Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt 2013: The Lincoln Edition

Hi hi lovely people.

How's things? How's the weather? Warm? Too warm? Glorious?

[I must apologise to my non-British readers here but the thing is ... we're having a summer right now ... just when we'd all forgotten what one of those was. And the thing is ... we have to talk about it all the time. By law. We get deported for non-British activities if we don't.]

OK then, enough about the weather .. almost ...

This time last week it was a beautiful sunny day in Lincoln. I know, because I was there. And all the time I was there on a short [and most welcome] break I kept Rinda's Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt List with me at all times so I wouldn't miss an opportunity!

So here's a couple I captured around old Lincoln city ...

Item No.2: Theatre for performing arts (not a movie theatre)
We knew there was a theatre in Lincoln ... but we couldn't find it. Even though James did live there for much of his childhood. Lincoln that is. Not the theatre! In fact, we only spotted the theatre when walking past, by accident, days after seeking it out.

BTW: that's nothing compared to the time we stopped-off on a car journey to stretch our legs in Berwick-Upon-Tweed a coastal town ... and couldn't find any water. True story. But I digress ...

So yes, the theatre ... I spotted a sign for the Drill Hall which, while it isn't the main theatre, I knew was an arty place ... so we sought that out instead. And found it!:

And - you must know by now how excited I've been getting when I find an item on the list and it has what it is written across it [like the 'Fire' truck and the bench] - well, this was a similar thrill. Because ... Rinda asked for a 'theatre for performing arts' and look what I found along the side ... photographic evidence of what goes on in there!

And on their other wall we found this beautiful sculpture:

I love anything to do with heads / faces etc [... oh ... I feel a new themed series coming on ... but I mustn't get distracted ... ] so it was a complete treat to find this beauty entirely unexpectedly. Serendipitously.

 

It's the main reason I LOVE the scavenger hunt .. it truly does force me off-piste, wandering around with the camera, finding whatever there is to find! Despite visiting the city for countless years we'd never strolled down that street ... and if we hadn't been seeking out a theatre ... we never would have. I love how the list allows you to become a tourist in a town you think you know well!

One place I was certain I'd find something from the list ... was the Cathedral where I knew I'd find ...

 

Item No.17: Candle(s)
From the first time I saw it, probably 15 or so years ago, I've loved this area of Lincoln Cathedral:

I've always admired how, in such an old and traditional space, Lincoln Cathedral are not afraid of modern artistic additions. [If you ever get chance to see the stained glass in the Treasury or the wooden stations of the cross ... then do!]. And these large, ceramic candle holders have always appealed to me so  I knew where to head for my photo ... except ...

... while I'm no longer a church goer ... I did wonder if it was OK to take photos of a space where people go to pray. Photography is completely allowed in the cathedral ... I just felt unsure. In the end, I decided to go ahead ... but waited until there were no other people around, especially those lighting candles.

And, just in case those didn't turn out very clear [the perils of being anxious, in low light, without a tripod ...] I took some shots of back-up candles - ones in the more traditional style:

Like the chandelier [above] and the lanterns in St Hugh's choir:

I'm about to reveal myself as a cretin now. OK? While these carved oak stalls make up a striking feature in the centre of the cathedral ... and while they may hark back to the 14th Century ... when I was taking this photo I was thinking to myself ... 'Ooh it looks like something from Hogwarts' ...

And on that note ... I'm going to go hide my face in shame ... and cross some more items from my list!

Soon.

Julie