Photography | The Daily Norm

Nov 29

Paris | Photography Focus – Les Jardins et les chaises

Paris may not be the greenest of cities in the world, but there is something intrinsically Parisian about the parks and gardens which shape it. With their tightly trimmed box hedges and carefully manicured trees, their gravelly, sandy ground and lack of lawns (perfect for a game of pétanque or boules with a few amis) and with their long wide promenades punctuated by lone statues and cluttered with strolling well-dressed flaneurs with their equally quaffed dogs, the parks of Paris are to me the heart and soul of the city, representing the ordered formality of the Haussmann planned boulevards, reflecting the grandeur of the more built up areas of the city, and providing much needed space for the residents of the city to collectively let their hair down.

But more than the sandy paths, the clipped hedges and the boules, the randomly collected green metal chairs are for me the symbol of Paris. Rather than, or sometimes as well as the benches which line the parks, Parisian gardens are always full of scattered chairs, some angled at a steep incline to allow the sitter to langour in the sunshine, and others more upright and formal, but none of them attached to the ground so that, at any one time, you can find them in a diverse array of compositions. So characteristic are these chairs of the gardens of Paris that I have made them the focus of my photographic exploration of the Paris gardens which we were strolling through between our various trips to art galleries, photos which also aptly reflect the wonderful array of autumn colours which burned brightly in Paris despite the overcast weather and the very cold winter temperatures. Enjoy!

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2013 and The Daily Norm. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

The Daily Norm’s Photo of the Week – Preened pups of Paris (daily-norm.com)
Paris | Art tour 2013 – Kahlo and Rivera (daily-norm.com)

Nov 26

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The Daily Norm’s Photo of the Week – Preened pups of Paris

There can be no hiding from my inexorable and unapologetic love of all things Parisian. The music of the old Montmartre dance halls has the power to transport me to a parallel consciousness; its abundant art collection contains some of the most incredible masterpieces the world has ever seen; and its streets are so atmospherically romantic, that images of the city litter my London flat. And yet for all of the sensations and memories which I attach to the city, and which I rely on whenever, during the year, I feel those familiar pangs to be there, there is no substitute for visiting the city itself. And with trains from London to Paris’ Gare du Nord taking a mere 2.15 hours, it would be silly not to.

So each year, around Christmas time, when the city is getting cold, when the chic winter fashion is having its airing, and when the cosy little Christmas markets are being set up along the wide stretches of the Champs Elysées, I tend to take the lightening-speed train journey under the Channel sea, to visit the city I love above all others. My excuse for visiting every year is the fantastic array of new art exhibitions which the city does so well every autumn, but in fact very little excuse is needed other than the undeniable need to plug my yearning soul back into this bastion of culture and civilisation once a year.

Having just embarked on my 2013 stay, the pages of The Daily Norm are about to go all belle Paris on you, and by way of kickstarting the season, I thought a quick photo of the week was due. For this week’s photographic focus, I have been a little greedy, selecting more of a theme than a single shot, but one nevertheless worthy of the attention. For if there is one thing that sums up the chic glamour of Paris for me, it is a Parisian’s dog. Never far from any resident of the city, a Parisian and his or her dog seem to be as inseparable as the French to their baguettes, and the city just wouldn’t be the same without the sight of those cute little well-dressed, perfectly preened dogs trotting alongside their equally debonair owners.

This week’s principal photo, and the shot that inspired me to write this post, is this photo of a svelte curly tailed chien, its beautiful long white hair contrasting delectably against its super stylish red pullover – a sight which is surely too sleek to be found anywhere but in Paris. This dog (someone will have to help me with the breed) was certainly an eyeopener, capturing the attention of many a photographing tourist as it passed by in the Jardin des Tulleries (myself included). However, she was not alone. In the remainder of this post I include a few other super cute doggy shots from the trip – one little dow-eyed doggie sitting so well behaved in the lobby of our hotel; another sleepy bulldog waiting patiently to cross the road. And to top it all off, the chic boutique on Paris’ stylish Rue St Honoré which just about sums up the Parisian’s attitude to dogs – their very own doggie boutique, located in amongst the Prada’s, the D&G’s and the YSL. In Paris it’s surely a dog’s life.

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2013 and The Daily Norm. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

The Daily Norm’s Photo of the Week – Mandarin Moonshine (daily-norm.com)
The Daily Norm’s Photo of the Week – Marseille Soap (daily-norm.com)

Nov 20

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The Daily Norm’s Photo of the Week – Mandarin Moonshine

I saw this incredible moon rising up above the twinkling tower blocks of the far off Canary Wharf business district from my South London balcony last night. The moon was so incredibly large and orange that at first I thought my eyes were deceiving me – I couldn’t understand why something bearing a resemblance to a large glowing mandarin was somehow floating in amongst the nearby rooftops of Clapham and above the distant city skyline of London. But as soon as I realised what a majestic planetary sight this was, I rushed inside to grab my camera before the moon had risen to its usual full height and taken on a paler shade of grey.

