...and Be There

How to Win Friends and Influence People

2013-05-14T12:07:00.000+02:00

"How to Win Friends and Influence People" was first published in 1936. It's still very relevant today. I recently went through it and I decided it was worth a share. There nothing that's rocket science in there, but a lot of common-sense ideas which you may have overlooked. I know I did!

You can find the full book in pdf format here.

Here is a quick summary:

You can also download the pdf of the summary here and print it out on one A4 page.

1. Fundamental Techniques in Handling People:

1. Don't criticise, condemn or complain.

2. Give honest and sincere appreciation.

3. Arouse in the other person an eager want.

2. Six ways to Make People Like You:

1. Become interested in other people

2. Make a good first impression: smile!

3. Remember their name, it's the most important word to them.

4. Listen to them: encourage others to talk about themselves.

5. Talk in terms of the other person's interests.

6. Make them feel important and do it sincerely.

3. How to Win People to Your Way of Thinking:

1. You can't win an argument.

2. Don't tell them that they are wrong, ever.

3. If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.

4. Begin in a friendly way.

5. Get the other person saying "yes" immediately.

6. Let the other person do a great deal of the talking.

7. Let the other person feel that idea is his.

8. Try honestly to see things from the other person's PoV.

9. By sympathetic with the other person's ideas and desires.

10. Appeal to the nobler motives.

11. Dramatise your ideas.

12. Throw down a challenge.

4. Be a Leader: How to Change People Without Giving Offense or Arousing Resentment:

1. Begin with praise and honest appreciation.

2. Call attention to people's mistakes indirectly.

3. Talk about your own mistakes before criticising others.

4. Ask questions instead of giving direct orders.

5. Let the other person save face.

6. Be hearty in your approbation and lavish in your praise.

7. Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to.

8. Use encouragement. Make the fault seem easy to correct.

9. Make the other person happy to do the thing you suggest.

Granfondo Valle dei Templi, Agrigento

2013-05-11T18:23:00.004+02:00

On Sunday 5 May there was the next instalment (and my last) of the Coppa Sicilia, with a very hilly granfondo down on the south coast in Agrigento. A fair way from Alcamo, it meant getting up at 5am, so I ended up sleeping for most of the journey. All the usual pre-race faffing took less time than usual, maybe because there were fewer of us, so by 9 I was on the start line ready for the off.

A friend of mine on his way to a strong result

We got moving and were soon on the first of four significant climbs. The profile looked fairly well suited to me; lots of climbing, but nothing overly steep (apart from the finale!). The pace was steady and so it stayed together until the first descent. Before the start we'd been warned of dangerous subsidence on some of the descents, so with some people eager to attack, and some riding overly cautiously, the race began to break up. Annoyingly I ended up in the second group on the road, someone in front having left a gap. We gave chase, but in vain, and it soon became apparent that the six of us would be spending much of the day together.

The start line with the Coppa Sicilia jersey holders at the front

The rest was fairly uneventful, apart from the odd argument surrounding two little gits who refused to do any work. We made the odd attack, but they were good enough to come back, and so we were all together come the steep finishing climb. A couple of riders were dropped as soon as the first attack happened, and we ended up with three of us to battle it out. As luck would have it, one of the non-workers put in a crafty attack just before the last flat 400m and managed to get away. That left the two of us, and being conveniently placed on my companion's wheel, the sprint for 11th overall was routine. Overall, it was a nice race - beautiful landscapes down there, though I can't help but wonder what i could've done had I made the selection on that early descent.

Races 7 & 8 - Palermo and Alcamo

2013-05-10T19:38:00.002+02:00

Well it's been a while since I put up a race report, both because of a slight lack of racing, and just laziness I suppose. Last week I did two crits - there's not a whole lot to report, so I'll just outline the gist of them.

Me suffering...

Sunday 28 April - Crit at the ZEN, Palermo

Having just spent two day's on Mount Etna racking up 10,000m climbing and 330km of riding, I wasn't the freshest heading into this crit. However seeing as I was in Palermo at the time I thought I'd do it for some training.

The ZEN - what a beautiful place for a race!

It was at the ZEN, which is a seriously rundown area between Palermo and Mondello. It has a reputation for drugs, violence, unemployment and there were huge rubbish tips everywhere, many of which had been burnt. It is also pan flat, so needless to say the race ended in a bunch sprint. With three laps to go a local team came to the front and did a very professional job of controlling the lead out, though their man didn't actually take the win. I pretty much just sat in, coming in around 25th. Barely even noteworthy, I know, but I'm glad I finished, especially in view of some post-Etna knee trouble I was having.

Wednesday 1 May - Alcamo Town Centre Crit

Before I got dropped!

This race however, had been a bit of an ambition of mine ever since I heard about it in January. Not only was it in my home town, but with two steep punchy hills, it suited my characteristics rather better. In fact everyone from here was saying the same thing, so I had the pressure of my whole club on my shoulders as everyone else opted out, claiming it was too tough a course!

The bunch approaching the hill

Needless to say, I didn't live up to expectations. After a few uneventful laps, I got in a 4-man break that went away on the bigger of the two climbs. However after a lap my legs just went AWOL for some reason, and not only did I find myself back in the bunch, but then dropped from the bunch too! Rather pissed off, I continued chasing, and spent the rest of the race working with my long term Palermo Strava nemesis, Salvo. I eventually finished 16th, having reeled back a fair few who were dropped from the bunch, but all in all it was a pretty big disappointment. A massive BBQ party down by the beach which lasted the rest of the day went some way to softening the blow!

The Ultimate Guide to the Sunny 16 Rule - Part 2

2013-05-07T10:34:00.000+02:00

So, you read Part 1 of the Ultimate guide to the Sunny 16 Rule and you are hungry for more?

That was just the starter, now, onto the main course...

Btw, if you have just landed on this page, you probably want to read Part 1 of this guide first, or even my Exposure 101 Guide before you tackle this article.

You have pretty much all information you need to get started using the Sunny 16 Rule in Part 1. Part 2 is the advanced course for those who types who want to know everything and want to nail their exposures every time, without using a light meter. This is probably complete overkill for most people, but here we go...

Let's Geek Out

We I skipped an incredibly fundamental point in Part 1. We never discussed what units light is measured in! It's seems pretty basic, right? It's not crucial to know this to learn how to guess exposure well but who knows, it may come in handy one day.

Light (or should I say, the intensity of light) is measured in various units. We have Foot Candles, Candelas and Lumens.

Foot Candles are the traditional way of measuring light. One Foot Candle is the amount of light that a candle produces 1 foot away from the candle. To me, this doesn't seem particularly helpful.

Candelas is actually a measure of how much light a certain light source produces. This is measure from the source itself, unlike with Foot Candles. The full definition of a Candela is the following:

"luminous intensity of a light source producing single-frequency light at a frequency of 540 terahertz (THz) with a power of 1/683 watt per steradian, or 18.3988 milliwatts over a complete sphere centered at the light source."

I'm not even going to pretend to know what the hell that means!

The easy way of looking it at it that Foot Candles are a measurement of light at a particular illuminated object while Candela is how much total light is coming from the source.

Lumens is a measure of the total "amount" of visible light emitted by a particular source. You may also have heard of the term Lux, all that means is lumens per square meter.

PS: If you REALLY want to geek out, read the Wikipedia entry on light.

Making Things Simple Again

Fortunately, we can leave all that rubbish to the scientists. As photographers, we have our own simplified scale.

We can plot this scale out using Exposure Value (EV) numbers. All that an Exposure Value number tells you is what combination of Aperture and Shutter Speed to use for any given scene.

Exposure Value (EV) is often confused with Light Value (LV). While Exposure Value tells you how much light is allowed into the camera, Light Value (LV) tell you how much light there is in the scene. At ISO 100, LV and EV are equal to each other, while for other ISO speeds you need to add or subtract. We won't cover this in detail as it's fairly redundant and we really only need to deal in EV Numbers. Just be aware that when I talk about the Exposure Value of a scene, it's technically only correct for ISO 100.

These numbers range from -6EV to 23EV. -6EV is virtually pitch black, while +23EV is so bright it's not even found in nature. Unless you working at a Nuclear power plant and something goes horribly wrong, you will never see anything brighter than 16EV. Well, you might, but I doubt you will be photographing it.

The Ev scale is logarithmic. This means that each time the Ev number increases by 1 the amount of light is doubled. Thus, 14Ev is twice as bright as 13Ev, but only half as bright as 15Ev. Here is a lovely graphic comparing the most commonly used Ev numbers and their relative brightness:

(Just a quick note, different Ev numbers describe different brightnesses if you photographed them with the same aperture and shutter speed. Obviously you change your shutter speed and aperture as and when needed. ) This is weak. change it.

Typical Ev numbers encountered in everyday life

If you think about it, 23Ev is over 500 Billion (2 to the power of 29) times brighter than -6Ev!

Get your Ray Bans out!

So, let's take a look at what kind of scenes correspond to the various EV numbers

-6

This is when you are out in the countryside, far away from the city and the only light source are the stars in the sky. How romantic ^^

-5

This is the same as above, but there is also a sliver of the moon visible, just like in the DreamWorks logo.

-4

Again, you're away from the city with only stars in the sky but this time there is half a moon visible.

-3

Same old story, but with a full moon. It's highly recommended to use a tough-as-nails SLR camera like a Nikon F or Pentax K1000 so you can use it to fight off the werewolves. [insert pic]

-2

Same as -3Ev, but you're in the snow. Sounds horrible!

-1Ev & 0Ev

Enough about the moon, I won't mention it again. These two Ev numbers are for subjects which are lit by dim ambient artificial light. An example of this is a lamp on a table or a fixture on the ceiling.

