OK, it's no good, I can't sit here with a photo blog with no photos on it.

The following aren't course related, but they are a few shots I like... you can see full size versions if you click on the photo.

  
This is Trafalgar Square in London, it was taken from a moving black cab on a mobile phone!  I'm so pleased with how it came out, the phone featured a sepia mode and this was the effect.  Just goes to show that you can create great images even with the weakest camera.

I love the big cats and while this isn't the best picture from a technical perspective (focus is a little off and I've cut off the lion's chin), I still love how real the sleepy lion looks. It was taken at Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia where all their big cats are kept in enclosures behind heavy perspex (or some similar material) so you can get up close and personal!

Here's one last shot for the moment, just to share a completely different style of photo.  Both the lion picture and this next one were taken with a Nikon D50 digital SLR camera. 

This is another from Sydney.  It was taken during an afternoon's yachting in the Harbour.  I have the classic Harbour Bridge and Opera House shots of course, but I like the sharp image and balance of this picture.  Sometimes it's the throwaway shots that can be the most interesting.

Welcome to my blog.  It will act as a learning logbook for a course I'm taking called The Art of Photography.

The course is run by a college affiliated to the Open University called Open College of the Arts.  They offer a number of creative design courses, everything from garden design to creative writing to art and, of course, photography.

The recommendation of the course is to keep a log of experiences to help recognise development and to maintain a level of continuity of thought and intent.  My aim in taking this course is to gain some guidance around the composition of my photos.  I've had some positive feedback from professionals and friends, but it would be great to have that become the norm rather than the exception.

Hopefully there will be some evidence of learning and development and, if there is, you'll see it live, here on this blog!  I'll also share tutor feedback so you can see how the course itself impacts.

Comments on the posted photos will be gratefully received and I'll start posting this weekend.