Hi everyone, 

     Thought i would have a go at putting my first photoblog together. I have always enjoyed messing about with my camera, but after joining this site and seeing what can be achieved with a single photo by you guys, it has given me the desire to learn and improve. And maybe one day i will get that perfect picture. So the aim of putting this first blog together is to get some feedback from you guys and to see where i can improve. If anyone has looked at my gallery i am getting a bit obsessed with experimenting with black and white. So i thought i would put some pictures from some of the places i have visited over the last few years......in black and white. 

These first few pictures where taken in Havana Cuba. This was the view looking from the top of our hotel. The main building in the picture is the former capitol building which is now a museum. I think the use of black and white makes the detail stand out. Will be interesting what you all think.

We were very lucky that the hotel reccomended a local tour guide. He took us around Havana for most of the day and went to places that you would not normally visit. As you can see Havana is not a rich city and the people don't have a lot but they are just so happy and friendly. I managed to get some very interesting shots that i think sum up Havana. 

This is one of my favourite pictures so simple and looks better in black and white than colour (i think). The Government in Havana make sure that everyone has food, water, and a roof to live under. In many ways this is perfect, everyone has the same basic essentials. The down side is that it is hard for a person to be an individual. 

There is a major push by the government and a lot of money is being used to restore a lot of the old buildings in Havana. I think that Cuba in a whole is changing and realizes that tourism generates a lot of income. In the next few years Havana will be changed, so i would say if you want to see the old havana, go very soon before the western influence takes over.

From a young age children are taught how to handle a gun. This view was in a back street of Havana. Another picture that was due to our local guide taking us off the beaten path. At no time anywhere in the city did we feel unsafe. It is probably more dangerous walking around my local town of Macclesfield on a Saturday night.

 I couldn't leave Havana with out a picture of an old car. I was under the impression that in Havana all i would see was cars like this. But to be honest there was not that many old cars like this on the roads. Again another sign that cuba is changing.

   These next few black and white city pictures are from paris. I do love the buzz you get from a big city, the atmosphere and busyness of the places. I do like a busy picture, one with loads going on. A picture that you look at it and see something, put it down, then next time you look you see something else. This was just a random view of a Street from a coffee bar i was sitting in. 

    I don't think you can go Paris and not visit and take a photo of the obvious things. I was lucky that in the park next to the tower there was a fete on. I managed to get a different picture of the tower which i think works quite well. Because the balloons are bright colours this picture probably does look a bit better in colour but i thought i would keep to my black and white theme.

This is the view from the top of the tower of the Arc de triomphe. If you want to see the view of a city there is nothing better than a big tower and on a perfect day in paris, the view from the Eiffel Tower is amazing. 

Another one of those busy pictures. Around the Arc De Triomphe the traffic is just crazy. I could not imagine trying to drive around here. 

To finish the  french pictures,  it  is another place if you are in Paris you have to take a picture off, Notra Dame. I think this picture does look very good in black and white.... again will be interesting what everyone thinks.

    These next few pictures were taken on my honeymoon in Sydney. This was the view from our hotel, which was as you see amazing. Sydney is a bit different to other cities, the Australians are a little bit more chilled. So feels a lot less hectic than london or Paris. I have got this picture in my gallery and did it to look antique, but like the black and white version here best.

Another view from the hotel. Sydney is probably a lot less interesting than most cities because there is not as much history. But to see the opera house or the Harbour bridge just gives me goose bumps. I love my traveling and Sydney was always top of my list of places to visit.

One of those places you have to take a picture of when you are there. When i first glimpsed the Opera house i knew then that i was really in sydney, just one of them iconic places. I do have a picture of me just touching the side and smiling, but i don't think i will include that one to bore you, lol 

This is just a random street picture in sydney, trying to capture the busy city feel again. Not as easy in sydney, as in somewhere like Paris.

This picture shows how close that the harbour bridge is to the opera house. One of the best views you can get of these two places is by taking one of the ferries on the harbour. If you go to darling harbour from here, you go under the harbour bridge meaning you get some amazing views and the chance of some amazing photos.

   My last few pictures some people would of seen in my gallery. On here i have lightened them up a bit, which i think works better. I went to London last year and i was disappointed how dull and cloudy it was. But after i saw my pictures i thought the clouds added something more to my pics, so in the end was quite pleased.

What can you say about London. If you want the buzz of a city London has it. So much atmosphere and history, and so much to use your camera on. 

I have got the original version of this picture in my gallery before i learned how to straighten and crop. That was due to a comment i got about one of my comp entries saying that it would look better straightened up and cropped. So feedback on here does help us novices. 

    Oh well, that is 20 photos from my travels over the last year. I hope i haven't bored you guys too much and you enjoyed some of my pics. I know some people on this site don't like comments and criticism. But i feel that is what this site is for, how else our you going to improve and learn. If any one would like to have a look at my gallery and leave me some feedback that would be great. I will say bye for now, and be warned i have a few more trips planned this year including Egypt in september, so you might have to sit through another photoblog, lol