Padstow, UK
27 December 2024
Spent the Christmas week down in Padstow, Cornwall. This place is a personal favourite. I just love the relaxed vibe (and, of course, the many great restaurants!). The plan was to get out and about with the camera during our stay but the weather conditions just didn’t fall in our favour. The light was flat throughout the entire week with low cloud and fog each day so I had to content myself with taking shots around Padstow itself, which as it turned out was no chore as the Christmas decorations were up and the streets looked very festive. The shot above shows the harbour in all it’s Christmas glory during a brief window of clear weather on the day we arrived.
On Boxing Day, there was the Mummer’s Day parade around the town. This is a traditional Cornish midwinter celebration that occurs every year on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day in Padstow. It was originally part of the pagan heritage of midwinter celebrations that were regularly celebrated throughout Cornwall where people would take part in the traditional custom of guise dancing, which involves disguising themselves by painting their faces or wearing masks. Padstow certainly knows how to party!
York, UK
09 December 2024
Spent the weekend in York for some Christmas street photography. The excitement was almost palpable with the streets packed with Christmas market shoppers, enjoying the festive wares and numerous mulled wine stalls. Krampus and friends were also spotted out and about, looking for children who misbehave at Christmas, but it was all taken in good fun by the crowds who followed them around the streets.
This shot of the famous Shambles (said to be the inspiration for J.K. Rowling’s Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter books) was taken in the early hours of the morning, when all the shoppers had returned home leaving the streets empty and quiet. The medieval city of York really is an enchanting place and like something from the pages of a fairy tale.
London, UK
01 December 2024
Down in London for some night time photography. We started early evening from the Tower of London and headed through the Financial District, stopping along the way to photograph The Shard, Leadenhall Market, and The Gherkin, before finishing off at Liverpool Street station.
Our hotel was a couple of minutes walk away from St. Paul’s Cathedral which allowed us to get out early the following morning to photograph the view from the Millenium Bridge. The bridge is prone to vibrations when people walk over it so not ideal when taking long exposures, but getting there before sunrise was perfect.
This view shows the Walkie Talkie building on the far left, London Bridge and Tower Bridge in the centre, and The Shard on the far right.
Skye, UK
10 November 2024
Travelled up to Skye for a week long photography trip. The house we had rented was right on the edge of Fairy Glen so it was only a 10 minute walk to Castle Ewan. We had visited here before but I never managed to come away with any shots I was happy with. We always seemed to be at the mercy of overcast or rainy days with no light. This time, we had prepared for the worst but had (secretly) hoped for the best and we were not disappointed. Not a drop of rain all week! We did have a couple of foggy days but that all added to the atmosphere.
Over the week, we visited the Quiraing (multiple times), Kilt Rock, and Bride’s Veil Falls but we couldn’t leave Skye without the obligatory visit to Talisker Distillery and taking home a few bottles. Slàinte!
London, UK
12 October 2024
Headed down to London for the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Natural History Museum. Although this was my first visit to the venue it had always been on my list but for one reason or another had never made it. The exterior of the building itself is incredible and the interior is just as breathtaking. Before our booked timeslot for the exhibition, we took the opportunity to wander round and explore some of the exhibits. My favourite had to be the dinosaur section with the fossils and animatronics bringing prehistoric times to life (my 8-year old self would also have loved it!). Oh, and lunch at the T-Rex restaurant wasn’t bad either.
The photography exhibition was well worth a visit too. It not only included the expected portraits but also examples of urban wildlife, behaviour, and photojournalisam, to name but a few. All images were inspiring and just what was needed to spark a renewed enthusiasm for the genre.
Afterwards, we headed up to the 72nd floor of The Shard for these amazing views across London at sunset.
PhotoPlus The Canon Magazine
11 October 2024
Great to see my Lofoten Autumn image from Reine, Norway included in November’s issue.
