Bristol - Adieu!

On my last afternoon in Bristol, I was wanting an extra special Blip, one that was a bit beautiful, a bit evocative but most of all, more than a bit Bristolian.

When I started these Bristol Blips off, many said that they liked the candy-coloured terraces, that climb up the hills, like confectionary caterpillars, the best, about Bristol. And...

So, it is not too surprising that I watched the daylight end high up in Brandon Park. After the Cabot Tower closed, it was lovely so see romantic couples and quite a few others quietly sit or stand watching the blue of dusk getting progressively richer and darker, as the distant lights get brighter and more colourful.

But, I was not to sit or stand with them.

To get this view exactly lined up I was standing awkwardly on a steep grassy slope, under a tree whose branches kept trying to pull my woolly hat off. I probably looked like some dodgy stalker, with my long lens in the increasing darkness but the people of Bristol have always been great - they most probably agree that their fair city is photogenic and interesting enough for photographers to take photos for the right reasons.

As the light was fading, so the camera iso was rising. No tripod and whilst the Tamron SP 70-300mm's Vibration Control is very effective, I didn't want to go down below the 1/80th sec I used here, for maximum 300mm zoom (should have been 1/250 or faster.)

Likewise, I didn't want to open up to maximum aperture, as this photo has depth. From the glowing lights in the attic in the foreground, to the floodlit tower of Bristol Cathedral (they only floodlit one?!!) and then over to those lovely candy houses and further afield, red tail lights of the Friday night traffic jams. And a water tank. There is a whole world out there and it is mighty pretty! And a whole lot prettier than my Derelict Challenge entry of yesterday!

As you can guess, I am really pleased how this came out. For iso 2000, it's pretty darn good, showing that the old D700 (as with all my Bristol Blips) there's life in the old dog yet!

Back home, after a packed train, full of commuters and shoppers, I am now extraordinarily tired.

Lastly but definitely not leastly, HUGE thanks to the many who offered me Lifetime Blip membership. I know they had these to give away as part of their own Lifetime Memberships but to want to give them to me, well, is really special. Thanks! And it does now mean that I will be around, for literally, LIFE!! (Good and bad!)