Dillywood

[garryknight]

As I came past Piccadilly Circus this evening, a video crew was preparing to film some Bollywood-style dancers on the steps at the base of the Eros statue. As they rehearsed over and over again, I eventually got through the crowd that had formed and managed to grab this shot. Piccadilly Circus has always been known to Londoners as "The Dilly" - hence, "Dillywood".
(And, yes, I wish I hadn't left my lens wide open...)


Dillywood by Garry Knight, on Flickr

 

[G.K.Jnr.]

Very nice candid street style capture Garry, with some good colour and nicely presented. Just out of interest why do you see a problem with your lens being wide open ?

"My Pa, who is a Londoner by birth and used to live in "Jermyn Street" has always known the area nick named "The Dilly" to be Piccadilly (the street) itself. I guess in some circles it refers to the whole area. Apparently there's a hotel in the area now known as The Dilly"

 

[woof woof]

Good subjects, composition and colour Garry and a deliberate use of vignetting? If so extra well done

 

[garryknight]

Very nice candid street style capture Garry, with some good colour and nicely presented. Just out of interest why do you see a problem with your lens being wide open ?

"My Pa, who is a Londoner by birth and used to live in "Jermyn Street" has always known the area nick named "The Dilly" to be Piccadilly (the street) itself. I guess in some circles it refers to the whole area. Apparently there's a hotel in the area now known as The Dilly"

Thanks, George. Interesting. To those of us living in outer London, 'The Dilly' was always Piccadilly Circus. It became famous in the late 60s and early 70s, being a much, much smaller version of Haight Ashbury, weekend hippies and all.

Good subjects, composition and colour Garry and a deliberate use of vignetting? If so extra well done

Thanks, Alan. Yes, deliberate use of heavy vignetting. I didn't do my usual processing in Snapseed. I clicked on the AI adjustment in On1 Photo Raw and liked that, then used the Big Softy vignette, started to drag the Brightness slider up and down and loved the result when at its least bright. Exactly the contrast I wanted to go with the dark of the statue base behind the women.