Lakeland Gem

 Even on a cold morning in early spring I had to wait my turn to get these images as there was another photographer set up on the jetty where I wanted to be but in these surroundings there is no need to rush, it just meant I had longer to take in the beautiful scenery.

Even when I set up my gear I was in no rush as these are all long exposures in order to smooth out the surface of the lake which due to the strong wind was actually quite choppy.

All three images were shot on my 17 - 40mm wide angle zoom and using a variable ND filter to compensate for the longer exposure times. The first image was at 21mm for 1.6 sec. The second at 17mm for 5 sec and the third at 34mm for 2.5 sec. I am so pleased I have the variable filter in my kit because it has allowed me to experiment and get some really interesting images.

I do love this spot, it has changed a little bit in the past few years, I remember being here in 2017 in the snow and the wooden jetty was very fragile with warnings (which I ignored) to keep off. Now things are a lot more sturdy so I didn't have to take any risks.

Iconic Landmarks

 Notre Dame and the Eifel Tower, two landmarks that are instantly recognisable and must be among the most photographed sites in the world. Rather than posting the typical "tourist snap" type image I have looked for different views to capture. I hope you will agree these make for interesting images. Which is your favourite???

Long Tailed Tit

 The long tailed tit is one of my favourite species of birds. They are very small and always on the move so very hard to photograph. I know these are not the sharpest images but I wanted to share them all the same since they are such gorgeous little bundles of cuteness. 

I could make excuses after all they were quite a way off, high above me and it was very cold so that combined with the fact that they hardly stopped still for a fraction of a second made it really challenging to get even these shots. However I wont make excuses and will simply admit they are not at the standard I would hope for and as always that will motivate me to go out and try to do better next time. And anyway they're not terrible and you can still see how lovely they are.

Smoke over Patterdale

This is such a lovely view, looking south from Glenridding Pier through Patterdale with Place Fell on the left hand side.

Although it was quite overcast there were brief moments when the sun broke through the clouds illuminating the fells contributing to this fantastic image.

Although this looks really tranquil just moments before I took this shot two RAF Hawk jets flew fast and low through the valley (and I mean low; they were below the height of Place Fell which has a prominence of 262m or 850ft so they were probably around 500ft above the surface of the lake).

I have some good memories of visiting here, a few years ago I camped on the fell just to the left, it was a cold, damp night and I needed the help of a group of young people to push my car as I got stuck on a slippery slope. Although that was slightly embarrassing I had a great time and waking up to a view like this was just perfect.

All aboard...

I stumbled across this picture of a tram in Vienna, I had forgotten the city had a really good tram system. It looks like this one has been around for a long time but what a clean transport solution it is. I read today that Liverpool might be getting an electric tram system. I can imagine it will cause a lot of disruption but could be a real boon for the city.

Place Fell

Here is another shot from my recent visit to Ullswater. This view shows Place Fell which overlooks the lakeland villages of Glenridding and Patterdale.

It rises 262m above the lake with an elevation of 657m above sea level, so not particularly high but from the top it will offer great views of the lake and of the Helvellyn range.

I was quite happy to sit here on the waters edge and enjoy this stunning view.

In The Cold Light of Morning

It certainly was cold on this particular morning but with the light glowing through the trees it gives this scene a warm quality that draws you in and makes you forget about the cold.

I love combination of the rich green and velvety moss, the warm brown tones of the ferns and the milky sunlight. I also love the twisted forms of the trees and fallen branches.

Glenridding Pier

Here are two atmospheric more shots from the banks of Ullswater at Glenridding Pier taken yesterday morning just after sunrise.

In the first shot, looking towards Patterdale you can see the top of the fell shrouded in cloud as mist rises from the surface of the lake. Although this is a colour photo you can see that the weather has almost completely washed out the colour from the scene.

The second image shows some of the lake cruisers moored at the pier. The cruises were delayed until much later in the day given the poor visibility. Through the cloud it is possible to just make out the silhouette of Place Fell but you cant see the campsite on the fell side where I camped a couple of years ago (I recall getting my car stuck on the slippery grass slope and having to enlist the help of a youth group who had been camping nearby).

I love this part of the country, I have some wonderful memories of times spent here, walking the fells, camping on the slopes and visiting the lakeland villages.  And of course it presents so many wonderful photographic opportunities. I hope that you have enjoyed these pictures and that you will keep coming back to my page to see more.

Grey Dagger

This is the caterpillar of the Grey dagger moth, named because of the bold dagger shaped markings on its wings. The moth has a wide range, across Europe, North Africa. Iran, Asia  Siberia and Mongolia, among other places.

An alternate variety is the dark dagger and the caterpillar of the dark dagger moth lacks the distinctive horn in this variety.

This one was busy stocking up on food so that it can over winter as a pupa before emerging in the spring as a beautiful moth.

Autumn Leaves

Just a couple of shots from the trail looking into the canopy of golden green leaves and the leaf litter on the ground.

I took several shots of the leaves because they were so striking. I like these because of the paths that lead the eye into the image.

Contemporary Prague

Today we have spent a second day in Prague and what a beautiful city it is.

We were lucky with the weather because thunder storms were forecast and after Fridays storm and flash floods on the way to Dresden we weren't sure what to expect but in fact it has been hot and sunny just about the whole time.

We have spent most of the visit in the old town, the Jewish quarter, the castle and gardens and the old architecture is stunning. We've walked about 9 miles in all and we had to take time out in the shade a few times but we've had a lot of fun.

I have mostly photographed old architecture and a few people but while the old town really is the star attraction there is some really nice contemporary architecture and so I wanted to share a couple of examples.