It’s inevitable that the photo, taken on the maximum zoom length of my pocket camera, isn’t exactly the best quality, but I am delighted that despite the distance, you can still make out the exquisite marbling of the moon’s surface, and appreciate both the incredible colour and the amazing size of the moon when seen besides the almost toy-sized tower blocks in front of it. Amazing.

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2013 and The Daily Norm. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

The Daily Norm’s Photo of the Week – Marseille Soap (daily-norm.com)
The Daily Norm’s Photo of the Week – Morning Sunrise II (daily-norm.com)
The Daily Norm’s Photo of the Week – Morning Sunrise (daily-norm.com)

Nov 19

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It’s beginning to feel a lot like a London Christmas…

Having lived in London for some 11 years now, and been a frequent visitor even before then, I feel like a true Londoner, or at least as true as a Londoner can be in a city which lacks the small touches of friendly familiarities, of daily pleasantries and community feel which are so abundant in small towns and villages elsewhere in the UK. I know I’m a Londoner because I get ferociously impatient amongst ambling tourists; I can’t stand still on a tube escalator – preferring to walk so as to avoid waisting time; and I feel an indefatigable pride when anything big or beautiful happens in the city – which is frequently. And at no other time does that pride manifest more than at Christmas, when London’s streets become alive with the festive spirit.

While this transformation, especially around the shopping heart of the West End, may happen a little too early for some tastes, I revel in the change as soon as the evenings get dark early, yearning for nothing more than late night Christmas shopping on cold dark evenings, accompanied by a cup of sticky sweet mulled wine and the smell of roasting chestnuts wafting in the air.

This year, with the spirit of economic recovery looming large, London appears to have gone to town for the festive season with more enthusiasm than ever before. An amble through its streets this weekend with my visiting parents revealed just what an Aladdin’s cave of festive treasures London has to offer, with glorious lights strung across streets and inside shops, with ice-skating rinks popping up in front of every important building, and festive flavours easing their way onto the menus of the majority of London’s many cosy warm eateries.

The Somerset House ice rink

A stunning window display near Charing Cross

Such a cool idea – Eros turned into a snow globe

This post attempts to share glimpses of this festive wonderland which has taken the city by storm. The ultimately Christmasy ice-rink in the magnificent courtyard of Somerset House looks glorious as ever, but is accompanied this year by an equally enticing Christmas parade full of festive pop-up shops crammed with the ultimate in unique and luxury Christmas gifts. Meanwhile, down the road, Covent Garden is alive with lights and decorations aplenty, while in Piccadilly Circus, the ultimate in brilliant ideas has been realised as the famous Eros statue has been covered by a large transparent dome and pumped full of fake snow to turn it into the biggest snow globe I’ve ever seen. What a fantastic idea! You’ve also got to love the tree at St Pancras International, where visitors from the continent will be welcomed to London by the ultimate in English elegance – a tree decorated with hampers from the Queen’s grocer, Fortnum and Mason’s. A tree after my own heart.

: Abundant decorations in Liberty’s

: The Covent Garden Tree

: Gingerbread men at the Courtauld

: The Somerset House ice rink

: Covent Garden’s larger than life rudolf

: A tree after my own heart – Fortnum’s Hampers dress a tree at St Pancras International

: Such a cool idea – Eros turned into a snow globe

: Liberty’s stunning Christmas shop, strung with fairy lights

: A gigantic candelabra fills Fortnum and Mason

: My Mummy in Somerset House Christmas arcade

: Covent Garden lights

: Tree at Somerset House

: A stunning window display near Charing Cross

: The Covent Garden tree

: A pop-up shop at Somerset House

It’s that time of the year when the Christmas spirit is really starting to creep in… and as these photos show, you would have to be made of stone to escape the first waves of festive happiness washing over London right now. Bring it on.

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2013 and The Daily Norm. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

Nov 14

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The Daily Norm’s Photo of the Week – Marseille Soap

We’re big fans of liquid soap in my household. It’s altogether more convenient, tidier, and often more aesthetically pleasing. It also comes in a progressively more varied range of sweetly smelling brands, some so eye-poppingly expensive that they make hand soap the latest in luxury living. While I don’t usually go for the old fashioned bar of soap therefore, I must admit to having become smitten with the authentic square soaps characteristic of the Marseille region when I was in Provence during the summer. From deciding against buying such soaps quite vociferously at the beginning of the trip, my will was slowly worn down as we went from place to place, and boutique to boutique, charmed by the wafting homely perfumed smell of these traditional Provençal soaps in all their varying shapes and colours.

