Solid State

It's getting colder. The morning commute is extended by the time it takes frozen fingers to scrape a frozen windscreen.  This torrent, by virtue of its volume and speed, managed to stay liquid.  Everywhere the water slowed down, however, was glazed with beautiful icy jacket.

Stone Cold Drunk

The British are famous for being a little disparaging about our European neighbours, but how could you fail to respect a nation that encourages drunkenness in its statues?  This tipsy lady is trying hard to stay on her plinth outside the Louvre in Paris.

At Least 40 Shades

Spain - and days of endless sunshine - seems like a distant memory now.  The Scottish version of summer involves a bit less sunshine and a bit more rain.  Actually, quite a bit more rain.  The silver lining to this particular cloud is that the countryside stays pretty green throughout the year.  Some friends are returning from Spain soon and will have this palette of greens to gaze out upon.  I hope it makes up for the lack of sunshine.

Knobs and Knockers

I'm sure that somewhere, tucked away in a dusty office in an ancient university, is the world expert on Spanish 17th Century door furniture.  However, I don't think we need to disturb any experts to understand what the creator of this door had in mind when this church (!) door was commissioned. This could be the front door to every house in every 'Carry On' movie.

There be Dragons!

One of the most refreshing things you can do on a hot summer day in southern Spain is walk up a water-filled gorge. Unless you walk for seven hours, but that is another story and the current subject of much domestic discussion...  Anyway, it turns out that humans aren't the only ones who enjoy the cooler environment at the bottom of the gorge.  This dragonfly enjoyed a brief rest on a stalk of grass from what seemed like a very busy life.

Confession time: my insect recognition leaves a lot to be desired. This may be a damselfly rather than a dragonfly...

Olives and Milk

There are many things to get excited about during a holiday in Spain; perhaps a lack of light is one of the less obvious ones.  The dark skies of the Spanish countryside allow the stars to glow beautifully, providing views that are denied to us in built-up areas.

Here the milky way galaxy arcs over an olive grove, with just a hint of civilisation lighting up the distant horizon. 

Fight to the Death

It's easy to imagine that all of the great life and death struggles of the animal kingdom take place on the searingly hot plains of Africa, but this battle took place in a slightly damper and cooler environment.  If you look closely enough, the coastal forest of northern Scotland is teeming with life; it's just on a much smaller scale.  Which is good - walking the dog wouldn't be much fun if there was a reasonable chance of being eaten.

This moth encountered a small spider and, despite the obvious size difference, the spider decided that it had found lunch.  The spider attached itself to the tail of the moth and clung on as the moth tried every trick in the book to dislodge its unwelcome passenger.  I'm guessing that some form of poison was injected by the spider though, as the relatively enormous moth succumbed in surprisingly quick time.

New Kid on the Block

This magnificently complex gothic edifice - Liverpool Anglican Cathedral - looks as if it has towered towards the heavens for many centuries.  In fact, that couldn't be further from the truth.  Construction was started a year after man's first powered flight, and wasn't finished until nine years after the first moon landing.  Famously, it is connected to the city's Roman Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral by Hope Street (more by coincidence than design unfortunately).  It is the longest cathedral in world and if you're fit and free from vertigo, its huge bell tower provides tremendous panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. 

The All-Night Sunset

I thought that this was particularly forward-thinking of the Maltese government: capture the sunset and pop it on top of a long pole so that people who miss the actual sunset can enjoy it all night.  Okay, that may not have been exactly what was going on here but if it wasn't I think I might head down to the patent office...

...And If You Look To Your Right...

Looking for all the world like spectators at Wimbledon, these Gentoo penguins were basking in the last rays of the sun on Bertha's Beach in the Falkland Islands. The beach is named after a sailing barque called the Bertha, which was wrecked on the shore many years ago.  As you wander among the resident penguins, it's still possible to spot timbers from the unfortunate ship in the dunes.  Unsurprisingly, the penguins don't seem to care much about maritime history.

The Downward Spiral

I spent a great day at the Museum of Liverpool perusing exhibits which tell the many different stories of this great city.  Some exhibits were plain and unassuming, while others were a bit more ostentatious.  But for me, the most eye-catching thing in the whole place was the central staircase.  Every angle brought a new view; and every view brought a new angle.  It's part lighthouse, part seashell and - at the risk of sounding like a staircase headcase - I could have wandered around it for hours.

Close Encounters on the Beach

What would an alien look like if he landed on Earth and decided that his first priority was a bracing stroll on the beach?  That probably wasn't the question sculptor Antony Gormley was asking as he placed dozens of these figures - made in his own image - on the beach at Crosby, near Liverpool.  Each figure is weathered differently by the sea, wind and weather and consequently they all seem to have adopted slightly differing personalities.  The statues stare out to sea in silent contemplation, encouraging mere humans to do likewise.  And just to bring the whole thing back down to Earth, this chap's 'spaceship' is the roof of the local leisure centre.