+1

This is for a lighted skyline which is at a distance

+2

I actually lied when I said I wasn't going to mention the moon again. I totally forgot about total eclipses of the moon! This is when the earth goes between the Sun and the Moon. The moon goes red, it's pretty cool. You can also use this setting to capture lighting, as long as you have a long enough exposure time.

+3

Fireworks! :) Again, you need to have a long enough exposure time for these!

+4

This is great when you want to take romantic candle lit close-up portraits of your girlfriend/wife/mistress. It's also good for taking photos of all those horrible Christmas lights that get put up each year as well as floodlit monuments, fountains and buildings.

+5

This is useful for taking portraits of people around a camp fire and also for home interiors at night , with normal house lights.

+6

This is for brightly lit scenes in a house and at amusement parks.

+7

In the forest, indoor sports, at the theatre, and brightly lit street photography.

+8

This is when you want to take pictures of people telling stories by the campfire and also for sports at night.

+9

Landscapes about quarter of an hour after sunset

+10

Landscapes just after sunset

+11

Sunset or subjects which are heavily shaded

+12

Heavy overcast day or a subject in the shade.

+13

A bright, cloudy day with no shadows

+14

For a day with a weak sun, or when the sky is hazy

+15

Subjects on a sunny day (hence the Sunny/16 rule!)

+16

Subjects on a sunny day at the beach, desert or on snow.

+17 to +23

You will most probably never encounter this type of intense light, except in a nuclear meltdown or other man made event.

The Charts

You can find a more ~~boring~~ serious Exposure Value chart that you can actually print out and take with you at Fred Parker's website.

You can train yourself to use the EV scale by carrying the chart around with you, then consulting the following chart which is the EV to f/stop & shutter speed chart and you're done!

(There is also an easier way which I'll share a little later on..)

Note: This is for Iso 100

Because I am absolutely incredible, I have also redone the chart for all the other common Iso settings too!

Get them here:

You can thank me in the comments later ;)

A quick pointer on how to use this chart.

Find Ev number and look it up and then choose best shutter speed/aperture combination for your scene. It's all about YOUR artistic interpretation of the scene. When shooting film, I would think more about areas of the chart than specific boxes.. you can often get away with murder if you overexpose. If you underexpose, you are the one getting murdered.

I wouldn't recommend trying to commit any of these to memory, that sounds like far too much work!

Reach the point where you just know the correct exposure...It's much easier :)

Just in case you are a genius, here are ALL of the Exposure Value Charts rolled into one!

This is truly the Mother Of All Exposure Value Charts! I recommend that you right click and save this to your computer so you can view it full-size.

I don't actually think this table is needed because you should be shooting the same film/Iso (and yes, you really should be shooting film) while you are learning the Sunny 16 Rule.

The Mother Of All Exposure Value Charts

The Ultimate Sunny 16 Rule Cheat Sheet

Ok, if you found all those charts up a bit too difficult, here is a great little cheat sheet that you can print out and carry with you and it will be good enough 97.38% of the time.

Alternatively, you could just stick the Sunny 16 Rule cheat sheet found inside every box of Kodak onto the back of your camera. That's what I did when I was learning. You can find a copy of Kodak's cheat sheet at the beginning of Part 1 of this guide.

Note that I've included a description of what the shadows should look like. This is often the easiest way to know what setting your camera should be on as you walk around and then you can adjust for each individual subject as you see fit.

A word of warning: remember to expose for the shadows and the highlights will take care of themselves! This is especially important when shooting film (which, as always, you should be). As the overexposure latitude of colour negative and black and white film is so large, you are better off exposing a little too much by calculating your exposure from the darker parts of your subject and relying on this enormous latitude to not "blow" the highlights. If all this sounds like Greek to you, you probably need to read my guide to Exposure.

Check Back soon for Part 3 where we will discuss after-dinner photography and how to guess exposure during the night!

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Completed the Spring Classics Challenge!

2013-05-04T14:30:00.003+02:00

Since I started recording my rides with the Garmin Edge 800 back in December, half of all my riding hours were in the last month. After completing the Rapha Festive 500 in December I didn't ride as much as I should have done but I've made some of that up this April. I completed the Spring Classics Challenge by cycling 1322.5km in the month of April. For me, that was pretty tough.

Of course, it didn't help that Ruari ~~forced~~ convinced me to go ride up Etna a couple of times during the week that had the most vulcanic activity of the year so far. There was an eruption 3 days before we arrived and then the day after we left.

I think this month I'll focus less on the kilometers and more on the intensity.

Pictures coming soon!

Take a Ride on One of the World’s Smallest Cycling Tracks

2013-04-23T14:18:00.000+02:00

Submission by Michael Tapp

You can find his work at:

Fixed gear enthusiasts from around the world congregated inside a dilapidated Brooklyn church to ride one of the smallest cycling tracks in the world: The Red Bull Mini Drome.

The Red Bull hosted event dares riders to cycle as quickly as possible around the tiny track on a bicycle without brakes.

“When riders go head to head and the pressure's on to pass; that's when you're really going to see riders going for it and putting their skills to the test.” said Dave Ortiz, Mini Drome host.

Red Bull has produced over twenty mini drome events around the world and more than four thousand people signed up to watch the riders roll the dice on this mini race track in Brooklyn.

“The riders tonight represent the breadth of cycling culture we have here in New York and around the world. Even if they're not competing they're coming here tonight to have a good time and to watch some people go fast and watch some people fall down.” said Austin Horse, professional cyclist.

Watch as cyclists put their bikes and bodies at risk for the right to claim fastest rider in New York City.

Picks for the Clay Court Season

2013-04-22T18:45:00.002+02:00

Following Nadal's unexpected win in Indian Wells a month ago, as I said here it was beginning to look ominous for the rest of the tour regarding the fast-approaching clay court season. However on Sunday Djokovic beat him 6-2 7-6 in the final of the Monte Carlo Masters. It was the first time the Spaniard had lost there since 2003, having since racked up eight straight titles.

A very sweet home victory for Djokovic

Monte Carlo Rolex Masters

After coming into the tournament with a slight injury cloud over him, Djokovic very much played his way into form, dropping sets in his first two matches, before dispatching the tournament's giant killer Fabio Fognini in the semis. The first set against Nadal showed just why Djokovic must surely have at least one Roland Garros crown in him at some point. He raced to a 5-0 lead, effortlessly hitting winners left right and centre, in a way that no one has ever done against Nadal on clay before. Indeed the Serb said himself after the match that it was the best he is capable of playing on the surface.

The Prince of Monaco should keep out of the sun given his complexion

The second was a much tighter affair, with Nadal twice going up a break, but not managing to consolidate, and once it reached the breaker it had that sense of inevitability as Djokovic stepped it up a gear. The victory was really big news for both camps. As far as Nadal is concerned, he basically owns this tournament. No one has had a look in for almost a decade, but as he keeps stressing, the streak couldn't go on forever so it's not a disaster! For Djokovic, it was a big one ticked off the list - he's lived in Monaco for a fair few years now so of course his home tournament has been high up in his priorities for a while. It also means that he only has to win the masters in Cincinnati to complete the set of masters 1000 titles.

Where from here...

Well obviously it seems easy to say but these two are clearly the men to beat on the clay. We won't see what Federer is looking like until Madrid in a couple of weeks' time when he kicks off his campaign, and Murray looked completely off the pace in his 6-1 6-2 defeat to Stan Wawrinka. Nadal is playing Barcellona this week, and so with and extra week of match practice I'd say that he should be more competitive come the next meeting between the two of them. However with their current rankings that doesn't mean that will necessarily be in a final. Regardless, if they did meet in a semi, surely the winner of that match would go on and take the tournament.

Nadal will only get stronger as the clay court season progresses

I'm backing Djokovic for another win in Madrid. At altitude, it's never been prime hunting ground for Nadal given the fast clay courts there, though he has won there in the past. However it could also suit a relative outsider with a big game like Del Potro or Berdych if they get on a run. Come Rome, I'm seeing Nadal back to his absolute best, and I think he will take the win there before moving on to target yet more history at the French Open. Lets just hope they will be in opposite sides of the draw there!

The ones to watch out for...

Fabio Fognini was the surprise package in Monaco. Beating Berdych and Gasquet back to back without dropping a set was massively impressive and just highlights the hand skills the Italian possesses. If he can just stop moving so lazily about the court he court really challenge the best on this surface.

Fognini really inspired a lot of crowd support

Richard Gasquet is arguably at his best on the clay and despite that shock loss to Fognini, he is having a good year. Without the burden of pressure and expectation from which he suffered earlier in his career, I do expect him to go deep into one of these tournaments soon and possibly overtake compatriot Tsonga as world number 8.

Jo Wilfred is himself improving on the red dirt though. A couple of years ago I would've laughed at the prospect of him reaching the semis in Monaco, but he came back from a set down to defeat Wawrinka in the quarters which was particularly impressive. These two have had their fair share of battles in the past, but you would generally class the Swiss as the superior clay courter, backed up by that win over Murray. But however impressive Tsonga was there, he was just as disappointing against Nadal in the semis, failing to trouble the Spaniard at all. Still if he gets a good draw on the quick courts of Madrid he could do some damage.

Grigor Dimitrov had the beating of Nadal in the quarters in Monaco. I see him as a super-hybrid-cross with Federer's shots and Djokovic's movement and flexibility. At times he was just unplayable, and of course, he plays that variety of tennis which the crowd love, so once he can just get to the next level of consistency and hold it together mentally, he could start beating the big dogs.

