Day 281.

© Ruth Johnston 2010.

So, here goes my first proper job, my legs hurt, my bum hurts, I ended up being stood up for almost six straight hours and I didn't get to sleep until nearly 2 o'clock because of the amount of photos that I had to upload onto my computer. I'm quite proud of myself but I'm not looking forward to sorting through all the photos and I'm not sure how much I can narrow the selection down by. It was a nice night too, I want a party like that.

Day 280.

© Ruth Johnston 2010.

I'm back in New Malden! I made it, even with all my annoyingly shaped equipment, I don't think I'll be volunteering myself up for something like this again. Not unless I'm in the area already anyway, it has caused me so much stress (apparently a recurring theme this week). I reckon I'll be able to do the journey home though and it will 'hench up' my arms so that's alright...
I liked this guy, but I couldn't get to my SLR quick enough.

Day 258, 259, 260, 261 & 262.

So I've not had the internet for a bit and it's time to play a bit of catch-up, horrible, but quite easy and I'll feel better about doing it again when I'm back on track.

Day 258.
Moving Day, I haven't felt that overwhelmed in a long time, this isn't even a photo of everything, it's probably not even half. I hadn't really thought through how much smaller this place is in comparison to last years house.

Day 259.
Long went back to Bodmin to work but Chris, Moon and I went to Ikea to pick up a few things that the house was lacking. I like this photograph so much, I printed it out and stuck it to the fridge.

Day 260.
This is a photo of the kind of set up I currently have in my room, it's getting comfier by the day and I think I'm beginning to feel more like I live here.

Day 261.
I'm not going to lie, this is probably one of the worst photos I've ever taken, and probably the last I will take with my D60. It's out of focus and so lazily composed, but it is pretty much a sum of how I spent Sunday.

Day 262.

© Ruth Johnston 2010.

So we went to Babylon last night and it was packed, the night didn't end quite as I'd have hoped it to, but I think I still had an alright time. I slipped on the wet floor though - not from being drunk, just because the floor was so wet from spilled drinks, honestly, Freshers are horrible.

Day 236.

© Ruth Johnston 2010.

This is a photo of my teasub, my Earl Grey tea leaves came through the post so I put them to use once I got back from a wet and rainy afternoon in Kingston. It's quite neat, but I don't I'll stop buying normal teabags just yet.
I went to see Scott Pilgrim vs The World with my friend Laura today, it's pretty awesome, I haven't been to the cinema and enjoyed a film like that since I was about 15, with the exception of Kickass. As I found out, today as Scott Pilgrim day and I'm happy to say I took part, it's a great small movie and it was on my list anyway.

Day 203.

© Ruth Johnston 2010.

Today I went to Kew Gardens, it was hot and nice.
I am very pleased with the performance my SLR has put on today. I'm so glad I have nothing to do tomorrow.

Day 189.

© Ruth Johnston 2010.

So, today was busy, I photographed dancing, taekwondo, flowers, the craft fair, people enjoying cream tea and two children's tv presenters. Hectic, but enjoyable, even in this heat; despite the blisters my sandals gave me.
There were a lot of cupcakes at the Craft Fair, even my cousin had a stall, but these were by fair the best and brightest. It was very cool to be the 'official photographer'; the rest of the photographs will be on my website and my favourites will be on my normal blog.
I'm meant to be photographing Jacqueline Wilson tomorrow, so glad it's not an early one, I'm so tired.

Day 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177.

GLASTONBURY!
First day at the top, most recent at the bottom - which I realise is a different order to how the blog usually goes.

You don't know how far away the cars are from the festival until you get there not to mention that you can't even see the festival on the way in.

This is the 'Hollywood sign', forgot that I walked around at night on this day because the rest of the festival was so knackering but, I did get to see Shangri-La on my last night.

One of these also read that they provided, "No bullshit, the best chocolate milkshake on site", can you guess what it is yet? Toilets weren't too bad until Sunday, I guess thanks to these guys. I saw Mumford and Sons this day, who not only put on a great performance but also seemed really touched by the reaction of the crowd, made me so pleased for them.

After saying that we'd make the important trip to Shangri-La and Arcadia, we decided we should just go back to the tent and make a fire and have marshmallows instead. Moon was so sulky that he didn't get to do the fire that he fell asleep, I'm guessing he was probably exhausted too but I'm sticking with sulky.

Usually, as the higher bands on the bill performed, people climbed the 'Star of David' to get a better view, we saw one guy cut his leg all the way up, this is for Faithless, who were alright but not as amazing as Stevie Wonder, who followed.

Saw this little guy as we were leaving the festival, it took us around 8-9 hours to get home from campsite to the door. I love this photo and I love that nothing of mine was nicked or broken, I did lose my hairbrush though.

© Ruth Johnston 2010.

What a blast that was. I can't even describe how huge, how amazing and how surreal it is, and don't even get me started on the walking, the suntan and the dust. Know what you're getting yourself in for and bring a trolley.

Day 131.

© Ruth Johnston 2010.

This is Chris with his work for an exhibition for his Music and Sound Technology course. It feels good to make someone else pose in front of their work for a change. I'm threatening to give this to his mum.

Day 130.

© Ruth Johnston 2010.

Moon has been complaining about his eye all day.
So I papped him washing his eye outside Harvester when we'd finished having dinner with his dad.

I put up my work in the Photography corridor today, ha.

