Croydon What's On

[Iggy]

Croydon Street Live - Author Ross Montgomery & Bricklive Animal Paradise

Ross Montgomery, childrens book author read his book Space Tortoise to children at the Croydon Library followed by a drawing session.
I had a chat with Ross before and after the session and took a few photographs.
I then went in search of large animal figures made of tiny lego bricks in Bricks Alive Paradise in Croydon.

[Iggy]

Ceramic Flower Exhibition at CRISIS Skylight Croydon

Agata Nowak, a local artist, worked with several communities including Crisis Skylight Croydon, a charity for homeless people, to produce ceramic flowers.
Her workshops gave participants confidence in trying something new and they enjoyed having their work exhibited and appreciated.

[Iggy]

Anatomy of the Orchestra at Fairfield Halls

I discovered that Anatomy of the Orchestra was putting on two performances on the two floors of the Fairfield Halls for the OpenHouse London imitative.
It offered the chance to walk around the performing members of the orchestra that were strung around the two floors of the foyer many of them on individual small platforms. It was too good a chance to miss and I headed out with my Lumix FZ1000 as that had an ideal zoom lens for this event.

I chatted to a few members of the orchestra before the performance who confirmed that they were okay with photography.
I got my eye in during the first performance and then stayed on for the second performance and hour and a half later having realised what five images I wanted for the Croydon Advertiser feature. I got the images but not all were used in the feature.

During the break, I tagged on to the final supposedly full tour of Fairfield Halls which was enlightening. Its all in the column below:

[Iggy]

Durga Puja Celebration

The Bengalis of Croydon celebrated the Durga Puja Hindu Festival at the Croydon Clock Tower building over four days of afternoon and evening events.
The festival marks the victory of the goddess Durga in her battle of good over evil.

Spandan, Croydon Bengali Association, celebrated the festival keeping the age-old traditions intact, while including social and cultural activities as well.
Spandan hope that this festival also embraced the Croydon community as a whole, who were welcome to attend.

[Iggy]

The Art of Nature: Broken Souls Exhibition - Elizabeth James Gallery

I attended the private view of Nasha Bradshaw's opening night of his Art Exhibition "The Art of Nature: Broken Souls" at the Elizabeth James Gallery at Portland Road, Norwood.
We were made very welcome and had a great evening.
This was also attended by the High Commissioner of Jamaica.

[Iggy]

Croydon Diwali Mela at Fairfield Halls

I rather enjoyed the Croydon Diwali, Festival of Lights, Reception & MELA 2019 that was celebrated in the Arnhem Foyer, Fairfield Halls on Sunday, 27 October 2019.
Some one thousand guests and I enjoyed the Indian classical music and traditional dancing.

[Iggy]

London to Brighton Veteran Car Run

I shot the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run along London Road in Norbury.
The editor and her team did a great job in cropping down the main image to focus on the people and the car.

A colourful Panhard-Levassor overheated and had to stop in Norbury, taking half an hour to be sorted out.
This offered a photographic opportunity to get some close-up shots.

Although not a race, I was interested to see who crossed the line first and had to do a bit of searching.
Austrian motor enthusiast, Andreas Melkus driving a 1902 Oldsmobile, yet again was the first to arrive in Brighton at around 10 am.
Last year Andreas was also first to arrive in an older 1901 Oldsmobile.
He has entered this Veterans Run nine times proving that practice makes perfect.
Luckily for me, Andreas had traveled through Norbury at 9.10 am where I took his snapshot!

[Iggy]

Mayor's Christmas Lights Celebration

Met the Mayor at his request in the Mayor's Parlor in the Town Hall to get to know each other.
He suggested that I stay on for the Christmas Lights Celebration. So I did.

I had my Lumix FZ1000 camera and was expecting an out door event. But this was indoors.
Tough assignment as far as images were concerned, having to shoot from some distance in poor light.

Croydon Advertiser allocated a full page for this feature.
My status at CA appears to have changed for this feature at least, with credit at the top of the write-up this time!

[Mike Farley]

Croydon Advertiser allocated a full page for this feature.
My status at CA appears to have changed for this feature at least, with credit at the top of the write-up this time!

Well done, Iggy. Recognition thoroughly deserved. They will be giving you a pay rise next.

[Iggy]

Thanks Mike.
Writing does involve a fair amount of research and chasing down information followed by summarising.
Does keep the little gray cells ticking over.
I do the work pro bono on the understanding that they will use several images as opposed to just one that they normally do.
I am free lance and decide what story I am going to follow, if any.
Perhaps they might give me a press card if I ask.