Check back soon - the clay always throws up some of the most exciting tennis of the season so the coming month should be packed with top action!

Some Conclusions from the 2013 Spring Classics

2013-04-21T20:10:00.000+02:00

Well the Spring Classics are over for another year, and it's fair to say they've been as exciting as ever, if not more so, perhaps because they've been so unpredictable. Apart from Fabian Cancellara's dominance on the cobbles of E3, Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, none of the outright favourites have taken the big wins.

Cancellara rides at at the Tour of Flanders

BMC, Sky and Omega-Pharma-Quickstep Fail to Impress

Arguably the three strongest teams in the peloton, at least in terms of the pedigree of their riders, their respective classics squads massively under-performed this year.

Team Sky have great strength in depth both on the cobbles and on the hills of the Ardennes, with strong men like Stannard, Hayman, Eisel, Thomas and Boasson Hagen, and climbers in the shape of Froome, Porte, Uran and Henao, so they certainly didn't lack options in any of these races. But perhaps having no outright leader was their downfall, as their best result was Henao's second in the Fleche Wallonne, and they failed to podium at all in any of the monuments.

No doubt their radical decision to attend a training camp rather than prepare with a stage race at either Paris-Nice or Tirreno-Adriatico will be much criticised, but to be honest I think it just comes down to not having one rider who is strong enough. Boasson Hagen is really the rider who should be performing on the cobbles for them but his classics run was a total washout.
However they certainly have the raw material to work with; Stannard just gets stronger and stronger, so should look to build on his 6th in Milan-San-Remo, and both Uran and Henao are good punchy climbers who should win in the Ardennes in the future.

Henao's second place behind Moreno in Fleche Wallonne was Sky's best result

Omega-Pharma-Quickstep are accustomed to great success in the Spring, and after last year's incredible run of wins for Tom Boonen, were expected to back it up similarly in 2013. However but for a second place for Stijn Vandenbergh at Het Nieuwsblad and a third for Terpstra at Paris-Roubaix they came away empty-handed.

Perhaps this is a sign we are reaching the end of the Boonen era - an illness and injury plagued winter severely damaged his classics' preparation, and then a crash at Flanders ended his campaign once and for all. Unfortunately for Patrick Lefevre no one was able to step into his shoes and take the teams' reins.
Chavanel was the obvious candidate, but in what was his best ever chance to get a cobbled classics win, with possibilities of a whole team's support, he under-performed and was once again struck with misfortune in the shape of mechanical trouble at Paris-Roubaix.
They do have some cause for hope though. Zdenek Stybar made his transition from CX two years ago and at Paris-Roubaix he showed considerable strength, following Cancellara into the final selection of four riders, before being knocked out of contention by a fan and finally coming in sixth. Similarly, Vandenbergh looked incredibely strong on the cobbles - he too was in that move, and was also knocked down by a fan. Along with Michel Kwiatkowski, who repeatedly demonstrated great power in breaks on the cobbles and then with a 4th at Amstel Gold and 5th at the Fleche Wallonne, these three could well represent Omega's next generation of classics winners. They have a lot to lot up to though, and it would well be a couple more years until they start picking up multiple monuments again.

Sylvain Chavanel failed to step up in Boonen's absence

BMC were crap this spring. With their marquee team of top names including former and present world champions, they should be expected to pick up monuments, but frankly, didn't even get close.

Gilbert was found lacking in the Ardennes like last year, and has yet to post a win in the rainbow jersey. After a narrow second place to Sagan at Brabantse Pijl it looked like he would peak perfectly for Amstel and Liege, but he couldn't shake his rivals on the final climbs, settling for very minor placings by his standards. Hushoft too was thoroughly unimpressive on the cobbles, and perhaps we won't see him at his best again. He's undoubtedly lost speed since his peak, and clearly doesn't possess the strength to remain a contendor in the biggest one day races.
Greg van Avermaert somewhat saved BMC's skin this year, being a consistent performer, placing in the top ten in almost all the races he rode. Though without the win, this regularity at least gives the team something they can count on, as they must be really starting to regret those big name signings. Phinney too should spark hope - he was really good in Milan-San Remo, and though he didn't quite get the result he wanted in Paris-Roubaix, seems so strong that it's only a matter of time before he wins it.

Van Avermaert was BMC's best rider this Spring

Standout Riders

Well the first half of the Spring was marked by much talk over the Sagan-Cancellara rivalry. The fact that they don't see quite eye to eye fuelled this and heading into Flanders, they were one win apeice. However that's where the Swiss powerhouse stormed away. Sagan couldn't hold his wheel in the finale in Flanders, with perhaps the inevitable solo victory from Spartacus ensuing. Sagan didn't ride Paris-Roubaix, so Cancellara was the massive favourite. Everyone was talking about him - whether to 'anticipate' and attack from distance, or whether to wait for him to go, and then try and stay with him. As it turned out, Sep Vanmarcke did stay with him, and lost in a Sprint. Fab said that he dug deeper in that win than ever before and as much was clear as he collapsed on the grass in the Roubaix Velodrome at the end. All in all a thoroughly successful campaign for him, especially given the scepticism some were giving him as to his future. He remains the man to beat on the cobbles.

Sagan took second in two monuments: Milan San Remo and Tour of Flanders

Peter Sagan consistently demonstrated his strength, with a number of podiums and wins, on a different terrains, from the dirt roads of Strade Bianche, to the Cobbles of Flanders, to the hills of Brabantse Pijl. However his first monument still eludes him; he has plently of time though, and will now turn his attention to the Tour de France and the defence of his green jersey, before presumably having a shot at the Worlds in Florence.

I've already mentioned Henao and Uran, and these are two of a group of four exceptional young Columbian climbers along with Movistar's Nairo Quintana and AG2R's Carlos Betancur. Betancur took 3rd behind Henao at the Fleche Wallonne, both powering impressively up the steep finishing climb, and though Quintana didn't really feature, we've already seen how devastating he can be when the road goes uphill in the Stage races. These four could well be fighting out the Ardennes classics for many years to come.

Dan Martin scored Garmin's second monument win in Liege-Bastogne-Liege today, in what was a tactically perfect race from the American outfit. What made the Ardennes particularly interesting this year was the lack of outright favourites as there has been in the past with the likes of Gilbert and Valverde. This time around the climbers have all looked pretty equal, and not many would've picked Kreuziger, Moreno and Martin to take the three biggest wins.

Dan Martin almost stole 3rd from Betancur in the Fleche Wallonne - it was a sign of things to come, with him winning in Liege four days later

All told, it has been an eventful spring. Boonen's crash, Sagan's 'Ass-grab', and the Cancellara-Sagan banter have all kept it interesting, and that's before we get to the big results. As far as next year is concerned, Sagan will surely feature once again, but probably with even more success. It's hard to see Cancellara doing the double again, but of course it' possible, and in the hills...well who knows? There are so many good climbers out there right now that I guess a lot of it depends on their respective stage race ambitions. It'll certainly be fascinating to see how BMC, Sky and Omega bounce back though. They all have the riders for great success, but are clearly getting things wrong, so will they identify their problems and come back stronger?

Featured Film Photographer: Misbah Ali

2013-04-18T19:54:00.000+02:00

See all our featured photographers here.

Editor's note: As I think I generally speak too much, this week I won't say a word! Enjoy Misbah's images and her opinions!

Kodak Double X @800 HC 110, M6, Zeiss Biogon 28 mm f2.8 ZM

Misbah Ali

Since my teens I have loved watching people. My turn to world of street photography started about a year ago, when I began to reading about photographers like Cartier-Bresson, Friedlander, Robert Frank and viewing their work online.

Previously, I had felt like an intruder when photographing strangers. Learning that there were accomplished and renowned photographers in this realm of photography, gave me immense inspiration... and motivation. My biggest fear to overcome was to get close to the subject. So I chucked my zoom lenses and now try to get as close as I can. I sometimes shoot from the hip and sometimes like Raymond Depardon (as in Manhattan Out) holding the camera to my chest set to a hyperfocal range. And I take my camera everywhere. I think I love to photograph people for their spontaneity and unpredictability. The myriad of expressions, postures, and the body language makes each person a pleasure to observe and preserve...

Kodak Ultramax 400, Olympus 2Sp, Zuiko 35 mm f 2.8

I feel that b&w film brings an edginess to street and candid shots that I really like, and it has been my recent medium of choice for street photography recently. The absence of digital instant gratification compels me to take my time and think about shot and be more vigilant for opportunities.

Kodak Double X @400 HC 110 B, M6, Summicron-M 50 mm F2

I started developing b&w film at home about 2 years ago, taking help from friends and the wonderful Flickr community. Learning to develop led me to explore the analog medium further and a year ago I took a printing course at Gallery44. It taught me how to print, but also that patience, perseverance and attention to details are the main tools to making a good print. I am still working on making good prints...

Kodak Double X @800 D76, M6, Zeiss Biogon 28 mm f2.8 ZM

My other passion is landscapes and cityscapes. For this reason I looked into medium format and got my Hasselblad 500C in summer of 2011. The details recorded on the 6x6 neg just blew me away ... and now I cannot wait to get into large format photography! The medium format slows me down, I drive around a bit looking for the best location, then get the gear set up, take a break, compose the shot, think about it a bit, expose the shot ... think about it some more... recompose, take another shot .... it is like a ritual or a prayer!

