I imagine that a photograph of a grain elevator might not be such an interesting image for everyone but I rather like this shot.
Thunder Bay is on the north shore of Lake Superior and has been an important trading post for centuries as trade goods are brought from the remote parts of western Canada and then shipped across the Great Lakes and exported around the world, from fur, timber, Iron and Silver and of course grain from the great prairies.
This shot was taken from the marina and shows a view of one of the remaining grain elevators and one of the grain ships being loaded. The pontoon in the foreground is a protective barrier for the expensive boats in the lagoon and a popular perch for the seagulls that live and fish along the shore.
Today's offering is another view of Chirk Castle from the bottom of the informal garden.
I have titled today's post "the long border" but actually the hawk house and shrub garden are more visible in the view leading up to the castle. There are some simple but elegant yew topiary as well.
Last October I visited Brimham Rocks in North Yorkshire, I had a lovely day exploring this unusual spot and photographing the many rock formations and I even had a nice picnic lunch sat on top of one.
Towards the end of the day the sky clouded over but the as the sun dipped low it lit up this formation of three stacks, the clouds make a dramatic backdrop in contrast to the warmth of the foreground.
...Perch Rock to be exact.
This is the fort and lighthouse at New Brighton on a very wild and windy Saturday
I posted a similar shot to this a few weeks ago, that picture was taken using my smart phone and I have a number of others taken using my camera, this is one of my favourite reminders of this phenomenal weather. It was so thrilling watching this storm approach over the Sleeping Giant and then sitting in the shelter of the tent as the rain hammered down.
Today marks exactly two years since I started my blog and in that time I have posted pictures almost daily. In all I have posted 671 times only missing when I have been ill or on holiday without a good enough signal and I have been committed to keeping this going to share some of my favourite pictures. I have done it because I love taking photos but also because the feedback I receive has kept me going. Through this blog and social media I know that my pictures have been viewed many many thousands of times by friends and by strangers all around the world, in places I never imagined. For everyone who has ever taken the time to view my pictures and read my comments I am extremely grateful
If you have followed me for any length of time you will know that I have posted pictures from a range of different genres or styles demonstrating my overall enthusiasm for photography. Wherever I go I am looking for photo opportunities and while some might say I should try to enjoy the moment I feel that by looking for the image I am actually getting so much out of every day.
I am always looking for ways to improve my skills and I have decided that I need to develop a greater focus on one particular area of photography and so I am starting a new web page under my real name with an emphasis on Wildlife and Nature where I will be showcasing what I think are my best wildlife shots so far in searchable galleries, and of course I will be adding new pictures over time with a little more attention to the technical side of the the image rather than the story behind the shot (which is what this blog is about) and hopefully as I pay closer attention to this I will make big steps forward.
I will continue to take pictures wherever I go, whenever I see something that catches my eye and I will continue to try different things from time to time and with that in mind I will continue to post daily pictures to this blog so I really hope that everyone who has supported me so far will continue to do so. I will post a link to the new site here once it is up and running and I hope that you will all stay with me on my journey to becoming a better photographer.
So having driven across Brandon Mountain via Conor Pass I drove into Dingle. It's a quaint town and there was a nice market going on I remember buying some nice cakes and other tasty treats for lunch. In the town itself I bought some little gifts for friends.
The area is famous for a dolphin called Funghi that often can be seen in the harbour and there are boat trips to see dolphins and whales along the coast but I didn't go as conditions out at sea were fairly poor although it looked nice and calm in the bay.
After a tour of the town I walked around the harbour so I have chosen a few pictures of the boats and the town from across the harbour. I have chosen some black and white pictures for today because under the grey skies they look best. I think the third picture is my favourite, let me know which is yours...
It's Christmas Eve (Yay :) ) and I don't really expect too many people to be sat at their computers or checking their smartphones to look at this blog, not when there's presents to wrap and mince pies to put out for Santa but I determined to post something every day and so here is today's offering.
All of the above images are of the village of Blanchland a conservation village in the Derwent Valley in Northumberland, as you can see it was a cold, wet and grey day and the monochrome images set the atmosphere really well.
The first two pictures show the White Monk Tea Rooms which is a nice place to get spot of lunch or afternoon tea.
Anyway enjoy the pictures and more importantly have a fab Christmas. Look out tomorrow for what I hope will be a festive post... and look out on Boxing Day for a special announcement!!!
