New gallery on the website - Liverpool

The images from my trip to Liverpool are now on the website mainprize.net. Check them out and let me know what you think.

25 June - Trip to Liverpool

Port of Liverpool building


Last month I went to Liverpool for a conference. As I always have a camera with me I could not resist getting out and taking a few shots.

Waterfront I



There are more images going on the website mainprize.net.

24 June - Monochrome it is


Tern dive


I now only take monochrome images, or rather I only show monochrome. All the colour images have gone from the website mainprize.net. I will still be taking colour photographs but they will be developed into monochromes. I will also take personal photos of the family in colour, but I even prefer those in monochrome, but most of the family don't.

Scarborough Spa I


So why monochrome? It is difficult to say other than the clarity of the images appeals to me. The image is broken down into it's constituent parts and I think my mind can concentrate on the main theme in monochrome, whereas the colour seems to distract me. This is why I preferred pastel colours to the usual bright 'in your face' colour that seems to be all the rage. Certainly when one looks at the most popular images on Flickr and Photo.net it is.

York Minster II


There is a lot written by many more erudite and knowledgable than me, but in my opinion all that matters is whether you find your image aesthetically pleasing. I find monochrome more aesthetically pleasing and most of the images that others have taken that I wish I had taken happen to be monochromes.

The Bay IV


So there it is. I am not going to rationalise why anymore. As the sky is full of variable cloud I am going out to take some photos.


June 23 - The last day of colour

Having returned from Rome with many ideas and a refreshed determination to pursue the images I like, today is the last day there will be colour images on my website mainprize.net.

Here are some of my favourites and why:

Cayton Blue
 A shot taken away from the sunrise. I love the blue tones of twilight, in this case supplemented by the pink of a developing sunrise.

Cayton pastel
 Up before dawn, by the sea, peace, beauty and then sunrise like this. What more can one want!


Moonlit Coble Landing II
 I had been waiting for a clear night and a full moon for close to 3 years when the moon would be in the right place for some shots over Coble Landing in Filey. I often venture out on a full moon only to be disappointed that there is too much cloud. When the moon is low it is often hidden by a bank of cloud on the horizon on this part of the English coast. This night was an exception and I spent several hours wandering and taking moonlit shots.


Rainbow over Filey
 What a day this was. We were driving back towards the coast following they almighty storm. The clouds were fantastic and the sun was shining in such a way that I knew a rainbow was imminent. We raced along trying to get to the coast before the rainbow disappeared. Of course when we got there the place was full of tourists and there was nowhere to park. Many were drenched as the downpour had passed through. Eventually we managed to park and as I always have camera gear in the boot of the car I grabbed the kit and the sturdiest tripod and dashed to the seafront. Although the rainbow had moved off the beach there were still some stunning scenes to be appreciated and photographed.

Moral - always have your gear available and always anticipate the weather.


Pastel Filey
A bitter February morning. This is a several second exposure to recreate the dynamism of the sea. Again this was taken just before sunrise, having spent a couple of hours on the shore awaiting and then photographing in twilight.

All of the above shots were taken within 5 miles of where I live. I am lucky to live in what I consider to be one of the most beautiful parts of the world.

Start of June - trip to Rome

I am about to go to Rome for a week to do some imagery. I am taking a limited travel kit and look forward to the images I can create. When I get back I am changing the website and removing all colour, replacing them with some new monochrome images, as well as some favourites. Blog posting will be more regular when I return and as I do when I travel I am hoping to upload to my other blog - Hipstamatic Traveller.