating on documents and now you can with PowerPoint presentations, so I think a business/organisation/network (the list goes on) could really make a go with this and so could education. I've already looked into GCSE Geography presentations.

Have a go, sign up for free with Slideshare at www.slideshare.net

More soon

asliceofphotos@mail.com

Blackheath Fireworks 2011

My video of this year's Blackheath Fireworks, London - November 2011. I did take a few stills but were unfortunately too embarrassing to upload to the world wide web.

asliceofphotos@mail.com

Hipstamatic Tallis

In July, I took many pictures with an iPod Touch using the Hipstamatic app of Thomas Tallis School. As the school is moving, the school homepage has put a load of the images myself and other students took of the school. It was a surprise to see two of my images on the front page! (the fish & long shot to the left of the fish pic) See them for yourself here.

Rapha Super Cross

I went to visit the Rapha Super Cross Series 2011 today in Alexandra Palace, London. This was an amazing event with a challenging, hilly and difficult course & terrain in the Palace's Park. All ages could take part in the event, elite or not elite. The sound of Rouleur cowbells surrounded me for the whole of today!

As well as enjoying the event, I got some amazing shots which I wouldn't usually be able to achieve because of large sized crowds but today was much less busy than I expected - giving me the chance to shine.

Here's a selection of the best from today - I'll upload the majority onto Flickr at some point this week also.

More soon,

asliceofphotos@mail.com

Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs

1955 - 2011

An inspiring man

Foody Experiment Part 1

Over the last couple of days, I've felt the need to have a go at food photography and reading this blog post on Digital Photography School gave me a few steps in the right direction also. I'll be using those tips more in the next couple of days to try to improve.

Another part to this blog post to come soon!

Victoria Embankment Gardens

While I was taking part in the Mayor of London's Skyride, a brillant event well worth doing,  I took some flowery snaps of the Victoria Embankment Gardens (self explanatory the location hopefully!) and they look really colourful and exciting. Here's a couple and as usual, the rest are on Flickr.

Looking good eh?

Up close bike parts

After some encouragement, I experimented with taking really full the frame shots of my bike. I was really impressed with the picture of the cogs at the back of the bike pictured below.

Here's another couple of my favourites:

Hope you like, more from me soon.

Pixlr Photo editor

I don't think I've mentioned that I've recently been using Pixlr and Pixlr O-Matic to add great effects to my images. Pixlr O-Matic is brillant for beginners like me to add filters and various other effects to images from your computer or a webcam. I don't think the webcam is my cup of tea being honest!

One example where I've used the online software (more available on my Flickr photostream - check the tags) is this bird bath picture in my garden.

I suggest you start to use it if you're a beginner like me!

Blackheath Sunset

I promised myself I would go out and about, and I did. The evening sunset was just glorious over Blackheath because of the Heath being so open which means you are able to see a lot more of the sky than you would in another part of London or another city centre.

I had to have two attempts at capturing the best of the Sunset here in London, I've a sample of my first attempt on Flickr but I think if I post any of the others from that "collection", it may ruin my current small reputation in photography! The second attempt I'm much more proud of any is available here. Here's a selection of my best:

One I didn't expect to get in Greenwich Park

I think this was a worthwhile experience, I'm definitely going to try again possibly somewhere more exciting! Flowery pictures to come on this blog at some point this week if I get round to it, but uploading them to Flickr now if you want a sneeky peek.

Enjoy the rest of your evening.

asliceofphotos@mail.com

Blackheath

Earlier on in the week I spent the morning walking around Blackheath and taking pictures of whatever caught my eye. Below is a sample of my best, but you can see them all here on Flickr. I never noticed how much of Blackheath is pretty wonderful from a photographers perspective. Lots of animals, shapes, colours and more (including random things such as "Animal Rights below!)

Industrial Revolutions, amazing!

I was really impressed with this BMX bixing video I found earlier on in the week. It's got some wonderful camera angles good enough to be excellent photos. The composition of this is brillant. The music fits with it well.

There's nothing I can fault with this video. Can you? Well done Danny and the production team.

I've got a plan

At some point this week I'm going to go around my local area in South London and capture the best it has to offer. My most recent contact on Flickr amongst others have inspired me to illustrate the delights of South London. You'll be hearing from me this week about my trip out and more.

One other thing I wanted to share is a online photo editor called Pixlr O-Matic. It's really simple to use and creates great effects. I used it below to edit my "Be Nice or Leave" picture from my Garden in the Summer set on Flickr. I hope you like it. Click on it for it's full size beauty.

It has made a massive difference I can tell you!

Neglect & Garden Pics

Sorry for neglecting you, my lovely Slice of Photos readers. Been away and now I return with pictures from my humble garden as well as others on my Flickr account which I will share at some point.

I'm pleased with myself at the outcome of these images, especially the picture of the bee on the plant below. I've always wanted to capture something like that and now I have - brillant! No editing was needed... Click on the picture to enlarge it in all it's glory.

My others are slightly less impressive but still worth a shot. I've included a couple below but for the full range, please check out my Flickr photostream.

I think of this picture above as the interlocking ways of life.

Enjoy the rest of your evening.