Written previously with no internet:

I am in Bulgaria!

Holiday time is here and my camera and new 24-70 f2.8 L lens are making full use of the time away from all responsibility.

To dive straight into it with this first post, I will explain with an extract from my journal, which as mentioned previously I keep whenever on holiday in beautiful moleskins :)

1. 9/7/13

"…and then head out to join the protests calling for the resignation of the current government…, now in it's 26th day of peaceful evening marches. On the way we pass a small [well, over 50 people, not thousands though] group of mostly young men marching in the streets, deafeningly loud with whistles and drums. It was pretty intimidating and the atmosphere felt to me uncomfortably aggressive - the protest we join is very different. We enter the crowd gradually, it becoming denser in stages of people moving toward the centre. There is a big range of people, with many families, small children, teenagers, middle ages and many our age. Everyone is evidently having a good time - and all are smiles and easy going, despite the noise and the shouted slogans there is no undercurrent of anger.

People are out in force with cameras and what looks like full news coverage film teams. Bobby spots a female news reporter (recognised from TV), and comments that what with censorship and falsifying in the media many journalists may have quit.

Everyone, especially those with a slogan sign or costume [often witty and laugh out loud funny], are happy to be photographed. I find myself meeting people by taking their photo.

It really feels great to be a part of the crowd with such an undercurrent of good feeling, [if only directed at one another, definitely there was frustration and anger at the situation and the politics, but protest through humour was definitely in force.] There was no wish for violence or retaliatory justice, just peace and change to an operational system that supports the people rather than just itself.

As usual you also can view this set on Flickr

As always cutting criticism and comments via email (tomglendinning.photography@gmail.com) or

facebook

, are hugely helpful and welcome.

If you don't like something then please, tell me - Also try to articulate why, it is tremendously useful to have constructive, critical feedback.