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.