DanThornton

Tech, Geekery, Pop Culture, Miscellaneous

A rare trip through Norfolk

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One of the ironies of self-employment is that when you have the time to enjoy yourself, it’s normally because you’re not earning enough. And when things are going well for your income, you’re too busy to do anything else.

It’s a constant balancing act which I still haven’t mastered, especially when other business commitments, side projects and hobbies can fill my time without leaving one or two rooms of the house.

But what started as a short drive to a nearby record shop turned into a rare trip through Norfolk to the coast.

Castle Rising

My co-pilot and navigator seemed remarkably keen to accept my suggestion of carrying on a little further before buying some records and CDs. Little did I know she had planned to lead me towards Castle Rising, which is a little North East of Kings Lynn.

Originally built in 1140AD and later expanded, it’s apparently one of the most famous 12th Century castles in England and ties into the story of Isabella of France. Who coincidentally was one of the subjects of a BBC programme this week, She-Wolves: England’s Early Queens. Castle Rising was nice, but growing up in Kent within site of Rochester Castle, and not far from Leeds Castle (where Isabella was famously refused entry) amongst others, I’m a bit biased.

Hunstanton Beach

It turned out the subterfuge was also to lure me towards the coast, and seeing as Hunstanton was only about 10 miles up the road, it seemed perfect for a mid-afternoon bag of chips and an ice cream.

While it’s not cheap to buy food near the seafront, the chips were perfectly serviceable, the ice cream was nice and the ambience definitely adds to the flavour. Along with the inevitable sand on a windy day.

Eventually we got home tired, inspired, and planning a better balance between work, household chores and mini adventures. And in an AI era, connecting with people and places has never felt so important.

Why I’m Learning Photography In The Age Of Gen AI

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We live in a world where smartphones can capture amazing images. And if that’s too much hassle, you can just generate something with a prompt. Any yet, I’ve chosen to start learning photography in the age of Gen AI – and I’m loving it.

I’ve always admired photographers. It’s probably because I can’t draw or paint, so it’s the one form of visual art that seemed more accessible. That includes the people I’ve worked with and that were able to make me look good (normally with a crash helmet on), along with the more famous and notable names.

And having recently gained access to a DLSR thanks to some great funding for Peterborough STEM Festival equipment, I’ve become fascinated by shutter speeds, ISO settings and post-processing. Even if I’m very much an enthusiastic beginner.

Why I'm Learning Photography In The Age Of Gen AI - photo of squirrels
Why I’m Learning Photography In The Age Of Gen AI

There are lots of things I know are wrong with the photo above of some squirrels chasing each other. It’s not the right lens, the shutter speed is wrong, there’s not enough contrast, and lots more. I could have generated something using AI which looked similar or better, or used it to make improvements rather than messing around with image editing software.

But that’s not the point.

Taking photos at STEM Festival or out on walks means I have a reason to get out of the house, and gives me a reason to chat to more people while I’m out and about. I even have my own virtual photo assistance from friends online, especially one of my oldest mates. And we’re planning some photo days out in the near future. Unlike AI, he’s less prone to hallucinations unless it’s after a couple of pints.

What may look like an average photo of squirrels to you is a reminder of a pleasant afternoon walk with my partner Liz, chatting and hanging out in a peaceful churchyard on a sunny Autumn day. And capturing an image of animals she always enjoys seeing.

It’s something that I spotted and patiently waited to try and photograph. And the fact that I managed to capture a moment in time (alongside several shots of a tree missing some squirrels), gives me a sense of personal satisfaction.

And if I do ever need to use Gen AI for anything photo-related, knowing the basics of real photography will help me prompt better results.

Buildings are slightly easier to photograph, as they don't move so quickly...
Buildings are slightly easier to photograph, as they don’t move so quickly…

I don’t plan on switching careers to become a professional photographer, or building a following on social media or Youtube. Some of my passions and hobbies have become work over the years, and while it’s a great way to earn some or all of my living, it’s nice to have something that’s just for me. If I take a picture I like or that’s interesting, I’ll share it just to put it out into the world. But I’m not worried about likes or follows – I just love capturing things that I find interesting.

It’s not about productivity, efficiency, or batch-processing a week of AI generated social media updates to build my personal brand. It’s just something that makes me happy.

If I feel like I’m boring friends, I might create some anonymous accounts just to share my photos. But I’m not going to start worrying about uploading every day or week, or posting something that hasn’t been tweaked close to perfection.

When I first heard about Vivian Maier, I thought it was a little sad that she never got recognition while alive. But in an age where you can AI generate and edit fake selfies of moments in your life that never happened, all to get likes and follows from people who will never know you, it’s more inspirational than ever.

From Co-founder To Director At DPiP CiC In Just 15 Years

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I’m pleased to share that after a vote at the recent AGM, I’m now officially a Director at Digital People in Peterborough CiC (Community Interest Company) just 15 years after I originally suggested some internet nerds might want to meet up and hang out.

Things have changed a lot since then. Back in October 2010 it was an informal meeting in the pub. Now it’s a CiC with three existing Directors organising Peterborough STEM Festival and multiple related events throughout the year, along with our monthly DPiP meetups. Other local groups have come and gone, funding has become more challenging, and there’s been disruption due to a pandemic amongst other things.

From Co-founder to Director at DPiP CiC in just 15 years
From Co-founder to Director at DPiP CiC in just 15 years

In that time I’ve also moved from Peterborough and back again, watched my son grow from a small STEM Festival attendee to an enthusiastic volunteer, and watched some of the great things being done by the DPiP team of directors and volunteers both in my absence, and during my trips back to volunteer at every festival.

And since coming back to Peterborough I’ve been involved from the sidelines, partly due to other priorities, and also because my partner Liz has been chairperson for a while now, and I didn’t want to undermine her relentless hard work in any way. But I think we’ve found a way for it to work in a good way, and I have some ideas to help ensure it’s a positive step in the future both for DPiP, and for us.

So expect more updates about DPiP, Peterborough STEM Festival, and running a CiC in the future as I dive back into everything.