Red Sky at Night...Fireman's Delight...

OK, it should be 'fire-fighter', not fireman, to be totally politically correct...and is titled so as my local station is sleeping nicely, in the small hours - or at least during the 15 seconds that the exposure took.

Again, that red glow is due to low damp drizzly clouds reflecting the city's streetlamps and built up over the exposure. Though I often photograph at night in this general area (the training tower and chimney as well as that gas holder have cropped up in Blips as distant objects) I'd not noticed that bright yellow charity 'bin' before and it really caught my eye, being picked out by the security lights.

But, being a respectful citizen, I only took one image, this and not too close. And there are a further two red 'doors' to my left so I am literally in the way of any emergency exits! Knowing that I was on CCTV and that someone was probably watching me - and not in some council bunker a mile away, but from within, made me just get on with it. Ordinarily, I would have gone in closer and used a wider lens (here, the Nikkor 10-24, again!) but this was a nice perspective and the exposure worked perfectly.

I did up the contrast, but not the colour but still had to darken the yellow bin in question. That really brought out its true colour. Also a bit cropped from both sides and from the bottom.

It's so reassuring to remember these guys (& girls) are always on call, for our safety - and lives.

Now - I need to and want to thank absolutely everybody for looking in on my 200th, yesterday. I had thought it would be "nice" if it managed to sneak into the spotlight, but to me, the image was a bit ordinary. That it got there - quickly - and is still in the 2nd place slot had me muttering continuously 'that's mental', which, considering my current medical status, probably wan't the most appropriate thing to say.....!

I won't thank anyone in particular, if that's OK but would sincerely like to thank Cameron McVean for playing my request of U2's Unforgettable Fire on his lunchtime radio show!! It really helped make the day special and highlights what is great about Blip and its protaganists, the people behind the photos, and what they "do" in real-life, as I like to call it.