HP5+ 400@800 D76, M6, Zeiss Biogon 28 mm f2.8 ZM

My Film Gear

Leica M6 Classic

What I can say? it delivers perfectly, the only screw ups are mine. Non Leica users sometimes ask me if it is easy to load on the fly. Well I have loaded the M6 on the NYC Subway, going down escalators, sitting on sidewalks etc.. no problems so far. Although I use it primarily for street, I find that I am taking a lot of family pictures with it as well. I recently got a Leica SF20 flash to help with family photos in low light situations. the lenses I use most on it are the Summicron 35 mm F2, and the Zeiss Biogon 28 mm f2.8 ZM. Both are excellent, although they are close in focal length, the Zeiss offers a bit more width for more panoramic or environmental shots. And I love the fact that there is virtually no distortion. I love it for shots in cities where the tall buildings are. For places like malls, or outdoor markets and night street photography I like the Summicron better as the extra stop helps. I also have a Summicron M 50 f2, but that I use to take pretty pictures of my kids and pets... !

Arista EDU Ultra 100 + D76 1:1, Hasselblad 500 C+ Zeiss Planar 80 mm F2.8

Olympus OM 2Sp

I shoot it with a Zuiko 35 mm f2.8, Zuiko 50 mm f1.4 and Zuiko 28 mm f3.5 is my back up setup. I love that this SLR is almost the same size as my Leica, even a little smaller. the Zuikos are super sharp, especially the 28mm (its sweet spot is f5.6-f8). The Zuiko 50 mm F1.4 has a bokeh to die for.

Kodak Ektar 100, Hasselblad 500 C+ Zeiss Planar 80 mm F2.8

Other Cameras

I have other cameras like the Canon EOS 7e (awesome metering) the Canonet QL17 III (whisper-quiet, excellent exposure lock, but scratches the last 4 frames), the Olympus OM-10 (pretty reliable, I test new film on it as it so easy to use) but the M6 and the Olympus 2Sp are the ones I use all the time.
I have a Hasselblad 500 C with the Zeiss 50, 80 and 150 mm lenses. An excellent set up, wholly mechanical and a joy to use every time. I like shooting night city scenes with the Hassey

The Films I Like

I love Tri-X 400 (who doesn't) and its rebranded form in Arista Premium 400, HP5+, Kodak Eastman XX (movie film), Rollei Retro 80S and Fuji Neopan Acros in 120 format. I prefer films with smaller grain and even tones of gray but that's just a personal preference. For color, Kodak Portra 400 and Ektar 100 both in 120 format, Kodak Ultramax 400 or Fuji Superia Xtra 400 in 135 format are my favorite films.
I mainly use HC 110, D 76, but have also used Xtol and Rodinal. I recently used Diafine and am very impressed with its speed and ease of use. There are tons of films and developers that I haven't tried out yet, my only worry is that they might become extinct before I have had a chance to do so.
I want to print more, but live intervenes. I would love to love alternative methods of printing such as Albumen and Lith Printing.

The goal in 2013 is just to print more, and keep shooting....

You can view more of Misbah's work on Flickr.

Would you like to be featured by us?

Send in your submission!

Granfondo Lombardo Report

2013-04-16T22:57:00.000+02:00

After a couple of weeks out of action due to visitors and a cancelled race, Sunday saw Granfondo Lombardo - the toughest event of the Coppa Sicilia. At over 130km and with around 2500m of climbing, including a crazy steep 700m mountain climb up to the historical town of Erice, everyone was apprehensive. Two weeks previously I had ridden the route, so knew it was going to be savage but also beautiful. As usual there would be a shorter 'mediofondo' version which cut out the epic climb, though at the beginning I had every intention of riding the whole course.

The podium

We set off from the small remote town of Buseto Palizzolo at 9.30, with over 500 riders taking to the start line. After manoeuvring my way to the front to avoid any chopper-related holdups, it was underway, and it all settled down fairly quickly, no one wanting to ride off the front too early. It would all start to string out a bit on the first major climb up to Vita. It was unlikely to prove decisive, coming so early on, but it was still useful, thinning the front group to around 50 riders. A long descent followed where everyone seemed content to keep it steady before the next climb in the picturesque seaside village of Scopello. This one was tougher than the last, and now we were 70km into the race, the contenders started making their presence felt. The pace was high on this one, and with the sun beating down it was tough going. By the top there were only about 12 of us left, with riders still scattered all over the road.

Shocking socks and sandals combo on the podium

The descent would prove even more decisive though, with a group of 5 attacking and opening a small gap. The mixture of a technical, gravelly descent, and having crashed out last time round made me cautious, and so ten minutes later I found myself in a group of 7 frantically trying to get back to the leaders. We made it just before the climb back to Buseto, and with it the junction between the finish line for the mediofondo or the choice to keep going and ride the long course. Despite wanting to ride the whole event, I knew that most people in my group would be doing that, and so made the choice to take a guaranteed podium finish in the medio - and duly came away with 3rd. Nice to get my first podium out here, though part of me can't help but wish I'd done the whole thing! There's always next time I guess...

A pretty rubbish photo of me rocking the new Alcamo Ciclelite team kit!

You can see the highlights reel here!

BrainCalendar for Silicon

2013-04-15T17:01:00.000+02:00

Last week, I showed you how to install a calendar in your brain. Today at lunchtime I decided to give a shot at learning the programming language Python.

The result?

BrainCalendar4Silicon™

A brand new version of BrainCalendar™ which has been redesigned from the ground up for non-organic computing devices! (i.e. Your PC or Mac!)

As you can see from the screenshot above, it doesn't have any bells and whistles but it does work. Unfortunately, I haven't yet worked out a way to make it automatically correct for the annoying LeapYear™. Remember that for January and February on a LeapYear™, the program will be one day ahead.

It's probably unnecessarily clunky, but that's just because I've never written a line of code before!

As it's written in Python, you will need to have Python installed on your computer (it's dead easy to install).

Then you copy and paste the code in a text file and save it as BrainCalendar.py

All that is left to do is to double click the file and follows the prompts!

Enjoy!

PS: Just like the original BrainCalendar™,  BrainCalendar4Silicon™ is completely free of use. Feel free to edit, share, copy, rip, cut, paste, modify, etc..

Get the code:

print ("Welcome to BrainCalender!")
print ("""I need to know what date you would like me to calculate! I will ask you the year, then the month and finally the day.""")
fullyear = int(input("Type the year: "))
year = (fullyear)%100
century= fullyear//100
centurycode= (((century+4)//4*4)-1-century)*2
monthcode = input("Type the name of the month: ")
dayofthemonth = int(input("Insert day of the month: "))

if monthcode == "january":
monthcode = 1

elif monthcode == "January":
monthcode = 1


elif monthcode == "february":
monthcode = 4


elif monthcode == "February":
monthcode = 4


elif monthcode == "march":
monthcode = 4


elif monthcode == "March":
monthcode = 4


elif monthcode == "april":
monthcode = 0


elif monthcode == "April":
monthcode = 0


elif monthcode == "may":
monthcode = 2


elif monthcode == "May":
monthcode = 2


elif monthcode == "june":
monthcode = 5


elif monthcode == "June":
monthcode = 5


elif monthcode == "july":
monthcode = 0


elif monthcode == "July":
monthcode = 0


elif monthcode == "august":
monthcode = 4


elif monthcode == "August":
monthcode = 3


elif monthcode == "september":
monthcode = 6


elif monthcode == "September":
monthcode = 6


elif monthcode == "october":
monthcode = 1


elif monthcode == "October":
monthcode = 1


elif monthcode == "november":
monthcode = 4


elif monthcode == "November":
monthcode = 4


elif monthcode == "december":
monthcode = 6


elif monthcode == "December":
monthcode = 6

yearcode = (centurycode+year+(year//4))%7
dayoftheweek = (yearcode + monthcode + dayofthemonth)%7

if dayoftheweek == 1:
print ("Sunday")

elif dayoftheweek == 2:
print ("Monday")

elif dayoftheweek == 3:
print ("Tuesday")

elif dayoftheweek == 4:
print ("Wednesday")

elif dayoftheweek == 5:
print ("Thursday")

elif dayoftheweek == 6:
print ("Friday")

elif dayoftheweek ==0:
print ("Saturday")

How to Install a Calendar in Your Brain

2013-04-08T08:00:00.000+02:00

Contrary to popular belief, you are not limited to installing applications on your computer, tablet or smartphone. It's perfectly possible to install applications into your brain for direct access, any time, any place. No credit card payments, no fancy "App Store" and you don't even need to be connected to Wi-Fi.

Welcome to BrainCalendar™. I haven't ported this to iOS or Android yet, so it does require a functioning brain.

Today I will help you install a calendar in your brain. Next week we will add email and then perhaps we can try Photoshop or Chrome.

This program allows you to know the day of the week for any date of any past or future year.

That's seriously cool.

Firstly, I'm going to install in your brain a program that allows you to calculate the day of the week for any day in the next few years.

The code:

DayOfTheWeek™ = (YearCode™ + MonthCode™ + DayofTheMonth™) mod 7

Let's break this down.

DayOfTheWeek™

The Aim of BrainCalendar™ calculations is to reach a single digit number which we can then convert to a DayOfTheWeek™.

It couldn't be simpler:

Sunday = 1

Monday = 2

Tuesday = 3

Wednesday = 4

Thursday = 5

Friday = 6

Saturday = 0

YearCode™

I've given you a list of common years you might need, but for practical purposes you only really need to remember the current year's number, but later on I will show you a way to calculate the YearCode™ for any year!

2008 = 2
2009 = 3
2010 = 4
2011 = 5
2012 = 0
2013 = 1
2014 = 2
2015 = 3

MonthCode™

Unless you want to get down and dirty with the maths, just accept that these are the numbers and that's that. These never change.

