Buoy on the Beach

 I know this is a pretty mundane object and most of the time I would just walk past without a second glance however on this particular day it caught my eye and I took a couple of experimental shots. 

I think the lighting and reflection combine to create an interesting image. The bold yellow against the layers of blue work really well together.

Sunrise over Ullswater

I think yesterday's image was pretty special but I think today's morning view is even better.

At the far end of the lake there is a light covering of mist and on the side of the fells you can see frost and ice.

I love how calm and still the water is, almost glass like and reflecting the sun perfectly. I call this a sunrise but actually it was almost 11a.m. but the winter sun remains low in the sky throughout the day.

A few minutes before I took this shot I met a couple who were also enjoying the lake, the woman went in for a swim but the water was too cold for her to stay in more than a few minutes. I asked her partner if she was doing it as a punishment or if she had lost a bet. He replied that actually it is good for you, leaving me to wonder if it is so good for you why didn't he join her.  Of course I know why he didn't, it was too flipping cold.

Sail On

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?

Decoy Duck

This is not actually a decoy but is a living and breathing Mallard drake. He was sat enjoying the Saturday sunshine at Mere Sands Woods. He almost looks carved from wood and I think I caught him blinking or sleeping.

He was so still and the water was so calm I was able to capture such a good reflection.

Fire On Water

I love this picture, it really does look like fire and water.

It is another reflection from Burton Mere, taken this past weekend. 

You may be surprised to learn that it is the reflection of some new willow shoots growing on the bank of a small island in the mere. The shoots are bright golden orange and as they catch the sun they look glorious against the dark background of the old wood. And of course as you can see here they create a wonderful abstract reflection in the gently rippling water.

Abstract Architecture

I hinted a few days ago that I had taken some different types of image around Venice.

I wonder if you can work out what you are looking at here...

When you think about Venice you most likely think "canals" or "Gondolas" and you probably expect photos of Venice to show picture postcard images of the canals and bridges and beautiful architecture but as well as photographing all of that I wanted to show something different.

On an early morning walk around the city I had been taking pictures of a city waking up but as I was looking at the canals I spotted some wonderful reflections as the early morning sun hit the buildings and was captured in the gently rippling water. My focus shifted from the formal architecture and street scenes to these abstract views. I took a series of photographs that morning and throughout the day to capture what I think is a special view of the city. Each picture is totally unique and every time you look at them something new is revealed. As I say I took a whole series of pictures I will be sharing some of this series over the coming days so hopefully you will keep a look out for them.

This approach is something new for me and so feedback would be very welcome.

Whats Up Doc!

These handsome birds are Puna Teal, a type of dabbling duck that is native to the altiplano in the Andes from Peru through Bolivia, Chile and Argentina.

I really like the look of these ducks with their two tone heads velvety black and snowy white, of course their beautiful blue bills. They are quite striking and they create wonderful reflections too.

I think there is something comical about the third shot and when I look at it I think Looney Tunes. Not Daffy Duck though, there is more of Sylvester the Cat with his puffed out cheeks. Ok I may be crazy but that's how it looks to me. 

Old Meets New

Liverpool is such a wonderful city with some stunning architecture and especially along the waterfront at the Pier Head. 

I love reflections and it was impossible to just walk past this view of the Port of Liverpool building reflected in the sheer black glass wall of the Open Eye Gallery which are probably my two favourite buildings in the city. If you ever get the chance you should head down to the Pier Head and enjoy the wonderful architecture and stroll through the Port of Liverpool  building looking up at the glorious dome over the atrium I promise you won't be disappointed.

I think looking at these images that the people walking in the shadow of the Open Eye are probably unaware of the perfect reflection of the building just across the road. The buildings are from different eras and in such different styles but somehow they work so well together.

I was faced with my usual dilemma between colour or B&W and I think on this occasion colour wins out, just but then again when I look at the pictures tomorrow I might just change my mind.

Pen Yr Ole Wen

ISO 160  24mm  F/16  1/25 sec

ISO 100  32mm  F/22  2.5 sec (Cokin P153 filter)

ISO 100  24mm  F/22  1/20 sec

So here are three views of Pen Yr Ole Wen shot from two different vantage points using my Canon 24 - 105mm F/4 L IS(USM) lens. The first two were from a little lower down the track and the mountain is reflected in the stream just below a small waterfall.

