Natural Wonder

 Over two nights in May I was able to fulfil a dream of observing the night sky properly. In the UK there are very few true dark sky areas and my previous attempts to observe the sky at night have been hampered by clouds, light pollution and poor timing. 

So on a recent holiday in the United States I was able to time a camping trip in the desert near Page AZ at the time of a new moon and with clear conditions.

On the first evening I concentrated on a start trail because there was a little cloud in the southern sky. I wanted to include the covered wagons as part of the foreground so I have managed to locate Polaris in the top left of the shot so the stars sweep upwards from the desert floor. Additional lighting was provided by people returning to the campsite and lighting everything up with their headlights. This image is a stack of around 270 images.

On the second night I had hope for clear skies so that I could point my camera south to get the milky way arching across the desert. However as the evening wore on heavy clouds gathered and I went to bed a little dejected feeling that an opportunity had been missed. However at 2am I woke up to answer a call of nature. As I stepped outside the tent I experienced such a sense of awe and wonder as I saw the sky as I had never seen it before. There were no clouds and there above and in front of me was the biggest expanse of star filled sky I forgot that I had needed the loo and set up my camera to capture a few shots. 

Whenever I look at my photos I think I could have done better, or I wish I could have framed it differently... however I am so happy that I got to see this and these images will serve as a reminder of that wonderful experience and the feeling of wonder. I hope that one day I will be able to capture something similar but if I don't I can still say that on this trip one of my ambitions was achieved.

Slow Down

 As I am writing this and selecting photos for today I am listening to the new album by Yann Tiersen Rathlin From A Distance/The Liquid Hour. It is very mellow and full of beautiful compositions, well worth a listen. I will be going to see him perform the new album in Liverpool tonight so I am really looking forward to that. Anyway the title of the blog fits well with the music and fits with the images below too.

The scene in these photos is Glencoe Lochan which we reached after a decent walk from the campsite, following the Glencoe Orbital Walk. I took several shots from different points around the lake but have just chosen these two for today, maybe I will come back to some of the others another time. If you look on Google Maps the lake is almost completely dry so I was very pleased to see it was full when I visited allowing me to get some long exposure shots of the lake and its surroundings. These were both about 2 second exposures using an ND filter to help smooth out the surface of the lake (it was a little breezy) and get these beautiful reflections.

There is a clear path around the lake and this part of the walk is very accessible (the woodland walk we took was less so but very enjoyable) and there were several people out enjoying the weather. I was pleased to be able to slow down and really take in the surroundings and to capture images which I think show off this location at its best. You can tell that spring is well under way with the fresh colours of the trees and in the reflections.

It was so good to visit here with my brother, making memories. I can think of a few people I would happily share this spot with.

GET ON WITH IT!

 At the start of April I got to go camping with my youngest brother in Glencoe, in the Scottish Highlands. I had never stayed in this part of Scotland before and so I was really excited as I prepared for this trip. The weather was perfect with clear skies the whole time and despite strong winds at night and freezing overnight temperatures (only minus 4C) I don't think I stopped smiling the whole time I was there.

The scenery is beyond amazing and the big sky is something you don't experience living in or close to cities around the UK. 

Normally whenever I go away I plan meticulously, I have a clear idea of where I want to go, what I want to see and what I hope to photograph. I love the planning process and I feel great satisfaction when everything comes together. I don't like leaving too much to chance however I like to think that I am also quite adaptable so if circumstances change then I can change with them. For this trip, apart from picking the campsite I made no plans at all and that was actually quite a freeing experience as my brother and I just went with the flow. 

On the Saturday afternoon we drove along the edge of Loch Leven to Appin we walked across the Jubilee Bridge and around the bay. On a review of the walk it mentioned views of Castle Stalker so I was keen to see that and I admit I went a bit mad taking lots of different photos of the castle. As soon as I saw it I recognised it from a movie I have watched many times. I sent a quick snap to my family's WhatsApp chat and received a swift reply from one of my sons "Get On With It!". I was really pleased that he had recognised the castle as the one which features in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. We watched it so many times when my kids were growing up, so much so that we could recite large parts of the script at mealtimes and even now snippets of the dialogue from the film enter our everyday conversations.

