Sometimes new is better

Like this bridge across Leith Street to the St James Centre. So much more style about it than the dull one it replaced. Went to see the World Press Photo exhibition today at the Scottish Parliament. Some good images, but a lot that were only significant because of the subject matter - it seems press photographers are rewarded for 'extreme travel with a camera' going to disaster zones, war zones and crime scenes. Not entirely fair as I really liked the picture of a masked Red Shirt protester/rioter in Bangkok with a catapult. But some of the other pictures did seem a little ordinary or gimmicky. And as for the pictures of Google Earth screens - maybe it could be called 'art' but not worthy of mention in a collection of the best photojournalism of the year, imho. Walked back across town and popped into the Book Festival and had a chat with Chris Close about his portraits of people in the Book Festival that he is doing again this year. Interesting to talk about how he goes about it, and the importance of the personal rapport he needs to establish with his subjects, sometimes in a matter of minutes. Walked round looking at the portraits that are up around the venue in the middle of Charlotte Square - a great (free) photographic portrait exhibition if you are in Edinburgh!