So when in Saint-Remy-de-Provence we came across a sophisticated little boutique (ironically, run by an Englishman) selling Marseille soaps which were not only traditional, but also charmingly misshapen so as to give them a classic, handmade look, I was sold, and, repenting for my former reticence to buy, spent a good wad of Euros on a variety of those soaps of all different shapes and sizes.

Although we are using one such of the smaller soaps (and keeping the mess at bay in a purpose-made little concrete soap dish bought from the same place), the main reason for buying the soaps was for their decorational value. For in a bathroom like ours which is characterised by its square window, square sink and square taps, the soaps were an obvious attraction.

So for this week’s Daily Norm photo of the week, I thought I would share with you a rather chic photo of my Saint-Remy soaps, piled up elegantly on the square windowsill of my square bathroom window. Despite being so traditional in the method of their creation, these soaps look startlingly contemporary in this modern bathroom setting, their varying shades of creamy ochre contrasting effectively against the deep grey of my bathroom tiles. A perfect example of when traditional Mediterranean charm meets contemporary urban minimalism, but somehow the two fuse so inexorably well together.

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2013 and The Daily Norm. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

No. 31: Savon de Marseille (365thingsiloveaboutfrance.com)
Painting Provence (aixcentric.com)
The Daily Norm’s Photo of the Week – Morning Sunrise II (daily-norm.com)
The Daily Norm’s Photo of the Week – Morning Sunrise (daily-norm.com)

Nov 8

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The Daily Norm’s Photo of the Week – Summer harvest in November

It’s been a rather heavy week on The Daily Norm. With my latest artistic output exploring the themes of my brother-in-law’s loss, I could not share these new paintings with you without exploring the meaning behind the images. But with the door hopefully closing on that tragedy, as I pursue instead the happiness which will, I hope, come with a hearty autumn and a celebratory festive season for 2013, I thought I would end this week with a lighter touch. Yep, this week’s Daily Norm Photo of the Week is actually a couple of photos, straight from my autumn balcony.

You wouldn’t know that these photos were only taken last weekend, on a fresh November morning, but these reddening olives and my sun-drenched brugmansia are actually the last remnants of the summer still holding strong on my balcony as the cold sets in. Checking out our plants after the ravaging storms of late, Dominik and I were delighted to find that after a summer of hard labour, our olive tree has born fruit – and not just the green olives to be expected, but plump olives slowly turning a sultry shade of red. Surely olive oil chez de Lacy is to follow? Then over to the right of the olive tree, my magnificent Brazilian Brugmansia is past its summer’s glory, dropping a little as it soaks in as much warmth from the wintery sun as it can, but it’s peach-sunset edges and vibrant green leaves shine still full of the balmy promise of summer. Ahhh, those were the days.

The Daily Norm’s Photo of the Week – Morning Sunrise II (daily-norm.com)

Oct 31

Will this make you Screeeeeam for Halloween?!

Halloween may be about sinister faces carved into pumpkins, the witches costumes and gruesome face-paint, the unsightly shaped jellies and the horror films on TV, but at the end of the day, it’s all manufactured, largely for a bit of fun. But there remains one thing which exists, not just on 31st October, but every day of the year which, even at a distance, could make me scream enough for a lifetime of halloweens: the SPIDER!!

I’ve been saving these gruesome ghastly shots for a few weeks now. Taken on the day when I enjoyed the first sunshine of autumn, inspiring a whole load of autumn photos to boot, this spider was one little beastie of nature who I was not so pleased to meet that day. Leaving the spine-tingling task of applying my camera zoom close enough to the spider to capture this shot to my far braver partner, the photos which result are stunningly detailed, but all the more hideous as a result.

As I type this post, my fingers quiver ever so slightly – for even though these are two dimensional photos, the mere devilish detail of this creepy crawly has me all in a sweat. It’s bulbous brown back is sinisterly marked like a skull, while on its tummy, a complex cluster of furry leg muscles are grouped together, ready to allow the dormant spider to pounce into action, to move its menacing little pincers and strike!

Ooooh, ok, I’m getting carried away. For the rare arachnophiles out there, these photos show the pretty spectacular and surprisingly complex forms of these most feared of little creatures – there is something almost beautiful about the striped brown and beige legs, and the patterning upon its hairy back, reminding me of the workmanship on a tribal mask, with its perfect symmetry. And then of course there’s the web – another wonder of symmetrical perfection, a creation which continues to be a mystery to me, but which, for all its beauty has its own murderous intent.

