City of Spires - Prague - with Tatra Photography

City of Spires

 I should be in Botswana but it was postponed due to the ebola crisis.  I opted to go on Tatra's photo workshop to Prague instead.  Stayed at the Hilton at Gatwick.  Easyjet to Prague where I was met by Phillip who works for Tatra.  Joined by Nick Jenkins the pro photographer, Beryl, Paul and Simon.  Simon had not been with Tatra before.  30 minutes drive to the Hotel Thalia where we dropped off our stuff and went straight out with cameras.  We were offered more time to sort ourselves out but everyone was keen to get started.

First lunch at a noodle restaurant then we hit the streets.  Loads of images later we returned to the hotel to pick up tripods.  Sunset shoot from the tower at Charles bridge then by a cafe to take the floodlit bridge and castle in the blue hour.

workman in Wenceslas Square

trdelník traditional sweet

street cleaner

old and new

blacksmith in the square

quiet street near the old town.  Cafe at the end does a good coffee

Phillip (red) and Simon (stripes)

Details from the clock tower

Engrossed in phone use

View from tower at Charles bridge

Charles bridge

Waiting for the blue hour

Blue hour at the bridge

and the blue has gone

Snapped on the way back to the hotel

Plan was to be up and out by 5.50am the next morning.  Both Simon and I were an hour out as we hadn't checked our phone times!!!!!  Then when I caught up with the others on Charles Bridge, I realised I had left my camera in my room.  Luckily I had my Sony so played with that until it was time for breakfast.

We had free time until 12 noon but Nick, Simon and I hit the streets again only stopping for coffee before meeting up with the others.

Foot shot

Car reflection

Market stalls

Reflection

Part of a limousine with shop sign

Building decorations

Simon and Nick looking at the images

A cul de sac

Absinth museum

 In the afternoon we all walked to the opposite embankment and up to the castle, stopping for lunch on the way.  Very hot and steep walk so we had to stop again for more refreshment.  Another lot of images later and it was back to the hotel for tripods again.  This time only Simon and I made it to the sunset shoot with Nick and Phillip.

A lone pigeon

Parts of 3 sculptures.  The middle one is the mouth - go figure!

View of the opposite embankment.

Bubble from bubble entertainer

Surrounded by locks

John Lennon memorial wall

Stopped off at the castle restaurant for refreshing lemonade.

St Vitus Cathedral

I took lots of images of people taking pics in the cathedral square

View over Prague

A tourist showing how narrow this passageway is

Sun glinting in windows

Another church

Images from "blue hour"

Up early on Saturday but minus Nick this time, as he was very poorly during the night.  On our morning shoot, Nick texted Phillip to say he had been burgled.  He woke up to find a woman in his room going through his trouser pockets.  She got away with about £90.  Nick and Phillip off to the police station while we had free time.  Meeting up at 11.30 am to do more of the Old Town.

As the swans did not co-operate this image is a blend of two.

Runners on Charles bridge

Lots of wedding photos in Prague.  Shame about the white building in the background.

Spent time in the afternoon in the Old Town square and the evening in the astronomical clock tower shooting from above.

Good pizza and traditional Czech restaurant both next to each other in Narodni.  Not far from Wenceslas square

Had noodles here on first day.  On the first pedestrianised bit before Wenceslas square

Walking from Wencelas Square to old town, this market street is on your left.  Two good coffee shops at the other end.

On the way to old town

Panorama of old town square - don't look too closely to the bottom!

Staircase in the Cubism cafe

We had rain at the weekend

Images from our walkabout

Reflection of Nick Jenkins

The sign says something about hygene

Looking down from the astronomical tower

Looking across.  This panorama worked a little better.

Another early morning on Sunday but minus Paul and Beryl who were catching up on sleep.  Hoping for light on the bridges from a hill spot but the sun did not oblige.  Still managed a few sunrise shots.

Nick's duck

Snapped the cleaners on our way back to the hotel

Always something different to see, even if we had been down the street before

Free time after breakfast to pack - get a coffee.  Out of all the lovely coffee shops we had found, I sat in one on the square and was ripped off - bad coffee for around £4!!!!

Discovered some lovely gardens on a different way into Wenceslas Square

In the afternoon we spent time at the Jewish cemetery and took more street shots.  Then it was back to the airport.  An hour delay meant that I didn't arrive back in Taunton until 4 am.   A very enjoyable break.

A panel from a car

A bird in the Jewish cemetary

A panel of various signs and posters seen on the trip

I spent a lot of time taking heads, middles and legs of people in Prague.  Below is a quick panel of a few of them.  There is also a "Where's Wally" bit to the panel.

Next post will be Birmingham with RPS Visual Art Group at beginning of October.