This year I set myself the task of taking more photographs, but trying to improve my technique and composition. I’ve had some great constructive advice and I think I’m beginning to see improvements. I’m quite proud of this shot, taken in the less-than exotic location of a Lidl car-park (we don’t shop there – I just liked the lights!)

As I’m almost pathologically incapable of leaving an email unread, I read it.

“Any chance I could use your white iBook photo on my blog please?”

Are you KIDDING?

As I noted here, I’m very much a learner when it comes to composing photographs but, with encouragement, am enjoying the process. I never for a moment thought that someone would ask to use one of them!

Anyway, if you go here you’ll see the photo in question. Below is the same white iBook in less arty guise. And if you live anywhere near Edinburgh you might want to attend the event in Stewart’s blog.

And hopefully 52 photographs!

I have a few friends who are into photography and over the last year I’ve spent some time trying to develop (ha! did you see what I did there?) my awareness and skills with the help of Derek, Thomas, Emmsy, Stewart and Laura.

Thomas set up this website which encouraged us to post photographs of things that were ordinary but somehow special and I quite enjoyed the challenge.

Derek and Laura were especially encouraging with their comments and tips and so this year I’m going to try and take one decent photo each week and will post it in this gallery.

Keep an eye and if you see anything you like, or have constructive comments on how I could improve, please let me know.

Sunset by Laura Amy

Do I get the prize for the slowest New Year greeting of 2009? And yes, I know the picture is of a sunset, rather than a sunrise. Let’s just ignore that, and pretend that it’s the sun going down on the old year…

Apologies! I’ve been rather distracted by a couple of things going on besides the normal GT ‘lifestyle’.

Micro-blogging in the form of Twitter.com has dramatically changed my daily life. I’ve ‘met’ a bunch of incredible people from (mainly) the US, UK and Germany who have become friends. I’ve learned new things, been inspired to concentrate on a couple of things that I’d let lapse, and been supported (and supported others) in prayer.

The concept of ‘Twurch’ has been raised and is being developed, not least by my friend Derek, who is currently hard at work on a website explaining things. This will be found at here and here. Essentially this is TWitter chURCH – a group of committed Christians who are supporting each other via Twitter.

Thomas has created an incredible blog which I’ve been privileged to become a part of. It’s a daily photoblog where each author submits one photograph each day showing something that has caught their eye or illustrates something from their life/work/day. It’s a little hard to explain, so get over there and see for yourself the amazing quality of the pictures. Many of these have been taken on relatively pathetic cameras (like the allegedly rubbish one on the iPhone), but the amazing talent of some of the photographers belies the equipment used. The one at the top of this entry is by my friend Laura. Isn’t it awesome?

MiniG-T and MicroG-T received Mario & Sonic at the Olympics on Wii for Christmas, and that has occupied a considerable amount of my (errr…. their) time too.

And finally, I’m one of a team proof-reading a novel by another friend which is good fun. More details when it’s less confidential!

So, apologies for the tardiness in posting here. I can only mention that I’ve been a bit busy…