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This is my travel blog for my adventures in the UK and Belgium this summer. Please check out the travel galleries as well.
23 May 2009, Durham, NC USA
The journey is about to begin. This is one of my night photography shots in Oxford from my last trip there in 2006.
This year I am traveling to Europe to do collections work for DUMIC in the UK (Oxford) and in Belgium (Oudenaarde and Brussels).
In Belgium I will work on our de Hen-Bijl Collection of World Musical Instruments with the collector, Prof. Ferdinand J. de Hen. We will also be working on editing his book Dancing and Prancing on the history of tournaments, their music, and their traditions, to appear through DUMIC Press later this year. I am fortunate to have a student coming with me to do archival collections work and work on a short biographical sketch of Prof. de Hen. She will fly back home after this portion of my trip. Her photographs can be seen here.
In Oxford I will work with my doctoral supervisor Mr. Jeremy Montagu, on a series of short informational books on musical instruments. He is the author of all but the cello book -- and I am the photographer. We will be working on (at least) two books this summer. He is kindly letting me stay with him during this time. This is like living in a museum with one of the most brilliant minds in the field; he knows more about my field than anyone else I've ever met and has over 2500 instruments as well as the best organology library I've ever seen.
In addition, during my travels I will be gathering the final materials for a bagpipe exhibit at DUMIC. Jeremy is kindly lending DUMIC an instrument (or two?) to use in our exhibit.
For myself, I hope to take a couple of short courses in the Scottish Highlands and Islands -- one on nature and the other on landscape photography. I hope to squeeze this in during the first week of July, but it will depend on how much work I can get done on the photographs for the books with Jeremy.
On weekends I hope to travel around the country and visit my old friends on Saturdays. If all goes well, I'll be back for the 11AM high sung Latin Mass in Oxford every Sunday.
Please stay tuned. We depart on a 6PM flight on Wednesday, 27 May.
The journey is about to begin. This is one of my night photography shots in Oxford from my last trip there in 2006.
This year I am traveling to Europe to do collections work for DUMIC in the UK (Oxford) and in Belgium (Oudenaarde and Brussels).
In Belgium I will work on our de Hen-Bijl Collection of World Musical Instruments with the collector, Prof. Ferdinand J. de Hen. We will also be working on editing his book Dancing and Prancing on the history of tournaments, their music, and their traditions, to appear through DUMIC Press later this year. I am fortunate to have a student coming with me to do archival collections work and work on a short biographical sketch of Prof. de Hen. She will fly back home after this portion of my trip. Her photographs can be seen here.
In Oxford I will work with my doctoral supervisor Mr. Jeremy Montagu, on a series of short informational books on musical instruments. He is the author of all but the cello book -- and I am the photographer. We will be working on (at least) two books this summer. He is kindly letting me stay with him during this time. This is like living in a museum with one of the most brilliant minds in the field; he knows more about my field than anyone else I've ever met and has over 2500 instruments as well as the best organology library I've ever seen.
In addition, during my travels I will be gathering the final materials for a bagpipe exhibit at DUMIC. Jeremy is kindly lending DUMIC an instrument (or two?) to use in our exhibit.
For myself, I hope to take a couple of short courses in the Scottish Highlands and Islands -- one on nature and the other on landscape photography. I hope to squeeze this in during the first week of July, but it will depend on how much work I can get done on the photographs for the books with Jeremy.
On weekends I hope to travel around the country and visit my old friends on Saturdays. If all goes well, I'll be back for the 11AM high sung Latin Mass in Oxford every Sunday.
Please stay tuned. We depart on a 6PM flight on Wednesday, 27 May.
Tuesday, 26 May 2009: Pre-flight Panic
As usual, I was scrambling to get out the door. Many thanks to Jennifer for all of her help in this process and to Rick for actually getting us to the airport.
Here is my new camera bag -- 7 lenses, 2 D80 bodies, 1 pinhole cover, 2 extra filters (polarizing and IR), remote, notebook, pens, 9 memory cards, one tripod, etc. And . . . as I'm posting this a bit late . . . I can report that after 2 weeks, I LOVE this bag. And I love that its zip is to my back. Very nice in the city. Hurrah!
As usual, I was scrambling to get out the door. Many thanks to Jennifer for all of her help in this process and to Rick for actually getting us to the airport.
Here is my new camera bag -- 7 lenses, 2 D80 bodies, 1 pinhole cover, 2 extra filters (polarizing and IR), remote, notebook, pens, 9 memory cards, one tripod, etc. And . . . as I'm posting this a bit late . . . I can report that after 2 weeks, I LOVE this bag. And I love that its zip is to my back. Very nice in the city. Hurrah!
Wednesday, 27 May 2009, Day 1: The Adventure Begins
Well, after two weeks I finally have both the internet access and the time to post here. Apologies if anyone's been waiting. I'll only post one photo here per day, but as I get things processed, I'll put them in another gallery with a link from the date -- so please keep checking.
Today Jennifer made our big journey -- her first international trip and my first time bringing a student to Oxford. Very strange all round.
And here you see the results of my "terrorist" activities. One of the stewardesses told me to put the camera away as photography is not allowed. She called me "Sweetie" and was extremely patronizing. And if you are going to harass a paying customer (is this REALLY a good idea American Airlines?), then at LEAST get your facts right, OK? Personal photos for personal use are allowed. And the "Sweetie" thing was just over the top rude. At least I'm not a social misfit working for AA, right?
Poor Jennifer was at her wits' end, thinking I'd get arrested when we landed . . . until we found the rules in the onboard mag that said I was in the right. And then SHE took photos as well. Funnily enough, no one asked us to put the cameras away.
And so, SWEETIE, wherever you are, I really WAS taking photos of patterns, and clouds, and my student. Not exactly earth-shatteringly controversial.
And Chrissy, I've got LOTS of photos for you to use as textures if you want. Here is one of them.
We made it unscathed other than this bit of so-called rogue terrorist photography. The next day we woke up on the plane to land at Heathrow!
Well, after two weeks I finally have both the internet access and the time to post here. Apologies if anyone's been waiting. I'll only post one photo here per day, but as I get things processed, I'll put them in another gallery with a link from the date -- so please keep checking.
Today Jennifer made our big journey -- her first international trip and my first time bringing a student to Oxford. Very strange all round.
And here you see the results of my "terrorist" activities. One of the stewardesses told me to put the camera away as photography is not allowed. She called me "Sweetie" and was extremely patronizing. And if you are going to harass a paying customer (is this REALLY a good idea American Airlines?), then at LEAST get your facts right, OK? Personal photos for personal use are allowed. And the "Sweetie" thing was just over the top rude. At least I'm not a social misfit working for AA, right?
Poor Jennifer was at her wits' end, thinking I'd get arrested when we landed . . . until we found the rules in the onboard mag that said I was in the right. And then SHE took photos as well. Funnily enough, no one asked us to put the cameras away.
And so, SWEETIE, wherever you are, I really WAS taking photos of patterns, and clouds, and my student. Not exactly earth-shatteringly controversial.
And Chrissy, I've got LOTS of photos for you to use as textures if you want. Here is one of them.
We made it unscathed other than this bit of so-called rogue terrorist photography. The next day we woke up on the plane to land at Heathrow!
Thursday, 28 May 2009, Day 2: We arrive in Oxford!
Friday, 29 May 2009, Day 3: Oxford!
Saturday, 30 May 2009, Day 4: London!
Sunday, 31 May 2009, Day 5: Oxford
Monday, 1 June 2009, Day 6: Belgium
in this box:All photos are property of Brenda Neece. Please contact me with questions or for more information. Thanks!
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