Bath, UK
28 June 2024
After a 9-hour drive in sweltering heat (including a few essential stops, of course), we finally made it to Bath. We were meeting up with a few other like-minded individuals for a photography workshop. After dinner and a few drinks the night before, we met outside the Abbey the following morning and made a plan for the rest of the day. We took some shots and from there headed up to the Royal Crescent and the Circus taking more photos along the way. The streets were busy so it was tricky getting the shots we wanted without having to wait for a break in the crowds but luckily we were staying for a few days so would have the opportunity to visit some spots again later. We spent the day exploring the city and even managed to fit in lunch on a rooftop terrace and try the famous Bath bun.
After the workshop, we had a few days to ourselves. One place that had been on my list to visit for many years was the Roman Baths. We pre-booked tickets for the first slot of the day in the hope of avoiding the crowds and it worked! We managed to bag some good vantage points before others arrived. In fact, we had pretty much taken all the shots we wanted before anyone else appeared. Just the way I like it. Afterwards, we walked across the square and went inside the Abbey. The interior was spectacular and so photogenic. I could easily have used up an entire SD card there alone.
Bath was wonderful with lots to explore, from the Georgian architecture to the tiny cobbled side streets. It also had some great restaurants too!
Liverpool, UK
01 June 2024
Down in Liverpool for a black and white photography workshop. Our hotel was directly across from Royal Albert Dock so was ideally situated to see the sights. Our workshop didn’t start until the following day, so we thought we’d leave the hotel early to grab some shots before the rest of the city was awake. The famous Beatles statue was only about a 10 min walk from the hotel, and at 0500 we were able to take our time without worrying about holding anyone else up (during the day there is usually a queue of people waiting to get a photo with the Fab Four). Later in the day, we visited the Museum of Liverpool and got some shots of the interior spiral staircase and then took a ferry across the Mersey (well, it had to be done).
Our photography workshop took us from Lime Street Station, through Mathew Street to the famous Cavern Club, and then down towards the Three Graces and Royal Albert Dock. This was my first time in the city and was a great taster. I’m sure we’ll be back.
Torridon, UK
22 May 2024
Spent a week in the stunning Torridon area in the northwest highlands of Scotland. The plan was for this to be a relaxing break with a bit of photography thrown in. We were based in Lower Diabeg, which was at the end of an 8-mile single track road from Torridon village. The road ran along the north shore of Upper Loch Torridon, Loch Shieldaig and Loch Torridon. The scenery was spectacular and the drive unforgettable (very few passing places and some steep vertical climbs with hairpin bends), especially along the aptly named Pass of the Wind. We spotted plenty of wildlife along the way, with deer being the most prolific. We had to keep our eyes peeled as they would often appear seemingly out of nowhere and dart out across the road in front of you.
We decided to head out early in the morning to try and catch a sunrise and avoid meeting any other drivers on the road. Although the weather was amazing during our stay, it always seemed to be misty or overcast in the early hours so we didn’t get any light at sunrise all week. So we made the decision to just stay out a little later each morning and embrace the conditions.
Skye, UK
30 March 2024
Easter weekend road trip to Skye. This has to be one of my favourite locations in Scotland; it is so photogenic. The weather was amazing (for Skye!) and since this was our first “proper” trip in our campervan, we couldn’t have been happier. We camped near Uig as we planned on visiting the Quiraing for a sunrise shoot and didn’t want to have to get up any earlier than was absolutely necessary (sunrise is a little too early for me at this time of year). I photograph here pretty much every time I visit Skye and had never seen a decent sunrise. Cloud and rain usually come into play at some point, but this morning was an exception. We had some amazing light and I managed to grab a few shots which I like (here and in the Portfolio section).
Iceland
09 March 2024
This was a trip I had been wanting to take for many years and the time had finally come to strike it off my Bucket List. We started off in Reykjavik and then spent the next week touring the south coast, taking in all the sights from aurora, reindeer, whales, glaciers, ice caves, sea stacks, and of course, the world famous waterfalls. Everywhere you looked there was a potential photograph. One of the highlights was heading up a glacier to visit an ice cave. It was truly a memorable experience. We were taken to the glacier in a 4x4 “Monster Truck” and after being provided with crampons and safety helmet, trekked up the glacier before descending the steps carved out of the ice into the cave itself. It was like something from another world. Who knew ice could be so blue?
