Category: photography

Curvy Round house

By cpadmin

Image of the week – Curvy Round house in Hastings 

Curvy Round house image of the week
Curvy Round house – image of the week

This lovely round corner house is found in the back streets of Hastings, on the South Coast of England. In the TV series Foyles War this house became the home of Detective Christopher Foyle. Michael Kitchen played the detective in the series set mostly in World War 2 and Honeysuckle Weeks played his assistant. 

No straight bits

I love the curves of the building and the fact that it is sits on a curve in the street too. The door panel is the only piece of straight wall! It would be lovely to see the inside of the building. Construction work was taking place in adjacent properties on the day I visited. This meant I had to work round a skip and make sure that it and other builder’s materials did not appear in the image! I noticed a lot of small grey stones in the gutters and at the side of the road, some are just visible in the picture. These were probably used to mask the double yellow lines in the television shots. I found Hastings an interesting place to visit, there was lots to see there.

Equipment: Sony SLT-A65V, Tamron 16-300mm

Settings f5.6, 1/640, ISO 100

To Greenwich on the Thames

By cpadmin

Travelled by boat to Greenwich on the Thames this week. Took advantage of the warm weather to sit outside on the boat and soak up the sun. It was just like summer. Travelling under Tower Bridge is always spectacular. Here we are so low that the bridge looks as if it is bending back. HMS Belfast is in the distance.

To Greenwich on the Thames
Under we go, Tower Bridge

The second image shows how little river traffic is on the Thames today as we journey to Greenwich. We are at New Crane Wharf in Wapping and have just been passed by a speeding police boat going in the other direction. Hence the wave! Symmetry is a word you might use about the buildings here! It’s also marvellous to look at the detail.

To Greenwich on the Thames
New Crane Wharf, Wapping

At Greenwich it’s worth walking to the top of the hill and taking in the view from the Royal Observatory. Canary Wharf continues to develop a pace. It is said that the number of tower blocks will make it look like Manhattan! You can just see the river bending round in the distance too.

To Greenwich on the Thames
View from the Royal Observatory, Greenwich

Equipment: Sony SLT-A65V, Tamron 16-300mm

Settings vary

Incoming Pelican!

By cpadmin

Incoming Pelican! Shru captured this Great White Pelican at Ana Sagar Lake in Ajmer, Rajasthan.

Incoming Pelican!
Great White Pelican

It’s a simple shot to capture. The incoming pelican has its wings out and is gliding in a wide turning circle in a clear sky to land nearby.

The bird’s wing span can range from 2.5 to 3 metres. These birds are so majestic! As the pelican circles, the individual feathers on both the leading and trailing edges of the wings are clearly visible. You also get the feeling that the beady eye is searching for the landing spot!

Canon EOS 7D Mark II EF-S  100-400mm II IS USM

Settings: F11   1/1250 ISO 400

Adventure in India

By cpadmin

Adventure in India December 2018

Shru’s adventure in India lasted for two weeks in December 2018. This iconic building has been on her ‘bucket list’ for a very long time.

Adventure in India
Taj Mahal

It was her first time touring the ‘golden triangle’ since she was 4! The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum made from marble. The guide informed Shru that the white marble changes colour depending on the light. Further, the minarets on the four corners are built slightly angled outwards. This prevents them collapsing on the tombs in the event of an earthquake!

This shot was chosen from the many many captured as the reflection in the water feature is shown this famous building in a different view.  There is movement in the water but the building is still recognisable.

Canon EOS 7D Mark II EF-S  18-135mm IS STM

F11   1/8000 ISO 6400

Let’s think of summer

By cpadmin

Let’s think of summer

 

Mike's Garden 2016
Multi-headed sunflowers

Mike's Garden 2016
Sunflower with colours from hanging basket in the background

Mike's Garden 2016
Vibrant yellow flowers on Kerria Japonica

Mike's Garden 2016
Closes up of poppy in front of the fence

Mike's Garden 2016
Tissue paper thin flowers of Cistus incanus

Let’s do away with the cold dreary days of January and February, let’s think of summer!  I can see the frost dripping of the tree branches and its cold and gloomy outside. We have the heating on now, but think of better times. In summer we can have the windows and doors open and sit outside and look at the flowers in the garden. Poppies, sunflowers, petunias – lots of bright colours. Purple Cistus and deep yellow Kerria Japonica. 

Have a look at the images I have included with the post. There is lots to look forward to. Hope this has cheered you up.

See more images in our garden galleries

Equipment: Sony SLT-A65V, Tamron 16-300mm

Settings vary

Curvy Tree Charlecote Park

By cpadmin


Image of the week

Image of the week – Curvy Tree Charlecote Park.

curvy tree Charlecote park
Curvy tree Charlecote park


Charlecote Park is grand 16th-century country house, surrounded by its own deer park, on the banks of the River Avon near Wellesbourne, about 4 miles east of Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. It has been administered by the National Trust since 1946 and is open to the public.

