The Passage of Time

 So today I was all set to share some of yesterday's pictures from Dunham Massey but with the weather being so good I was out with my camera again and I got a load more photos and I have decided to work through those before going back to the Dunham Massey shots.

Today I went to Chirk Castle, near Wrexham in North Wales. It is one of my favourite castles and I have shared numerous pictures from there before as I have had some great days out at Chirk in the past. Each time I go however I try to find something new, even if it is just a different angle to photograph the castle or perhaps a detail in one of the gardens.

And that is what I have focused on today, the theme of "Time" is appropriate for today and so the sundial in the small rose garden caught my attention. I don't think I have ever photographed it before and even if I have I am sure that I have never shared the pictures here before.

Luckily by the time I arrived at Chirk the sun was out and the sky was clear so there was no difficulty in telling the time today; you will see that it was just a few minutes before midday when these photos were taken and I can confirm that having checked the time by my watch the sundial was spot on.

Given that it is still so early in the year there are no roses in bloom at the moment but come the summer this little garden will be awash with colour and the scent of roses and will be the perfect place to relax.

Cosmos

 

It is over two weeks since I posted last and it is incredible because I have so much to get through, but after long days at work mostly in front of my computer I just haven't really felt like taking more time looking at a screen and concentrating on processing images to share.

That being said today and over the next few days I can see myself spending an awful lot of time sorting through files and photos so perhaps there will be more to see. Who knows this might not even be my only post for today...

For today though I have selected two shots of a variety of Cosmos, a plant from the daisy family I believe. This one has luscious pink petals and a radiant yellow centre which really made it stand out. The texture of the petals as they curl seems to give movement to the flower even though it is perfectly still.

In the first image I just adjusted the contrast a little but in the second I wanted to try a completely different treatment, converting it to black and white, pulling up the contrast and increasing the blacks and shadows to create what I think is a really effective image. I love it, the movement in this image, to me at least, has the feel of fire and smoke. Maybe it is just me but however it looks to you I hope you will agree that it is a pretty cool photo.

In an Orderly Fashion

 

So this follows on from yesterdays post (if you haven't seen it please take a look).

I really love the orderliness of the workshop, with all the tools neatly stored in their proper places.

I think the setting really suits black and white images, which is how they were shot. It adds to the sense of age or history. But when I edited the first image in colour I was really struck by the richness and warmth of the wood and that is possibly my favourite image for today.

I love the detail in the cabinets, the marquetry patterns are simple but beautiful, and all that just to store chisels. Marquetry is something I have done in the past (and will do more when I retire) and I know that even for a simple pattern like this it will have taken time and skill and it shows that the craftsman has taken care not just over his tools but how they are displayed.

Many years ago I had a holiday on the Norfolk Broads and I went into a photo studio in Stalham where I bought a black and white print of tools silhouetted against a window. I really liked the picture and I had that in mind when I took these images. Although that was a good image I am going to say I like mine best...

That Grinds My Gears

 I recently visited Erddig, a National Trust property in North Wales. It is a lovely old house in beautiful grounds, it has a rich history and is a place I have visited several times in the past with my family. 

On this occasion it was a bank holiday and the place was heaving, there was no space in the car park and there were so many people it really was not the quiet day out I had envisaged. It was a harsh reminder of why I normally stay home on bank holidays.

I didn't bother going into the house itself, the thought of having to squeeze through masses of people was too much so I stayed outdoors and tried to enjoy the gardens. I got some nice shots of some flowers and I managed to find a quiet corner to sit and reflect and as the afternoon wore on many of the families had left and a more calming atmosphere descended before it was time to head home once again.

On the way out a National Trust volunteer reminded me that there was a smithy and wood workshop just off the courtyard and so I popped in for a quick look.

For me this was, perhaps curiously< the highlight of the visit. I love this sort of place, I love the smells, the old tools and machinery and I love the memories that come flooding back of visits to my grandparents. Both my grandfathers had shed/workshops with lots of old tools which they looked after carefully. On Saturday afternoons we would spend time talking and tidying and sometimes making things or mending things.

It also makes me think about how much things have changed and how we have become such a throwaway society compared to the past when we would routinely restore and mend things That makes me sad so i am going to stop here and go back to remembering  my Saturday afternoons with my grandads.

Out In The Cold

 Another shot from Chirk castle, and another of the Lucchesi bronzes facing out across the lawn and the topiary. This statue is called "Destiny" and it won gold medals at Dresden in 1895 and at the Paris Exposition in 1900.