You can see from the first shot that there was a lot of movement in the water given the waterfall so in the second image I used a ND4 filter and a long exposure to smooth out the surface of the water, the reflection is still not too sharp and maybe a longer exposure or stronger filter would have achieved a better result. I'm not sure but to be honest I am pleased with both of these images.

While I was setting up in this spot I was watching a Dipper flying up and down this short stretch of river and I was debating whether to swap out my lens in order to try and capture a few shots. They are a bird which fascinate me and it is one of my goals to photograph one, so maybe this will be the focus of a shoot in the near future.

The third shot is from the shore of Llyn Idwal and sheltered by the mountains on either side the surface of the lake was pretty calm and so there is a sharper reflection.

All in all it was definitely worth getting up early and braving the icy conditions.

A Moody Landscape

Today's blog finds me a little closer to home than my recent posts. After a grey and miserable start to the day the skies cleared and we were treated to a brilliant blue cloudless sky and so after lunch I headed down to the beach at Caldy looking across the Dee Estuary towards Flintshire (North Wales). 

Normally from here you can see North Wales just a few miles across the bay and often you can see the mountains of Snowdonia but today the light meant things were a bit different. You may just about make out the Flintshire hills on the horizon but only just and even then only as a faint smudge or shadow.

Because I was shooting into the strong sunshine I have used a Cokin P series graduated ND filter to ensure these shots are not washed out and as such I have not had to do any real changes in Lightroom. There is a slight vignetting on the third shot but all in all I think it adds to the image.

I had experimented with shooting these scenes in black and white and I think they looked really good but as much as I like black and white photography I think the colours in these shots are spot on as they emphasise the moodiness and sense of isolation in each view.

Sunset over the Arno

I love this shot of the setting sun, low over the Chianti Mountains, reflected in the River Arno and providing back lighting to the Ponte Vecchio. 

I feel so privileged to have been able to capture this scene. I had tried the previous evening when the lighting was almost as good but unfortunately an intermittent fault with my camera meant I couldn't get the shots I wanted. I was so disappointed and didn't know whether I would be able to use my camera any more and we were only half way through our trip.

Fortunately the following day (and for most of the rest of the trip) my camera worked as it should and so I headed back up to the Piazzale Michelangelo to get the shot. I think you will agree it is a fantastic image 

Elvis and Katherine

Two very different pictures tonight, and really quite random.

The first one is my mother in law's teddy, Elvis. Named of course after her favourite singer Elvis Costello... Not really of course, she'd be pretty cross with me for saying that as she has always had a thing for "The King". Now Elvis sits watch over her as she sleeps.

The second shot is of a couple of small fishing vessels moored along the quayside at Greyfriars in Boston, my old school was nearby and I sat here eating my tea tonight overlooking the river as it is such a beautiful evening and a quiet moment for reflection and recollection.

Sunburst

This is the last of the pictures I will be sharing from my recent trip to North Wales when I visited the Syngun Copper Mine near Beddgelert and then the beach at Black Rock Sands near Porthmadog. I really didn't think I would get so many usable images from that day because the conditions were so mixed but I have been pleasantly surprised. 

As you can see it was a beautiful day although if you have followed my posts over the last two weeks you will be aware that it was actually bitterly cold and although the sun was high in the sky behind me a snow storm was blowing in.

I took this shot in landscape mode and again as here in portrait mode and while you might expect a beach scene to look better as a landscape image I think that with the position of the sun it looks much better in portrait mode. 

Shooting into the sun can often lead to washed out or over exposed images but I think I managed to get the settings just right for this one and I love the flare on the sun which was achieved in camera without the use of a filter.

Snow Capped

I really really love this picture. I had pulled into a little car park alongside Derwent Water to eat my lunch and looking back I saw this magnificent view. I took a number of shots from slightly different vantage points and I watched this cloud slowly moving towards me across the lake.

I love the colours in the sky and in the reflections, I love the pristine snow on the slopes of Skiddaw and I love the way the cloud appears to hang so low in the sky giving a great sense of perspective to the overall image. 