The first pictures show the Dimension Data Trask building next to our hotel. I really like this building and in the middle of the first image there is a reflection of our hotel where we are staying on the 8th floor.

The third image shows the interior of one of the metro stations, I think it may have been inspired by Daleks but it could also have been the inspiration for Gringotts in Harry Potter, at least so I'm told...

From here we are heading off to Vienna for a couple of days s

No Apologies

Tamron 150mm-600mm f/5 - 6.3

ISO 1000   329mm    f/6.3   1/250 sec

ISO 1000   600mm    f/6.3    1/250

I said yesterday that I have well over 100 pictures from my morning walk at the Formby squirrel sanctuary and I can't not share them (well some of them anyway).

I think they're so cute and looking at them now these little critters make me smile and remind me of a wonderful woodland walk.

Elephants Just Wanna Have Fun

I have been dying to share this picture since I took it at the end of my visit to the zoo, it is one of my favourite pictures so far this year. However, I had wanted to finish my selection from my day at the beach and so I have had to be patient.

I managed to get a number of really good shots at the zoo and I was on my way out happy with my days work. I hadn't intended to get any shots of elephants because usually at the end of the day they have been moved inside. On this occasion though I was leaving earlier than usual and so the whole family of elephants were out. I was mostly focusing on the younger family members and this little chap was really active. I was so pleased to capture this shot as the young elephant decided to have a dust bath and I got the timing spot on as it threw the shower of dust over its head. 

I think this is a really happy image and so I hope it brightens your day as much as it does mine.

Storm The Beach

This is a lovely stretch of beach on the North Wales coast near to Porthmadog. In the summer months it is a very popular spot for picnics, sand yachting and other water sports but in the winter it is much quieter as you can see from the pictures above. 

Although the sun was out and the sky was blue out to the horizon it was actually bitterly cold, with the wind chill it was around -11 degrees and the wind blew a snow storm from Snowdonia making this a really bracing walk. It was great.

I have lots of memories of visits to this beach where all of my kids have practiced driving at one time or another. I can also remember  along with a group of friends being asked to leave by the police after we were reported for racing. Happy days!

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.

Calm Waters at White Coppice

Two pictures today connected by the fact that they were shot at White Coppice in Lancashire.  I visited recently and had a lovely walk along by the river and on the fells which had spectacular views as far as Snowdonia to the south and the Cumbrian Fells in the north.

I had heard that there was a waterfall there but in spite of recent heavy rainfall there was very little water. Even so I had a nice time especially sitting by the ruins of an old mill. The hamlet dates back to Tudor times and there are a few beautiful cottages from that period which overlook the village cricket pitch. It was such a restful spot and these two images reflect the peace I felt while I was there.

I love the light and shade in the first image and the clear reflection. The Robin in the second shot looks a bit scruffy but he's so cute. He was quite wary of me but was tempted by a small handful of seeds that I put out for him 

Fun At Sunset

Having walked around the abbey (see yesterday's sunset pictures) I set off back down the hill towards the town in the hope that I would capture some more shots of the sun as it set over the North Sea.

As you can see from the pictures above I wasn't disappointed.

I love the first image which is a candid shot of some people who were obviously enjoying the evening as much as me. I wonder what they were thinking as they danced. I was lucky to share this moment and capture the shot, it made me smile then and posting it now has made me smile some more.

You can see from the other two photos how the sky became a deeper orange as the sun dipped lower. There were several other photographers out taking advantage of these beautiful scenes and I am sure you will agree it was an evening well spent.

Right Place, Right Time

Yesterday's picture of the harbour at Whitby was taken on the way up to visit the Abbey. Of course at that time of day the abbey was closed to visitors so these pictures were taken from just outside the walls. 

It was a beautiful evening and I was really glad to be there. As the sun set the sky had a beautiful and warm orange glow which was in contrast to the cold stone of the abbey walls. 

I was lucky enough to be able to capture the sunburst through one of the arches, it was only a fleeting moment so I was pleased to be able to get this shot.

Overlooking Liverpool Bay

For today I have chosen two panoramic shots taken with my phone's camera.

The first was taken yesterday morning when I stopped for a short break during my cycle ride along the Wirral Coastal path. The tide was just coming in I think and there were a few people out walking or running and enjoying the early morning sun. I don't think the frames have stitched together perfectly in this shot but all the same it is a terrific view looking out across Liverpool Bay towards North Wales and the Burbo Bank wind farm.

The second shot was taken this evening right at the water's edge shortly after low tide and a few hours before sunset. I have never walked out this far before (about a mile and a half) except to Hilbre Island which you may just make out on the left of the shot, and I was so glad I made the spur of the moment decision to do so. The view is fantastic and I am so glad that I live so close to the sea so I can enjoy it whenever I like.

Young Buck

About ten days ago I got up at 3am and headed off to Brockholes in Lancashire for a dawn photo shoot in the hope of capturing some shots of the deer and hares that are known to visit the area in the early hours before visitors arrive.

Unfortunately it was a really cloudy morning so I didn't see the sunrise just a slow transition from dark grey to a lighter shade of grey and for much of the morning it rained heavily some from a photography perspective it was a bit of a washout.

From a nature watching viewpoint it was anything but. There were a few  Roe deer like this handsome young buck  which was foraging on the far bank of the river Ribble and several beautiful brown hares. There were also lots of birds around so I actually had a great time. The early morning birdsong was wonderful and because of the bad weather I practically had the whole place to myself. There were a couple of hides where I was able to make the most of the quiet time and I think there is a good chance I would go back and do it all again.