Crystal's Room
Crystal's Room - 5.1mm at f/2, ISO 80, Shutter speed 1/250s
I found myself walking through Leicester Square early on Saturday evening. It wasn't exactly by choice, especially as it was really busy. Somehow I managed to catch a lull in the throng, so my own photography is calling me a liar, but that's OK. There was a free concert, a West End Live gig, on in the actual square which is to the left of this photograph. The fact that it was free might give you a clue as to my impressions of the talent. Before all of this I went to the Saatchi Gallery, again not exactly my first choice. I'd gone down to Sloane Square because I know there are a few other galleries on Kings Road that regularly exhibit really great photographer's work. Turned out they were quite dull from their description in the latest BLACK+WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY magazine, so I think next weekend may just be a double-header: Wimbledon on Saturday and a most excellent (honestly I'm not a fan of Bill and Ted) photography exhibit on Sunday.
A world away from the free live music was this young woman. Clearly setting her own agenda and while I'm not sure anyone can really claim to have a style that is uniquely their's in 2010, I'm still impressed by her lack of attention to what's in the fashion magazines that a lot of women seem to follow as if they simply couldn't dress themselves without them. That still fascinates me. That part of the human psyche that drives people to want to conform and feel accepted by wearing what everyone else has allowed themselves to be told to wear by fashion "experts".
Anyway, enough of that rant. I used to have my hair long and buzzed on a number 2 around the sides and back, but not quite this extreme.
I really do love this split tone I've applied to this photograph using Silver Efex Pro. It's at the bottom of this post, as usual for those who want to play around with Kodak FP4 Plus 125 film, or the split toner preset 3 that you see applied to this image. Just bear in mind that I've put it through a green filter, so you may want to neutralise that before you get started. Shot with my D-Lux 4, what else? For now anyway!