Hamburg, Germany
09 February 2024
Weekend workshop in Hamburg to get some more experience in architectural and urban photography. I hadn’t visited the city before so wasn’t sure what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised by the number of unique looking buildings and locations just crying out to be photographed. Our first trip out was on Friday evening, when we managed to get some pretty good reflection shots on the Elbe of the Der Spiegel and surrounding buildings. Unfortunately sunset was a bust as there was no light but we carried on regardless, visiting some famous city landmarks before finishing up at the Speicherstadt and taking a few shots of the beautiful facades and balconies around the area (see photo). The following day, we were up before sunrise to photograph light trails at Landingsbrucken station and hidden staircases within the city in the afternoon. Sunday was our final day, and we started the day off at Dockland for sunrise. Again, the sun was nowhere to be seen but we still managed to capture some nice blue hour shots. Although the light could have been better all weekend (to at least help justify the early starts), Hamburg did not disappoint. It is definitely worth another visit as I still have to try the Currywurst after all!
London, UK
11 November 2023
Inspired by my recent trip to New York, I headed down to London for some architectural and street photography. This is a genre of photography I have avoided as I tend to concentrate on landscapes and nature but I have found I really enjoy it. We started off at The Scoop on the Queen’s Walk near Tower Bridge, which had an amazing view of The Shard (see photo), before heading to the city district to take in the modern skyscrapers such as The “Walkie Talkie” and The Gherkin and the more classical architecture of Finsbury Circus and the brutalist style of The Barbican. We couldn’t have been any luckier with the weather as it was a mild and sunny autumnal day. The clear blue skies hated by landscape photographers lent themselves well to this style of photography, creating wonderful contrast to our shots.
New York, USA
13 October 2023
The last time I visited New York was nearly 25 years ago so I was really excited to have the chance to go back and see how things had changed. The photographs I had taken back then weren’t great and I was really hoping to come back with some better images this time. Our hotel was located just off Times Square which made it really easy to travel to the different local areas. On the first day, we visited Brooklyn and photographed the area known as DUMBO (Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass) before making our way to Chinatown and Little Italy. The second day was all about architectural photography, so we started off at Battery Park and then made our way through the financial district before ending up at the 9/11 memorial and Ground Zero. The next day, it was urban photography. We started from the Chelsea Highline which gave us a different perspective looking down at the streets below before heading back towards Times Square and finishing up at the beautiful Grand Central Station. On the fourth day, we spent some time taking in Central Park. We saw all sorts of amazing sights from luxury wedding picnics to street entertainers in Strawberry Fields, paying tribute to the late John Lennon. The focus on our final photography day was street photography along Fifth Avenue. This isn’t something I do much of (if any) but it was great to try something outside my comfort zone and I really enjoyed it.
We were in New York for a week and amongst all this photography (and walking!) we still managed to fit in some shopping, a Broadway show, and of course some great restaurants. I just hope I don’t have to wait another 25 years before doing it all again.
PhotoPlus The Canon Magazine
19 September 2023
Really happy to see my Kingfisher image feature in October’s issue of PhotoPlus The Canon Magazine.
Cornwall, UK
28 May 2023
I had a few places on my list to visit while we were in Cornwall. We were based in Padstow, so I was looking for locations within a relatively short drive as sunrises were so early and sunsets so late at this time of year that it made travelling times something to take into consideration. As we were on holiday, I had decided not to try for any sunrises (unless conditions looked "perfect") and to instead concentrate on sunset locations. The downside to this, of course, is that you are often sharing the location with lots of other people and this can make getting the optimum position more challenging unless you arrive very early. This shot of Bedruthan Steps was by far my favourite from the trip. By arriving a couple of hours before sunset, we managed to secure a good viewpoint on the top of the cliffs which allowed the inclusion of the spring flowers in the shot. As sunset approached, the sky started to pick up a beautiful display of oranges and yellows.
Amateur Photographer Magazine
23 May 2023
Since I predominantly shoot landscapes, I was delighted to find out that some of my nature photographs were chosen to be featured in this issue of Amateur Photographer magazine.
