Cal2

Grobust, Westray, Orkney

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 19:35 +0000

Another from Westray, Orkney, August 2007, colours (vibrancy, saturation, balance) all untouched, the quality and clarity of light here on a clear day is breathtaking.

Noup Head Lighthouse, Westray

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 21:35 +0000

An old one from the Orkneys in 2007, Noup Head Lighthouse built in 1898 with the 21st century solar panel addition just visible over the wall

Silverdale Sunset

Sun, 12 Jun 2011 19:50 +0000

A 140 second exposure of a magnificent summer sunset and rapidly receding tide at Silverdale, looking almost north across Morecambe Bay to the Lake District beyond.

Tewet Tarn

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 23:41 +0000

Sunrise at the rather beautiful Tewet Tarn, a rushed trip that started in fog. The fog lifted as I got closer but stayed in the valleys either side to add some drama. A 10 stop filter smoothed the water and captured the cloud movement.I struggled to choose this one as I have others from the identical spot without the 10 stop that capture the detail but I felt compromised with the choppy water, I may put a further image up as I'm still undecided!

Kelly Hall Tarn

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 23:30 +0000

An oldie from a trip with Russ in March 2010

Derwent Water

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 23:09 +0000

It's been a while... Not the shot I envisaged but the light was terrible, weather windy and water rough.
Out with a 10 stop and made the most of what was there.

Jeffrey Hill, Longridge Fell, Lancashire

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 22:12 +0000

An old image revisited, dating back to February 2007. One I've returned for many times and never been fortunate enough to see since.
I remember being busy shooting with my back to this, turning and seeing it shifting and disappearing from view as I watched, managed a quick composition, exposure and a single handheld capture and it had been swallowed in the fog.
Gone back to the RAW file and reprocessed.

Expelliarmus!

Thu, 27 May 2010 21:13 +0000

On a trip to feed the ducks at Pickmere Lake, Cheshire. I'd like to think that Ellie was using her 'wand' to disarm me to drop my camera, but to be honest it was most likely to be more "Look Daddy, a stick!!"

Fishing Hut Finale?

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 07:09 +0000

It's been a while since I've posted, not to say I've not been out with my camera, just that each time I have I've stood, walked around, looked, waited and not taken a single shot. So forced myself out again with the hope that there would be some light and there was, only 5 minutes of it but it was enough to capture this.

I'd been stood in the water for a good while waiting for it to be still, not making a ripple, even while chatting to some visiting anglers and the wind dropped as the sun shone and it all came together for just those 5 minutes, but that's what it's all about I guess. Waiting for 'that' moment to come along, sometimes it does, all too often it doesn't and you go home with something you know you shouldn't have shot and will never use... or you show selective restraint and control and go home with nothing but cold feet. Either way, this is how we practice our art and despite the frustration, I'm quite please that I've been out recently and recognised that something wasn't worth shooting and went home empty handed, a small personal check point that I'm getting selective while out with camera poised rather than snapping and being disappointed later sat in front of the PC.

Location as any regular visitors will know is the local fishing lakes and hut yet again, it's a fantastic spot in a beautiful setting but I think it's time to leave it for a while. I'm very pleased with this image, a step away from wide angle and towards focus on detail a little more, however I'm suffering 'Fishing Hut Fatigue' and need to start the hunt for more local locations.

Sunrise, Kelly Hall Tarn, Cumbria

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 21:36 +0000

Ellie at the park #1

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 22:02 +0000

It's been quite some time since I last posted an image of Ellie, to be precise it's 5 days short of 14 months when we had a 6 day old newborn and we suddenly have a toddler!

A day at the park on an overcast day provided ideal flat light, a swing created some simple framing and mummy, as always, gave a reason to smile.

Dunstanburgh from Embleton, Northumberland

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 20:05 +0000

The classic shot... One from Summer 2009, a couple of very early summer sunrises disappointed with the light, but even if nothing else the great sensation of being the only person stood on the huge sweep of Embleton Bay during the first moments of the day was worth getting up for.

Despite the cloud blocking any light, the cloud helped create a small, colourful light show of its own. The rising mist from the sea lent an extra dimension of mystery to the early morning scene.

Cliffs, Old Hunstanton, Norfolk

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 21:36 +0000

The spectacular layered cliffs at Old Hunstanton. Taken a little before sunset, but as you can probably tell the tide brought shooting to an end sooner than anticipated, with the sign I'd walked past warning of 'Stranding Danger' still ringing in my mind.

Although not the tidiest view due to the eroded and crumbling cliffs, I liked the way all the debris reflects the colours of the little parts of the cliffs that are strewn around.

In camera, I'd assumed these would be just too bright, however on the big screen these really came to life. The saturation of the cliffs in the straight RAW was bordering on the ridiculous with the warm evening light, so some subtle desaturation has been done. The Sigma 10-20mm performed brilliantly yet again, even with an attempt to capture some water movement it got down to f/29(!!) but still kept a good sharp image.

Would be interested in what you think?

Sunset on Wasdale Head, Wastwater

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:20 +0000

A rather great trip to the Lake District on Sunday with Russell. Others to follow but this is likely the first of several.

This view of Wastwater at the end of the day was spectacular, at one point there were 4 'tog's lined up with tripods along the rocky shore! The light on Sunday was so clear it just made the pics shine. Processing on this was sympathetic to say the least, subtle 'Auto' settings taken within ACR and Photoshop with a little sharpening and masking left the image looking very true to how it appeared on the day, I put it down entirely to the quality of light on the day.

To avoid the shadows of the light behind us, Russ and I created a rather comical scene, involving timed shutter releases and running backwards and ducking to keep clear, must have been great to have been an observer :o)

'6', Burnham Market

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 21:43 +0000

No idea what this was, random item on a wall of a rather old house down a tiny street in this small Norfolk town but somebody obviously cared enough to keep it painted.