January = 1
February = 4
March = 4
April = 0
May = 2
June = 5
July = 0
August = 3
September = 6
October = 1
November = 4
December = 6

These numbers are not just picked out of the blue. The describe the relationship between the starting days of the month. So if January starts on a Sunday (1) then February and March will start on a Wednesday (4), April on a Saturday (0), May on a Monday (2) and so on...

DayofTheMonth™

This is simply the number of the day of the month. So if you want to know what the date will be on the 17th of April 2014, the day number will be 17. Pretty easy ;)

Mod 7

This looks complex, but all it just gives you the remainder of a division by 7. So, 25 mod 7 is 4 because 7 goes into 25 three times with a remainder of 4.

Let's test it out. This blog started on the 1st of December 2012.

So...

DayOfTheWeek™ = (YearCode™ + MonthCode™ + DayofTheMonth™) mod 7

The YearCode™ for 2012 is 0

The MonthCode™ for December is 6

The DayofTheMonth™ is 1

DayOfTheWeek™ = (0 + 6 + 1) mod 7
DayOfTheWeek™ = 7 Mod 7
DayOfTheWeek™ = 0

So this blog was founded on a Saturday!

Once you get the hang of this you can do it so quickly that it's almost instantaneous. The maths is really not that difficult, but it's an amazing tool to have!

LeapYear™

LeapYear™ was invented by Microsoft™ back in the day as a quick-fix solution, and unfortunately nobody has come up with a better way to keep the calendar year synchronised with the seasonal year.

BrainCalendar™ has a very simple built-in solution to dealing with the pesky LeapYear™. If you are calculating the date of a leap year, make sure you subtract one from your result if the day in question is in January or February. This is because the leap day hasn't occurred yet. For all the other months you don't have to do a thing!

Taking it further...

Not even Apple™ give you free software upgrades...

What if you want to work out the day of the week for any year?

Firstly, let me introduce CenturyCode™

CenturyCode™ has been built from the ground up to be easy to use.

CenturyCode™ is 20% thinner and over 3 times lighter than the previous generation.

All you need to do is take the first two digits of the Century you wish to run BrainCalendar™ on and then find the next highest multiple of 4.

So for the 1600s, that would mean you take 16 and then find the next highest multiple of 4, which in this case is 20.

Then, you subtract 1 from 20 and then subtract 16 from the total.

Then, you multiply your answer by two.

So:

XX00s CenturyCode™ = (next highest multiple of four minus 1, minus XX)*2
1600s CenturyCode™ = (20-1-16)*2

1600s CenturyCode™ = 6

Another example for a future year:

4200s CenturyCode™ = (44-1-42)*2
4200s CenturyCode™ = 2

Now, it's a piece of cake to use CenturyCode™ to calculate the YearCode™ for any year!

YearCode™=[CenturyCode™+ YearNumber™+(YearNumber™ div 4)] mod 7

Don't freak out at the "div 4". It's a bit like the "mod 7" except "div 4" tells us how many 4s we can fit in a number and ignores the remainder.

So 17 mod 4 = 4 (forget about the remainder 1)

Example:

What's the YearCode™ of Beethoven's year of birth, 1770?

First of all, let's work out the CenturyCode™.

1700s CenturyCode™ = (20-1-17)*2

1700s CenturyCode™ = 4

Now we can work out the YearCode™ for 1770.

YearCode™=[4+ 70+(70 div 4)] mod 7

YearCode™=[74+(17)] mod 7

YearCode™=[91] mod 7

YearCode™= 0

Done!

As a full example, why don't we find out on what DayOfTheWeek™ Mozart was born?Mozart was born on the 27th of January, 1756.

XX00s CenturyCode™ = (next highest multiple of four minus 1, minus XX)*2
1700s CenturyCode™ = (20-1-17)*2
1700s CenturyCode™ = 4

YearCode™=[CenturyCode™+ YearNumber™+(YearNumber™ div 4)] mod 7
YearCode™=[4+ 56+(56 div 4)] mod 7
YearCode™= 4

DayOfTheWeek™ = (YearCode™ + MonthCode™ + Day) mod 7
DayOfTheWeek™ = (4 + 1 + 27) mod 7
DayOfTheWeek™= 4

1756 was a LeapYear™ so we must subtract one from our DayOfTheWeek™ because it's in January.

Thus,

DayOfTheWeek™= 3

Mozart was born on a Tuesday.

Spring Classics Challenge - Week 1 Summary

2013-04-07T15:50:00.000+02:00

A breakdown of my first week in the Strava Classics Challenge:

Day 1: It was pretty rainy and cold and there was incredible amount of traffic. I was fairly bored riding in the city.

Day 2: I stayed along the costal road running East of Palermo. The sun was out and the world was smiling.

Day 3: I hit the mountains today and it felt good. I managed to get a personal record on a climb.

Day 4: I did the same ride as the day before but I this time, I could really feel it. My legs felt pretty heavy, and it was about 20C, so the heat didn't help either. I ate like a pig, but I felt like I needed it. :)

Day 5: The weather was superb and I met Ruari for a coffee in Torretta, a small village on the side of a mountain. It took us a good 30 minutes to find each other, which is quite strange considering the size of Torretta and how we were both armed with top-of-the-line GPS bicycle computers. Just goes to show that stupidity will always beat technology. After a pleasant coffee break the school(s?) in Torretta finished and Torretta suddenly turned into complete and utter chaotic mess. School coaches, small vans selling vegetables, hundreds of parents is their SUVs. You name it, it was probably there. After this, Ruari took me to perhaps the steepest road I have ever seen. Check it out on Strava, where it's aptly named "Barely Rideable".

Day 6: Fairly boring. It was going to be my day off but in the end I did two local 22km rides. I did manage to also go out and buy another bike! It's very old and whatnot, but you cannot really go wrong for €50.

Today is my day off, and I feel like I've deserved it. I wanted to ride 330km this week, but I didn't quite get there. My plan of attack for next week is to try and do longer rides but perhaps incorporate an extra day off to compensate. We'll see how that goes! I also took a few pictures with my K1000, I'll put them up sometime this week.

Needless to say, Ruari is has done a fair few km this week, but that's nothing special for him with his shaved legs.

Granfondo del Golfo Report

2013-04-05T10:19:00.001+02:00

On Sunday 24th March, my second Sicilian Granfondo took place in Villagrazia di Carini, just west along the coast from Palermo. Having enjoyed the previous week's hilly course in Castelvetrano, I was really looking forward to this one - I even did a recon ride of the major climb, finding that due to major subsidence the road had given way (they changed the route very slightly!).

Sitting second wheel prior to the crash

The first hour was on the flat, and with 400 riders, was thus rather sketchy. With people constantly attempting to move forwards in the bunch, I never felt particularly safe. This was only worsened when I heard to loud crashes behind me in an unlit tunnel we were passing through.

However as soon as the climbing started the bunch was predictably strung out and there was soon a group of around 40 of us riding in a much safer manner. The pace still wasn't high though, and after finding myself in an exploratory attack, and being reeled in after a few minutes, I found myself on the front. However no one was keen to come through despite me setting a VERY steady tempo, and so it all stayed relatively together.

Being a road race and not CX, this was a no-go!

It was only halfway up the major climb that attacks began, and determined not to miss anything crucial this time, I followed everything, though nothing got away! This did have the effect though of reducing the bunch to about 10 riders by the top of the climb. I was aware that the technical descent could create splits so I kept near the front - it all went well before I overcooked it on a wet corner and crashed spectacularly. Unfortunately I was unable to get up and then unable to move on until my parent-driven support car arrived with technical assistance, so I saw a good 12 minutes of riders whizz by...

It was a beautiful day for my recon as well as the race

I got going again, and soon found myself riding with a friend from Marsala who'd had some similar bad luck - we took turns, and gradually caught people, forming a largish group of around 15. No longer bothered about the result, but still pissed off at the crash, I took the opportunity to ride the group to the finish, something they were all grateful for, as they saved precious energy in their crucial sprint for 31st place!

All in all, a very frustrating day!

Featured Film Photographer: Anna Chobotova

2013-04-03T21:53:00.001+02:00

See all our featured photographers here.

Editor's note: I am stunned at the consistent quality of work from our featured film photographers. We don't screen out any photographers. They send us their work, and we feature it. Simple as that.

Anna Chobotova

This week's featured film photograher is 34 year old Anna Chobotova, all the way from Petrozavodsk, Russia.

I have to admit that I had no idea where that was and so I had to consult Google Maps. As we like to keep everybody well-educated around here...

View Larger Map

Anna graduated from The International School of Photography, in Moscow. She has been a working photographer since 2005.

For her professional work, Anna uses a Hasselblad medium format camera.

Anna has been involved in various projects :

Personal exhibition "Sensuality”, October, 2008, State National Theater of Republic of Karelia
Group exhibition “The fathers and the kids”, February, 2009. State Puppet Theater of Republic of Karelia
Personal exhibition Moulin Rouge: Mirror", Petrozavodsk, November, 2009;
Group exhibition, LOFT-project “Seasons of the year. Onega tractor factory, September-October, 2010
Personal exhibition “In AnnaKids Country”, October-November, 2010, State Puppet Theater of Republic of Karelia
Exhibition of Anna Chobotova and Andrey Chernushov, April, 2011, The Gallery “Grain”
Personal exhibition “In the angel’s country”, May-June, 2011, Karelian State Philharmonic
Group exhibition “Author – time”, November-December, 2011, the museum of industrial history of Petrozavodsk
Personal exhibition “Dreams from childhood”, August-September, 2012, Karelian State Philharmonic.

Anna's effects are all created at the time of capture. She doesn't post-process her images.

