Welcome to Breakfast in America

My photo journal is an eclectic mix of things; there’s no guiding theme or topic. It is whatever happens to catch my attention, what I’ve been thinking, doing, and whatever my current obsessions are. At the moment, they are clearing some of the backlog on my ‘honey-do’ list, backpacking and hammock camping.

Click here to browse through all my photographs

  • Under orders; get used to it (365:77)

    Under orders; get used to it (365: 77 ). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    I have no idea what we are going to do, all I know is:

    1. I’ve got to take down the ceilings on the upstairs and downstairs hall – we have a three (American) two (British) story house.
    2. Takedown the wall to my workroom
    3. Takedown the ceiling in my workroom
    4. Knock out the front wall and get a new door and windows fitted
    5. Jack-up the first-floor stairs (or replace them) and replace the ground floor floor
    6. Re-wire the electrical connections to every floor
    7. Re-fit new ceilings and walls
    8. Get this lot and the kitchen plastered
    9. work out how to replace the crap stairs and banister + do it
    10. The whole lot to be completed with minimal sub-contract labour by end August 07.

    Oh and still hold down two jobs (and Flickr)

    Hindsight: my life was about to change in ways I couldn’t begin to imagine. The work did get done. Fourteen months later it was all finished. By then my life was very different.

    365:77 (alternate) There’s a lot of work to do… Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
    Just to prove it’s not all angst… Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
    Just to prove it’s not all angst… Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Friday Night Wine & Movie (365: 76)

    Friday Night Wine & Movie (365: 76 ) Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Sin City: Voted our film of the year 2005 and 2006 (Joint winner with Wallace and Grommit). The following day my eldest, my brother and a load of lads took possession of the backroom for beer and football. The remaining sweets disappeared in a flash; at least my brother left me a beer.

  • Safety in Numbers – Reprise

    Black and White photograph of Gary Allman. March 2007
    Safety in Numbers (Black and White). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Not the picture I originally picked for this day’s 365. Nine years later and this is the one I prefer.

  • Safety in Numbers (365:55)

    Safety in Numbers (365:55). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Last minute panic!

    I just didn’t like any of the pictures I took earlier, so I had to fall back on my old favourite – the desk lamp. Why safety in numbers? Because it took 38 photographs to get this one.

    This is another re-edit. Mainly to remove the intrusive background from the original shot.

    Then over the years I’ve re-edited the picture a couple of more times a) Black and white version and b) in color because my post productions skills are much better now than ten-plus years ago.

    Black and White remix. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
    Last minute panic! I just didn’t like any of the pictures I took earlier, so I had to fall back on my old favourite – the desk lamp. Why safety in numbers? Because it took 38 photographs to get this one. [re-edit with much better color rendition] Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    2015 and I much prefer this black and white ‘re-mix’, and I also like the 2017 color corrected version.

  • Portrait By Oil Lamp

    Portrait by Oil Lamp. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    With hindsight, I think this was my best picture of the day. Unfortunately, for my 365 Days picture, I picked something more attention-grabbing.

  • At Ease (365: 51)

    Day 51 It’s Late and I must choose… Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    I’ve run out of time. I couldn’t choose a picture so I’ll go with the first.

    That’s a big problem with self-portraits. You end up taking a lot – because you never know which one might have the right ‘look’, often you end up with a lot of similar poses, and not a lot to choose between them.

    At this time I was using a 10-second self-timer, with a broom or something similar to ensure the camera was properly focused. Then I just had to press the button, rush into position, remove the broom or whatever, and try and not look too concerned…

    By the way, the book is “The Crow Road” by one of my favorite authors, Iain Banks – who died in 2013.

    Lots to choose from. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
    Six years on and I like this one too. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Too Much… (365:50)

    Too Much… (365: 50). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    I felt a bit rough when I got up this morning, and heaven knows why, but for some masochistic reason, I pointed a camera at myself. Happy Ending: A quick shower followed by a walk and brunch, and all was right with the world.

    It was just as well I took this picture, as my planned Day 50 picture turned out an unmitigated disaster.

    This would be a pretty uninspiring picture, apart from one thing. It was the first of my pictures that Ginger saw and commented on. She wrote:

    I don’t understand how a man can feel like hell, wake up and take a picture this good. Sure, you look sorta sad. Or maybe tired around the edges. But this is a good look!

    I replied:

    Thank you. I’m glad you like it, I do too. Tired about sums it up, but the wine and brandy didn’t help

      And that was it for a few months.

  • Terminal

    Terminal – Seen near Southampton Airport railway station. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    I recall very little about this picture, except I do remember taking it. I was taking the train somewhere for a work meeting. This means it was probably a user group meeting. But I have no recollection where, and, apparently, I didn’t take any pictures during the day to jog my memory.

  • Drinking to(wards) summer (365:47)

    Drinking to(wards) Summer (365: 47). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    It’s been raining and miserable all day, so I thought it time to start thinking ahead. Jessi does this so much better than me. I’m searching for the right technique.

  • How near, how far?

    How near, how far? Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

Photos

Click or Tap to browse through my photographs.

About

Click or Tap to find out more about Gary Allman and this website.

Help

Click or Tap for some ideas on how to look around this website.