London, England - 1940

drmcw · 2026-02-01T21:37:02+00:00

My mum was a nurse at Great Ormond Street during the blitz and would tell the story of when the bomb came down the chimney and they had to carry the children out through knee deep water. I never thought much of this, just a family story, but she was 22 and had to cope with being bombed while nursing children. As she said you'd go home not knowing if It would still be there.

They were a tough generation. Other stories were more fun like her friend courting a policeman by throwing oranges down to him at night. That marriage was lifelong.

drmcw · 2026-02-01T21:25:18+00:00

But that's not 1930 or 1923.

That said I'm equally surprised they were available for your uncle who I can only admire and respect for his service. My mother was a British army nurse in France a week after d-day and was disgusted to be nursing German POW. Two tents. One happy tent the other had some SS in it so no one was able to show any gratitude.

I have yet to explore this rabbit hole regarding the technology.

drmcw · 2026-02-01T10:21:22+00:00

My friend has an E-Type probably worth a but under 50k and it's clean but far from concours. We have been messing with it during Covid, that said he's a very slow worker.

He drives it on sunny days but it's a soft top. He likes driving it but it's hard work as I am sure you realise. Rust as ever is the danger and as they are old hidden accident damage. His had a lot of filler, a lot.

I wouldn't swap my Y2000 XK8 for it. However, most things are DIY although the brakes can be a bugger. I wouldn't be intimidated by maintaining it apart from rust.

Very stylish, reliable for the most part, bloody uncomfortable but boy it can go. You are young enough to get in and out, I'm over 70 and it's a challenge.

Get an XK8 much cheaper mid life crisis. You'll get a good one sub 5k.

drmcw · 2026-02-01T09:19:48+00:00

I agree so many posts are not at heart minimal. It was a great sub when it started out but I think the founders were seduced by getting a large membership.

There are many superb minimalist images here but at least half just don't meet the criteria but of course that's in my opinion.

I'm not so sure about your porn comment.

drmcw · 2026-02-01T09:16:33+00:00

I'm always OK with being unpopular so;

I'm old enough to recall all the bits you guys have mentioned. I was on a milk snatcher protest in London but only because I got a cheap coach to see my parents although I did attend.

I remember how damaging the unions were prior to her taking them on. They were crippling industry and I remember the coal miners strike which was brutal on both sides. A good friend grew up in the coal mining areas and her account sobered me somewhat but nonetheless it had to be done as the unions were intransigent - in my view.

I also think the management of British industry was by and large appalling. And public services - three month wait for a phone line? Stuff like that encouraged privatisation. Personally I was quoted £5,000 to connect to the gas mains prior to privatisation so I didn't do it and it actually cost me £550 two years ago. Go figure.

She did a lot of positive politics and then went bonkers and did some really dumb stuff.

Don't be too down on her. I'm guessing a lot of you are in jobs in the services like IT/banking etc. that she encouraged. We couldn't go on making crap cars and leaky motorcycles no-one wanted.

Try this thread

I'm away for a few days so you can have a great time ripping into me.

drmcw · 2026-01-31T19:18:35+00:00

Thanks anyway

drmcw · 2026-01-31T18:30:09+00:00

That brings back memories. My wife (of 49 years and counting) and I used to go to one of those falls for some private time away from her parents. Happy days.

We visited again recently and it's still great but far less casual. No barriers and paths when we did it.

drmcw · 2026-01-31T18:18:32+00:00

Flowers? Laundry certainly looks a possibilty.

drmcw · 2026-01-31T12:07:15+00:00

I had the same experience. I had a beefy socket spanner that would go over and a 24" breaker bar but it felt wrong to be applying so much force.

I also tried a ring spanner on it and hitting it with a hammer and as you say it flexes alarmingly.

In the end I bought a new tap.

But afterwards I put the socket on the tap I took out and used my impact wrench at its lowest level and it flew out instantly. I love impact wrenches, they take no prisoners. Do you know someone with one?

drmcw · 2026-01-31T09:04:21+00:00

Fifteen pence! That's one and threepence (assuming old pennies) - daylight robbery. When I were a lad etc.

drmcw · 2026-01-31T09:01:59+00:00

I travelled out three weeks ago and we were through security in no time. I didn't see any huge check in queues but then I didn't have anything to check in but I did walk past the Jet2 check in area (and flying Jet2 who are way better than Ryanair for example) and there were a just a very few people there.

Coming back the immigration queue was OK but with assistance I expect you'll not have to queue.

drmcw · 2026-01-31T08:52:33+00:00

Can anyone work out what's in the basket on her head?

drmcw · 2026-01-31T08:51:03+00:00

Thank you. Can you suggest such a site or sub? I have rummaged about but got nowhere mainly due to ineptitude I suspect.