Anna personal philosophy on her work is that they are not portrait photos but "photos of emotions, impression, feeling and materialisations of dreams."

Let's take a look at some more of Anna's work:

You can find more of Anna's work via:

Would you like to be featured by us?

Send in your submission!

Peter Sagan and the Podium Girl: Women in Cycling

2013-04-03T09:08:00.000+02:00

For the last year I have been President of Durham University Cycling Club and perhaps more interestingly, I have been the first female President of the club. This is not really a surprising fact when we consider how male dominated cycling is as a competitive sport. DUCC has around 50 members; 5 of whom are women. This kind of statistic is not unique to DUCC; only 15% of British Cycling members are women.

On Sunday, Peter Sagan made a crude gesture on the podium at the Tour of Flanders. Which got me thinking once again, about how women are represented in cycling and what is being done to change it. In my own experience, on a more local scale, efforts are being made to get women on bikes and racing, but I see little evidence of this at the top of the sport. Every year, another women’s team loses funding and world class riders are left without a team for the next year. Emma Pooley considered retiring after her team collapsed for the third year in a row. A former World Time Trial Champion, winner of the Grand Boucle feminine (the alternative to the Tour de France before lack of financial support brought it to an end), Queen of the Mountains in the Giro Donne last year: without a team. It just wouldn't happen on the men’s side.

Sagan on the podium

Analysing Sagan’s arse grope a little further, I could easily wax lyrical about sexism in sport and why we still have this questionable tradition of podium girls. But while it's hard to gauge a rational reaction without being accused of a missing sense of humour; it's certainly easy to blow it off as just a bit of fun. However, inequality is perhaps most blatant to those who are getting a rough deal.

Clearly, it was an inappropriate gesture. Most women would see this behaviour, particularly from men they don't know, as threatening and disrespectful rather than flattering or funny. Perhaps this was overlooked by the 23 year old, but his relative youth shouldn't be used as an excuse.

However, what is most sad about this photo of Sagan and Maya Leye (the podium girl), making the rounds in the cycling media, is that it was the only representation on television of women in cycling on Sunday. For those of you who don't know, just prior to the end of the men's race, Marianne Vos was sprinting to victory in the women's Ronde (Tour of Flanders) for the first time in her career. There was no coverage of this race.

The fact that women's races aren't televised is not only the result, but a factor contributing to the problem. If women's racing is not shown on TV, it is less attractive to potential sponsors. It would have been easy, surely, for the UCI to push for the women's Tour of Flanders to have been filmed, with everything already set up to capture the men's race.

Vos taking her first victory in Flanders

I’m not writing a post on why people should watch women’s cycling; the old arguments of women’s cycling not being fast enough, not attacking enough, being too boring, have surely been put to bed after the Olympics. Yes, that was just one race, but I believe it to be typical across the board in women’s cycling. And, surely it is correct that women have the same opportunity as men in the sport. Double World Road Race Champion, Giorgia Bronzini, was once asked what advice she would give to young girls, aspiring to be professional bike racers, and her answer: don’t bother. For Bronzini, life as a professional cyclist has been a struggle and hers is not a unique experience: less than half of the women in UCI races are paid. The UCI has not yet agreed to a minimum wage for women. They are not asking for millions; a World Tour men’s team costs €9.5 million a year to run while the female equivalent costs a mere €500,000.

When I started racing in the North East of England 3 years ago, the only competition available to me were men’s 4^th category races. If I wanted to race women, there was the Women’s National Road Race series and National Team series, which weren't really the ideal platform when you were just starting. Today, there is women’s racing and coaching nearly every weekend in the North East. And in the North West this season, a successful road race league has started, limited to 2/3/4 category riders. All these events mean girls have an entry into the sport, and I only hope this fueling from the bottom approach not only continues to grow, but also filters through to the top end of the sport.

An example of women's racing in the North-East; just a few years ago, these events didn't exist!

The Myriad of Cycling Footwear Options

2013-04-02T17:30:00.001+02:00

Well cycling is a good 80% about looking good. Your quality as a rider really is nowhere near as important, I'm sure most of you would agree. Now I'm a firm believer that generally in life your footwear is a good barometer for a person, and this rule definitely applies in cycling too.

I'm not talking specifically about cycling shoes here, but the many types of cover available on the market for you to put on them. There really are a lot out there, and they're useful for several reasons.

A diverse range of cycling feet. Sicilian rider Paolo is wearing some classic neoprene overshoes, while DUCC riders Grant and Miles steal the show with oversocks. Broadbent and Nixon go for the standard 'bare-shoe' look - this is acceptable, while Eaton on the far right is a triathlete, which explains that horrendous bit of ankle on show.

Neoprene Winter Overshoes

First up is the boring, practical variety. These are purely to keep your feet warm and dry during the cold damp winter months. They really are a must - They also keep your beautiful cycling shoes nice and clean from all the rubbish on the roads. They don't look particularly great, but as I say, that's not their main purpose.

Disregard my chopper head-wear if you can, on my feet are some neoprene overshoes.

Lycra Shoe Covers

These fulfil both a practical and a cosmetic function. They look good and also provide an aerodynamic advantage. For this reason they are a bit of a contentious point over whether they are allowed in races. They are however frequently used in time trials. They provide no real insulation from the cold and rain.

Omega-Pharma-Quickstep's Niki Terpstra rocking lycra oversocks for a TT.

Oversocks

Now we're getting into the real cosmetic shoecover products, and with them, my favourites. Despite what anyone tells you, the oversock serves no practical use. It isn't massively aero and the freezing wind goes straight through it. They're also remarkably undurable. However they look SICK. Regardless of what your shoes are, these are a top combination - they keep everything all nice and tidy down by your feet, and if a few of you have matching pairs, you look pretty damn pro.

DUCC's Andy Miles shows off his oversocks on a training ride.

Toe Covers

These are my current favourite. I got back out to Sicily from London the other month and realised I'd left my regular overshoes at home, so needed some new ones. However instead of conducting a sensible purchase, I was drawn to these puppies like a middle-aged man is to a Pinarello Dogma. Now in theory, they are a halfway point for foot insulation, ideal for those chilly spring mornings on the continent (yes, they are very continental). However they provide no such service, and my feet regularly freeze in them. However, like the oversocks, they look AWESOME. Cyclingnews agrees...

If you look carefully, the BMC rider (possibly Van Avermaet)
to Cancellara's right is sporting some toe warmers. I'm sure that
for his directeur sportif this more than makes up for him not taking the win in Strade Bianche.

My Gaerne toe warmers. I don't know how I survived before them if I'm honest.

In fact, I like oversocks and toe covers so much, I often struggle to decide which option to go with each morning. I'm currently considering putting the toecovers over the oversocks. I'm fairly sure this has never been done before, so feel free to comment with your thoughts.

Needless to say, every rider should really own a full complement of these. They are as essential to your kit collection as a bike and quite frankly, if you get your choice of shoe cover right, fellow riders will look at you in a totally different light.

Spring Classics Challenge - Introduction

2013-03-31T15:06:00.000+02:00

It's been a while since the Rapha Festive 500 and so I'm back doing another Strava Challenge. Obviously I'm a bit fitter than I was in December but I still think this one will be more difficult as it requires an entire month of dedication.

It's an average of roughly 44km a day, but I will probably want to take one day off a week so that increases it to almost 51km a day. My plan of attack is to do one ~150km ride a week and then do the rest is smaller 50km chunks throughout the week.

It looks like the weather in Sicily is going to be lovely so that should get me motivated!

From Strava:

"While the world’s best professional cyclists are hammering up the bergs and bouncing over the cobblestones, Specialized and Strava challenge you to ride the cumulative distance of five of cycling’s most storied races that form the Spring Classics, adding up to a monumental total of 1,319 kilometers or 820 miles.

For those curious, here is how the math works out:

Milan-San Remo [298km] + Tour of Flanders [256km] + Paris-Roubaix [257km] + Liège–Bastogne–Liège [257km] + Amstel Gold [251km] = 1,319 kilometers"

As this challenge lasts an entire month, I won't be doing daily updates like I did for the Rapha Festive 500. I will do a weekly round up every Sunday.

It looks like that Specialized, the sponsor for this challenge, decided to be really cheap and so you only get a "digital finishers badge" on your Strava dashboard. Rapha sell overly-expensive coffee utensils (and also some cycling gear, so I am told) but at least they actually sent the finishers a real roundel!

Imagination first, gear second

2013-03-29T07:55:00.000+01:00

Note: This was originally guest posted on FindingRange.com and you can also find it on ShootingFilm.net and RainerNitzsche.de

I thought that perhaps a few of you guys & girls may have missed it and so I am finally publishing it here on AndBeThere.com

Me being a Hypocrite with my Leica M3

I am writing this post because I am getting a feeling that photography is becoming more and more about the gear and less and less about the photographs. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about...

Don't get me wrong, it's quite amazing when new cameras come out with never-before-seen features and they blow everybody's mind but that's not really what photography is about, is it?

The first thing you need to do, is look through the viewfinder. If your camera doesn't have a viewfinder, go and buy a new camera ;)

Looking through the viewfinder and then squeezing the shutter release button at the perfect moment is the only think you should really be thinking about. Lenses, cameras, sensors, film, tripods, filters, lens hoods, flashes and all the rest are a distant second.

No amount of gear will make you take better pictures. The only way to improve your photography is to improve yourself as a human being. Develop your imagination, look at images from the masters, read, and most importantly, get out there and shoot!

But whatever you do, don't just shoot...Think!

Thinking is not optional...

Think about your composition.

Think about the quality of the light.

Think about your timing.

Think about what you want to convey to the viewer.