Last Light of the Evening Star

This is the fishing vessel Evening Star settling into the darkness of the North Sea.  Her crew is already safe, warm and dry on board the rescue helicopter as she rolls onto her side.  The last rays of our own evening star - the sun - glint off of her beam as she prepares to slide out of sight for the last time.

There is something deeply moving about watching a ship sink.  It evokes feelings that are quite different from those brought to the fore by any other kind of disaster.  I distinctly remember my last view of the Evening Star: the Scottish flag on her bow muted by a few feet of sea as she sank from sight.

Siesta

What do you do if you're a black rhinoceros and the African sun just gets a bit too much for you?  Well... there are worse things you could do than find a shady tree and have an afternoon snooze.  This beautiful animal was hand-reared after his mother fell victim to poachers and, as a result, he didn't mind a mildly petrified photographer interrupting his siesta.  I was introduced to him by his trusted human friend, who stayed close enough to ensure that this incredible encounter went smoothly.

Dying Light

There is plenty of light on the Western horizon but all of it is coming from the dying sun and none of it is coming from the distant lighthouse which, sadly, has already died.  Advances in maritime safety and navigational techniques meant that the beautiful structure was no longer needed to announce the dangers of this rocky coast.  The light was finally extinguished in 2012 but the local community wasn't ready to say goodbye, so bought the lighthouse and - after much refurbishment - it is scheduled to open to the public this year.

Water, Water (almost) Everywhere

As storm 'Doris' batters the UK, it's easy to forget that not everywhere enjoys our ready access to a plentiful water supply.  If you're building a palace or fortress in Southern Spain for instance, you could do worse than afford yourself the luxury of a few ornamental fountains.  Nothing too ostentatious of course - leave that to the Italians.  Just a gentle trickle from a beautifully simple source, coloured to reflect the surrounding terracotta roofs, with just enough of a babbling sound to echo around the sunlit courtyard.

Daily Commute

I've just been to Malta for the first time and was completely enamoured with the place.  It was a working trip and our daily commute began and ended with a water taxi across the harbour.  Being on the water as the last rays of the sun painted the magnificent sandstone architecture of Valletta was the perfect end to a busy day.

The Tiny Disappearing Act

One of the nice things about photography is that it gives you the opportunity to observe and understand the world around you.  So this scene was particularly frustrating.  I've got no idea what was going on here.

Dozens of these rocks were lying in the River Avon and each rock had one - and only one - sunbathing passenger.  As I moved in closer to photograph this individual, I was amazed at how close I could get without it scuttling off to safety.  On closer inspection, however, it was obvious that there was nobody home.  The previous occupant of the insect suit had carefully unzipped it and gone off to somewhere else, dressed as something else.  Perhaps the aftermath of an insect fancy-dress party?

Blooming Housing Market

When I was a poor student, luxury accommodation consisted of a room with a window and access to a toilet that was shared with fewer than a dozen other students.  Things appear to have moved on a bit and most halls of residence here come with en-suite bathrooms and state of the art cooking facilities.  This building even looks quite good from the outside - and the view over a wildflower meadow must make even the most appalling hangover seem just a little more bearable.

Peace at Last

Scotland is an amazing place and the Scots are an amazing race.  We discovered half of the world and invented pretty much everything else.  Okay, I exaggerate slightly but we founded the US Navy and invented golf, marmalade and Sherlock Holmes; how much more diversity do you want?  The other thing that the Scots have been pretty good at is knocking lumps out of folk with very sharp objects.  And when we get fed up with that, we knock lumps out of each other with very sharp objects.

This cottage looks as if it's in the most tranquil of settings, but it sits on the site of the last pitched battle on British soil: Culloden.  In April 1746 a Jacobite army containing a large number of Scots charged into a Government army containing a large number of Scots.  The outcome is well documented in the history books.  Despite the beautiful sunny scenery on this moor above Inverness, it was impossible to stroll across the battlefield without feeling a distinct chill.

Monarch of the Glen. Really?

The camera never lies.  Or so the saying goes.  A wise old photographer told me that the opposite is true; the camera always lies.  At the very least it gives us a two-dimensional image of our three-dimensional world.  At worst, it snatches a moment in time which is completely out of context with the unfolding reality.  Journalists love it, historians hate it, and the public is confused by it.

There's no real attempt at deception here.  That stag really was bellowing on a Scottish hillside beneath an approaching storm.  The fact that he was in the Highland Wildlife Park and was photographed from the window of a Ford Focus is beside the point... right..?

