"Wish" on a Star

 So as promised yesterday here are the other shots from my experiment with bokeh, I figured that star shaped bokeh was appropriate for these images which I think have turned out quite well. The lights in the background are just standard white LED Christmas lights but the effect is created by shooting through a star cutout placed over the lens. That is not all there is to it but that's the starting point.

Anyway I hope you have enjoyed the pictures over the past two days

Happy New Year to everyone, hoping that 2021 has good things in store. That's definitely a wish worth sharing.

A little Christmas Cheer

 

Doesn't time fly! It is a month since I last posted anything and although I have had ideas of things to share I haven't really got round to doing anything until today.

A couple of years ago I tried a technique to create some interesting bokeh with the Christmas lights, I thought it was fun and quite effective but then I never did anything else with it, the lights got packed away and that was the end of that.

I had hoped to do more this year and post something in time for Christmas day but my first efforts were to be honest quite pathetic and I put my camera aside until I had a little more time to practice and figure out where I had gone wrong.

I have two lots of pictures to share; today I have some festive shots of Santa with a heart shaped bokeh and tomorrow I will have some other images with a different effect so if you like these then please look out tomorrow.

The first two shots today are of a Royal Doulton Toby Jug that I absolutely love, it comes out every year and has so many memories attached to it, it is a real treasure.

Pictures 3 and 4 are of two ornaments that sit on top of the mantlepiece, legs dangling overlooking the room, they also bring lovely memories, reminders of Christmases past.

I have enjoyed creating these images today and although they come a little late hopefully they help retain some festive cheer as the year comes to an end.

Winter Jasmine

 It is ages since I have been out with my camera and I have been a bit stir crazy. I was pleased the other day when my neighbour told me she had some beautiful winter jasmine flowering in her garden and said that if I wanted to photograph it I was welcome.

Although this flower has no scent it is certainly beautiful and is a welcome splash of colour when everything else is dying off.

The Pumphouse Three

 

I haven't posted anything for a while now, the last few posts were from my night time shoot down at Liverpool's Albert Docks and before I move on to something else I thought I would share one more from that shoot.

This was my last shot of the night looking towards the Pumphouse. Normally there would be some smaller sailing vessels moored here but with an empty dock I have been able to capture some lovely reflections.

I have given the picture three different treatments. Firstly I have stuck with the bold and bright true to life colours and then in the second I have kept the settings just the same but reduced the saturation somewhat and in the final image I have used a black and white pre-set which gives the scene a real punch.

I like all three images, a lot. I can't pick a favourite but I would be interested to know what you think.

World Heritage Night

Liverpool's waterfront is a world heritage site a status that is well deserved. Central to that are the Three Graces which are (from left to right) The Liver Building, The Cunard Building and The Port of Liverpool Building. I think they are really spectacular and look marvellous lit up at night. Liverpool is now a regular destination for major cruise lines and this would be the site that first greets visitors as they disembark for a tour of the city.

There is a debate about whether the heritage site status is a benefit to the city or not. On the one hand it is a recognition for the wonderful architecture and it helps to boost much needed tourism to the city. On the other hand it is argued that it creates a bar to innovation and development. I am sceptical about the second argument because if you draw back from the three graces you will see the development of hotels on one side and the new Liverpool Museum and Open Eye Gallery at Mann Island on the other all of which are great examples of stand out modern architecture. It may be that there is little room for further development along the waterfront but I think the new and the old combine really well.

Historic Docks

 

I know that by experimenting I will improve my photography so recently I have been practicing with long exposures and night time photography and I am enjoying the results, hopefully you are too. 

As well as extending the exposure times I have also tried using different settings for the white balance and if you compare the first image with one of the similar shots I posted yesterday you will be able to see the difference quite clearly.

In the second of today's pictures I am looking into the heart of the dock. At one time this would have been full of ships unloading and loading their cargoes and there would have been a real energy to the place. Now there is a maritime museum, the Tate Gallery, boutiques and bistros and the warehouses are now loft apartments and the only boats to moor here are pleasure craft.

If you look carefully in the second image you will see a couple of light traces on the water. These were caused by a group of kayakers who were exploring the docks after dark. I can imagine it is quite an experience to do that and although I was surprised to see them I wouldn't mind having a go at that myself.

Waterfront at Night

Having done some early evening long exposures at West Kirby marine lake the other day I thought it would be good to try some night time shots down at Liverpool's Albert Docks and the waterfront.

The third image is a 30 second exposure looking towards the Museum of Liverpool (the white building on the left) and Mann Island. The Liver Building is just visible in the centre.

