23 March Foyles by Gail Davison

Gail Davison | all galleries >> Photo Galleries >> Walking in My Shoes >> PESO 2004 - 2008 >> 2004-2005 >> March 05 > 23 March
Foyles

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23-MAR-2005

23 March
Foyles

A better day today - not exactly happy (but there's always tomorrow) but at least uneventful!! But, I left late so it's a photo from the bus tonight. This is Foyles. It's an independent bookstore in the centre of London in Charing Cross Road near the juction with Oxford Street. It's a great bookstore and given the lack on indi shops these days I think I should use it more often. I love books and buy far too many so they are stacked all over the place. I took a whole heap of books to work and started a 'book swap' though it's used more like a library. Anyway, should you be in the area have a look round Foyles - it's immediately opposite Borders!

Canon EOS 300D Digital Rebel
1/13s f/6.3 at 31.0mm iso800 hide exif

Full EXIF Info
Date/Time	23-Mar-2005 18:23:06
Make	Canon
Model	Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL
Flash Used	No
Focal Length	31 mm
Exposure Time	1/13 sec
Aperture	f/6.3
ISO Equivalent	800
Exposure Bias
White Balance	(-1)
Metering Mode	average (1)
JPEG Quality	(6)
Exposure Program	aperture priority (3)
Focus Distance

other sizes: small medium original auto

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comment |

Gary Winters		25-Mar-2005 07:24
I'm laughing at Ron's joke below, and agree with the comment that one can't have too many books. I'm a bookaholic myself. Love the indies, and the chains -- just have books and somewhere to sit and page through them (no pun intended) while sipping a cup of coffee ... I'm choking up so I'll stop. nice pic! lol

littleheifer		24-Mar-2005 20:50
Wonderful lighting and colors! There is nothing better then a small book store. Thank you for the story. Nancy

Guest		24-Mar-2005 09:35
Agree with Kev, All I see are chapters and indigo! Okay, so youre having a better day, but just not happy yet, well perhaps a joke will help you! So here goes! Who's the Boss? A young couple on their wedding night were in their honeymoon suite. As they were undressing for bed, the husband, a big burly man, tossed his trousers to his new bride. He said, "Here, put these on." She put them on and the waist was twice the size of her body. "I can't wear your trousers." she said. "That's right,'' said the husband, "and don't you ever forget it. I'm the man who wears the pants in this family." With that she flipped him her panties and said, "Try these on." He tried them on and found he could only get them on as far as his kneecaps. "Hell," he said. ''I can't get into your panties!" She replied, "That's right...and that's the way it is going to stay until your attitude changes." Joke from www.jokes.com There that should do it : )

Dominic Kite		24-Mar-2005 08:19
And great neon too!

Guest		24-Mar-2005 07:50
i guess i am not looking hard enough, but there aren't many nice independant bookstores like foyles in toronto. our city is littered with Indigo and Chapters stores.

Guest		24-Mar-2005 03:56
well who can't have a weak spot for bookstores located in Charing Cross Road

Guest		24-Mar-2005 01:51
wonderful lighting...I like the feel to this image..

don nieman		24-Mar-2005 00:10
I like learning about your bus rides home. They are very interesting. If I ever get to London, it will all seem familiar.

Guest		23-Mar-2005 23:37
I think I can get around London now,thanks to your captions. Foyles is right across from Borders huh? Borders are everywhere these days. How's Foyles holding up?

Sheena Woodhead		23-Mar-2005 23:17
Good composition (especially shot from the bus). You have captured the lighting very well whilst retaining the strong blue of the shop front.

Ray :)		23-Mar-2005 23:14
You have started something here Gail! I haven't been there for about 30 years, but the fascia doesn't seem to have changed. But I do remember being disappointed at the shop that supposedly sold every book under the sun. I am more than happy with the likes of Ottakers, Waterstones and dare I say it, Borders... Its the books and the sofas that count:-)

Guest		23-Mar-2005 23:04
travelling by bus must be the best way of getting around town - dont see this sort of thing down the tube. this takes me back a bit - havent been to foyles for about 25 years - remember it being the most difficult place to buy a book - took ages to find what you wanted (although they would be guaranteed to have it) then took ages to pay for the thing!

Guest		23-Mar-2005 22:25
I like the balance between indoor and outdoor lighting here and the people reading

John Finlayson		23-Mar-2005 22:14
It is nice to see a change from the chain, all the high streets and shopping centres are becoming so samey !

JeremyGood		23-Mar-2005 21:40
Good feel to this shot. Probably cause it was shot from a bus, feels like just a quick passing moment.

Ric Yates		23-Mar-2005 21:34
Good picture - and a great bookshop!

Ian Clowes		23-Mar-2005 21:24
Now I feel guilty as my 'dream' destination is Borders in Ellesmere Port Cheshire Oaks... I'm not allowed to go with my credit card :) mmmm that's one future PaD sorted.. thanks

Lee Rudd		23-Mar-2005 20:50
I've not been in here for years, and it was chaotic, but as interesting, as Linda describes... ohhh you have us all on a reminiscence trip now

Guest		23-Mar-2005 20:39
Oooh - I went to college with one of the Foyles (and very nice he was too!). Lovely shot - makes me want to go in and have a browse!

Linda Alstead		23-Mar-2005 20:35
oh Foyles - my favourite shop in the world. It's not the same now (do I sound OLD or what) as it was when I was a girl and you used to walk through rabbit warren-like corridors and the books would get put in paper bags then boxes that whizzed round the ceiling and you paid for them and collected them from another part of the store. It's much nicer as a shopping experience now but I still loved it how it was. We were always brought up to believe that if a book was in print, you could buy it in Foyles. I wonder if that is still true. Cool, cool photo

Vinh Luu		23-Mar-2005 20:19
i LOVE bookstores! thanks for sharing one from your side of the world. i too buy too many books and have them stacked all over the place. :D i have yet to finish most of them, let alone actually open a few of them.

Zak		23-Mar-2005 20:12
thats true, you dont see many book shops these days, nice shot! :-)

Guest		23-Mar-2005 20:10
by shooting thru the bus window stained with raindrops makes it an interesting image.

Bill Miller		23-Mar-2005 20:00
Far too many books ? Not possible. Good reportage looking picture...

Guest		23-Mar-2005 19:57
We need stores like this, our high streets are becoming very bland and predictable.

Antonis Sarantos		23-Mar-2005 19:51
Shot from the bus! The abilities of the new cameras are amazing! Nice shot Gail.

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