Image of the week - Tower Bridge nocturne

Tower Bridge nocturne VI
Nikon D800E 70-200 f2.8 @135mm 13 secs at f10

Taken on a stroll at night along the South Bank. The day was hot and the sky clear and so I took advantage of the warm, dry night. See the next post.

Image of the week - Scarborough South Bay

Scarborough South Bay VII

Taken before sunrise. the drama of the light with the band of cloud across the sky and it's reflection in the pool, as well as the pool itself, lead the eye through the image. I love the solitude of 3 o'clock in the morning!

Armed Forces Day Scarborough 2013

Red Arrows over Filey II

This was a day when thousands of people descended on `Scarborough as the Red Arrows were displaying. The facilities were said by many to be inadequate. Those of us who live in the area and carry out our life in Scarborough on Saturdays regretted having to go in and out of the town that day.

When I was free all the available spaces were taken and so the family and I went to Filey and I set up to photograph the whole display from there. This was thought out because the sun was likely to be right where the planes were flying - and so it happened according to friends who based themselves on the beach or in the town. I also wanted the castle in the background.

Red Arrows over Scarborough I

We watched the whole display and followed the planes flying in and out over Filey. The display was great with the backdrop of the castle.

Red Arrows descend on Scarborough

Second World War flypast I

London in the rain

I love bad weather. Why? Because it is challenging photographically. You have to find a way to depict the bad weather as well as the place you are photographing as well as protect yourself and your gear.

I spent a week in London in May and have just about finished selecting the images I like for the website. Most of the week was dull, with non-variable grey sky. However a couple of days it really rained. I managed to protect the camera under an umbrella and tried to get some shots that showed Londoners continuing about their business. Here are some of these shots.

Millenium Bridge in the rain from St Paul's
Nex 7 Lensbaby Edge 80

Peter's Hill in the rain from St Paul's
Nex 7 Lensbaby Edge 80

Millenium Bridge in  the rain I
Nex 7 Lensbaby Edge 80

Millenium Bridge in  the rain II
Nex 7 Lensbaby Edge 80

Millenium Bridge in  the rain IV
Nex 7 Lensbaby Edge 80

Peter's Hill in the rain II
Nex 7 Lensbaby Edge 80

I used a Lensbaby to blur the edges and increase a feeling of misery which I heightened by developing the images dark.

I am heading to London again now and will continue my look at nature and how it interacts with the capitol. As well as how a city uses nature in the landscape. I will be posting some of these images in the  coming week.

New images on mainprize.net and a new gallery

I have added lots of new images. There is a whole new gallery of abstract reflections in water. Let me know what you think.

Check the new images out here.

and the new gallery Light Dancing here.

Flamborough - be careful walking on the Yorkshire coast

Summer Rose in winter
Nikon D800E 16-35 30secs@f13

There is a lot of coastal erosion in this area and with all the wet weather we have had and the freezing nights the coastal paths are extremely slippery.

The car park at Thornwick Bay is closed as it is on a field and that is basically just a pool of mud.

Whilst taking these images I went full length and injured a finger, which I caught in my tripod. That is one of the pitfalls of photography - you watch the gear more than yourself and when you fall you usually look after the camera first - if you have time to think. Certainly the last couple of times I have slipped - on wet rocks and mud - I have saved the camera in preference to me. Daft, but essentially reflex.

Flamborough North Landing X
Nikon D800E 45 PCE - stitch of 3 images

So tread carefully and be aware.

Rome - a tourist's mecca

To me Rome is:

Noisy

Dirty

Roman graffiti, Via Appia Antica

Piazza della Rotonda I

 Cultural

Vatican Museum I

Busy

Vatican Museum II

Scooters

Beautiful

Rainbow over Rome

Via Appica Antica I

Contradictory

Francis of Assisi

Yellow-legged gull from Il Vittoriano

Exciting

Piazza Navona

And I love it!

I have added images from my latest trip to the Rome gallery.

Roaming in Rome

Once again we are in Rome and have been for the last week. We are waiting to fly back to the UK today.

This is our second recent visit to the capitol city of Italy and it was very different from the last. Not only was the last in May when it was hot and dusty, but this was in winter when there was rain, cold and even temperatures around freezing. We had thunder too. Unlike last time the hotel was slightly further out from the tourist sites and I shall outline the lessons from this when we return. In fact I have several lessons to point out about travelling as a photographer with a project and images in mind. My aim was to capture the people of Rome, the tourists, and how they contribute to the city. The impressions I got of Rome this time were noise, chaos and graffiti and dirt. I hope to portray this more in my images than the last trip where I aimed to look at the romanticism. Both trips I hoped to portray the juxtaposition of the history and the modern.

For images from the previous trip look at the Rome gallery by clicking here.

Snowed in for a day at Keldy Forest - tips for snow photography

Keldy Forest
Nikon D800E 16-35 f4

We spent the weekend in Keldy Forest in North Yorkshire. Having driven there in driving snow by Saturday morning it was so deep that the road was closed. This was very exciting for the kids. From my perspective I had a camera and a tripod and was hoping to capture some minimalist and dramatic snowscapes.

Keldy Forest
D800E 70-200 f2.8

Photographing the open spaces that are accentuated by the snow is of course an exposure challenge and some of the images here were shot 3 stops overexposed, with the snow being a great minimaliser. The forest itself was stunning with some of the tree trunks covered in patches of snow.

Beware walking on soft snow that has fallen on ground that is not frozen. I have heard of photographers getting stuck in mud under deep snow, and falling, thereby dropping their gear, and cameras do not like a bath in snow.

Keldy Forest
Nikon D800E 16-35 f4

Beware the cold reducing battery power and therefore make sure you have enough with you.

Be aware that the exposure is difficult and therefore check your histogram or bracket - in general add light.

Make sure your tripod is steady. This can be difficult in deep soft snow that has fallen on soft ground. The only tip I have is to push the tripod legs into the snow and ensure it is steady before you expose the shot.

Keldy Forest
Nikon D800E 16-35 f4

Remember that walking in deep snow is tiring and so be aware how far you are going and do not allow yourself to become so engrossed in the beauty of the landscape to forget where you are and what you are doing.

If you have any further tips please let me know them.

Beach photography tips

I spend a lot of hours by the sea photographing the coast, usually taking long exposures. I am often asked for tips on my approach and how to do it. So Here are a few of the common tips I pass on.

1. Know the tides.
2. Know where the sun will be.
3. Make sure you have suitable footwear.
4. Have a bag that protects your gear from the sand and make sure the bag is put down well away from the surf and out of the range of the waves. Remember the rogue wave. Rucksacs/backpacks can be a problem as you can get coved in wet sand. The Lowepro Flipsides are good to prevent this or use a shoulder bag.

5. Use flat feet for your tripod or rest the legs on pebbles. I usually do the latter as I forget the feet or do not want to carry them.
6. Watch the weather. I have been caught when I have been so engrossed in the scene and I got drowned by a rain storm. Beaches can be very isolated and have no protection. I always carry waterproofs in my bag, but even so it can be miserable.
7. Unless you want people, dogs or footprints go to isolated places, go very early or as the tide recedes.