It's A Fairy Tale

 I told you in my last blog that Bruges is like a fairy tale city and at night that is even more true as you can see from the images above.

These buildings are all in the region of 500years old, they have so much character and charm and at the end of the day when the traffic has left the city it is easy to imagine this part of the city as it was when it was new.

I love the lights and reflections in the colour images, as the canal is mirror calm. Lots of people were admiring these views and I have used long exposures to really capture the reflections but also to "erase" the people who were walking by.

I have used black and white for the images of the market hall as I think that best suits the structure. I tried to imagine these stalls fully occupied with traders (even the following day there were only a handful of stalls in use) and the variety of produce that would have been on sale.

I loved visiting Bruges and having the opportunity to capture its sights at night. 

In the coming days I will share some more abstract images and some street photography as I explored the city on a busy Saturday morning so be sure to look out for those.

Lighthouse Exposed

 

I have had a much needed and even if I say it myself, a well earned day off work and I decided to get out for a couple of hours with my camera. I stayed fairly local just driving the few miles to New Brighton and even that seemed like quite an adventure in these peculiar times. The last time I actually left the house with my camera (in daylight at least) was 3rd January which was before the current lockdown restrictions were put in place and I have not been able to justify taking photographs as "essential" so my gear has been left idle for too long.

I actually wondered why I had bothered restricting myself because today there were a few other photographers out as well as a large number of people fishing from the shore and a model boat club having some kind of mini regatta. I guess if those activities can pass as essential or come under the umbrella of "exercise" then I felt pretty safe in my decision to go out today. 

Anyway I got a mixture of shots including landscape, seascape and wildlife and today I am sharing a few images of the lighthouse at Perch Rock.

Although it was dry and mild there was very little colour in the sky and so I decided to shoot mostly in black and white because I felt this would create more dramatic images, I have included one colour image for some balance.

I used a variable ND filter to use long exposures and flatten out the sea somewhat as the tide was coming in. I have used exposures of 2.5 seconds up to 6 seconds which as well as smoothing out the water has also added a little movement to the clouds. 

I am going to say that the first image and the third image are my favourites. I hope you like them too.

I will be sharing some more pictures over the next few days and now that I have been out once I am sure I will head out more often in the coming weeks and hopefully start to get some more nice images.

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.

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.

Delicate

I think this is beautiful.

Close Up On Cow Parsley

These images were originally shot in colour and although they were a lovely fresh green if felt they looked more striking in black and white.

Inside The Dome

This was the second time I have visited this Chateau at Vaux le Vicomte and there were a few noticeable differences.

Firstly in the grounds the Box hedge parterre has been removed it having been ravaged by the Box moth caterpillar and secondly the additional fee to climb the stairs to the dome and view the grounds from above had increased from 1 euro to 3. Even taking inflation into account my first thought was that this was a bit steep (rather like the stairs). However when I got to the stairs it was obvious that the extra funds had been put to good use in stabilising the stairs which previously had been rickety and quite scary. This time there were new treads and additional supports so climbing up I felt much more secure.

It was worth it too as the view from the top is spectacular although I know that there are some people who seeing these stairs might think twice about venturing higher.

Surprisingly Beautiful

These strangely beautiful plants are the skeletal remains of the perennial Cow Parsley. I think they are really photogenic especially on a cold, crisp winter's day like it was on New Year's Day especially when viewed through a macro lens.

Do You Get The Point

I think the first two images are of Musk Thistle (or something very similar). The spines are really hard and viciously sharp. I really like the fine hairs along the edge of each leaf and the way they trap the tiny droplets of dew.

In the third picture I had intended to show the droplets lined up along the blade of grass but if you look closely you can also see fine hairs along the edge which is what has trapped the water and prevented it from draining away.

A Modern Masterpiece

Here are four views of the marvelous Museum of Liverpool. I know that some people really dislike this building but I think it is an amazing structure although it was incredibly expensive and it leaks so there was some problem with the construction if not the design. It sits on the waterfront alongside the Three Graces and it contrasts and complements the historic architecture.

