Standing Out

I have lived in my present home for more than half my life. Prior to moving here I had lived in 14 different homes which on average means a move every two years. That is slightly skewed by the different addresses I shared over 4 years in University but even without that the longest I spent at any one address was 4 years.

One of the consequences of those frequent moves was that it was hard to make or maintain friendships, and it also made it difficult to feel that I fitted in. That being said however, moving around meant that I had a lot of opportunities that other kids didn't have. I got to see more of the country, experiencing life in large towns and in very rural areas. I had the freedom to explore, and even do some pretty foolish things. I have met many  interesting people and had some great times. I learned to be independent and I feel confident going to new places.

I have been thinking about this recently because in my social media feeds I have had a number of "friend suggestions" for people who have attended some of the schools I attended many years ago. Some of the names I remember, most I don't but it has been interesting to think about the different directions peoples lives have taken them.

I have also thought about some of the interesting characters I have met and despite only being in my life briefly have stood out for one reason or another. One such person, whose name I certainly do not recall was a couple of years older than me and I met him at school when I was 11. He would ask people for their full date of birth and then as quick as anything would tell them the day of the week on which they had been born. I was fascinated by this ability and I would get some of my friends to go and test him out, every time he was right. I asked all my family what day of the week they had been born on and used their dates of birth to test him, he never failed. In the book that I have just finished reading there is a character, a 15 year old boy who spends all his time in a library, rarely speaking to anyone but who has the same ability, it felt like a strange coincidence that I had been thinking about that lad in school and then to read about someone in a work of fiction. (There is clearly no connection because my school was in Kent and the novel is from Japan), I had never really considered that there might e someone else who could do this amazing thing.

Despite having this unusual ability this lad had no desire to stand out, he kept mostly to himself and I can imagine that he would have been a little fed up with people like me pestering him to perform. At 11 I didn't appreciate that but now I am so much older I definitely understand. I have been in situations where the spotlight has been on me and while that can bring its own rewards I find that it is nicer to slip into the background and do my own thing.

The images that I have chosen to accompany my musings today were all taken last week. The first is of Little Eye, the smallest of three islands in the small archipelago that consists of Little Eye, Middle Eye and Hilbre Island. It is a good mile offshore and when the tide is out it seems further away and little more than a lump of rock which is a marker for those walking to the other islands. Surrounded by the tide as it is here, it appears larger and stands out a little more.

The wind turbines are also quite interesting, they are part of the Burbo Bank wind farm and at times under different light and atmospheric conditions they appear tiny and far far away. On other occasions they can appear much closer, and sometimes, like here with the mist surrounding them they can appear to be floating above the horizon.

The person in the final image stood out to me, in part because of the way she is silhouetted against the misty hills in part because of her reflection in the calm water of the lake and also because with the tide rising it would not be long before the sea was coming over the path and I wondered whether she would make round without getting her feet wet.

 

A Heck of a View

A few more from my trip to Pembrokeshire and Skomer. No doubt you you will be excited to see some shots of Puffins, after all that was the reason I went to Skomer in the first place. I have chosen to share some more shots of the spectacular sunset but if it is puffins you want I have included a little teaser below, just keep scrolling...

The pictures above were taken from Woolpack point, the sky genuinely was that gorgeous golden glow which belies how chilly it actually was with the wind coming right off the sea. It was nice to be up on the point on my own for a little while but I was soon joined by a trio of guys who were, like me there to enjoy the sunset at the end of a wonderful day. I think the addition of the three figures in the first two shots really adds something to the scene and I really like the solo guy silhouetted in the third shot. I also like the impact of the single seabird in the fourth image.

Before you scroll down to the final image I should warn you that it is not going to be what you expect. It is not a "cute" shot of a puffin but is instead an example of how timing is everything in getting the shot and is a good capture, even if it makes you groan.