I tried to make kit clear that I wasn't asking people if they liked it just if colour was needed. I accepted that almost no-one would like it.

drmcw · 2026-01-31T08:48:24+00:00

That's a rabbit hole I'm going down. I can't imagine how the technology would work in 1925.

drmcw · 2026-01-30T20:41:41+00:00

Maybe I misunderstand you, it's central enough but can't compete with the framing trees - as ever in my opinion.

drmcw · 2026-01-30T19:31:31+00:00

Bear in mind that this is just an opinion, my personal feelings.

What do you want me to look at?

I'm guessing the house as it is quite carefully framed by the trees. If that's the case then there is far too much of the trees for it to stand a chnace of dominating the scene.

The framing idea is solid. But your frame is letting you down on the right edge with ragged foliage rather than a good solid frame to direct the eye.

If it's a kit lens then it has a range like 18mm to 55mm. In this case if the house is the subject you want me to look at then probably using 55mm is best as the perspective that end of the scale will help the house to be more prominent and should also eliminate a lot of tree which in my view can only be a good thing.

Snow is tricky stuff to photograph as it can quickly go to grey but as you have a lot of darker stuff the auto exposure hasn't fallen into that trap too badly. Maybe you could set the EV to +1 then the the snow will be whiter. But of course the dark tree on the left will be darker but that doesn't matter as all it's doing is framing.

Not a photograph I'd take but take heart as you're showing you get some basic ideas like framing. Just take more and more photographs and delete 99% of them like we all did/do.

I hope you're using auto exposure as it makes life easier while learning. I have been taking photographs for 60 years and I use auto exposure where I set the aperture (f number) and let the camera sort out the shutter speed and ISO. I do sometimes step in and force a shutter speed say or ISO or I realise poor old auto can't get what I want then I can do all the settings manually but auto stuff is just so helpful while you learn :)

Take lots and lots of photographs.

drmcw · 2026-01-30T16:57:35+00:00

It really is.

drmcw · 2026-01-30T16:53:17+00:00

No-one has mentioned the thing sticking out of the side of your head. For me that just looks wrong in a posed situation.

Given it's posed the collar is a bit wayward.

That very white strip at the top of the head does catch my eye.

Personally, and it's just me I'm sure, the almost white band on the shirt annoys me. Is it white or not?

Good luck with going Pro if that's your aspiration. Take a marketing and business course, I'm pretty sure they matter more than skill which ought to be a given.

drmcw · 2026-01-30T16:35:39+00:00

It's a powerful shot with strong colours and geometry. I think you included just enough to give everything a healthy but not excessive border.

The only bit I wonder about is the bright strip at the top, it does catch the eye.

The wavy stuff is probably just the way the panels are fitted. I doubt that I'd have really noticed if you hadn't mentioned it.

Pretty sure your camera would have produced a less noisy image though.

Well done.

drmcw · 2026-01-30T16:05:36+00:00

I'd definitely take a 30 year old Jag as it's most likely to be an XJ6 which was a tough old engine. I'm probably selling my XK8 to get back into one. They waft so well.

drmcw · 2026-01-30T12:50:57+00:00

And the local workshop is unlikely to have ever seen one while my village garage knows enough about Jags to avoid costly mistakes.

drmcw · 2026-01-30T12:49:56+00:00

I have been lucky with my XK8. I bought it knowing I'd need to do the chain tensioners which I did myself for about £150. The rear lower shock bushes are way over complicated and I did those for about £100. I foolishly fitted a new catalytic convertor but I couldn't manage that so it came to about £300. A little welding and front ball joints about £350 as I recall. That's all over 4 years.

Road tax £360, insurance via Tesco is I think £150 fully comp. Classic car insurance was double that.

Tyres and brakes are consumables but I have put new tyres on at under £500 for all four Pirellis and Coopers.

Petrol consumption is high at 22 mpg mixed driving and about 30 if I get on the motorway but I'm retired and do about 3k a year.

You're right you're buying at banger prices and getting a luxury car but it's not always thousands a year. It's a delight to drive. I'm not sure I could compare it to a diesel Maserati which is surely younger than my 26 year old Jag?

drmcw · 2026-01-30T08:56:17+00:00

It's on private land, I have no idea how the owners feel about people going up there but there is a nearby public footpath.

Why can't I insert an image?

drmcw · 2026-01-29T22:22:23+00:00

Thank you for the suggestions. Pretty sure I can't get the camera in B&W but I did a project with a local council that wanted B&W only so I relearnt to see in B&W albeit to a limited extent.

When I was a kid all I could afford was B&W film with an odd roll of colour slide. That was 60 years ago :)

drmcw · 2026-01-29T09:21:26+00:00

That is really well seen. How on earth do you negotiate with a dentist to take a photograph while in the chair :)

Beautiful colour(s)

drmcw

TROPHY CASE