These issues are far more important than the fact that you are using the latest in digital camera technology or a 60 year old film camera.

Composition

Composition is quite a tough nut to crack. Yes, the basics are splattered throughout the internet: The Golden Ratio, the Rule of Thirds, the use of perspective and using lines to lead the eye.

As a composer, I approach composition from a completely different point of view. I don't have anybody standing next to me at the piano telling me what I can and cannot write. I have total control. Of course, with this total control also comes responsibility. I need to be aware of the boundaries of good taste [contrary to popular belief, good taste is not subjective, but that's a whole other article!] and also of coherence, logic and unity.

All of these intermingle into a big melting pot and each one of them takes priority at different times. If I am writing a über-modern piece of piano music then I can probably get away with breaking or bending the rules of harmony and logic as long as my final result has some form of coherence and unity. I couldn't get away with doing that if I was writing a imitation Baroque piece.

Note very careful that I've left out the word "art" in this discussion because that a whole other can of worms...

Anyway, I think it's quite clear how this approach can be translated for photography. You don't need to follow all or even any of the rules for composition, but make sure that you say something, and you say it loud and clear! When I am out shooting I sometimes like to imagine that I am a painter and I try and imagine what the perfect painted scene, in which I have full control, would look like. I then try and get as close as possible with all the limitations that the real world puts in the way.

Btw, the word photography derives from the Greek φωτός (phōtos) "light" and γραφή (graphé) "drawing",^[5] together meaning "drawing with light".

That's not a coincidence!

Quality of Light

Due to the fact that we are "drawing with light", the quality of the light that we capture is perhaps the single most important factor in a good photograph. Or maybe not. I haven't made my mind up on this point!

Generally speaking, the quality of light for photography is better during the early morning and the late afternoon when the sun is not so relatively high in the sky. During the middle of the day the shadows can be very harsh and everything can look "flat". Of course, for some projects this may very well be desired!

In my opinion, using a non-metered fully manual film cameras helps you become a better photographer regardless whether you shoot digital or film.

When you shoot a non-metered fully manual film camera you are forced to really consider the quality and intensity of the light at any given moment. This sounds hard, but before you know it, it's an automatic process.

At first you are constantly wondering about the time of day, the location of the sun, the shadows, trying to recalculate the Sunny 16 rule for different apertures and it feels like it's just a pain in the ass and you can't concentrate on taking photographs. Soon enough, you find yourself learning from your mistakes and recognising similar situations and you are pre-setting your camera long before you raise it to your eye to take the shot. This allows you to completely stop worrying about your gear and let your imagination roam free! I can't even begin to describe to you how much your photography will improve if you do this.

Needless to say, this can be done with the latest digital equipment, but I feel it's much easier to stick to the learning path with an old fashioned film camera. :)

Timing

Luckily I managed to find an even bigger Hypocrite!

Timing is everything. Consequently, fast reactions are very important. Being able to spot the "decisive moment" before it actually happens is a superb skill to develop. If you get good at this, it also means you can afford to have slower reactions because you have time to get ready!

Let me tell you how I sometimes go about trying to capture the decisive moment. I find a subject which "speaks" to me and I look around to see if there is anything/anyone else nearby that can reinforce that message. Let me give you an example:

In Palermo (Sicily, not Argentina!) the main boulevard, called Via Liberta is shut to traffic on Sundays. This makes it really great to walk right through the city and everybody takes advantage of it. Everybody is out with their friends or their family.

I saw an old man sitting on a bench looking quite lonely and I saw that a family was going to be walking past him in the next twenty seconds or so. My camera was already set for both the exposure and the focus, all I had to do was point and click. In my mind I pictured the family walking past the bench and then I would take my shot. My idea was to highlight his loneliness by juxtapositioning the family into the frame. Here is an arial view of how the scene could have turned out:

My apologies, I am famous for my awful sketches...

In the end, the shot didn't work out as other people ended up walking into the frame and, unfortunately, I didn't have the time to hang about.

If you are constantly analysing your surroundings is this way, you will start to capture the decisive moments in your local surroundings. It doesn't matter if half of the time (or more!) the decisive moment doesn't come together because the times that it does will more than make up for it.

Meaning

Missing Someone...

As I said earlier, whatever you do, don't just shoot. Think. Think about what you want to say. Of course, not every single shot has to be "deep" and full of meaning. You might see something amusing or slightly unusual which doesn't carry much meaning, that doesn't mean you shouldn't photograph it!

I wouldn't get too hung up on trying to convey a specific meaning in one or more photographs. I think this comes more from having a generally relaxed attitude while keeping a theme in the back of your head.

There is much more that needs to be said, and I'm not the right person to say it.

I strongly recommend you read the Art of Lying by Oscar Wilde.

Bonus Section: Why Shoot Leica?

Leica M3 with Dual Range 50mm Summicron f/2 and LeicaMeter. Photographed by Brian Johnson

It might seem a tad absurd after everything that I've written here to conclude with a section recommending perhaps one of the most expensive and luxurious camera brands in the world.

..Perhaps it is!

The reasons I do recommend shooting Leica is threefold:

Simplicity

Shutter Speed, Aperture, and Iso. Those are the three things you need to control and that's all you get with a Leica M rangefinder camera. The Leica M Type 240 adds all kinds of extra that we don't need but, of course, you should be shooting film! ;)

The Rangefinder Advantage

This is not exclusive to Leica but shooting with a rangefinder is amazing because you can see the exact moment you take your shot, unlike (D)SLR cameras which black out during the crucial split-second because they have to get the mirror out of the way. As far as rangefinder cameras go, Leica are the best.

The Build Quality

Leica's are legendary for their build quality and quite rightly so. Let me, modestly, quote myself:

"Build quality is a tough one to pin down. Everybody talks about it, Leica is famous for it but most people could not give you a clear concise definition. Build quality is the overall quality of the construction, design and execution of a product. This can include factors such as finish, reliability, the use of premium materials and feel. The last factor in particular is very subjective but I can tell you that the Leica M3 does "feel" special. When you hold it in your hand it screams quality. It's a REAL™ camera. Unsurprisingly, REAL™ cameras are made from metal. REAL™ cameras are not light and they can take a beating, as well as give one. REAL™ cameras have interchangeable lenses and full manual controls. No hand holding here. REAL™ cameras don't need a light-meter because real cameras are shot by real photographers who can use their eyes to guess know the exposure. Occasionally, REAL™ cameras do have a light-meter but the real photographers take the battery out and donate it to charity. An example of such a REAL™ camera is the Pentax K1000 . The Leica M3 is a REAL™ camera. It's made out of metal, weighs a fair bit and is fully manual. If attach a Leica 50mm Summicron lens you have, in my opinion, the finest photographic kit available to mankind. You will be using it for the rest of your life."

While I was talking specifically about the Leica M3, this could be said about any Leica M camera.

Anyway, enough from me!

...

For now!

The Benefits of Red Wine

2013-03-28T08:04:00.000+01:00

Most of us enjoy a glass or three of red wine every so often - it's certainly one of the nicer things in life. Now we're always being told by the media that we need to drink less alcohol, and in general this is true. However that's not always the case when it comes to red wine. You've probably heard vaguely in the media that in moderation red wine does have health benefits, but what exactly are they?

Loads of people see themselves as connoisseurs, but
are they even aware of the health benefits?

Well like so many of the wonderfoods I've discussed on this blog (see the benefits of honey for example) red wine has been used medicinally all over the world throughout history. In fact, Ancient Egyptian hieroglyph reports of it render it the world's oldest documented medical treatment. Since then it was used by numerous ancient civilisations in the following ways:

A pain killer and to anaesthetise patients before operations - yes, before more modern anaesthetics, they would just get patients drunk - I guess it does the trick!

An antiseptic to treat wounds and kill bacteria - this has historically been one of its most widespread uses.
To help digestion. I suppose after all those huge meals the Romans are famous for, a bit of digestive aid was rather necessary...

To purify water or to substitute for water entirely. In the past, clean drinking water was often hard to come by, so drinking red wine was a welcome alternative.

Don't feel you have to eat cheese with wine - it's not as good for you!

However these days, there is a bit more science involved, and we know of a fair few other benefits...

So why is red wine good for you?

Like so many healthy foods, red wine contains a whole host of antioxidants. These are mainly present in it due to the grapes that it's made from. (Yes, you can get most of the following benefits from grape juice too, but we won't tell anyone that :P ). So these are the reasons you should drink it (in moderation!):

Most of its benefits tend to be credited to the antioxidant resveretrol, which is present in grapes in fairly high concentrations. This is a useful chemical for the body as it provides several important services...

Cardiovascular Health (it's good for your heart):

Resveretrol helps to thin the blood; thus reducing the risk of blood clots and also inflammation, many more serious conditions.

Along with other polyphenols (types of antioxidant), resveretrol helps to protect those all important blood vessel linings. It essentially prevents plaque buildup on artery walls - a problem directly associated with heart disease.

The flavanoids and saponins (two types of metabolite - chemicals which control your metabolism) present in red wine also protect you from heart disease. They improve your body's cholesterol balance, raising good (HDL) cholesterol levels and reducing bad (LDL) cholesterol levels.

It gives you that warm feeling, and is also genuinely good for your heart!

Anti-ageing: Antioxidants essentially reverse the deterioration of cells, something which happens naturally as we get older. So by keeping them young and healthy, age related diseases like osteoporosis are prevented. In the same way, these chemicals mean that wine is good for our physical appearance - skin wrinkles are an obvious sign of ageing so factors like these can be slightly reduced.