 I had taken one shot of this bird close to the edge of the cliff and as it started to hunker down I thought it might be about to take to the air and I had tried several times to get pictures of these birds in flight. However instead of taking to the air it was heading back underground to its burrow, presumably to sit on its nest and as it did so it jettisoned its load quite spectacularly.

On Tour...

 Walking around the dock I spotted this young couple of visitors to the city, the weather was a bit miserable so I am not sure they were having the best time as they explored some of the sights.

In the first shot they look a little bit tired, and maybe a little underwhelmed and I wondered whether they might have had a slight disagreement as they didn't seem quite together as they passed by.

A little further on I spotted them again, this time they were in step as they crossed the swing bridge and I think this creates a really nice shot.

A short while later I saw them again, this time she was taking a photo of her partner using a cheap disposable camera, which seemed odd given they both had decent smart phones with them. However I asked if they would like me top take a photo of them together which they seemed genuinely pleased about and when I asked if I could take a photo for myself they also agreed. Despite the language barrier they came across as a lovely couple and genuinely pleased with the friendly interaction. I think that comes across in the photo too, which is one of my favourite shots of the day.

Across the World

 This is just a selection of shots from around Liverpool's Albert Docks and Chavasse Park on the last bank holiday. The city is gearing up for Eurovision 2023 and it is bringing people together from around the world in a celebration of music (not that I am in any way a fan of Eurovision) at a time when there is so much conflict and division around the globe.

It is 33 years since I first came to Liverpool and I have seen a lot of changes in that time, I like what has happened to the city and although as I say I am no fan of Eurovision I am pleased that Liverpool was chosen to host it this time round and I am encouraged when I see the way the city has embraced it (despite the disruption and inconvenience) just as it did as City of Culture in 2008.

Harbour Walls

 While seated on a bench overlooking the harbour at Whitby I spent some time watching people walking along the harbour wall across the small beach in front of me. As I did so I realised that with the layered clouds above and the weathered patterns on the stone walls this would make for an effective image. Add to that the people walking by I thought they would make great images.

Although in the first image the colours show off the richness of the stone really nicely I think the black and white images are better. Il like the lone figure walking, hands in pockets, his head slightly bowed, and illuminated by the sun which was fairly low in the sky directly behind me. I wonder what he was thinking as he walked alone, I could come up with a number of different storylines.

I was really pleased when the couple in the second image actually stopped in the frame and started to point at something off to my right, one shielding his eyes from the sun so he could more clearly see what he was being directed to. Again this scene lends itself to all sorts of potential storylines and makes this, in my mind at least and effective image. 

I 

Misty Morning Mood

 While I was in Venice I shot almost exclusively in black and white, but the beauty of digital photography (as long as you are shooting in RAW) you can process the final image pretty much how you want. When uploading the black and white images into Adobe Lightroom they are automatically converted to colour images so I then have the option of changing them back or working on the colour image.

I really like the foggy images in black and white although a slight adjustment to the blue channel in the fifth image of the gondolas in front of the Doge's palace adds another dimension which is really nice.

The sixth image is in colour and it highlights how much the fog has muted the colours that would normally be so vibrant along the Grand Canal.

As well as capturing the sights of the city I spent a lot of time capturing images of the people who live, work and visit Venice. I think Gondoliers make excellent subjects to photograph and although their persistent attempts to get people to take a ride  as they cry "Godola! Gondole!" (on almost every bridge over ever canal) can be a little annoying  I did enjoy snapping some pictures of them at work.

I really like the first image; three gondoliers had been talking to the guy on the path and discussing the proposed route they would take him along. During the course of this a fire service boat, with lights flashing passed by and as the tide was still quite high was having to approach each bridge with extreme caution and the one gondolier was watching the drama unfold while his colleagues continued their spiel.

Although it was mid week and still quite early in the year and tourist numbers were low there was still a number of large groups being led around by enthusiastic guides. I prefer to wander and explore on my own but I think I caught the tour group in a moment of intent interest as they craned their necks to see whatever their guide was talking about.

