15 Aug 2009 | B&W, Landscape, Wanderings, Wiltshire | No comments added... »
I came upon this as I was taking a MASSIVE detour around the Stonehenge traffic jams today. Cley Hill, right next to Longleat. Geographically speaking it’s on the edge of Somerset and Wiltshire, and curiously not made of clay (as the name suggests) but chalk. I saw it some way off as I came over a rise through a village and said to myself; Have to climb that one! Fortunately the road I was on went right to it, so we (the Dog and I) hopped out of the car and within moments were at the top and looking west to Somerset and east to Wiltshire. This view is looking east and you can make out Salisbury plane in the distance. Bright sunshine battled with patchy (but dense) clouds, so I sat and waited for a couple of broken up ones to roll past before taking a few shots. Light was too harsh for anything spectacular, it being 4pm-ish, but in black and white the contrasts the light and dark made, as they shifted across the open grounds below, really show up well.
[In true Hitchhikers Guide fashion] Wikipedia has this to say about Cley Hill (grid reference ST838449) a prominent hill near Warminster in Wiltshire, England. A 26.6 hectare area of chalk grassland at Cley Hill was notified as a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1975. Mostly Harmless. Unless you don’t like climbing hills.
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29 Jul 2009 | B&W, Plant-life, rain, Woodland | 1 Comment »
Although this summer has failed to brighten up on many levels I was still surprised by what I found in the woods today. The persistent rain over the past few weeks has, it’s true dampened my spirits slightly. So I resolved to face it head-on and went for a walk during a monumental downpour to some local woods. This served two purposes; firstly get the hell out of the house and secondly to satisfy my curiosity to really see what changes come when it’s absolutely chucking it down. I’m not talking about ‘lots of water from the sky’ type changes, nor the resulting puddles of it collecting on the ground as I walk. No, I’m talking about the change in atmosphere around me and how could I possibly capture that on camera?! (more…)
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13 Jul 2009 | B&W, Coast, Dorset, Landscape, Long Exposure | 1 Comment »
Well, I’m finally getting down to posting everything that’s been going on in the recent weeks. Not a great deal in one way and some good in another…building works, removal/moving and general heavy lifting has been hampering my time online – no bad thing really but then I’ve not been posting as much recently…um, at all! So, to kick things off anew here’s one from just the other day taken down on the Dorset coastline just next to the dramatic rock formation of Durdle Door. Quite a remarkable feature that really must be seen if ever in the area, and just around the corner (in opposite directions) are Bat’s hole and the famous Lulworth Cove. Geography field-trips abound with geological changes between rock types to enable such interesting creations, and it’s all here in the UK folks. Honestly, there’s no need to travel around the globe to see amazing landscapes – there’s so much just down the road to be found. On another trip I found the highest point in Dorset…some way from where this image was taken but still, found it I did and climb up it too, all 100 or so meters(!) but the views are unprecedented…I will return on a brighter day to create some images…
On another note it occurred to me this image (above) whilst perhaps not my most amazing shot ever does allude towards the direction I feel I’m heading, or at least find personally more rewarding and what I find moves me in terms of subject and style. I shall see what more develops as I explore my own findings and feelings towards this and report back later…
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14 Jun 2009 | B&W, Oxford, river, Travel | No comments added... »
I spent the day punting along along the river Cherwell through Oxford, very nice it was too! We took a picnic with us, some drinks (!) and whiled away a few hours meandering along the narrow winding river passing Oxford colleges and fields as we went. Rather peaceful it was too, provided you knew how to steer the somewhat unwieldy beast, not hard after a little practice…
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30 Apr 2009 | Archie, B&W, Coast, Dog’s Life | No comments added... »
When in doubt about the approaching waves seek higher ground and watch from a safe distance!
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07 Dec 2008 | B&W, France, History, Macro | No comments added... »
Rather than a lengthy description of each image I shall summarise; these are all items picked up from around the Somme region of France following the First World War. Cases and cases of helmets, bayonets, badges and other rusting artefacts found in the fields from, most likely, fallen soldiers. In one instance a map outlined the journey of one soldier from England, across the channel, south through France, up into the north of the Somme where he was killed…
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03 Dec 2008 | Abstract, B&W, France, Macro | No comments added... »
Its not all massive landscapes and snow drifts out here, the low temperatures transform everything.
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20 Oct 2008 | B&W, Bristol, Macro, Wanderings | No comments added... »
Another great thing about this time of year is all the wildlife you can spot, getting going early on a cool crisp morning can rarely be beaten
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25 Sep 2008 | B&W, Bristol, Weddings | 12 Comments »
Last week I was given the immensely enjoyable task of shooting a wedding for a friend here in Bristol, on possibly the best weekend so far this year! Blue skies and fantastic golden light greeted everyone as we exited the church to congratulate the two on their marriage…and here are a few snippets of the day’s events…
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23 Sep 2008 | B&W, Bristol, Clifton | No comments added... »
It got misty again so I headed out early, the day after a wedding I shot for a friend too…the sun came up and slowly burnt off all the mist leaving perhaps the warmest day this year so far just in time summer officially turns to autum!
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