I am especially pleased to have captured this image because as I clicked the shutter first time nothing happened, my memory card was full and unusually for me I didn't have a spare with me. I almost decided that my day's photography was at an end but determined to capture what is one of the best shots of the day I scrolled through my card and deleted a number of images I had taken earlier in the day. I think you will agree that was a good decision. I think you can also see why, like so many other people I am so drawn to the Lake District and why I always have my camera with me.

Snowy Fells

I have chosen just one picture for today, this superb view across Derwent Water to the snowy peak of Causey Pike. I would have preferred less movement in the water so there was a sharper reflection but in spite of that there is a lot to like in this picture. I really like the colour of the sky with the promise of more snow, I like the wispy cloud blowing across the top of the fell and I like the layers of light and dark throughout the image.

It is almost a year since I was last in the lake district so I was happy to be there after such a long break and I was glad that the conditions gradually improved as the day wore on. I am constantly thankful to live in such a beautiful country with so many wonderful sights within easy reach and as much as I enjoy my job I am always looking forward to my next opportunity to get out into the countryside.

Behind Bars

I think today's pictures are incredibly sad. I almost decided not to post them but I thought it was important to do so.

This beautiful Great Grey Owl is one of my favourite owls, it is largest owl species and recently I have enjoyed seeing posts by photographers in Canada (John Ongaro for example) with shots of these superb birds in the wild against beautiful snowy backdrops. I would be so excited to see a Great Grey Owl in the wild, I can't tell you how excited, it is beyond words. They are so beautiful, graceful and majestic. 

I have taken pictures of them in the past, at Chester Zoo where they are housed in a large aviary where they seem quite comfortable and content but they are still captive and it feels wrong somehow. I was talking to a friend recently about just this point. I think zoos and wildlife sanctuaries have a place for supporting conservation and rescuing sick or injured animals but some species such as this owl don't necessarily need the protection that these places offer. Of course they give people an opportunity to see the birds for themselves and that is good but at the same time I feel sad when I see them restricted when they should be flying free.

The aviary that this particular bird is in isn't particularly small and I am sure that it complies with all "industry standards" but the front was made of wooden bars which made it impossible to get a clear shot and as you can see from the second image the face is framed by the vertical bars. The first picture is a cropped image for the purpose of showing the reflection of the bars in the owls' eye and that is what gives these pictures such a sad quality.

Well having said all that I hope the tone of today's post isn't too depressing or preachy but the pictures are actually technically good and have some merit and also  I promise that tomorrow I will post something much more upbeat.

Tufted Duck

This is a lovely specimen of a male tufted duck. In winter its plumage is brighter and crisper than in the summer when both male and female tufted ducks somewhat drab and dull by comparison. 

I particularly like the first of today's images because the tuft is more visible but also because of the perfect ripple forming rings around the duck. In the second image the birds golden eye is sharp and clear. It is a similar colour the Chancellor Palpatine's eyes in The Revenge of the Sith.

These pictures were taken at Mere Sands on New Years Day, shortly before the cormorant pictures that I shared on Monday. I had a good few hours there and will no doubt be back there before long when the weather is good enough.

A Dilemma

So here is what I think is a great shot of the stable block and pond at Dunham Massey, the pond supplies the power to the water mill via the sluice in the foreground.

The dilemma I have is "which is the better image?"

In both I love the reflections which are crisp and clear.

I love the warm colours and the blues in the first image but I really like the black and white image which to me has more character. 

Let me know in the comments which you prefer.

Also can you spot the two deer soaking up the sun? You might have to enlarge the image to find them...

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 

Misty Morning Reflection

I have been lucky enough to get out for some early morning photo shoots recently and I have been excited to share some of my pictures from those trips so I have taken a break from the flowers at Bodnant and today's shot is one of my favourite pictures for a long time.

Here is Bolton Priory beautifully reflected in the calm waters of the  River Wharfe in the Yorkshire Dales. It was early morning and the sun was rising behind me and the mist was slowly lifting from the fields giving a softness to this image.

This is a site that is often photographed but in the harsher light of the day it is nowhere near as atmospheric as in the dawn light and I am really happy with this picture and so glad I made the effort to get up early.