One of my bugbears is when people walk around constantly glued to their phones or mobile devices. The number of times I had to manoeuvre around individuals so intent on their little screens as they walked around that they almost marched into me. How crazy it is that you go to beautiful city like Venice and spend so much time looking down. Of course staying connected is important but it shouldn't be at the expense of appreciating the beauty that is around. At least the woman in the fourth image above had stopped to read or send her message rather than walking headlong into other people, if only more people had been like that. Ok sorry i will get off my soapbox now.

Hopefully that little rant hasn't detracted from your enjoyment of the pictures above. 

People of Vienna

So I have gone overboard today and shared quite a few images from out and about in Vienna. Just random shots of people doing their thing as they enjoy the city.

I won't comment on each of the photos, I will leave you to make of them what you will.

I did wonder how the artist would cope with the queue of people in front of the coffee vendor but as it happens I needn't have worried, if you look at the painting he is working on you will see he wasn't including the coffee stand in his composition.

And in the final shot, while I had been quite taken aback by the animal headed buskers this group of lads were not the least bit interested, perhaps because they had got the attention of a pretty local girl to take their group photo.
 

Out and About

 

I have chosen three images today from out and about in Florence. The first two connect with the pictures I shared yesterday in that they were taken at Piazzale Michelangelo where there were lots of people enjoying the sunset and views of the city. I do enjoy people watching and capturing candid moments such as these. 

The third image shows a couple who we saw several times throughout the day. They are not pausing naturally to cross the road but are actually posing for professional photographs and were stood there for quite some time. They had a professional photographer and stylist/make-up artist with them and they were being photographed around the city. In this shot they would have had the duomo behind them.

Later in the day as my son and I were seated in a restaurant we watched this same couple walking up and down the street outside for at least an hour with the photographer leading the way trying to get the perfect shot without other tourists getting in the way. It was quite amusing for a while. The restaurant was in a narrow cobbled street and had a dining room on either side of the road, our waiter was clearly getting frustrated with the couple because they kept getting in the way as he was working between both sides of the street. Anyone who has been with me while I am out with my camera will know that I can take my time getting the shot I want however, I don't think I would test the patience in quite the same way...

Take a break

 

There is a different pace to each of these pictures.

In the first a man is casually looking at his phone while enjoying a glass of wine at lunchtime. He is alone and unhurried, perhaps he is waiting for someone, or just delaying his return to the office, it is a lovely day after all and a few more minutes won't hurt.

In the second image there is so much happening, one woman is on her phone while her friend in the white blouse and a star tattoo on her wrist is holding back her dog as another dog walks by without its owner. People on the next table are deep in conversation but some are drawn to the dogs in case some drama develops. Meanwhile the couple sat at the open window talking to the barman who has become very animated, I wonder what has been said.

In the third image a waitress is taking a break, leant against the doorframe while customers are talking inside the café. Has the lunchtime rush just ended or is this a pause before the rush begins? What or who is she looking at, has something just happened along the street that is more interesting than going back in to work?

I like taking pictures of wildlife and landscapes, and architecture too, I like to create an image that evokes memories but as I look back through my portfolio some of the images I enjoy coming back to most are the ones that tell a story, or that I can create a story from. These images were shot during a brief stay in Venice in 2018 while on my road trip with my youngest son. We spent a lot of time walking round and people watching and every now and then I would try to capture a scene. I have lots of pictures of buildings , bridges and canals which I think are pretty good but the ones of people feel a little more unique. My last post also shows some interesting people with interesting stories too so if you have not seen that it is worth a few minutes to take a look... 

Christmas at the Dock

 Here's hoping that everyone has had a good Christmas and is looking forward to a happy and successful 2023.

These shots are along the colonnades at Liverpool's Albert Dock (once home to Granada TV studio and the famous floating weather map). Tate Liverpool is also here now along with the Maritime Museum, shops, cafes and bars. Usually it is very busy along here but on a frozen morning, midweek in December there were few people around and it had quite a calm atmosphere.

