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Of Diminished Use

Ryan Woolies — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 22:52:06 +0000

The minute and second hands are fine but the hour hand is broken – I’m trying to work that into a metaphor of the days and weeks passing but nothing larger changing. This feels like the longest Winter I can remember.

Of Diminished Use An old pocket watch with a broken hour hand.

Photo by SpoiltCat, on Flickr

Winter Waves

Ryan Woolies — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 11:43:56 +0000

Most photos from this afternoon had unwanted soft-focus spots from all the spray hitting the lens, luckily I got this shot before the sleet shower started in full earnest.

Winter Waves Waves rush in to Aberdeen Beach during a sleet shower on a blustery February afternoon.

Photo by SpoiltCat, on Flickr

Chanonry Blackbird

Ryan Woolies — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 16:42:22 +0000

Looking at me in the hopes of some food rather than actually posing I think — it’s been a long Winter here already!

Chanonry Blackbird A blackbird pauses for a photograph while foraging on the frosty cobblestones of Old Aberdeen.

Photo by SpoiltCat, on Flickr

10 Rillington Place

Ryan Woolies — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 03:09:04 +0000

Based on the true story of the notorious 1940’s serial killer John Christie including location filming at the real Rillington Place just before it’s demolition in 1970.

The quiet & unassuming Christie is portrayed by Richard Attenborough with John Hurt as the unfortunate Timothy Evans who wrongly hanged for one of Christie’s murders.

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about this film is that it is very unremarkable. It avoids sensationalising any of the murders or the people and events involved – in fact reading through the historical documents of the case gives glimpses into a far more disturbing sequence of events than the film’s plotline has time to thoroughly expand upon.

The whole experience of watching this movie feels rather remote and disengaged, the mood along with the lighting and colours is muted throughout. From the opening scenes of an early Christie murder to the final state sponsored murder by hanging the viewer is always left to develop their own reaction, there is very little hand-holding to guide us to a “correct” emotional response — the events are real life and are simply shown as such.

The main interest of the film is of course this genuine reality; that these rather drab and dreary people were caught up in such events needs little embellishment to fascinate. The murders were committed by the quiet man at number ten and it was a simple husband & father who suffered the irreversible miscarriage of justice at which the public’s extreme dissatisfaction helped reforms to abolish the death penalty in the UK.

Buy the DVD from Amazon:
10 Rillington Place (Special Edition) [1970] [DVD]

Timothy Evans was convicted and hanged March 1950 for the murder of his daughter. Sixteen years later he received a posthumous pardon but with doubt remaining over his involvement in his wife’s death (common practice at the time was to only pursue a single case conviction, Timothy Evans was never tried for the murder of his wife).

John Reginald Christie was hanged (by the same executioner who hung Evans) in July 1953 for the murder of his wife, this was the only conviction pursued but he is considered guilty of murdering at least six women, with bodies having been found buried in his garden and hidden in his kitchen.

Platform 4

Ryan Woolies — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 13:42:27 +0000

I’ve always liked trains. Even modern electric trains, even at 6am on a bitterly cold December morning in Scotland – they still have a touch of romance and adventure for me.

Platform 4 The first ScotRail Express of the morning waits at Aberdeen train station before departure at just before 6am

Photo by SpoiltCat, on Flickr

Sticky Snow in a 20 Zone

Ryan Woolies — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 21:32:06 +0000

Sticky Snow in a 20 Zone Snow never feels sticky when it gets blown into my face during a blizzard, maybe it likes the hedge better.

Photo by SpoiltCat, on Flickr

So This Is Christmas

Ryan Woolies — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 23:14:07 +0000

Happy Holidays to all the SpoiltCat readers & followers!

Old Town House : Christmas A seasonal image of the Old Aberdeen Town House.

Photo by SpoiltCat, on Flickr

Favourite Elm

Ryan Woolies — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 21:39:52 +0000

Seaton Park is a bit of a mist trap just after the sun goes down on cold evenings so maybe that’s why this is one of my favourite trees to photograph.

A Favourite Elm One of the heritage elm trees located in Seaton Park.

Photo by SpoiltCat, on Flickr

The Bleak Moor

Ryan Woolies — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:07:46 +0000

Maybe it’s the Hound of the Baskervilles fault but any thought of walking a moor brings to my mind desolate bleakness. Which is a shame because Scotstown Moor can be rather beautiful, in Summer, in colour.

Scotstown Moor : B&W One Looking North across Scotstown Moor.

Photo by SpoiltCat, on Flickr

Scotstown Moor : B&W Two View of the fir wood at Corse Hill on Scotstown Moor.

Photo by SpoiltCat, on Flickr

Life Belts

Ryan Woolies — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 14:41:18 +0000

I’m a big fan of life belts, much better than fences and walls preventing access to the water!

Two pictures today, natural colour versus black & white. I keep changing which I prefer, so you can argue for your favourite in the comments!

Life Belt : B&W A bright orange life saving belt holder, close up, in black and white.

Photo by SpoiltCat, on Flickr

Life Belt : Orange One of the many life saving belts along the banks of the River Don at Seaton Park.

Photo by SpoiltCat, on Flickr