Druidstone Sunset

It's the light that makes it. The simple silhouette of the stone wall set against the blue and the red and the yellow and the green and...*sigh*. Gorgeous. Druidstone is home to an eco-friendly clifftop hotel and restuarant, The Druidstone, which is well worth a visit. See Ecoescape for more responsible escapism.

Joanna Newsom accompanied Kat and I on our tour round Wales. We met her at Green Man and she followed us through Brecon and the rest of South Wales to Marloes Sands - a hidden gem on the Atlantic coast.

Taken on the 26th August 2007.

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Brixton, Sunny Afternoon

Brixtahn ain't so bad, what. You know Bowie from here, right?

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Postcard in the Park

If was to choose one of my London shots for a postcard, this'd be it.

I was sauntering through St. James' Park at 6pm (after a day of keeping G. Brown in check at the Treasury), listening to Digital Ash in a Digital Urn. After being attacked by a stray pelican, and coming close to a collision with a parkkeeper's van, I wandered over the bridge and found this view.

Sometimes I need reminding how beautiful London can be. Sometimes it's hard to see past the overpriced public transport system that smells either of bleach or sweat, the streets full of suited cunts, and the shit weather. Sometimes frustrating, bleak, vile. Other times... well, it's this.

Perfect.


Taken on 2nd February 2007.

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War Photographer

There are some benefits to living above a main road into London. On one hand, you have to put up with constant traffic noise, sirens and drunken idiots shouting abuse. On the other, you have plenty of drunken idiots to shout abuse at, and get to take photos like the one above without moving from your room.

I'm of the opinion that you need a pumping soundtrack when practising night photography, so I listened to a particularly wonderful music video while I was taking this shot. The song is "War Photographer" by Jason Forrest, and the video is a sublime take on Viking war ships battling it out for the title of "Most Awesomest". Get it.

Taken on the 21st November 2006.

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Ray Of Light

My last weekend away in the country before being chained to my desk at the NAO. This was taken from the Castlerigg Stone Circle near Keswick in the Lake District. It was jolly cold, and there was a chap who looked like he was from The Shining leaning up against one of the stones... it was certainly an atmospheric place.

The setting sun makes for amazing views across the Lakelands.

Taken on the 22nd October 2006.

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Away With The Breeze

Another image from Malaysia; this was taken on Pulau Pinang (Penang Island, or simply Penang). I was sitting on the beach at Batu Ferringhi, speaking to Kat on my "Ring Ring" international calling card when the sun started to set, and a day that had been disappointing up until that point suddenly became wonderful. Couples were drinking and cuddling on the bar terraces, children were playing beach football, while others rode donkeys or sat down and admired the changing of the light.

It's funny; as much as you dislike a place, a sunset can make it infinitely more appealing.

Taken on the 23rd July 2006.

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Atomic

Just added: an Atom feed at the bottom of the sidebar, so you can keep track of changes to Jon Van Photo.

If you're not already using Atom or RSS to get the updates you want from the web, get the gen at Atom Enabled and Bloglines, or read all about it at Wikipedia.

Hang On

One of my favourites. I took this while on one of my very first walks through Linz, where I lived for 6 months during 2005/06. I wanted to be those teenagers, sitting above the Danube, talking and perhaps with the thought in the back of their minds that they might like to jump into the icy water. What would it feel like?

I was listening to Takk... at the time, which seemed to fit really well with the combination of bright sunlight and low temperatures. I can't say that Austria is anything like Iceland, but I will always associate that record with the exploration of new places.

Taken on the 22nd October 2005.

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Batu Caves, Illuminated

The Batu Caves in Kuala Lumpur. Tourists are illuminated by a beam of light filtered through a massive hole in the ground above.

The caves house a Hindu temple, which is the focus of a yearly pilgrimage during Thaipusam. Thaipusam involves fasting and self-flagellation.

Taken on the 20th July 2006.

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