Amateur Photographer Magazine
18 April 2023
I have long been a regular reader of Amateur Photographer magazine so was delighted to see some of my favourite landscape images feature in the Reader Portfolio section. To see your work in print makes all those early morning rises worth it.
Leeds, UK
25 March 2023
Spent the weekend in Leeds so I could attend the Photo North Festival. It was great to see my “Embleton Rocks” image printed and on display as part of the GuruShots “Best of Black and White” exhibition (24-26 March 2023).
This was the festival’s fourth year and not only included several exhibitions but also talks, film screenings, book/print signings and portfolio reviews.
PhotoPlus The Canon Magazine
This image also made it into the Top 10 of the Photocrowd “B&W Landscapes" competition and appeared in May’s issue of PhotoPlus The Canon Magazine.
Budapest, Hungary
03 February 2023
Just back from a trip to Budapest to see my photograph “St. Michael’s Mount” included in the Dramatic Lighting category of the GuruShots exhibition (03-05 February 2023). I had visited the city before so knew what to expect but my breath was still taken away by the beauty of the architecture and by the incredible views from the castle. Although this was only a flying visit, I still managed to get some images of the stunning Parliament building from across the Danube (see below). I had hoped to also get some shots of the famous Széchenyi Chain Bridge at night but unfortunately it was under construction and covered in scaffolding so this wasn’t possible. At least I now have an excuse for a return visit.
Amateur Photographer Magazine
My image of the Parliament building was featured in the 04 July 2023 issue of Amateur Photographer magazine.
Lofoten Islands, Norway
28 September 2022
After booking this trip in 2019 and cancellations in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID, we finally made it. And what a time to visit! Autumn was at its peak and the rich colours of the landscape were clearly visible through the plane windows as we came in to land at Evenes airport.
We were based in Ramberg and it was an ideal location from which to explore the surrounding islands, from the honey pot locations such as Hamnøy and Reine to the beaches of Uttakleiv and Vikten. Although I could quite happily have photographed just these areas all week, I had my fingers crossed we might be lucky enough to see the Aurora Borealis while we were there. In fact, we ended up being lucky on not one but two occasions. Although I was excited to see auroras on the first night (or rather at 0300!) at Skagsanden beach, they were much stronger and therefore more visible on the second night outside Ramberg, and I was delighted to get this shot from a nearby beach.
Skye, UK
29 September 2021
I have been a regular visitor to Skye over recent years as it has so much to offer from a photographic perspective. The weather conditions are different each time so there is little chance of ever becoming bored. It is also referred to as the “Misty Isle” as a result of these changes from rain and cloud to beautiful rainbows and light within minutes of each other.
On this trip, we decided to revisit a few locations to see if we could improve on the images captured on previous visits. One of these was Neist Point, home to one of the most famous lighthouses in Scotland, on the most westerly tip of Skye near Glendale. This is a well known sunset location and during peak season can be very busy with visitors. Trying to predict a sunset on Skye is extremely hit and miss as the cloud can roll in seemingly from nowhere and snuff out any light at a moments notice. Which is, unfortunately, what happened to us. Thankfully I managed to capture a few shots during Golden Hour, as a lovely warm glow from the setting sun was cast across the rock.
Maybe I’ll have better luck capturing that “perfect” sunset next time I visit.
Lewis and Harris, UK
08 May 2021
With travel restrictions relaxed, we were finally able to revisit Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides. We first visited in 2018 and fell in love with the natural beauty of Harris and its turquoise waters and white sandy beaches (and howling wind that threatens to cut you in two!) and promised to return. This trip was originally booked for 2020 but had to be rescheduled due to the first lockdown, so we were particularly grateful to be able to make the return journey this year.
We were on Harris for 1 week and throughout that time experienced all kinds of weather from torrential rain to glorious sunshine and everything in between. I like to think Mark Twain was referring to Scotland when he said “If you don’t like the weather now, just wait a few minutes”. The first 2 days consisted of torrential rain and high winds so opportunities to go out photographing the landscape were somewhat limited, so on Day 3 we decided to take the bull by the horns and go out regardless.
