Early morning on the banks of the River Ribble just outside of Preston I was photographing a beautiful Mute Swan on a stretch of the river that was mirror calm, the only movement being the gentle ring of ripples around the swan. Then out of the corner of my eye I spotted this other swan coming, steaming in. Head down and wings curled he looked quite intimidating. Also with the rising sun breaking through the trees on the opposite bank this shot is beautifully lit.
This image contains some of my favourite elements, ripples, reflection and wildlife. What more could you wish?
It was a lovely evening and I was lucky enough to get home from work in time to enjoy a brief spell out with my camera.
I had gone down to the common to photograph my daughter-in-law and George the horse that she looks after. While we were there however George got spooked by this guy in his powered paraglider. He and his colleague took off from the common and took a flight across Liverpool Bay but in the process the noise of their motors startled George and a couple of other horses out for an evening ride.
That being said I quite fancy this activity, I can imagine what a wonderful sensation it must be to take off from a field and then gracefully look down on the world below gaining a new perspective. Especially on an evening like this when the sky is clear and the sunset gives a beautiful golden glow.
I would love to be looking down and maybe even taking a few shots, but I also love this image especially the way the light catches the leading edge of the parachute and the face of the pilot.
I took these shots across the lake early one morning as the sun was rising behind the Sleeping Giant. There was a chill in the air but there was barely a breeze so there was hardly a ripple on the lake.
I love the golden light in these shots it was a perfect start to the day.
As the day begins night ends and as I was watching the sunrise the moon was still high in the sky behind me. It seems so odd with such a contrast between the golden sky over the lake and the cool blue cloudless sky over Mission Marsh
I haven't posted anything for a few days with going out to gigs and going camping (in spite of the weather) and so I haven't really had an opportunity. I couldn't think what to post and so browsing through my folders I came across this shot of a Blue Heron. I really like this shot, it was early evening and I love the way the evening sun was lighting up the reeds in the background. It was quite a lucky shot too as I almost walked past the small break in the reeds surrounding the lake, and I am reminded that I have to keep my eyes open all the time for great photo opportunities.
There was something quite mesmerising watching this beautiful bird standing so still and reflected in the calm water. I could have stayed for a long time watching it but as the light was fading I had to move on.
Golden Valley, also known as Dore Valley (because of River Dore which flows through it) is in Herefordshire and is a really beautiful valley of gentle hills and rolling countryside. Today's pictures were taken at the end of a work day when I had visited a client in the area. The area was an inspiration to the writer C.S.Lewis who saw a painting of the valley when he was a child and he commented that to him it appeared to be heaven.
With the golden light in the first picture and the stunning sunset in the other two I think I can see why he felt that way. I hope you agree.