As you can see the snow was starting to come down quite fast when this shot was taken, even though a matter of minutes beforehand there had been clear blue skies, and almost as quickly as the snow storm arrived it passed. However, even though the sun came out again it remained bitterly cold and while the bronze nymphs remained outside there were no brass monkeys to be seen...

Storm Surge

Today we were visited by Storm Eunice, one of the worst storms in the UK for decades, the South & South West were worst affected with gusts of 122mph recorded on the Isle of Wight but here in the North West we have had winds of 60 - 80mph. With such strong winds combined with a high tide I was sure there would be some dramatic scenes along the coast and as you can see from this image I was not wrong.

The waves have churned up the sand on the beach adding some interesting colours to the waves and the heavy clouds create strong layers in the sky.

 I think the image works very well in black and white too, I have increased the black tones to increase the dramatic effect, let me know what you think.

The conditions were at times quite dreadful, and I almost didn't go out as the rain was coming sideways, not to mention the sleet and hail, but I am so glad I did and I look forward to sorting through all the images and no doubt I will share a few more with you.

I have to give a shout out to the coast guard who were out on duty today, probably slightly bemused by the number of photographers out in these awful conditions, but more so I am sure by the three people who thought it was a good idea to go swimming and the one idiot who kept walking towards the waves and who argued with the coast guard, despite their warnings about the imminent storm surge, telling them "You can't tell me what to do, I don't have to listen to you!" 

I was really grateful for the calm way they handled the whole situation and how they also allowed all the photographers to get in position for their shots but also gently shepherding everyone to safety as the conditions changed. Their experience was evident as their advice was timed to perfection and it was only the few people with unsuitable footwear that actually got wet as the surge broke over the promenade to where we were stood.

Shedding Light

I thought these street lights made interesting subjects, especially against the backdrop of Parisian architecture, (the first image using the famous rose window of Notre Dame as the background).

For each blog post I input the location where each photo was taken, I put "Notre Dame" in the search on the map and Google selected a town in Indiana USA, which was founded in the mid 1800's rather than one of the most famous landmarks in one of the most famous cities in the world. The cathedral's construction commenced almost 700 years before the town that takes its name and although it wasn't finished for almost 200 years it still predates the town by over 500 years. Apart from the 6,646 people who live there and the students who have studied at the colleges there I am sure that Notre Dame IN is not the first place people anywhere else would think of.
 

A Lone Tree

 Here are two, what I think are nice, atmospheric shots of the limestone pavement above Malham Cove.

The lines in the rock lead the eye towards the lone tree on the edge of the cliff in the second image but shot from a slightly different angle the diverging lines frame the tree against the sky.

Fans of the Harry Potter films may recognise this location as this was one of the locations used in the Deathly Hallows where Harry and Hermione pitch their tent... 

This is stunning landscape and well worth a visit, the views are spectacular and the atmosphere is magical.

Crest of Wave

I have posted images of water many times before, often (like earlier this week) ripples and reflections but on other occasions I want to show water in motion like in the images above.

These were taken on the beach at Trefor on the North Wales coast. The sky was overcast and the water had a dirty green tint so I have processed the images in black and white.

I stood watching the waves roll in and I could feel the power of the tide as each wave receded pulling the pebbles of the beach with it.

I love the shapes that are created as the waves break and the spray forms along the crest, I also really like the way the light comes through the waves and the spray. Each time the wave breaks the pattern is completely random but when you freeze that motion and look closely it is possible to see (or imagine) interesting things, for example in the last image I think it looks very like the tale of a whale starting to break through the surface as the water rushes off it.

Dog in a Dickie

 So here are the last few images that I will share from my recent road trip in Europe (I briefly visited France, Germany, Luxembourg and Belgium) my last stop being Bruges and I spent some time people watching.

The first couple of images are from a scene I observed in the main square where a large group of people had gathered apparently for a wedding. Somewhat bizarrely it seemed to be combined with a fencing display, perhaps the bride and/or groom were members of the fencing team, who knows? Anyway the star of the show for me was the dog in a bow tie.

The following three images were captured around the city, one of a walking tour guide who has the attention of his tour group, another of a happy cyclist and finally of an interesting character who passed me on a bridge.

I do enjoy people watching and trying to capture these candid shots but it is also frustrating when I see scenes a fraction too late and realise I have missed a good shot. I guess I just have to get out there more...

The Boar's Head

 I don't know whether you can see what I see, but when I saw this rotting log i thought of a wild boar rummaging in the dirt or perhaps just resting its chin on the ground.

I like looking for things like this where rotting wood has the appearance of something else it certainly adds a little interest to the decaying process.