As you can see below I have photographed it from different angles and vantage points, while I was there a couple of other photographers were out doing the same and one guy turned up to capture the scene in oil paint. 

Castle Stalker

Stand Up

 Some people have commented that the pebble stack in my last post resembled a woman in a large skirt cradling a baby/child, which is what I noticed when I first created the stack. Even though it was unintentional it really does look like that and I was really happy with the way it turned out. It would be impossible to recreate it and I like that the image is unique.

I went on to build a second stack which is is probably more simple in that it is a pile of stones balanced with no special feature but within the landscape it looks really effective and the light play through the water in some of the images is quite cool.

I have included one shot of the background too to provide greater context to the overall setting.

It can be fun playing about on the rivers edge, you should try it sometime.

I have questions...

I love being outdoors and every day I try to get out for a walk. Usually that means in my local area and I will walk between 3 to 5 miles. I maintain a brisk pace and if I am on my own I will have my headphones on and listen to music. The scenery doesn't change too much but the weather does and with the changing tides the walk along the sea front the view is always good. I see lots of people along the way, some other regular walkers; old retirees like me, couples, dog walkers, young mums with kids on scooters, bikes or in prams. Many will return my smiles and say hello while others head down are less keen to engage.

Today was no different however as I was walking along I startled by some joggers who approaching from behind ran so close to me that they almost hit my elbow as if oblivious to my presence. This annoyed me the first time it  happened and even more the second time, Why did they lack basic spatial awareness? Am I invisible? and then as I walked on I started to wonder about other things; Why when I offer a cheery "good morning" do some people just look away? Why when I catch someone looking directly at me and I smile do they scowl and pretend they haven't been caught out? why do some people walk along with their phones on speaker and have conversations that everyone else can hear? As I walked on I noticed that I was starting to feel grumpy and I shouldn't let things like this bother me, I will continue to smile and say hello, and I will try to notice things that will lift and inspire me. What I did notice this morning was a beautiful male pied wagtail in breeding plumage strutting "proudly" and "hopefully" in front of a potential mate, and I also spotted the first pair of Swallows that I have seen this season, swooping low over the beach catching flies and I look forward to seeing more as they arrive over the coming weeks.

I also tried to think about what pictures I would share in my blog post today. I wanted something that would promote calm so I decided on the following images of a stone stack I built on the banks of the river Coe in Scotland last weekend. I had been for a really good walk in the morning and before heading off to explore more of the area in the afternoon I spent a few quiet moments on the riverside next to the campsite. My aim when I build these things (as I do occasionally) is not to build really high or elaborate stacks but to create an object that fits within the landscape so I try to use the light and the backgrounds to create a finished image and then when I am done I return the stones to where they came from (if they don't fall down first). I think that with the stack in these pictures, taken from different angles I met my objective. Have a look and let me know what you think...

  

Beautiful Plumage!

 I am not referring to the plumage of the Norwegian Blue Parrot made famous by those terribly funny Monty Python chaps, I am of course referring to the plumage of the Hooded mergansers as seen in the pictures below.

I had a short break from sharing pictures due to a brief camping trip in Glencoe (Scottish Highlands) and while I have loads of images to sort through and eventually share with you I am continuing today with some of my wildlife shots from WWT Martin Mere.

I think we can agree that the Hooded Merganser is a very handsome bird. It is a diving duck and like the Goldeneye in my last post has a wide flattened tail which is uses to push itself under water in search of food. It has a long thin beak which is no doubt designed for catching small fish and crustaceans that it likes to eat. The male and female have very different and distinct markings, the male with its black and white breast, head and back with more orange coloured flanks. He looks very impressive with his tufted head fully extended. He also has bold yellow eyes.

The female on the other hand is less striking brown although she has a beautiful chestnut red crest and reddish eyes. 

When they weren't diving for food they spent much of the time circling each other, they make quite a pair. They are cavity nesters often using holes in trees close to fresh water or even in nest boxes.

These pictures confirm what I said in my last post, ducks are not less interesting or less attractive than geese.