I really like the black and white images the second one is very like a final render from the architects drawings as it would have been presented to city planners.

Because it is a public building I wanted to get some shots with people in but not so  many that there were crowds distracting from the building itself so I waited to snap a single passer by and then in the final shot the three men had waited patiently to one side while I was taking pictures before the climbed the stairs. When they paused half way up I thought it made an excellent shot and I quickly captured the moment. I hope you agree it works really well.

Storm Over Squaw Bay

I shot these two photos seconds apart looking out across the bay at Pie Island in the distance.

It was a strange day with showers coming across in waves followed by periods of clear sunny skies. It was cold on the edge of the lake but this is a spectacular spot. We had watched a large eagle circling out near the point, I am not 100% sure but it might have been a Golden Eagle although from the pictures I got it is inconclusive.

I have my typical dilemma in that choosing between the colour or black and white images is almost impossible. I like the moody feel to the first image and the sense that the storm is closing in. I like the second image though, with the splash of blue sky and the light on the horizon giving a sense of hope, hope for a brighter day and warmer weather.

Because I can't choose I post them both and leave that choice for you.

Marie Louise Lake

Northern Ontario in the autumn and the leaves are changing colours rapidly. By now they're a riot of reds, yellow and gold, but on the day that we visited this spot on the lake the colours were not so vibrant although they were beginning to change. I thought that this image looks better in black and white because you can appreciate the contrast much better. I used a preset in Lightroom to add a little more warmth which the scene deserves and I think you will agree this is a lovely shot.

I chose to photograph this spot because a couple of years ago we camped here, about half way along this shore line and I had so much fun canoeing on the lake, getting up close with an otter family and watching a bald eagle fishing. It was really quiet here on this particular day because the season was coming to an end, but even during the summer it is a great place to get away from it all. There is no phone signal right here so you get a sense of being "off the grid" which is refreshing although I confess that there were times when I sneaked off to the other side of the park in order to call friends/family back home. 

Skater Boi!

It was as I was walking back following my visit to the waterfront in Thunder Bay that I spotted this skater practicing a few tricks in the small skate park. I took a moment to capture a few action shots and I am fairly pleased with the results.

The pose of the skater in each trick reminds me of some graffiti I saw in Paris over 30 years ago and which for some time I had copied onto the back of a jacket I wore. I was never much of a skater myself (I never really had the balance or skill) but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate the skill that we see in these shots.

I would have liked to spend a little more time watching and photographing this guy in action but that wasn't possible so I will have to make do with these for now, and that means so will you.

Inside the Old Palace

I have again decided to share contrasting black & white and colour images of the same scenes because I think in each case the different images have great qualities and help to bring out different features. I can't decide which if any I prefer because I really like all of these shots. I love the vaulted ceilings, the curve of the stairs, the colour of the stonework and the intricate patterns of the ironwork. So much to take in and enjoy

Looking at the first image I am reminded of the second most bizarre thing we saw on our roadtrip, it was in one of the alcoves in the passageway leading off to the left at the far end of the hall but I don't think I will say any more. I will say that the most bizarre (disgusting) thing we saw was also in the Czech Republic as a woman was taking a (no I won't say any more about that either). 

Water Feature

Canon 24 - 105 mm 1:4 L

ISO 200 105 mm  F/13  1/6 sec

ISO 200  105 mm  F/20  1/6 sec

Although I really like the warmth of the colours in the first picture of this water feature I think it looks better in black and white. How about you?

Gnarly

Canon 100mm 1:2.8  ISO 125   f/2.8   1/200 sec

I chose to take this in black and white because although the bark was a nice shade of brown I think the textures of this gnarly truck look more effective in monochrome.

Just in case you are wondering what species of tree this is I can tell you...