West Kirby At Night

Just one picture for today's post and it is the last one from my Sunday evening visit to West Kirby marine lake. This was a 6 second exposure and I wanted to cut down the ripples and also highlight the illuminated edge of the pontoon. I like the reflection of the waterfront apartments too.

The lights on the horizon to the left are from shipping anchored out in Liverpool Bay waiting for the tide to turn before heading in to port to unload their cargoes from the far corners of the world.

Pontoon

Here are a few more shots of the marine lake after dark, these were long exposures to smooth out the ripples in the surface of the lake. It also brought out the detail in the sky and reflections that otherwise would have been missed.

Across The Lake

 As I write this I am supposed to be in the New Forest, one of my absolute favourite places, for a well earned week away enjoying lots of walks and lots of photo opportunities. However, thanks to the Liverpool region going into Tier 3 lockdown I had to shelve my plans and find some other way to amuse myself.

Yesterday evening I went for a short walk along the waterfront at West Kirby and since there wasn't even the slightest breeze the surface of the marine lake was mirror calm. I didn't have my camera with me at the time so I determined that if the weather held I would pop back this evening to try some long exposure shots. Although there was a slight breeze creating the slightest movement in the water it was still nice and calm so I managed to get some pretty good images.

Here are a couple of shots looking across the lake to Hilbre Island.

In the first image I have used the small buoy to create a little foreground interest and I have adjusted the contrast to bring out the detail in the sky.

The next two images are the same shot but with different treatment. I do think it works well as a black and white image but I think I prefer the pastel tones in the colour image.

Coastal Defence

 Here is a shot from a little closer to home.

These are some of the sea defences along the shore near New Brighton. I think they make a really interesting subject and I have an idea for a different shot which, if the weather is kind tomorrow I might go and capture as the tide goes out. Who knows I might be lucky.

I am so lucky to be living so close to the sea, I love the sights, sounds and smells of the sea.

Smoke over Patterdale

This is such a lovely view, looking south from Glenridding Pier through Patterdale with Place Fell on the left hand side.

Although it was quite overcast there were brief moments when the sun broke through the clouds illuminating the fells contributing to this fantastic image.

Although this looks really tranquil just moments before I took this shot two RAF Hawk jets flew fast and low through the valley (and I mean low; they were below the height of Place Fell which has a prominence of 262m or 850ft so they were probably around 500ft above the surface of the lake).

I have some good memories of visiting here, a few years ago I camped on the fell just to the left, it was a cold, damp night and I needed the help of a group of young people to push my car as I got stuck on a slippery slope. Although that was slightly embarrassing I had a great time and waking up to a view like this was just perfect.

Tranquil

I have visited this spot at Glenridding on Ullswater a few times. Last year I visited early morning when it was -6 C there was a thick fog and the edge of the lake was frozen. These boats were barely visible.

On my most recent visit there was a light breeze and the surface of the lake was  covered with small, even ripples. The light was not very good because of the low cloud but I had came here with a particular image in mind. I wanted to get  a nice even image with a degree of symmetry and I knew that I needed a good reflection. I used a 2 second exposure and I layered two ND filters to flatten out the ripples and create a smooth surface for the reflection and then in Lightroom I have adjusted the contrast to bring out the detail in the sky.

Overall I am really happy with this image and it is pretty close to what I had set out to achieve when I set out at the start of the day. I also got to try out a technique for long exposure that I hadn't really tried before so I would say it was a successful day out.

Messing About in Boats

Derwent Water, near Keswick is a spot that I always enjoy visiting. On my recent visit I was tempted to take a boat out and enjoy the lake from a different perspective but in the end I settled for a walk along the shore.

Old Stones

So yesterday I shared a picture from inside the stone circle at Castlerigg looking out towards Helvellyn. It is such a mysterious and magical place.

Today I have chosen another shot from inside the circle, focusing on four of the stones but giving the image different treatments in post processing.

One of the great things about digital photography is the range of tools that are available that mean you can turn a photo from a simple record into a piece of art. I do always try to get the image a close to what I want in camera but then I will use Lightroom or photoshop to make some minor adjustments to get the scene as close to what I saw on the day. 

In the first image I have tried to stay faithful to the scene although I have adjusted the contrast slightly and emphasised the dramatic sky.

For the second image I have converted the original to black and white and used a pre-set in Lightroom to create a more punchy image.

For the final picture I have used masks in photoshop. Originally I used the mask to show the background in colour and leave the stones in black and white but while that was quite effective the stones just looked grey and that could have been taken for their natural colour so I chose to highlight the stones against a monochrome background for what I think is a really striking image.

Prehistoric!