Catch A Falling Star

It never ceases to amaze me that even the most mundane stroll through the forest can reveal the most surprising sights.  It had just stopped raining as the sniffy dog and I began our walk and when she stopped to do what dogs do, I stopped for a look around.  This raindrop was caught in a basket of pine needles and was small enough to allow the surface tension to keep it as a perfect little sphere.

A Little Light Exercise

I love the shapes that architecture gives us and there are few old buildings with more dramatic shapes than a lighthouse.  This isn't an active lighthouse; it's now a museum in the north of Scotland and it has been beautifully preserved for the public.  The chains which disappear into the void of the stairwell support the weight which turned the lantern.  Once the weight had worked its way to the bottom one of the lighthouse keepers had to hoist it back to the top.  Every couple of hours. Every day.  Forever.  It's little wonder that they didn't feel the need to put gymnasiums into these magnificent structures.

Clouds in Her Eyes

This hare was hoovering up some particularly delicious grass in the lush, green strip above the coastal dunes in the Falklands.  I know that the grass must have been delicious because she barely acknowledged my presence, even though I ended up lying just a few feet from her.  A beautiful South Atlantic autumn day is reflected in her eye.

Do Go Chasing Waterfalls

I don't often take the opportunity to do much photography at home; most of my photos are taken on holiday or while travelling with work.  This one was different though.  My daughter was doing a photography project at school so we both set out to photograph moving water.  This was my effort and it was surprisingly easy to achieve: find a lovely waterfall; set camera on tripod in the middle of the stream; eat delicious sandwiches while occasionally pressing the remote-control shutter release.

Not in the Shade

If you're a building, it must be quite demoralising to discover that you've been constructed in the shadow of a magnificent cathedral.  Malaga cathedral, to be precise in this case.  Who's going to spare you a second look?  This building, however, refuses to be sidelined by its taller neighbour and just glows with confidence and style.  I think it's the Episcopal Palace, but don't quote me.

Rebel Rebel

Generations of parents have argued with their children because the little darlings wanted to be different.  Tattoos, pink hair dye and tartan mini skirts have all been topics for heated discussion in most families' lives.  The reassuring (or frightening, depending which side of the fence you're on)  thing is that eventually the children evolve into their parents anyway.  Turns out that it's no different for King Penguins.

A Little Ray of Sunshine

Sometimes the best shows aren't on the television.  This light display was photographed from the living room window and despite being spectacular, it only lasted for a few minutes.  The rays converging on the horizon are anticrepuscular rays.  They are sun's rays which have travelled across the sphere of the atmosphere and they disappear at the antisolar point; the point on the horizon directly opposite the sun.

It's a Hard Life

Some animals have a relatively easy life; food on tap and a nice, safe environment.  And others...  Well, others have to throw themselves off of a 300' cliff into the boiling waters of the South Atlantic in order to secure their next meal.  This young Imperial Shag on Sea Lion Island in the Falklands has a difficult and dangerous life ahead of him.

The Grass Roots Sunset

This wouldn't be a photographic blog without the odd sunset and this, for me, was a bit of an odd sunset.  I had wandered outside at work with a camera as the sky caught fire.  The photos, despite the best efforts of Mother Nature, weren't what I was after, however.  At that point I dropped the lens cap into the long grass and during the ensuing search on my hands and knees I looked up and saw this.  

Some very clever photographer once said that the best zoom lens is your legs.  In my case, it was my hands and knees.  Sometimes the photograph you're trying to take is only a few inches away...

Take a Bow. Or Two...

Meanwhile, back in Liverpool...  The city is rightfully very proud of its maritime heritage.  The dock area is a great place to explore and a lot of money has obviously been spent on rejuvenation over the last few years.  Even the architecture has been carefully chosen to reflect the city's maritime roots.  This beautiful building literally mirrored the older buildings of the area, and metaphorically mirrored the bow of this very bright lightship.

Home Sweet Home

Some places look beautiful irrespective of the weather conditions.  This is the local beach at home and it's definitely one of those places.  Whether it's weathering a storm or basking in sunshine, it's a great place to wander.  The dunes on the left of the photograph were - so the story goes - 'seeded' by a railway carriage being placed on the foreshore many years ago.  Sand gradually built up around the carriage and we now have an extensive dune system.  However, many of the dunes are quite fragile these days and erosion during winter storms has become a serious problem. 

Preparing for Winter

One of the many benefits of living in the frozen north is watching the antics of the Red Squirrels as they prepare for the onset of winter.  This little guy was collecting nuts in the coastal forest and didn't seem too upset by my presence.

Reflections of History

I currently live in the north of Scotland but the chap who manages my career has got a good sense of humour, so I've been working in Liverpool for a while.  I don't think I've ever been so surprised by a city.  All negative connotations evaporated as soon as I had the opportunity to explore the place on foot.  I'm sure if you look up 'architectural juxtapositions' in the dictionary it just says: 'Liverpool'.