The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2015 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 1,300 times in 2015. If it were a cable car, it would take about 22 trips to carry that many people.
Recently I was described by a colleague as being elusive, (after a search, Google spouted out a load of definitions but the top two were: difficult to find/catch or track down; preferring or living in solitude and anonymity). Not sure if it fits the bill but, what happened next was that I thought about this blog which to be honest I hadn’t done in months and I took it as a sign… 🙂
I know this post is a bit random, but what am I trying to say here, is that as much as I love the time I spent away from the internet I have missed writing and blogging.
Just to show how happy I’m glad to be back, here’s an image of the planet Pluto which I’m sure everyone has seen by now.
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog.
I just want to say a very BIG Thank You to everyone who has visited, enjoyed and has gained something from my blog this year. You’ve all been great! 🙂
I hope you all have an awesome New Year filled with love, happiness and hope.
In sha’ Allah, I will be back in 2015 with more fresher content, which I’m sure everyone will be able to benefit from. See ya then!
Until then…
Najmah
Here’s an excerpt:
A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 1,000 times in 2014. If it were a cable car, it would take about 17 trips to carry that many people.
It’s a quick update but firstly, I’m extremely sorry that I have been away for months and I know no amount of excuses can cover it. But I have some very exciting news to share with all of you.
After months of contemplating, I’m so so happy to announce that my blog is now . . . najmahwrites.com. 🙂
najmahwrites.com
Don’t ask me why Najmah Writes…(cos I know, I haven’t been doing a whole lot of writing in the last few months), but to be honest that was the only one that stuck out from the rest!
Anyway, keep a look out as there will many changes coming in the next few weeks which I’m pretty psyched about. Leave your comments, feedback on the new site, I would love to read them.
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2013 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 760 times in 2013. If it were a cable car, it would take about 13 trips to carry that many people.
I hope you have had a wonderful Christmas but in a few short hours we’ll all be saying goodbye to 2013 and welcome to 2014!
Personally for me, this past year has whizzed by. It feels like yesterday when I was stressing over my dissertation, literally worrying myself sick whether it would EVER get finished on time? Now I have graduated, which still seems unreal to me sometimes. One promise I have made to myself, is that travelling will definitely be on the agenda next year; either in the UK or going abroad.
Graduation, like for many other graduates was a huge deal for me, it meant I would now be known as a qualified journalist.
As the event was taking place in the evening, I remember taking all morning to get ready. So while hobbling on my heels, being constantly irritated by the robes and hoping I wouldn’t become the laughing stock of the ceremony by tripping or falling over, especially in front of my family and friends. I finally graduated. Then with the endless clapping it was over, like a blink of an eye. It was quite emotional at the time; as I was taking away four years of memories with me but I wouldn’t change anything for the world
Over the summer I worked on the Crimestoppers Cycle Theft Campaign with a group of Criminology students; we organised a event where we gave out information to prevent cycles from being stolen in the Peterborough area. I took the PR role of the team. I wrote press releases for the event, became active on social media wesbites such as Facebook and Twitter to spread the word, which received good response. We ended up winning the ‘Crimestopper of the Month’ award, which was awesome!
All in all this year has definitely been great. Here’s hoping that 2014 will bring more opportunities and in general be bigger and better.
I’ll be spending the last day of 2013 with my family, it certainly beats being out in the cold!
So long 2013, you were great. Bring on 2014, I’m ready…:)
Incase I haven’t highlighted it before, I’ve added my LinkedIn Profile page where you can find my profile, which I use for my professional networking.
I’ve recently updated the about me page Najmah Bibi, where you can find out alot more about me, my hobbies, interests, etc. So take a look and any feedback would as always be appreciated!
As I discovered this morning, I had a little too much time on my hands and with that the surfing through old photos albums on Facebook began. Moments later I came across my photojournalism portraits for uni which I hadn’t seen in ages and I thought why not publish them on my blog – seems like a reasonable idea, as that is what my blog is here for; to showcase my skills.
To emulate a photographer’s work was the task.
I chose Yusuf Karsh as I loved his portraits as they were unique and different from the others. Karsh was a master in the use of studio lights and he liked to show a more human side to people via his photos. As Karsh wrote of his own work in Karsh Portfolio in 1967,
“Within every man and woman a secret is hidden, and as a photographer it is my task to reveal it if I can. The revelation, if it comes at all, will come in a small fraction of a second with an unconscious gesture, a gleam of the eye, a brief lifting of the mask that all humans wear to conceal their innermost selves from the world.”
To be honest, I only discovered his work through this module and I’m glad I did.
Yusuf Karsh (1908-2002) was born in Armenia, he moved to Canada at the age of 14 to live with his uncle George Nakash who was a photographer himself. He started off assisting his uncle in his studio and as he showed great talent into photography, Karsh was sent to study as an apprentice for John H. Garo – an eminent portrait photographer. He then went on open his own studio in 1932, Ottawa and rest is history.
From then on, he photographed some of the most famous people in history, from royalty, actors to politicians. To name a few – Winston Churchill, Queen Elizabeth II, Ernest Hemingway, Albert Einstein, Audrey Hepburn, Mother Teresa, Marilyn Monroe and many more.
Betty Low
From Karsh’s collection, this is my favourite portrait.
“I photographed this rising young ballerina and actress at the beginning of her prestigious career. She went on to dance in the renowned de Basil’s Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, and later acted in numerous productions on the New York stage. Today, she still pursues an active career in New York. In a recent letter, she recalled for me how I improvised her turban from the window curtains, which I tore down and draped around her head and shoulders.”| Yousuf Karsh
Two of my friends kindly agreed to model for me, at the time I thought it wouldn’t take that long but going by the amount of shots which came out duds, it took ages. So I will be eternally grateful to them for that. Being it was the first time I was doing any sort of professional studio photography; all in all I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would love to do some more work in this field – perhaps a fashion magazine.
These are the three photos I had a go at emulating and which I handed in as my final photos.
Audrey Hepburn Emulation
Brigitte Bardot Emulation
Grace Kelly Emulation
Finally after some 20 attempts I have added all the photos in, *fingers crossed* it comes out right this time.
So anyway I hope you guys have enjoyed this side post. I’ll be back soon with another post, until then!
Najmah Writes 