Roscoe was back at church earlier this week to meet for a second time the ladies who run our Toddler Group. He's grown just a bit meanwhile as you will see from the final photo below, taken during his first visit three weeks ago.
And here's Roscoe three weeks ago on his first visit ...
Last week I attended a fantastic workshop at Wednesbury Library run by leading UK photographer, Niall McDiarmid. Niall is a softly spoken Scot. He has a fantastic eye for insightful detail and his photography boasts the inspired use of muted and complementary colour.
One of the exercises Niall sets us is to go into Wednesbury to shoot some street portraits. I love encounters with random strangers and strike up conversations with a number of fascinating people. The sun shines brightly, not good conditions for photography, but after a few initial rejections I find a number of residents who are happy to have their picture taken.
On our return to the library Niall chooses some sample photos from each workshop participant and provides a very helpful critique of what we have shot. The picture above prompts Niall to observe the lady with the shopping trolley looks as if she is about to be eaten up by the pound sign. He suggests a more subtle background for the future ... but I can't resist including his critique in the title to this piece!
So is burlesque a form of art or just prurient titilation for the unwashed masses? I would beg to suggest the former.
The burlesque performers to whom I've spoken view their acts as empowering not exploitative - erotic not pornographic. Jemimah and Harley Quinn, the two who danced last week at 'The Wallflower Express' open-mic night, owned the stage and both gave bravado performances.
I applaud them for their courage and for their art.
