TRUST ME I'M A PHOTOGRAPHER

Ok. Hands up who thought yesterdays post was an April Fool. Only partially. Barker did upload a cartoon of Mugabe, and he did get lots of traffic from government buildings in Zimbabwe. He did get the odd disturbing email, but on the whole we are quite safe. Lets face it Google earth feejit thinks we live in Douglas, Lanarkshire, Scotland, so doubt if Mugabe can find us. Apparently he has a small problem of an election result to consider. Here's hoping it's not in his favour.

So, my other blog, the Ramsey Daily Photo is doing well. That is it's doing well online around the world. What of the island. Well, I'm out and about in Ramsey, trawling the high street for images with the big camera with the big lens, stopping to snap varying pieces that catch my eye. So why is this considered abnormal behaviour. I'm sure the good folk of Ramsey still believe that if I snap them, I may be stealing their soul or something. Good grief people, do you not want to be immortalized on the net for posterity. Something to tell the grandkids, all around the world, that was me when I was younger picking my nose, breaking wind while having a fag outside the pub. That was me letting my dog crap everywhere and not scooping up the poop. That was me falling out the pub and dropping my chips, and shoving the chip paper into the nearest shop letterbox.

So to Ramsey, and be warned tomorrow Douglas. The camera isn't the devils tool and I am not one of his minions. If you can upload your idiotic antics onto You Tube for all the world to see then surely when I'm photographing, that ineresting angle, a humourous, sign or another sunset and you just happen to be wolfing down your ice cream in shot, then in the scheme of all worldy things, it's not so bad is it.

Todays pic is a solitary narcissus. I put a matt black card behind it( no light reflection then) and snapped away. I suppose that would account for why some people consider this photography lark of mine a bit nuts. Well all I'll say is if being able to wander about in the fresh air, with no timetable to adhere to as opposed to being stuck back in a darkened airless vault in the bank, nuts then I am, a fully paid up member of the barmy brigade. Job satisfaction, second to none.

WALLABY WATCH!
He's gone to ground in fear that I might capture his image with that pint in his hand. Wallabies are supposed to be teetotal.

ZIMBABWE ELECTIONS

If I stop this post mid flow it means I have been dragged out of here off the Island, and possibly en route to Zimbabwe. The "Barker" is in hiding as it is, travelling between safe houses, (well relatively safe houses), trying to email messages out for an emergency airlift.

First though the smoking ban. The streets of Ramsey were today littered with smokers huddled on doorsteps of pubs and workplaces with upturned collars. Obviously the reason they didn't introduce it mid winter as islanders would have been very reluctant to go outside. So far so good.

Back to the emergency airlift. The "Barker" thought it would be a good idea to upload a cartoon he's drawn of Mugabe's head on a set of crossbones with the words "DANGER! ELECTION RESULTS AHEAD." It's on his Barker Bites Back blog( see links). I would have uploaded it here but we think it's best if i stick to rants, tangents, photos, etc. why?Becuse today his blog suddenly went a bit mad with hits in Zimabwe and neighbouing countries. So a little check on Google earth pinpointed where, and oh dear it may be the man himself, but certainly Government buidings. He's also had some very worrying(not threatening yet, but certainly disconcerting) emails about it from some very strange sources.

Political cartooning can be a dangerous occupaition, and hate mail, obnoxious comments go with the territory, but this is altogether unchartered waters for us. So seriously folks Babooshka and Barker may be whisked away for our own safety for a wee while. If so can I please request the South of France as my hideaway. You can check the cartoon out yourself at the "Barker Bites Back " link, if you dare.

The photo. It's part of Peel Castle, at er Peel. I had the setting on for cloudy even though it was a sunny day as you can sometimes get very vibrant rich colurs and textures this way, hence the depth of colour. Doen't always work, but when it does it's very pleasing on the eye.

WALLABY WATCH!
Disgused as a cone and infiltrating Laxey cones and claiming not to be the Wallaby that features on this blog or knows of any Political Cartoonist. PS. Mr Mugabe you don't scare me, it's time for you to GO!