Author: andy townend

green new deal?

Image | | andy townend

And now we welcome the new year
full of things that have never been
― Rainer Maria Rilke

New trees, new hope, a pair of robins, a family of blackbirds and assorted wagtails have made their new home amidst the olive grove (well, there are now two such trees). Nature has shown that even a brief respite from the toxic side products of human endeavour pays (green) dividends.

Let’s hope ‘we the people’ can now renew and heal as we transition to a new year, working together to heal differences and put aside toxic divisions.

(newly planted) olive tree: 1/200s, f/8.0, ISO 64

(newly planted) magnolia: 1/200s, f8.0, ISO 64

(precocious) prunus: 1/200s f/8.0, ISO 64

(ready for new residents) White House 1/200s f/8.0, ISO 64

*All images made with Nikon D850 and AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8E VR lens with limited edits in Lightroom*

unbroken virgin realities

Image | | andy townend

My plug in baby
In unbroken virgin realities
Is tired of living
And I’ve seen your loving
Mine is gone

– Plug In Baby, Muse

*All images made with FujiFilm X100F with fixed 23mm f/2 lens, all at f/2 with Ilford Delta 3200 Pro film profile applied in Silver Efex Pro 2*

The patterns that papered over my lockdown cracks. There is darkness and light. How we deal with that, makes us, or not.

shades of salamanca

Image | | andy townend

It comes to this: like all of us who have not yet died of plague he fully realizes that his freedom and his life may be snatched from him at any moment”
― Albert Camus

The streets of Salamanca stay muted as Covid-19 shows little sign of receding – although even in the darkest shadows light can be found.

A brief snapshot of the streets of Salamanca in September as the summer slides slowly towards the autumn. The outcome of my latest experimentation with the settings on my Nikon D850 and AF-S Nikkor 24-70 f/2.8 E VR lens.

More to follow.

Wherever you are, stay safe and look for the light in the shadows…

*Images made with Nikon D850 and AF-S Nikkor 24-70 f/2.8 E VR lens*

lockdown | discover | thirty poems

Image | | andy townend

Throughout April, Ben Huberman and the WordPress Discover team team hosted Discover Prompts.

My daily response involved an impromptu poem and a photo made (with one exception) in Accra where I am ‘locked down’  accompanied by an occasional quote or snatched lyric from a song.

You can read all my poems here.

Stay safe and well and let’s fight this thing together, and make sure we don’t forget the lessons we learn when we reach the other side.

now I been out in the desert, just doin’ my time
searchin’ through the dust, lookin’ for a sign

– lyrics from further on (up the road), bruce springsteen

lockdown | discover | thirty | grateful

Image | | andy townend 
i
have 
   my
    path
       to 
        follow
             my 
              home
                 i 
                 carry 
                     on 
                      my 
                       back
                          i  
                          may 
                            be 
                             slow
                                but 
                                  my 
                                   path 
                                      is 
                                       clear
                                           i 
                                           may 
                                             face 
                                                obstacles
                                                        but 
                                                          they 
                                                             slide 
                                                                 beneath 
                                                                       me
                                                                        i 
                                                                        may 
                                                                          not 
                                                                            see 
                                                                              what 
                                                                                 you 
                                                                                   see
                                                                                     but
                                                                                       i 
                                                                                       feel
                                                                                          it
                                                                                           all

*image made with iPhone 11 Pro 4.25mm f/1.8 lens, reasons to be cheerful, accra, ghana*

My final contribution to the WordPress community initiative for the lockdown period in April 2020 – Discover Prompts Day Thirty: Grateful.

Thanks to Ben Huberman and the WordPress Discover team for stepping up to the plate and lending us all their support and encouragement.

Stay safe and well and let’s fight this thing together, and make sure we don’t forget the lessons we learn when we reach the other side.

the juice of a carrot, the smile of a parrot
little drop of claret, anything that rocks

– lyrics from reasons to be cheerful pt.3, ian dury and the blockheads

lockdown | discover | twentynine | list

Image | | andy townend 
let's make a list

of all that we can't do
           no longer do
             long to do

let's make a list
 
    of what we might do
         one (fine) day
        if we are still
                       allowed
                              to

*image made with iPhone 11 Pro 4.25mm f/1.8 lens, are you (list)ening, accra, ghana*

For the WordPress community’s latest initiative Discover Prompts Day Twenty Nine: List. Thanks to Ben Huberman, and the WordPress Discover team for stepping up to the plate.

Stay safe and well and let’s fight this thing together, and make sure we don’t forget the lessons we learn when we reach the other side.

well my soul checked out missing as I sat (list)ening
to the hours and minutes tickin’ away

lyrics from better days, bruce springsteen