Nearly Living Life at the Top

I imagine it not to make the adrenaline rush through the veins as much as trespassing along some of the cities mammoth rooftops, but it was as close as I could get with my beautiful, nauseous, pregnant girlfriend in tow and I paid around $60 (for the two of us) for the privilege. Which in my eyes was well worth it.

New York attraction, Top of the Rock is far from the highest point of the city, but I’m led to believe that it’s the second highest viewing deck that’s open to the public. The other being the Empire State Building. Why would I choose the second highest and not want to visit the ESB? I did my research, about a day before we left!

The City That Never Sleeps

The city might not sleep, but the excitement was too much, and I needed to crash. I got bitten by the tourist bug in New York, though not quite a hard as I would have thought. In hindsight, I wish I’d had thought to get an app on my phone that would count my steps and measure the miles that we walked around the city. We pounded some serious pavement, or sidewalk if you will. But amidst my pregnant girlfriend’s moans about her swelling, aching feet and the foot massages that I provided, we thoroughly enjoyed the city and after a while I almost felt like I could breathe in the city its self as I experienced it becoming a part of me, and I it.

I wasn’t there on business, it was a holiday. I wore shorts and t-shirt, I got sunburnt in true British fashion and did those things that tourists do. But I’m not sure that I can pick a single experience as a highlight. Everything complimented something else, and memories were formed in extended time frames rather than instants.

Although I did sleep in the city that doesn’t, they weren’t early nights as such. There is something that completely transforms that city from day to night, other than the ambient light and the sudden increase in people trying to sell you items or tickets. You might have noticed that I’m quite the fan of night time photography, and it seems wandering the streets in this bustling metropolis ticked all my boxes.

The Rockerfeller Centre by night, just after we had visited the Top of the Rock attraction. That provided some amazing views. I’ll be writing a post just about that soon! I’ve linked it, but I’m not affiliated with it.

And what is the one thing that every New York film seems to show? I had to take more than a few obligatory, cliched NYC yellow cab shot. Though there’s lots of new shaped ones, I tried to only capture the classic ones.

I don’t think it will be the last I’ve seen of those streets. There’s so much left to experience that just isn’t possible in three nights.

Happy Mothering Sunday

Today in the UK is Mothering Sunday, which is commonly referred to as Mother’s Day. I used to get annoyed that there was no “kids day” when I was growing up. I have a birthday and Christmas for gifts, why should parents get an extra day? It’s clearly not fair. I have now matured, although not much it may seem, but I fully appreciate that there’s a day that’s recognised for mothers around the word to get some praise. In fact, for what they go through, putting up with their offspring, they deserve a lot more than one day. I don’t let my mum know enough how much I appreciate everything she’s done for me.

So, just a quick post, with not the best photo is dedicated to not only my mum, who is amazing, but mums all over the world, and to those mothers that are no longer with us.

Down by the Riverside

Some time ago, I was looking for and found a location that would be great for long exposure photography. I stumbled upon this rocky beach on the muddy banks of the River Severn with perfect views of the Second Severn Crossing; the bridge that charges time conscious people to enter Wales from the south. This place had a lot of variables that would make for an interesting long exposure photograph providing the conditions were right.

At the time, on this windy, cloudy day, I was equipped