Another from the Taking a Break series

All Work and No Play

All work and no play makes for a dull day.  I thought it was time to relax and play a little.

Recent Work

Here is a selection of some of the pictures which I have been working on over the last week or so.

Sage in Pastels

The Shard, Imperial War Museum, Salford Quays

The Lowry, Salford Quays

Shop Window, Trebarwith Strand

Rockscape, Sandymouth

Rockscape, Sandymouth

Stokesley Pantomime

I was persuaded to take photographs at our pantomime yesterday evening.  It's all very amateur dramatics and mostly involves children.  The whole thing is organised every year by the lady playing the blue fairy.  It takes place in the town hall with just 2 matinees, with a party for the kids, and 2 evening performances.  At the evening performance you get mulled wine and mince pies.

News Update

Yesterday evening I was very surprised and privileged to become an Honary Vice-President of Stokesley Photographic Society.

There hasn't been much time for processing pictures recently but over the next 2 or 3 weeks I will be working on a presentation I am doing as part of the Permajet Lecturers' Day in conjunction with the RPS Central Region which will be held at Smethwick PS club rooms on Sunday 30th January.  Hopefully I will find time to put some of those pictures here as I work through them.

A few more pictures

I'm not good at remembering to post images here.  Time seems to run away with me.  Here are a few pictures which I have been working on recently.

We had a set subject competition at Stokesley Photographic Competition which was "Vernacular and agricultural buildings of North Yorkshire".  I don't like set subject competitions but like to support the club and enter something.  This picture of a barn door tied up with string was awarded 1st place in the projected image section.

This then led to finding two other images of the same door to make a set of three.

This picture of barns at Gunnerside was originally taken in spring when the grass was green.  I converted the colour image to black & white, using the I-R preset in CS5.  Added some white noise to make it look as if it was snowing.  This was printed on a heavyweight textured paper and was Highly Commended.  

So a reasonable result for somebody who doesn't like set subject competitions!

We visited Auschwitz a few years ago and I think this will make a good entry for our next set subject competition which is "Roads, railways, tracks and paths".

On the theme of WW2 we spent a day at the North York Moors Railway WW2 weekend earlier in the month and this is one of the pictures which I have processed so far.

This happy couple are members of Normanton Camera Club who enjoy attending 40's events and dress up to look the part.  Even the camera is of the right vintage.

The next two images were taken in Charleston Harbour, Oregon, when we were there in 2008.

Finally here are a couple of photos from my eldest son's recent wedding.  Unfortunately Guy and I didn't manage to be in the picture which includes both my sons and their families.

A few new pictures

Not much photographic activity lately so just posting a few random pictures which I have been working on recently.

Trees at The Trundle

Coal Tit

Blue Tit

Visit to Bath

More and more I find that I enjoy wandering around a city or town with my Canon G10 and just taking snaps of whatever takes my fancy.  These are from a visit to Bath earlier this year.

Watching over number 41

Is there anybody there?

Alternative Shopping

A helping hand

Infinity Bridge, Stockton on Tees

We spent a couple of evenings recently photographing the Infinity Bridge at twilight.  These are my favourites so far.

Just for a change .....

As well as working my way through the Farne Island images I have been playing around with a picture of an eryngium, Miss Wilmot's Ghost, taken recently in the garden.

This is the straight shot

A monochrome version

and one which is pure serendipity.

We also visited George Smith's Garden, near York, and I found this head residing in the greenhouse.

The Head Gardener

Probably the last birds for a while

I have now worked my way to the end of my files from our Farne Islands visit.  Here are just a few more of my favourites.

Razorbill

I couldn't resist a couple of portraits of the birds on the cliff edges.  Razorbill on the left and Shag below.

Shag

I couldn't resist this one taken from the land side of the fence.

The arctic terns will nest anywhere - these are on some steps.

Just as we were about to get on the boat to return to Seahouses a Ringed Plover was spotted on the beach.


And I can't say goodbye to the Farne Islands without including my favourite picture of an Arctic Tern in flight.

More Farne Island Birds

It wasn't until we arrived on Inner Farne that we saw the Arctic Terns.  There are over 2,000 pairs nesting on the island and when we arrived it felt as if most of them were coming to greet us.

As you walk along the path Arctic Terns, with their chicks, are right beside you and the adults soon let you know, with a fierce peck on the top of your head, that they don't want you to touch their brood.

Don't go without a hat!




Once we had run the gauntlet there were other birds to see.  More puffins, other gulls (I need an ornithologist with me), guillemots, razor bills, shags and a ringed plover.













The gulls seem to find the most precarious nesting places!