Day 118 (dot com)

© Ruth Johnston 2010.

So my worrying was ultimately unfounded , but I didn't get the job anyway, although I got positive feedback for the pitch, someone else got it. I don't really see it as much of a dent to my confidence because the areas that I knew I was lacking in is what was mentioned and it was mainly a slight lack of prep - in all fairness I could have tried harder but I've had other more important work to do, in the sense that I'd like to stay on my degree.
It's an experience to learn from though and hopefully next time, I'll spend less time worrying and more time actually thinking.

Day 115.

© Ruth Johnston 2010.

So, I was photographing Andy's theatre company again this morning.
I'm definitely getting tickets for the play, it's pretty good, judging from the rehearsal, which is what I was taking photos of.
I'm genuinely hoping that I get to do stuff like this in real life, it's so fun.

Day 108.

© Ruth Johnston 2010.

So, today is the day I play both at being a photographer and being a model, haven't got round the the modelling part yet, we'll see how it goes. I'm not allowed to wear makeup for it...
This shoot was pretty fun though, it's for one of Andy's projects for his course, this is 'The Open Road Theatre Company', they were pretty neat to photograph. So far, from more experience with actors/actresses during my own University projects than people who specialise in other areas, actors/actresses do make pretty good models.

Day 99.

© Ruth Johnston 2010.

I am back in Portsmouth again after what feels like an all too short two weeks at home.
I arrived to my delivered ringlight, which after a stock up in Asda - for both food and batteries, I tried out, it's not what I expected, but I think I could do some quite interesting things with it.
I know it's another photograph of Moon, I also realise it's a pretty bad one, I kind of like it though, reminds me slightly of Terry Richardson.
Am I looking forward to a new term?

Day 80.

© Ruth Johnston 2010.

I woke up late and spent a lot of the day cleaning the kitchen. Moon cleaned the lounge, the house looks very nice.
I have been looking forward to making cauliflower cheese for days, Moon bought 3 packets of cheese mix, despite how tasty it is, the idea makes me feel a bit sick - powdered cheese, nom.

Day 74.

© Ruth Johnston 2010.

I went to see I Love You Philip Morris tonight, I had wanted to see Shutter Island, but being an Orange Wednesday, I think, it was completely fully booked, so I settled for second best. It was actually really good, and nice, once you get over Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor kissing. Due to a need to kill time, Moon and I invested £5 in Vue's ITBox, I don't think it was that wise, but it killed a bit of time. I hope I get to see Shutter Island soon.
Tomorrow I am doing my 'big' photoshoot, I hope it goes well...

Day 66.

© Ruth Johnston 2010.

These shoes were £2, I bought two pairs, these, and a white pair for tomorrow. They are reasonably ok and I have no blisters on my feet, I feel there is some sort of moral dilemma trying to rear it's ugly head, I spent less on both pairs of shoes than I did on the magazines I bought today.
Sorry sweatshop workers.
Both pairs of shoes weren't much less than my cinema ticket for Alice in Wonderland either, it was much better than the shoes though. I like Johnny Depp.

Day 65.

© Ruth Johnston 2010

From my first proper test shoot to actually getting somewhere, I can do nothing until next Thursday, but with the few volunteers I have, I should be able to get everything done in a couple of shoots - professionals would do it in one, but a professional, I am not.
Today was quite stressful but I have a rough initial interview with Andy and proper idea now. I have to buy a million magazines tomorrow and pay that bill - which may be hundreds but it is a couple hundred less than Simon and Long's.
This was taken with my SB-600 on a tripod, it did a better job than I thought but not as great a job as I'd have liked.
Andy is wearing Moon's t-shirt.
I have 300 days left of this project, this year is going too fast already.

Day 57.

© Ruth Johnston 2010.

I bought these cupcakes from Asda yesterday, just to see what they were like, they're the nicest shop-bought cakes I've eaten in a while. They are much better than similar ones they sell in Marks & Spencers for double the price, theirs don't even have any taste.
I am so disappointed in myself today, I've basically just stared at work all day and only done around 40% of what I wanted to, I've also eaten too much and now it is late and I have no motivation to do anything else. At least I have the bulk of preparation done for the shoot tomorrow, but I'm so nervous, it's only an hour and half... a proper hour and a half, not one where we have 2 hours to plan before hand...

Day 54.

© Ruth Johnston 2010.

I got an initial test shoot down for my final brief.
I bumped into Andy on the way to the studio to meet Moon and chanced it and he said he'd stand in, it was a good job too because it was a while before our model for the Sunday supplements piece showed up.
I think I have a better idea of what kind of spread I want to do, I just need to find a magazine that would use me, I'm thinking Vice but for me, that's a bit obvious, plus I'm not 100% on how mainstream the magazine has to be.
I got a few good shots, but it was mainly a test run, helping me gain more confidence in using the studio, and aside from needed a little bit of help with the light metering, it's quite fluid once it gets going.
I think I need more fashion magazines, this is getting expensive, I've bought around 10 magazines so far...

Day 53.

© Ruth Johnston 2010.

I have been seeing this cat quite often recently, so I papped it.
Unfortunately there seemed to be some form of walking bus behind me, on top of the fact I had to take this with my phone because my bag broke on the way home.
PLUS, I dressed for wind, cold and rain and on the walk home, the sun was out and it may have even been pushing 8°, in any case I was sweltering in my winter outfit.