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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, Breakfast in America: Watching (365:52).
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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.
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It’s Been a Tiring Week (365: 49)
It’s Been a Tiring Week (365: 49). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. 
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An act of desperation (365: 48)
An act of desperation (365: 48) — Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. I’ve been out all day and the pictures I took on the train ‘don’t cut the mustard’ as we say over here. Taken at 23:40 a very hurried set of pictures, which I deliberately shot at ISO 3200 to provide grain and bleach, and then attacked in Photoshop to try and make something from it.
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Engaged
Engaged Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. It seems I’m spending more time taking pictures in public toilets than I ought.
(Taken at night, on the train, on the bumpiest bit of track between Birmingham and Southampton. I gave up trying to carefully frame this as the train was too determined to jolt me all over the place.)
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Mr. Grumpy on the train to Birmingham
Mr. Grumpy on the train to Birmingham. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Yellow Flight
Yellow Flight. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
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 to Birmingham for a work meeting. This means it was probably a user group meeting, or maybe a consultancy job. But I have no recollection where. Apparently, I didn’t take any pictures during the day that jog my memory.
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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.
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How near, how far?
How near, how far? Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
The Naked Chef (365: 46)
Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. Not a lot of time to take my picture tonight so it had to be something quick to take (and prepare).
This has to go down as one of those pictures I took just for shock value and the fun of it. The juxtaposition of nakedness and wearing an apron are just asking for a laugh. I’m not sure if my looking so serious adds to the situation or not.
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In a rush (365: 45)
In a rush (365: 45) — I’ve no time to spend on a picture today so this will have to do. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
I’m with Stoopid (365: 44)
I’m with Stoopid (365: 44) — Okay, it’s official. I’m stupid. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. I left my house keys at work and found myself locked out. So, I went for a beer and a curry while I waited for Elaine to come home and let me in. These pictures taken in the restaurant are the only ones I got today.
I found this mirror in the Gents; getting me into it without the camera in shot took some strange efforts on my part, hence the look of concentration. It also took some Photoshop jiggery pokery to straighten it all out.
I might have tried for a better shot, but I was the only customer, and I’d already earned some sideways looks from the staff when taking my picture in the restaurant. So, I didn’t want to spend too long in there.
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Another Shower shot, only this time I didn’t get wet (365: 43)
Not the usual shower shot (365: 43). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. I thought one of the ideas behind the 365 days project was to help people get to know themselves. This poses a problem when you find you don’t like the person you’ve come to know.
A major re-evaluation is required, as I’m not sure I can spend another 322 days photographing this person.
Following that confession, the conversation with other Flickr members doing the 365 days project went back and forth for a while, after which I concluded:
You are right. Like ourselves or not, we’ve got to learn to accept ourselves, or make some life changing decisions.
The guy I’m taking pictures of has lost his sense of fun, become boring, lost his passion and is just going through the motions. That’s what I’m seeing in my pictures. Now I’ve got to work out, do I want to change him and if so, how?
Oh boy, was I in for a shock …
Future Gary says …
Desperate for a different background I choose the shower. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. I don’t like the original shot I picked for today, so I’ve switched it. Here’s the original picture.
And this is the text that went with the picture above.
I need to be busy today, so this is to get my picture out of the way. I promise to stop playing with negative space soon.
These tiles are a colour to die for. I must try and get a macro shot sometime that does them justice.
The stupid thing was, my first job after taking this picture was to clean the shower, at least the glass is now clean enough for a standard shower shot.
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Australian Body Care
Australian Body Care — I never use soap, and Tea Tree oil is one of the few things not to irritate my skin. So, this stuff is a blessing; pretty colour packaging too. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
Bathroom Windowsill
Bathroom Windowsill — Now the boys have grown up, it is safe to have things like this around the house (well, almost). Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. -
A sign of how things have been going…
A sign of how things have been going… Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. We’ve both had colds, and now we are left with what the writing on the box describes as ‘…a productive cough…’ Both have been a good excuse to increase my Stella input.
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Waking Up (365: 42)
Day 42 Waking Up. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. Based on the number of views this wasn’t the best picture to go with, but tough. It is the one I like best, so this is my 365 days for today.
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Essential Maintenance (365: 41)
Essential Maintenance (365: 41) — I had a much more serious pic. but opted for the more light-hearted again. Copyright © 2007 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
