La Machine - Now with Pics on page 2 and an updated schedule

I've heard its not looking good. Today it was fine during one bit and torrential rain when it ended. Then a lovely sunset/dusk. Maybe we'll get lucky. Either way, I'll be there.
 
it looks awesome, can't wait to see pics
 
Damn can't believe I just heard about this :( I would have made the trip up as well to see this! Looks absolutely amazing.

Keep up the picture posting chaps.
 
Why must it rain on everything I want to do this year!! I bet the weather is glorious for the wedding on Saturday! :bang:
 
wack61 said:
D300s do though:(
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And there lies the difference between a Pro and a non-Pro. They know the limits of their kit, but exceed them to get the shot. Get proper insurance and get out there !!!

On an aside, and I'm not being rude, what's all this about? :help: I think I'm missing why there's a giant metal spider being suspended on the side of a building? :(

Pete
 
icecavern said:
On an aside, and I'm not being rude, what's all this about? :help: I think I'm missing why there's a giant metal spider being suspended on the side of a building? :(

Pete
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It hasn't finished yet. Stay tuned - there's more to come.
 
i'm not there, because i just woke up.

Was asked to do an all nighter last night, so i got in from work at 4am.. i even slept through the alarm that i set at 9 for me to wake up and go.
 
Well its very wet. It was a case of take a photo, wipe the lens. Insane weather. Still didn't stop me. Got another 3/4hrs later.
 
Alright Pete, just so you know, the random guy who was talking to you by the car park was me :)
 
Ah ha :D I had about 4 people introduce themselves last night and I had no idea who they were. I have a terrible memory too so generally I'm talking to someone and I have no idea who they are :D
 
One from my ponit of wiew ...

MG_6611-tp.jpg
 
I'm hoping to catch up with it tonight with someone to hold an umbrella over me whilst I take some shots :)
 
lol

I got drenched, luckily my 40D and 70-200 survived, got pretty wet though...
 
i'm acting like a taxi today, so i can't go :(.

I'm DEFINATELY getting there tomorrow though. Don't know how, as the bus will have to take a massive diversion from west kirby via birkenhead, then wallasey tunnel :/ It'll add another ages onto the journey.

Or should i get the train over to liverpool tomorrow from west kirby? Or bus it? Getting the train means getting the bus to the train station, OR, park and ride at leasowe.
 
I was going to go today but didn't make it, because the weather has picked up it's been mobbed, it's just been on the news that between 50-70,000 people are in all the surrounding streets and you can't get close to it at all
 
Went again today, SOOOOO many people, I could barely move!

Got a few good shots though, my set yesterday was better.
 
First post on here so Hiya to all the regs.

Tonight was breathtaking. Liverpool never gets anything but it was given a massive treat tonight. It was really great to see everyone enjoying the spectacle and for once, especially on a Saturday night dropping their pretences and acting like children on a christmas morning. This show has been criticized for its cost and its disruption but i think it's worth 10x that for the look on the faces I saw tonight.

It was so good to see so many people being civil and warm to each other, with smiles on their faces proud to see something like that going on in their home town.

I never managed to get many good shots as I had 3 kids with me tonight and the 4yr old was pretty much on my shoulders the entire time but tomorrow is my night out so hopefully I'll get something to play with in Lightroom by the time I get home.

I only realised just this minute that PeteMC is actually Mr VanillaDays and my inspiration for stamping my feet for long enough until someone bought me a DSLR last month. So thanks, Pete. I don't want to seem like an arsekisser but I check your site regularly and am always impressed by the different types of subjects you successfully apply HDR to.

As for La Machine, I don't think I'll sleep tonight; I'm so excited about the finalé tomorrow. Just hope I can get as close to it tomorrow, as I got to it tonight. At one point I had my little girl on my shoulders and we reached up to it. It began to bring one of its feet down to our heads but she cowered a bit and screamed so it pulled back and soaked us instead.

A truly amazing show and one of, if not the, highlight(s) for me of this Capital of Culture year.
 
I'm in 2 minds about going tomorrow....is it worth the trek from Manchester having spent the last 12 hours photographing a wedding...and whats the weather like?? My bag is still damp from Fridays trip!!