But before I go getting carried on down that road again, I’m off to settle myself with a cup of tea, and perhaps a few of those gruesome halloween sweets that are practically spilling out of the supermarket this week. Jellied witches finger anyone?

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2013 and The Daily Norm. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

Oct 29

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The Daily Norm’s Photo of the Week – Morning Sunrise II

At the risk of sounding, and looking repetitive, I could not help but elect that The Daily Norm’s Photo of the Week be another stunning sunrise for the second successive week. For while the UK, and now much of Northern Europe has been battered by a much publicised raging hurricane of late, the weather has also provided some rare glimpses of undeniable glory, as this week’s sunrise shot will show.

Soft puffs of raspberry ripple candyfloss cushions are punctuated by the dramatic linear columns left in the trail of early morning planes plummeting through the airspace, while soft mauves and duck-egg blues at the periphery turn progressively more and more orange and vibrant as the sun rises closer to the horizon. This was truly a stunning sunrise, and one which I love so much that I’ve included not one, but four images of its progression, including one rather atmospheric closeup of a nearby roof top, the lead tiles glinting in the soothing light of the sky, and an urban skyline forming a romantic fortress-like accompaniment in the background.

The hurricane which hit our shores may have been the worst in 26 years – but as these sunrise shots show, the calm before the storm was certainly a bloomin’ good one too.

© Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm, 2001-2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

The Daily Norm’s Photo of the Week – Morning Sunrise (daily-norm.com)

Oct 25

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The Daily Norm’s Photo of the Week – Morning Sunrise

It’s that time of the year again – when getting up in the morning to go to work is as welcome as a slap in the face with a cold kipper; when you would be happy to spend the rest of your time confined to the cosy folds of a warm duvet, and when your mind is alive with excuses as to how you can prolong pressing the snooze button on the alarm clock for just 10 more minutes. Yet every so often, the darkness outside is pierced by something of a peachy glow – I know when it’s happened in my bedroom because my blinds take on a kind of mystical shimmer, a bit like the artificial backdrop of a 60s sci-fi movie. And behind those blinds, more often than not, I will find a sight so stunning as to take my breath away; a sight which has my camera clicking, despite the semi-consciousness of my still half-sleeping state; and whose admiration takes up so much of my time that I have to rush to get ready in order to get to work on time.

I am of course talking about sunrises like this one, which is this week’s Daily Norm photo of the week. Everything about this sunrise is completely stunning, from the whispy cloud formations and the dark silhouette of the chimneys, to the great rising sun which appears to have doubled, probably as a result of photographing through double glazing. They say red sky in the morning is a shepherd’s warning, but personally I’m happy being warned of rain, so long as this kind of sight awakes me each day.

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2013 and The Daily Norm. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

Second Chance Summer – a weekend in Marbella

Having spent last week extolling the virtues of the recently arrived season of Autumn, those posts followed a pleasant Sunday walk, on which the sun shined and magnified the kaleidoscope of autumn’s palette to magnificent effect. Come the end of the week, when the wind direction turned swiftly northern, lambasting all who stood in its path with a wintery chill, I upped sticks and left the British to it, flying out of London’s Gatwick and heading south for still-sunny Spain. There, arriving into the balmy evening warmth of Mediterranean Marbella, you would have been excused for thinking that it was the height of summer still, a conclusion confirmed when, 5 minutes into our walk from bus station to family home down in the core of Marbella’s Andalucian old town, we were shedding British jacket and jumper, stuffing our newly aired scarves back into our bags, and swiftly replacing trousers with shorts, despite the late hour of the day.

And so, as a long weekend proceeded in these indisputably superior climes, (it’s primary intention being to celebrate the birthday of my mother who, like me, cannot bear the thought of spending a birthday in any weather other than guaranteed sunshine), we enjoyed what felt like a second chance of summer, albeit just for a couple of days. Naturally enough, where we strolled in the relentlessly charming town of Marbella, my camera came with me, and the photos which result show Marbella still glowing in the late summer sunshine, but itself showing a few signs that the season is coming to an end: green tiled roof tops for example are partially covered by a scattering of golden leaves; and beaches, their sparkling glow perfected by a stronger winter’s sun, are emptier and more sedate. But these signs are but small when compared with the seasonal variety which descends upon England’s landscapes at this time of year, and in my photos you will once again see a city which, but for a few days exception, is a perfect summertime paradise, all year round.

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2013 and The Daily Norm. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.