Bright Eyes

Well just in case you are wondering, the title of this post does not relate to the famous song written by Mike Batt (of Wombles fame) and performed by Art Garfunkel, and which was used as the theme for the film adaptation of Watership Down. It is about the star of the post, the beautiful Goldeneye. Actually the song Bright Eyes might be better connected to the duck as the lyrics talk about floating on the tide and "bright eyes, burning like fire" which doesn't really apply to rabbits, anyway I digress.

In January a pair of Goldeneye had been spotted on the marine Lake at West Kirby and although I could see them I could not photograph them as they stayed too far out on the lake for me to get a decent shot. At Martin Mere however there are a couple of pairs on one of the ponds and over two visits I managed to get a few shots.

On my most recent visit I was having a chat with one of my sons who expressed his opinion that geese tended to be more interesting and better looking than ducks. I disagreed with this and pointed out a smew which was immediately on hand and also referred him to the Goldeneye which by any assessment is a stunning looking bird.

The male with his bold black and white plumage and vivid yellow eyes is amazing, and even the female which is more understated is still quite beautiful.

They are a diving duck and will disappear beneath the surface in their hunt for food. They have wide tails which you can see in the fourth picture is used to propel them under the water as they dive.

In the final three images I was unsure whether the male was simply taking a drink of water or whether he was displaying to the female (it is spring after all), given that he repeated this action several times I suspect he was showing off.

Looking at those shots I also noticed the ripples in the background which could have easily featured in one of my recent posts, but the focus at the moment is definitely on the wildlife. I have lots more shots of birds from Martin Mere that I will be sharing soon so keep your eyes peeled for my next post.

 

Bad Tempered or Good Parent?

 

I visited Martin Mere twice in March and in the resident collection of birds from around the world there is a pair of Coscoroba Swans, a species native to South America. It is the smallest variety of swan although is larger than most geese, and I think it is a very good looking bird. The female was (as you can see) on the nest, and the male was dutifully patrolling the perimeter warding off any potential threats. He was quite aggressive and I definitely didn't want to get too close. He seemed quite grumpy and bad tempered but I guess you could argue that he was taking his role very seriously and doing his best to protect his future family.

Although unrelated I have included an extra image below, this time of a Moorhen also sat on its nest. It is that time of year and I look forward to seeing lots of new life as spring really gets under way. 

On a different note I wanted to say thank you for taking the time top view this blog. Even though I haven't actually posted anything since 24th January it is really gratifying to see that the blog is generating some traffic. Here are a few stats: In February there were 11,470 visits, in the past week there were 7,480 visits and in the last two days alone there have been 941 visits. I am really happy with that and hopefully this will continue. I don't make any money from this site, it is purely about sharing images that I have taken. So thanks again for stopping by.

Goosander

After the cool morning shots that I went out to capture (and which you saw in my last post) this was my second objective.

The previous day I had been told that there was a pair of Red-Breasted Merganser on the lake and some Goldeneye and I had even seen this pair of Goosander swimming around so I hoped to get some shots of these and the other species mentioned. As it turned out the Goldeneye were too far out on the lake to get a clear picture and there was no sign of any red-breasted merganser. The Goosander is also known as the common merganser and is larger than the red breasted variety. I do wonder whether someone had confused the two and reported the wrong species or whether I had missed out.

Even so it was nice to watch this pair swimming, and feeding together, they certainly make an elegant couple, and I was pleased to be able to get these shots.

I was interrupted in my efforts by a guy who wanted to talk about a range of topics from cameras to film making, street photography and even revolution. He had some interesting anecdotes and ideas some of which were quite compelling. However, while I might share my thoughts about different things from time to time I will try to avoid making this blog political and keep the focus largely on photography and the images themselves.

Have a great day.

 

Morning Glow

I have used a range of exposures for theses shots; the shortest exposure being 2.5 seconds  the longest being 15 seconds. Given the brightness of the sunrise I also used a 32ND filter and aperture of f22 and ISO 100. My camera was also mounted on a tripod of course.