Beach Life (Stranger on the Shore)

 I have a little more time on my hands right now and one of the things I aim to do is give a lot more attention to my photography and hopefully make this blog a more regular feature. When I started it, way back in September 2014 I intended to make it a daily thing and for some time I managed that. But then other things got in the way and to some extent the pressure of blogging every day, finding something to post actually became counter productive. I wasn't always happy with the pictures I shared and over time the gaps between posts got longer.

I want to post more regularly but I also want the images I share to be worth sharing and I want to see a progression in my photography and editing skills. So let's see how that goes... One of the things I also did in the early days of this blog was to post links to music that somehow connected to the images and I think I will revive that (although not every time I post something), it won't necessarily reflect my tastes in music but hopefully will have some relevance to the post.

A few weeks ago I went for a walk out to the waters edge on the beach at Hoylake and then I followed the beach around to West Kirby. I took lots of pictures of people and things, in all I walked about 8 miles. It was nice to watch other people out on the beach, dog walkers, couples out for a stroll and families having fun. 

The couple in the first image caught my eye, they were sat for ages just looking out across the beach from Red Rocks (this area is normally covered by the tide), towards Hilbre Island; I wondered what their story was, I walked closer to get the shot, but I did not intrude.  

As I was preparing this post I thought about the following tune that I remember as a child (it was released before I was born and was the biggest selling single in the UK in 1962 (how times have changed)) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTl-iAF6KsE it is a very mellow tune that fits with the atmosphere of this first picture.

The second shot shows some of the people walking around the marine lake silhouetted against the "warm" winter sky. It is good to walk around the lake, and when the tide is in it is quite an experience to be surrounded on all sides by water.

I love living so close to the sea and having the opportunity to enjoy this wonderful coastline. 

Street Life

This past week I have had some fantastic photo opportunities. Firstly on Wednesday I did a photo shoot for a local firm of architects (SDA Architecture) and hopefully I will be able to share some of those images in the near future. Then over the weekend I have been in Versailles and Paris and I have taken hundreds of pictures, enough to keep my blog going for weeks although it is likely that I will mix things up and come back to these pictures at different times.

I had gone to Versailles to visit the new LDS Temple which has recently been completed. It is a beautiful building and such a tranquil and spiritual place;  it was definitely worth the trip to see it.

I also spent a day in Paris and as well as having a wonderful lunch with good friends I went walkabout with my camera, oh yes and treated myself to a box of Debauve et Gallais chocolates (it has become a bit of a habit/tradition when in the City of Lights).

I have lots of shots of the famous landmarks from my previous visits to these two fine cities so I wanted to try something different and so I went with the intention of trying street photography. I have wanted to do this for some time but I have been wary in case people took offense or became angry at having a camera pointed at them by a random stranger. So I took it gently at first taking pictures of the activity in the market square and surroundings but I got braver as the weekend went by. Happily only one person objected, and I will have fun sorting through and sharing some of my favourite moments with you.

The first picture was actually my first attempt at pointing my camera at a stranger, he looked straight at me and asked if I wanted to take his picture and the moment was gone because I didn't want a pose but as he walked by speaking to me I captured this shot which works well and we both went away smiling.

The second image was lovely scene I spotted as I walked along an avenue of trees. I saw this man and small girl perhaps a grandfather and his granddaughter , looking out of their apartment window, watching the world go by. I lifted my camera to capture the scene just at the point they spotted someone they knew across the street and reached up to wave. I think it tells a lovely story.

The third shot caught my eye as I like the orderliness of the stacked tables and chairs in the shade of the trees bordering the Place D'Armes in front of the chateau. 

For the last of today's images I had spotted this cafe/restaurant, I love the exterior and thought it would make a great picture for my blog and just as I prepared to take the shot the door opened and this girl stepped out followed by her boyfriend. I think the shop front would have made a great shot on its own but the addition of the girl brings the picture to life.

I hope that you have enjoyed these pictures and if so please come back over the coming days to see some more.