To the left hand side of the main house is the stable block. The path leads down to a bridge and onwards to the deer park. On the first weekend of the year, this pine tree caught my interest for the curvy way its trunk had grown upwards.

Perhaps the tree had been bent into a stake in earlier years. However, now the trunk turns right then it comes back to vertical at it progresses upwards. This is nature’s way of autocorrecting the mistakes that we humans make!

The house was not open to look round when we were there, Charlecote Park would make a lovely place to go again in the summer.

NB: This is the second go at this post as the original one did not transfer the image to Facebook!

Equipment: Sony SLT A65V, Tamron 16:300mm lens. F4 1/500, ISO 100.

Image of the week – Curvy Tree in Charlecote Park

By cpadmin

Image of the week – Curvy Tree in Charlecote Park.


Image of the week – Curvy Tree in Charlecote Park. Charlecote Park is grand 16th-century country house, surrounded by its own deer park, on the banks of the River Avon near Wellesbourne, about 4 miles east of Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. It has been administered by the National Trust since 1946 and is open to the public.

  • curvy tree Charlecote park
    Curvy tree at Charlecote park

To the left hand side of the main house is the stable block. The path leads down to a bridge and onwards to the deer park. On the first weekend of the year, this pine tree caught my interest for the curvy way its trunk had grown upwards.

Perhaps the tree had been bent into a stake in earlier years. However, now the trunk turns right then it comes back to vertical at it progresses upwards. This is nature’s way of autocorrecting the mistakes that we humans make!

The house was not open to look round when we were there, Charlecote Park would make a lovely place to go again in the summer

Equipment: Sony SLT A65V, Tamron 16:300mm lens. F4 1/500, ISO 100.

January Colours at RHS Hyde Hall

By cpadmin

January Colours at RHS Hyde Hall today.

A display of Colour at RHS Hyde Hall today

January colours at RHS Hyde Hall today. A cold misty day, we scraped ice off the car to get it going.

  • January Colours at RHS Hyde Hall
    The partially frozen lake
  • January Colours at RHS Hyde Hall
    Yellow Mahonia
  • January Colours at RHS Hyde Hall
    Undulating hills
  • January Colours at RHS Hyde Hall
    Callicarpa bodinieri
  • January Colours at RHS Hyde Hall
    Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’

When RHS Hyde Hall opened today there was a queue of schoolchildren but very few normal members. The walk around the gardens took over an hour, it was too cold to linger anywhere. Ice covered both ponds in parts and some of the plants had a covering of frost on them. Yet if you looked there was colour. The Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’ was particularly vibrant. Here there gardens have enough space to place enough plants together to provide a spectacular show of yellow and red colours. Yellow Mahonia plants were also striking and looked good in close up. In focus in one image in the foreground, the purple berried Callicarpa bodinieri is set against a background screen of yellow Cornus sericea. Pastel shades were also on display in the winter sky over the lake and the undulating distant hills.

See our galleries of other images from Hyde Hall

Equipment: Sony SLT-A65V, Tamron 16-300mm

Settings: F5.6 1/50 ISO 100

    Photographic Angle 1st Prize in competition

    By cpadmin
    Photographic Angle 1st Prize in competition
    Photographic Angle 1st Prize in competition
    Cutting the tape. Barbara and Judith open the Schoolroom

    Photographic Angle 1st Prize in competition. Mike entered this international competition run by Photographic Angle and won first prize! The email arrived this morning and he is still picking himself up off the floor. “Community Spirit” was the title of the competition. The opening of Schoolroom at the Chapel in Woodham Ferrers was Mike’s choice of image. Barbara and Judith cut the tape to formally open the building. These are the judges comments:


    “A photograph that perfectly captures a moment, one which exudes community spirit. It’s hard not to smile along with everyone involved. The photographer has involved us closely with the two ladies involved in cutting the tape, while also allowing us to share the involvement of the bystanders, every facial expression adding a little something to the feeling of shared experience.”

    This is a link to the Photographic Angle website

    Barbara and Judith open the Schoolroom
    Certificate

    On the right lines!

    By cpadmin

    Waiting for Passengers

    On the right lines! This image was captured at Crich Tramway Village, Derbyshire, in October 2018.

    On the right lines!
    Glasgow tram ready to depart

    The venue ran trams on into the evening during half term week in October. Here the tram prepares to depart, watched over by an old police car and a “Dr Who” police box.

    There is a warming feel to this image, emanating from the light sources. Light from the tram’s spotlight turns the rails golden. The light also highlights the trams path, which is to slew right at the points on to the outward track.

    A queue of people (off camera) is waiting to board the two trams, which are empty at the moment. It was a real joy to play with the camera at this venue in the night time setting. Well worth the journey!

    Number 22 originates from Glasgow, the tram behind this one is from London.

    Equipment: Sony SLT-A65V, Tamron 16-300mm

    Settings: F5 1.3 ISO 200