 

Yesterday I was able to take an unexpected but very much needed day off work and I headed up to the lake district for a scenic drive and a few hours of photo therapy.

I stopped off at a few of my favourite spots and I managed to get some really good shots and I am pleased to share one today.

This is Castlerigg, a 4,500 year old stone circle high on the fells above Keswick in the shadow of Blencathra, Skiddaw and as can be seen in this image Helvellyn. The low cloud provides heaps of atmosphere and the sun breaking through lighting up the distant fells lifts what would have been a sombre scene.

I will post a different view from here tomorrow so look out for that...

Symmetry

 

I think I may have posted a picture similar to this a while ago but while I was taking pictures for a quiz recently I visited this spot and thought this was an amazing shot.

It was a fairly overcast day and there is not much colour in the structure itself so I shot in black & white and I think the grey tones and the symmetry make for a very strong image.

Guiding Light

The River Mersey is an incredibly busy shipping lane as ships arrive from all around the world, including oil tankers bound for the refinery at Stanlow and the container port at Seaforth as well as the freight terminal at 12 Quays. The river also hosts some of the worlds biggest cruise liners that call in at Liverpool's Pier Head in the shadow of its Three Graces; a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Some of the bigger ships like this Greek registered tanker need a little help to navigate the channels into port so the river pilot will guide them in. 

In times past the Lighthouse would have also played its part in marking the safe passage into the river from the often stormy Liverpool Bay and the Irish Sea.

 

Care Free

 I had gone out for a few hours at the weekend with the intention to get some shots for a photo quiz I am doing but I got a little distracted at New Brighton because of the stormy sea and the lighthouse. I was also watching some of the massive ships coming into the Mersey from Liverpool Bay (more of that in my next post I think).

I think this lighthouse looks cool whether the tide is in or out but with the waves and the rope blowing out from the balcony you can see how it needs to stand up to the elements.

This is one of my favourite shots from the day because as I was lining everything up the little girl ran across. I pressed the shutter not knowing for sure whether I had timed it right but I think it is spot on. I love the way she is skipping just along the edge of the water, totally care free

Fur Bee

 This is such a fluffy bee with a a great big walrus moustache.

It was a little bit damp and bedraggled but I am sure that after feasting on nectar from this thistle it would soon be ready to fly. 

Bee kind

 I went to Macclesfield forest recently for a walk with my youngest son. We had a really good time enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of the forest, we watched buzzards fly overhead and were thrilled to see a Goshawk fly swiftly and silently through the trees.

The best photo opportunities were of bees and insects so I kitted up my macro lens and got down into the long grass. As it was still fairly early and still quite cold the bees were only just starting to emerge from where they had been sheltering overnight. 

We watched for a few minutes as this bee slowly climbed up the grass, pausing periodically to look around before continuing its upward journey.

I wonder how it sees the world through its big dark eyes. I love the second image where I came face to face with the bee, its face framed nicely by its hairy body looking rather like a golden halo. 

Almost There...

 I have sat many hours trying to get a decent shot of a Kingfisher. They're small and very fast so I have often seen them dart past or even fishing in the distance but it is not often that I have had one sit close enough to get a clear shot and when I have there has been little time to get the best shot possible. Many attempts have resulted in under exposed or blurry images and my aim is to get a crystal clear detailed photo of one of our most spectacular birds.

I had been watching this male bird fishing a little way across the mere, darting back and forth low across the water and even hovering high up before diving in to catch a fish. I had stopped off on my way home from work and it was so relaxing. I was thrilled when he came to perch on the post nearest to the hide and managed to get a couple of shots before he moved slightly further away. These don't have quite the clarity I am after but  I think I am getting there and I know that with a little more time, a lot of patience and a bit more practice I will get the shot I crave.

Even without the perfect shot though just the experience of sitting quietly by the water after a busy day taking in the scenery and enjoying the sight of this beautiful bird was priceless. I also got to watch a gorgeous Little Grebe fishing close by and more surprisingly a bat (possibly a Horseshoe Bat) out hunting in daylight, unforgettable  moments.

Stand Up, Stand Out

 

So for this post I have chosen three variations of the same image. 

The first being pretty much as shot with just a slight correction for exposure and contrast. 

The second image is a step into the unknown for me as I have messed about with curves, something I have shied away from in the past and I cannot be sure that you see what I see. I think it looks alright but you might think otherwise, I think the adjustments I made have made the greens really stand out.

The final image is a simple black and white conversion and a tweak with highlights and shadows.

I always like black and white images but I think with this composition colour works best. I would love to know what you thinks so please leave a comment... do you have a preference between the first and second images???