It is a Metasequoia glyptostroboides  also known as the Dawn Redwood it is a fast growing deciduous conifer which is endangered and apparently the only living species of the genus Metasequoia. It was too early in the season to get a good idea of how it looks in full foliage but I think the bark makes a great image.

Looking For Thomas

Last summer I had a lovely couple of days on a trip to the Whitby area in North Yorkshire and I spent a couple of hours visiting the North York Moors Railway at Grosmont.  

It was a hot and sunny day and the good weather and the lure of steam had brought a lot of people to this otherwise sleepy village. I was like a kid when the steam engines came through but I wasn't the only one and it was so nice to see the excitement on the faces of other people who were there. In this shot the platform looks deserted but not long after this the place was heaving.

At Rest

I have called today's post "At Rest" but really while this stag was resting quite peacefully he was constantly on alert watching out for the small of herd of doe's that were feeding nearby. What I didn't realise at the time I was taking this shot was that inside the "den" of branches and wooden stakes next to the stag there was a young fawn exploring.

I haven't been out with my camera for a couple of weeks due to poor weather and also feeling under the weather so I am hoping for a good spell this weekend. In the meantime I am really grateful that I have had some good opportunities earlier this year to keep me going.

Living The Dream

Recently I was offered a narrowboat for free and I was genuinely tempted by the offer. I have often thought how nice it would be to travel England's waterways on a barge, I imagine it to be such a relaxing thing to do, cruising along at such a leisurely pace enjoying the countryside as well as connecting with England's industrial heritage. I only went off the idea when the question of mooring fees, insurance and restoration costs came up and I realised that for now at least this is not an option I could take up.

But as I thought about, albeit briefly, I recalled this scene from the Llangollen canal between Christmas and New Year. Along the canal there were lots of moorings on the towpath which offered a place to stop for 48 hours before you would have to move on. Then there was the large marina at Chirk and a smaller marina at Trevor where obviously there would be mooring fees. But on the opposite bank I spotted this isolated little camp where the bargee had obviously set up a more permanent camp next to a little clearing with their washing strung between the trees and a bicycle on hand for trips to the nearest town/village. I think this is an idyllic scene and looking at these pictures I can feel myself drawn to this type of life.

For Ben and Cat

So yesterday's post was a bit on the serious side and I promised that today I would share something a little more upbeat. When I said that I had no idea what I would choose but as things turned out the perfect opportunity came up right at the start of my photo shoot today.

With the promise of clear skies and knowing that there would be plenty of snow on the lakeland fells I decided to head up to Castlerigg in the hope of capturing a beautiful sunrise. I nearly abandoned this plan on the journey up due to really hard driving rain but I was so keen to get some good pictures I carried on.

I arrived at Castlerigg shortly after sunrise but as you can see from these pictures it was grey and overcast with no sign of the sun so I chose to shoot in Black and White as it better captures the mood of this wonderful site.

When I arrived I was greeted by a young couple Ben and Cat who had travelled up from London to see some snow and they had gone to Castlerigg just as I had to experience the sunrise. They were clearly taken by the magical atmosphere of this 5,000 year old stone circle standing in the shadow of the majestic fells and in spite of the damp and cold, and  the lack of sun they were happy to sit within the stones and absorb the essence and the history that can be felt here especially when you have the place to yourself.

Ben and Cat were so open and friendly and chatting with them was the perfect start to my day. I promised them that I would dedicate my blog post to them and that is what I have done. Thank you both for such a friendly greeting.

I took a number of shots of the stones from different angles and I have picked two for today. With Ben and Cat in the circle I picked angles that would have them out of the frame but as I was finishing up I noticed that from a certain angle this lovely couple appeared to have become part of the circle and if you look at the second image closely you will see that one of the stones is not a stone but is in fact Ben and Cat.

Later in the day the sun did come out and after spending time elsewhere I returned to Castlerigg for a few more shots which I will share another day.