Everything looked promising, so off we set with the aim to photograph the salt marshes in Northton. We found a parking spot nearby and walked back with all our camera gear and found a good spot to set everything up. Just as the shutter button was pressed for my first image, the heavens opened and a downpour ensued. Typical! (or words to that effect). I tried sheltering my gear with my jacket but to no avail so decided to hunker down and wait for it to pass. After some time experiencing the worst deluge in living memory (OK, I may be prone to exaggeration) with no end in sight, I decided to admit defeat and quickly packed up and headed back to the shelter of the car. After only walking for a couple of minutes, the rain stopped, the dark clouds parted and the sun began to split the sky. Once again, typical! All I could do was make a quick dash back to my original spot, set everything up as quickly as possible before the rain started again and take some shots. Despite the frantic nature of the shoot I managed to get some decent shots, my favourite of which is shown here.
Anglesey, UK
27 September 2020
On holiday in Anglesey so took a trip to one of the local honey pot photography locations; South Stack lighthouse. The weather forecast looked promising for a decent sunset so we set off early and arrived around 1600 for sunset at 1900. After a short walk from the small car park at the RSPB nature reserve, we arrived at the cliffs which provided a good view of the lighthouse. After spending a while looking for a composition, I finally settled on one with some foreground interest leading round the curve of the cliffs to the lighthouse. Unfortunately, most of the heather had already bloomed so no beautiful purples to include in my shot. It was a glorious evening so it was no hardship to make myself comfortable and wait. As the evening progressed, others started to arrive to view the various sea bird colonies and a few rock climbers finished their ascent nearby. A jet ski being ridden in circles directly in front of the lighthouse threatened to spoil any potential photograph but thankfully it didn’t hang around for too long!
When the sun began to set, I had to make some tweaks to my composition to include it in the frame along with the lighthouse, so I ended up with a slightly different photograph to the one I had originally intended. I took many shots at different shutter speeds so I could pick the one I liked best. In the end, I settled on a focus stack of three images. The final image can be found in the Portfolio section.
Once the sun had disappeared below the horizon, we packed up our gear and headed back to the car for the drive back to our accommodation via the local Chinese takeaway. Well, who wants to cook on holiday anyway?
Portknockie, UK
07 September 2020
Took a trip to Portknockie on the Moray coast this weekend to try and get some good shots of Bow Fiddle Rock. I visited for the first time last year but wasn't completely happy with the images I captured so thought I'd give it another go. The weather forecast looked promising so I had everything crossed for some nice light. After dinner on Saturday night, we took a walk down to the rock to see what the conditions were like and whether it would be worth coming back at sunset. A beautiful golden glow was cast over the entire area but there wasn't much detail or colour in the sky due to the low cloud. Bow Fiddle Rock itself was busy and a few photographers had already set up their tripods so we decided to try for sunrise the following morning.
The alarm was set for 0430 and after a short walk from our hotel, we were at the rock before 0500 for sunrise at 0620. It was still dark when we arrived so I put on a head torch so I could see my way down to the shoreline from the cliffs above. After walking for about 5 minutes, I became aware of three sets of bright green eyes catching the torchlight and staring out at me from the cliff side. My first thought was "wolves!!!" (yes, I know...wolves in Scotland???) and my instinct was to pick up Archie, my Westie, and run back the way we had come. Just then, three deer darted out in front of us and ran up the cliffs. Phew! We made it down to Bow Fiddle Rock and had the area all to ourselves (thankfully not everyone wants to get up at silly o’clock on a Sunday morning), which gave us plenty of time to explore the rocks and try out different compositions and wait for the light. The early rise was worth it and we got some nice light and colour in the sky, if only for a short time before the cloud rolled in. At that point we called it a day, packed up our gear and headed back to the hotel for a well-deserved Full Scottish breakfast…followed by a nap.
I'm much happier with the images from this trip and I may just have got Bow Fiddle Rock out of my system.
Photographs can be found in the Portfolio section.