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No photograph that is displayed and posted on this blog may be reproduced, copied, stored, manipulated or used in whole or in part of a derivative work without the prior written permission of the Copyright (c) Owner & Photographer: Trevor David Betts BA (Hons). All rights reserved.

A POLITE REMINDER

If you want to use any of my photographs displayed upon this blog, for inclusion in an essay, presentation, talk, or for posting on your blog or web site. Or for use in any other way or means. Then it would be very much appreciated if you could contact me first (as a matter of courtesy and decency) to seek my permission to use any of my photographs. Failure to do so is breach of my copyright and rights.





Monday 9 November 2009

RAIN OF TEARS

All the angels were crying and their tears came pouring down, so it would seem, judging by the amount of rain that was falling upon all and sundry on this very damp autumnal Sunday morning.

Gazing out from underneath the relative warmth and dryness of my umbrella towards the tall and imposing stone structure of the Cenotaph, and then glancing around me, all I could see was a sea of humanity and wave-after-wave of umbrellas, many just a drab monochrome colour, whilst others were more vividly coloured.

The rain continued to pour down and it added to the solemn nature of the occasion. Then the haunting and distinctive notes of the "Last Post" lingered upon the still air and faded away into the clouds.

All was silent apart from the pitta-patter of the rain has it hit the plethora of umbrellas, and in the distance the sound of a dog barking his own protestations against this downpour. Then for a brief moment the sun crept out from behind a dark cloud and shone onto the west facing side of the Cenotaph.

After the service, and after the march past of a dwindling band of WWII veterans, Regular and Territorial Army soldiers and cadets. Dozens of people made their way onto the steps of the war memorial.

Perhaps the most poignant reminder of why the hundreds of people had turned out in this appalling weather to pay their respects to "The Fallen", was a blood-red wreath of poppies which stood on the top step alongside many other such wreaths. In the centre of the wreath was a small colour photograph of Private Jonathan Young, an 18 year old infantry soldier from the Yorkshire Regiment. A local lad who had recently lost his life in Afghanistan.

Just in front of this memorial is a small grass lawn surrounded on all sides by several small stone and marble monuments to remember past conflicts and wars. I noticed a very young boy who was carefully placing three small simple wooden crosses (with just a single red poppy in the centre of each cross) on the edge of this lawn alongside many other similar crosses. His sister held a "Thomas the Tank Engine" umbrella over him whilst he performed this sombre but important task.

The torrential downpour was perhaps in keeping with the day, as no doubt many tears were shed during the service and many more tears will perhaps be shed in the future has wives lose husbands, mothers lose sons and children lose fathers in some corner of a foreign field.

By Trevor David Betts BA (Hons.)

9 November 2009.

Copyright of all images and work displayed upon this blog spot are the exclusive property of Trevor David Betts. All rights reserved.

2 comments:

  1. i stop in blog to say well done for your good graphic art and left with two kiss on ads hope you do the same too

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you uuqobest for your kind comments. Yes I will return the favour.

    Good luck with all your future blogging.

    ReplyDelete

SLIDE SHOW

HELLO AND WELCOME

To my Photo Blog,

All my monochrome photography is darkroom produced. This portfolio consists of photographs from several of my projects, assignments, personal and course related work. Some of these monochrome photographic prints are then selectively toned.

Take a look at the slide show, or the popular posts. Click onto some of the many excellent blogs that I have listed in my blog roll. I welcome constructive feedback (post a comment).

Click onto the links in some of my posts which will then take you to the relevant website link where you will be able to find out more about that location, charity or organisation etc featured in the post and which is relevant to that specific image.

Also please click onto my links. Join my blog and my Google + followers. If you would like to know more about any particular photograph or project then please send me an email. My email address is at the foot of this page.

Also from time to time I will post videos that are of interest to me, mainly from my military background.

Yours sincerely

Trevor David Betts BA (Hons)

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TECHNICAL INFORMATION

All the photographs featured on this blog spot were taken on Canon analog 35mm SLR cameras which included: Canon A1, Canon AE1 (non-programme) and Canon T90. The Canon A1 was rendered useless after prolonged exposure to salt spray residue, and the AE1 suffered a malfunction, and one of my T90s just packed up on me during a photographic shoot.

Most of my camera equipment was initially purchased brand new, then as the years have past I have purchased second-hand equipment. But the vast majority of equipment I currently possess is well over twenty years old.

Canon FD lenses used were: 28, and 35mm wide angle, 50mm standard, 35-105mm short telephoto zoom and a 70-210mm large telephoto zoom lenses. Also used was a loaned Mamiya 645 with 50 and 80mm lenses. My favourite combination is a T90 fitted with the 35-105mm lens with an Hoya orange filter. I use Hoya orange, red, neutral density, and skylight filters. Hoya and Canon lens hoods. A Canon remote cable. I have used a great Metz 45 CT-4 flashgun for many years. I used this for the bounced and fill-in flash for some of the documentary and portraiture work.

Studio flash used was Courtenay brolly flash (just two heads fitted with soft boxes) at Hull Community Artworks studio (sadly this excellent local arts facility closed in 2001). Billingham and Tamrac camera bags (the Billingham is a old model that I have had for years - wonderful bags). The Tamrac one is a medium sized back pack type bag. Slik Black Diamond 88, and 500 DX Pro tripods. A Cullmann touring set (which consists of a light tripod, ball and swivel head, all-purpose clamp, suction cap, and a ground spike). I presently have three Canon T90 and one A1 SLR cameras.

Film used was mainly 35mm (with some 120mm). Ilford Delta monochrome negative print film, 100 asa (a few rolls of 400 asa as well). Ilford HP5 and FP4 (400 and 125 asa respectively). Fuji Neopan 400 asa. Various Fuji colour film. Photographic chemicals: Ilford ID-11 and Microphen film developers. Agfa Rodinal fine grain film developer, and Ilford Hypam fixer.

Photographic paper: Ilford Multigrade IV VC paper, Fibre based VC paper including warm and cool tone. Kentmere Velvet Stipple and Art Document papers. Kodak selenium toner. Barclay and Fotospeed sepia toners, and Colorvir blue toner. Durst M60 and Meopta 5 enlargers fitted with 50 and 80mm Schneider lenses. Kenro negative sheets and Jessops negative folders.

Most of my photography involves the use of the camera being securely mounted onto the tripod, with the shutter set to the 10 second delay. I bracket my exposures (relying on the excellent Canon in-camera meter). My aperture settings are usually between F5.6 and F22. In the vast majority of cases the very first exposure I take is usually the correctly exposed one.

Finished photographic prints (spotted if needed). At the 10 x 8 inch size are then scanned on an Epsom 1660 photo perfection scanner using Adope Photoshop CS2 at the 5.5 x 3.5 inch image or canvas size, 150 dpi and at the 750 x 550 pixels size, and saved as for the web. The only thing that is manipulated is the brightness balance and contrast levels.

DON'T FORGET

"It is the soldier, not the minister, who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the soldier, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to fair protest.

It is the soldier, not the politician, who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the soldier, whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag."

From: "Fighting for Queen and Country,
by Nigel 'Spud' Ely. Blake Publishing London, 2007.
"