Edit - Infact, I won't be going, can't get back to Manchester at the time it finishes really :( Ah well..Eastwood RSPB it is! :D
 
It wasn't difficult at all tonight. I parked in Mt. Pleasant Car Park and had no trouble getting out, across to the Wirral to drop the kids off and back to Liverpool again in under 40 minutes. I think you'd be glad you went if you could make it and can't see why you wouldn't be back in Manchester for 10:30.
 
I saw it lowered of the building on Thursday and was intrigued by all the controls under the body. Friday was just non stop rain (glad we don't get many days like that, though they are getting more common :'( ) and I didn't fancy getting that wet. :nono:

Anyway, I went again on Saturday and was overwhelmed by the amount of people. :eek: It has really caught peoples imagination. I couldn't get to see it properly where it was 'asleep'. ;) Just a few random shots over peoples heads from a balcony on the Strand. Very random shots with a DSLR trying to judge the correct angle. I decided to go and wait on street for La Princesse (the spider) to pass, but couldn't even get on the street at the junction. So I held back a bit to get the somewhat surreal image of a giant spider walking past the end of the road dwarfing all the people below it. It was very Sci Fi. :eek: It is a huge size size with the legs spread out. :eek:

It was supposed to be heading towards Derby Square from the Town Hall, a straight road, so I thought I may get some pics of it approaching. It would have worked if I was a bit taller or had a higher vantage point. :bonk: Anyway, I could see it even if pics weren't going to be any good. I had noticed what looked like the cannons that blow large amount of confetti into the air next to a vehicle, then I noticed water dripping from the cannons, and the vehicle was a small tanker. Ah!, water. My friend was using my zoom lens on her camera, so I said when that cannon goes off, cover said camera and lens. Anyway, once La Princesse got to the end of the street, and right in front of us, the cannons went off. Now it had been a dry day, and at 1st, only the front of the crowd, well away from me, were getting wet. A women near me said to her daughter said ' OOh, your Dad's going to get soaked being so close' with a chuckle. Seconds later, as the cannon kept firing off water, and changing direction, we all got soaked as well. The reaction from people was surprising, everybody was laughing. :lol: It should be said that the the spider was also spraying people with water as it was going along, so I'm not sure I would have liked to have been closer just in case it spat straight at me. It was an amazing sight, with the band on cherry pickers following on behind it.

As for Sunday, I'm trying to think where I can position myself to try get some pics without too many people in the way. Some hope. :lol:

Sorry to waffle on, but it was a extraordinary day, with everyone in a good mood and awe of the sight of a giant spider 'walking' down the streets of the city.
 
I think the most amazing part was how it changed my perception of it, and I reckon every ones. You here that a giant spider is going to stomp around town and it sounds terrifying. You see it on the side of the building and its a bit ominous. It wakes up and reaches out to people, gets scared by fire and goes back to sleep. The next day it really wakes up and goes for a walk. It looks so scary because its huge! However, by the next day you see it covered in snow and you see the 50,000 people turn out to greet it. Its not a huge scary spider. Everyone is there to cheer it on. By the end of the day it goes up the building and sleeps. The music is never there to scare you and so it sets the tone of wonder. Its amazing just how they've made it seem real. I know its on a truck but you don't see the truck. You see this giant spider, who is a little scared of its surroundings, wandering the city. Amazing.
 
Wow, just got back from liverpool after watching la machine, and it was AWESOME.

Apart from the fact that i was squashed like a bug, and had to resort to holding the camera high in the air to get any pics.

Good evening, and BOY was it heaving, at least 40k people there i rekon
 
Just got back as well, just copying photos off cards now, fingers crossed I've got a few good ones. I'll get them up on my FlickR account, then I'll post some here. Was at the front, made waiting for three hours totally worth it, I knew there was going to be water, but not THAT much water!!
 
I'd say more than 40k. They estimated 50k on Saturday. The whole area around St Georges Hall was packed, and behind the tunnel. More people turned out for this than the 08 opening. Luckily for me the press area wasn't reachable so they put us on the floor in front of the railings. We got soaked by a great spot. By soaked I mean I turned into a tent to protect my gear. I'm ok with rain but this was like being in Niagara Falls again.
 
Oh, and if anyone saw me, i was there in a hoody, with my 400d with a siggy 24-70, and my 580EXII which got used a couple of times, but stuck to it at all times.
 
I saw you (pete) down by me :) what happened when it went into the tunnel? I lost sight of it as it went backwards then and saw you lot dash over.
 
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