Saw an excellent trailer last night for The Wolfman. Benicio Del Toro. Emily Blunt. Anthony Hopkins. Was an excellent trailer. Paced perfectly. No idea what the film will be like, but looked very exciting from the 90 seconds I've now seen. No surprise that Rick Baker is doing the special effects makeup. Check him out on IMDB. I'm sure he was first on their list when involving makeup effects people. Look at his CV: The Howling, An American Werewolf in London, the Thriller video, Greystoke, Werewolf (TV series), Wolf (the Jack Nicholson one). That fella knows wolf makeup!

Pretty baby cupcakes in a homemade box

Pretty baby cupcakes in a homemade box
Originally uploaded by abraham_love

Here are some lovely little baby size cupcakes that The Wife made for her friend's new baby. they looked great. She has really gotten the presentation down now and in little batches there look excellent. So out comes the camera and another chance for me to practice food photography. I'm spoilt by having a nice walnut worktop to phtograph on and today some good natural light from the kitchen window. Now...will anyone notice if I eat one of these?

Great documentary last night about Brian Duffy the photographer. Peer of David Bailey and Terence Donovan, he was shooting the coolest people of the 60s. The programme on BBC4 was excellent and thoroughly recommended to anyone with a passing interest in photography or the 60s

 

My grandad, James Daubney was also photographing celebrities in the 60s. More on that later.

DIY ringflash

DIY ringflash 2
Originally uploaded by abraham_love

UK Strobists...Here's a ringflash - perfect for after Christmas since you are bound to have an empty tub of 'Celebrations', right?

Eat chocolate. Take off the lid. Put 50 CD-R tub on the bottom of the box and draw round it. Cut that hole carefully minding fingers. Cut the top off the clear lid of the CD-R tub. If you are lucky like me - the CD-R tub even has a lip on it. As you push that through the celebrations box it will wedge and catch itself - no need for sticking or anything. Cut a hole for your flash. Here I used an old flash that is non-manual. I used it as a test, but it's the right power for a decent portrait with a 50mm on my K100d at 1/180 f/4.5.

Probably clear as mud - hopefully picture will help.

I can thoroughly recommend 'Ultimate Band' for your Wii. We got the game for Christmas. It's far less serious than Guitar Hero. In lieu of would-be-cool, it's genuinely fun. The songs are all decent cover versions - and credit to the gameplay - it doesn't really matter since the game is such arm-flailing fun you don't need the original artist versions.

You don't need a pretend guitar to play. You use your wii remote and your nunchuck. Drums, guitar, frontman - punching, clapping, windmilling. Great fun.

 

You can get it for less than £10 too. Bargain!

The Wife did a normal shop yesterday and I followed up in the evening with Ye Olde Trippe to Tesco for Christmas stuff. They had run out of Aunt Bessie's Potatoes and Yorkshire puddings. I got a present for my brother, a turkey, a bottle of whisky, some mince pies, sprouts. I was served by a rude elf, she was busy telling her colleague that his shelf stacking was SH*T, before helping me find pigs in blankets/sausage/bacon. Everywhere is icy. Got home and helped finish up the wrapping for the boys. Last day at work today. Hurrah for Christmas!

Braving the icy tundra of west London at the weekend I managed to lose my footing while traversing the icy plains/pavement. I was carrying a small child and successfully kept him off the floor while I flailed and fell and ripped a hug hole in my jeans and bloodied my knee. Arriving home five minutes later I fell again when I flew into the garden, angered at the dog's barking and slipped right over on the luge run /garden path.

 

People, take care out there.

This is an excellent advert. Like the paper or not, this is spot on...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVMnmTFxAjA

Fudge, let's not eat it...just look at it!

Fudge, let's not eat it...just look at it!
Originally uploaded by abraham_love

Wow. I'm really pleased with this one. Last night I set about taking a photo of some white chocolate and cranberry fudge that our friend made for The Wife's birthday. Being that I don't have any volunteers for portraits. I thought the fudge would have to do. There's a fair bit of post processing going on here, mostly to get the colour balance right. I was also pleased with the presentation. Yes - they are piled up like bricks, but tasty looking bricks. With ribbon on! Looks like someting from Waitrose.