The brain - these anti-ageing properties also work with brain cells. Therefore red wine to an extent aids cognitive ability, helping to combat degenerative mental diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer's. I suppose the mental benefits of good old drunkenness could be put down as an advantage here too...

Many of the health benefits of wine are thanks to the grapes that make it

Cancer - antioxidants have been well documented for their anti-cancer properties. They are present in red wine in the form of guercetin and resveretrol and counter the oxidising effect that carcinogenic free-radicals have on cells. Thus they help prevent numerous types of cancer as well as other degenerative diseases I've already mentioned. Here are some statistics on specific cancers (don't take them too seriously - so many other factors have greater effects) and their relationship with red wine...

Studies have shown that 4 or more glasses of wine a week can reduce men's risk of prostate cancer by over 50%.

Very moderate wine consumption can help combat breast cancer. However alcohol also encourages the disease, so you really mustn't have too much or the benefit will be cancelled out by the risk!

Apparently one glass a day can reduce risk of lung cancer by up to 13%, though obviously there are numerous factors which have a much bigger effect, smoking for one.

A bottle of red wine from my town in Sicily, Alcamo

Your teeth - the polyphenols in wine and grapes harden tooth enamel and reduce inflammaion in the gums, and so tooth decay is lessened.

Sleep - another antioxidant present in red wine, melatonin, helps you sleep, so a glass before bed will generally reduce insomnia and make you feel sharper come the morning.

There are also some reports that it can improve your immune system against the common cold too, though I'm not sure how much evidence there is on this one.

OK so I've outlined why red wine is good for you, however there is something vital you need to remember ...

... Red Wine is still a Strong Alcoholic Drink

Just remember, despite the potential benefits, if you abuse it, it can be far more detrimental to your health

Therefore you must consume it in moderation. Men can generally get away with having a bit more, but as a rule of thumb, men shouldn't go over 2 glasses a day, and women shouldn't exceed 1. If you do then the risks of other health problems associated with alcohol start to outweigh the benefits!

Thanks for reading - I'm not going to bother with cooking or preparations for this one I'm afraid, so just get drinking! :)

Featured Film Photographer: Avi Floyd Cohen

2013-03-26T20:59:00.000+01:00

See all our featured photographers here.

Avi and his K1000

This week's featured film photographer is Avi Flyod Cohen from Israel.

Avi got into the wonderful world of film photography when his dad told him that if he wanted to become a better photographer he should shoot film!

What great advice!

Just like Peter Galgani, who we featured last week, Avi uses a Pentax K1000. He has been using it for the last three years. The K1000 goes with him everywhere.

Girls dig Film.

Avi has travelled around Europe with his K1000 and it's never disappointed him. It suits his needs as a photographer and he uses far more than his digital camera.

Suck it and see...

I asked Avi a few questions:

Do you only use a Pentax K1000 or do you own/use other film cameras?

I also use others film cameras. I collect film cameras (and use them).

Currently, I own:

Pentax K1000

Nikon EL2

Zenit-E ,

Canon canonet 28

Fed2

Minolta 7s

Minolta Dynax 300i

Recesky TLR

Voigtlander Bessa (folding camera)

Braun Gloriette Vero

Polaroid sx-70.

I mostly use my Pentax K1000.

Which photographers, past or present, are you inspired by?

I am very inspired by Anton Corbijn. I love his works and learn from him a lot. One of the reason I shot BW film is the inspiration from his BW works.

What style of photography do you prefer/admire the most?

Portraits. I think it's the most interesting thing. People are interesting!

Where do you see yourself heading with your photography?

I really don't know. In my country it's very hard to make a living from photography. I love adventures, challenges and photography so I will continue to travel and shoot.

What's your favourite film?

Colour = Fuji X-tra 400
BW= Kodak T-max 400

You've mentioned your travels a couple of times already, can you describe going around Europe and shooting film with the Pentax K1000?

I love to travel and explore, so every time I take a trip I make sure to bring with me the Pentax K1000 because it's my favorite camera and I know I will not be disappointed with the results.

My first journey abroad with the K1000 was to Cologne (Germany) and a music festival in Werchter (Belgium ). I can't describe the fun and the feel of shooting in film while one is aboard, especially when you are at a festival and shooting your favorite bands .The Pentax K1000 didn't disappoint and I don't think I would get the same kind of "feel" if I shoot with digital.

Coldplay in Werchter

Oasis in Werchter

England came next and I was more experienced with the camera. All along my travels in England I shot only with my K1000, I find it more challenging and fun.

I found people were more welcoming when I wanted to shoot them with a film camera. I think film photography is making a comeback and so it's really nice to see young people shooting with film cameras.

The Pentax k1000 served me well in all kinds of situations. I used black and white in North England and colour in London.

Are you working on any projects?

Yes! I'm currently working on a portrait project about freedom and youth.

You can find more of Avi's work via:

Facebook
Flickr

Would you like to be featured by us?

Send in your submission!

Forks Over Knives

2013-03-26T07:55:00.004+01:00

I watched this great documentary a while ago. I am not going to do a review but I do recommend that you take a look. Check it out on IMDB and if you want to watch it you can buy it or find on somewhere online.

This documentary

"examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting our present menu of animal-based and processed foods."

As a vegan, I found this an interesting documentary but not without its share of flaws. That said, even if half of the arguments that Forks Over Knives put forwards were bogus, it would still make a compelling watch. There is no doubt that everyone needs to reduce the amount of junk/processed food they eat.

What is less clear is whether one should eat meat or not? Obviously huge slabs of red meat with lots of fat on them are not the best meal for your arteries but what about lean cuts of organic turkey or chicken?

Watch Forks Over Knives and make your own mind up...

I'll keep chewing on my celery stick! :D

Look What Arrived Today in the Post..

2013-03-25T17:53:00.002+01:00

I'm sure you all remember Beth Maciorowski, the talented photographer we featured a couple of week ago.

She was kind enough to send me a print of her work, all the way from the US of A!

I decided that the very least I could do was give her a shout out on here again :)

So...

Check her work out!

Beth's Facebook

Beth's Flickr

The Benefits of Not Watching TV

2013-03-25T12:55:00.002+01:00

I am guilty as charged when it comes to having watched too much TV. Well, I didn't even own a TV for several years but I was watching movies on my laptop and then I came to the realisation that watching a two hour movie every night is the equivalent of throwing away 1/10th of my life! (It's an even a greater percentage if you only include waking hours)

The number one excuse for not doing regular exercise is the lack of time. Yet most people watch several hours of television day. Read on to find out why you shouldn't watch so much TV…

1) It's a waste of time! There is no such a thing as idle time! While one person is watching television there is someone else who is studying, working out, exercising or running a business. These people are going places while the person who spend all their "free" time watching TV is going nowhere.

2) Most programmes are complete rubbish. They are dumbed down for the lowest common denominator. If you want to be an average or below person then do what most people do: watch several hours a day. You won't find successful people sitting in front of the television all evening.

3) It makes you fat. It is far easier to absentmindedly eat far more than you need while you are watching TV. It also doesn't help that watching TV involves sitting down which isn't a great calorie burner. On top of that (!) your brain also switches off when you watch TV and your brain is responsible for 20% of your metabolism.

4) Do you really want to influenced by all the adverts which are repeated day in day out? There is a reason why big companies pay big money to have their 30 second slot on TV…it works! You are far more likely to go and buy junk food after you spend a few hours a day being bombarded with adverts telling you to do so.

5) Live life! Go out with friends, paint, write a song, take a picture, learn a language, learn an instrument, write a book, learn to cook, start a website, educated yourself, do some charity work, do some DIY, do some exercise, explore your city, meet new people…do SOMETHING!

Conclusion

I am not saying that watching a bit of television here and there is going to kill you but try to watch quality programmes such as documentaries. If you watch 40 hours of TV/week you are twice as likely to become obese compared to someone who only watches 1-2 hours of TV/week. For every 2 hours/day you spend in front of the TV your risk of becoming obese rises 23%!

So, press the off button and get outside and do something!

New camera: Pentax K1000

2013-03-24T20:06:00.002+01:00

NOTE: This is a post I dug up from my old blog (now defunct) from a few years back. It was an incredibly popular article back then, so I guess someone may find it useful. I consider myself quite an expert with the Pentax K1000 now :) You can check out my full review or even my K1000 Tips and Tricks for further reading.

Let's go back in time to 2011:

I decided that as I my travels expand I probably need something a little better than the camera on my Nokia N97 which has an absolutely horrible camera. I fell in love with film after looking through all my old photos and also the fact that film SLRs are much cheaper than digital :D

I managed to pick up a Pentax K1000 from 1976 (!!!!) for 50 euros including flash and a nice leather case. (ED: In hindsight, not-so-nice..it completely fell apart in Cambodia..) It has a lovely retro look and it's built like a tank and weighs around 650g. The one that I picked up was from the first production run in Japan as so it made with metal and not plastic like the later versions. It's a fully manual camera (not even autofocus!) so one has to think before snapping away but from what I have seen on Flickr the results can be superb. For a 35 year old camera I have to say it's in pretty good condition and I really can't imagine todays digital camera still being usable after 35 years!

The really amazing thing about this camera is the fact that it doesn't need any batteries! Well... that is a slight lie. The light meter requires a small battery but that lasts for years and is not required to actually use the camera. I find that really amazing! :) I could go on a week long cycling tour and never need to worry about chargers and having to find a place to plug in etc etc...

I have taken a few photos this afternoon and I will take a few more tomorrow morning and then get the film developed locally and get a few prints so I can check that the camera is working properly. I expect that it will all be out of focus because it's my first time with an SLR. If all is good I will take it to Austria on Monday. (ED: You can see all my K1000 shots here)