It was a beautifully crisp and clear morning as you can see. There was virtually no breeze at all however I was surprised that there was still quite a lot of disturbance on the lake's surface making the longer exposures essential. You can still see the rippled surface to the left of the jetty in the first few images. The colour images give a sense of warmth from the sunlight despite the fact it was bitterly cold. The black and white image does give a sense of how cold it was but also looks like it could have been shot on a different day entirely.

I like using long exposures, when the subject is right of course, the calendar I produced for 2025 is almost exclusively long exposure photos. This method allows more light onto the sensor/film and exposes more detail in the image. This is really useful when doing night skies, it can create subtle motion blur and can also provide fun details like light trails from traffic. In the images below it has been used to smooth out the surface of the water and to create some nice soft reflections.

Although longer exposures capture more detail there is another slightly counter intuitive effect that is possible and that is it can help eliminate moving people/objects from a scene. Depending of course on how fast or slow the people/objects are moving and how long an exposure is used. In the final image below you can see how this has worked with a small group of people walking  on the path around the marine lake just below and to the right of the moon. They appear as a white blur, had I used a longer exposure I could have removed them completely but then the whole image would have been washed out. It is fun to try different things and develop these skills. The fact that this location is within walking distance of my home means that I can practice often without having to make any long journey. It means I can make better use of what is local to me, something I mentioned in another recent post. Anyway enjoy the pictures and hopefully a sense of calm.

I love where I live. 

 

Standing Out

I have lived in my present home for more than half my life. Prior to moving here I had lived in 14 different homes which on average means a move every two years. That is slightly skewed by the different addresses I shared over 4 years in University but even without that the longest I spent at any one address was 4 years.

One of the consequences of those frequent moves was that it was hard to make or maintain friendships, and it also made it difficult to feel that I fitted in. That being said however, moving around meant that I had a lot of opportunities that other kids didn't have. I got to see more of the country, experiencing life in large towns and in very rural areas. I had the freedom to explore, and even do some pretty foolish things. I have met many  interesting people and had some great times. I learned to be independent and I feel confident going to new places.

I have been thinking about this recently because in my social media feeds I have had a number of "friend suggestions" for people who have attended some of the schools I attended many years ago. Some of the names I remember, most I don't but it has been interesting to think about the different directions peoples lives have taken them.

I have also thought about some of the interesting characters I have met and despite only being in my life briefly have stood out for one reason or another. One such person, whose name I certainly do not recall was a couple of years older than me and I met him at school when I was 11. He would ask people for their full date of birth and then as quick as anything would tell them the day of the week on which they had been born. I was fascinated by this ability and I would get some of my friends to go and test him out, every time he was right. I asked all my family what day of the week they had been born on and used their dates of birth to test him, he never failed. In the book that I have just finished reading there is a character, a 15 year old boy who spends all his time in a library, rarely speaking to anyone but who has the same ability, it felt like a strange coincidence that I had been thinking about that lad in school and then to read about someone in a work of fiction. (There is clearly no connection because my school was in Kent and the novel is from Japan), I had never really considered that there might e someone else who could do this amazing thing.

Despite having this unusual ability this lad had no desire to stand out, he kept mostly to himself and I can imagine that he would have been a little fed up with people like me pestering him to perform. At 11 I didn't appreciate that but now I am so much older I definitely understand. I have been in situations where the spotlight has been on me and while that can bring its own rewards I find that it is nicer to slip into the background and do my own thing.

The images that I have chosen to accompany my musings today were all taken last week. The first is of Little Eye, the smallest of three islands in the small archipelago that consists of Little Eye, Middle Eye and Hilbre Island. It is a good mile offshore and when the tide is out it seems further away and little more than a lump of rock which is a marker for those walking to the other islands. Surrounded by the tide as it is here, it appears larger and stands out a little more.

The wind turbines are also quite interesting, they are part of the Burbo Bank wind farm and at times under different light and atmospheric conditions they appear tiny and far far away. On other occasions they can appear much closer, and sometimes, like here with the mist surrounding them they can appear to be floating above the horizon.

The person in the final image stood out to me, in part because of the way she is silhouetted against the misty hills in part because of her reflection in the calm water of the lake and also because with the tide rising it would not be long before the sea was coming over the path and I wondered whether she would make round without getting her feet wet.