Tuesday, 31 January 2017

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.

Friday, 27 January 2017

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.

Monday, 23 January 2017

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.

Saturday, 21 January 2017

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.

Friday, 20 January 2017

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.

Tuesday, 17 January 2017

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.

Sunday, 15 January 2017

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.

Wednesday, 11 January 2017

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...

Monday, 9 January 2017

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.

Sunday, 8 January 2017

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. 

Friday, 6 January 2017

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.

Thursday, 5 January 2017

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'.