Here is a view from my garden, it shows a Black Poplar out-reaching all its neighbours and catching the last of the sun rays cutting in underneath the ever threatening black clouds. The contrast between the hot light absolutely screaming in and reflecting off the trees, and the dark sombre tones in the heavy leaden clouds is what forced me to stick my eye in a camera and capture the image.
(not so) Black Poplar catching some rays.
This is another shot at Salford Quays. Inside the Lowry is, in places, like an accident in a paint factory, and I think it is terrific. From this outside point of view we get a number of elements of the environment all in one view. Oh and there are two of the hoists there too.
Colourful reflections.
Took a walk around Salford Quays last week, Imperial War Museum, The Lowry, Media City. There is a lot of interesting architecture around there, some of which I would call industrial art. Some of the designs are way beyond pure functionality, like this huge hoist. It is one of four hoists that lift up a bridge. I liked the way rigid angles are combined with sweeping curves and the whole thing pierces the skyline.
Angles and curves pierce the sky at Salford Quays.
Getting desperate for some half decent springtime weather now! More snow is forecast though so not going to need the sun tan lotion for some time. Add to this the fact that the Chancellor stood up in the House of Commons today and told us all that the last three years of austerity, cuts and squeeze will go on for at least another four years!!! Funny, he said that in his first budget speech three years ago. Still, he knocked 1 penny off a pint of beer THUMP!! that was a lead balloon going down.
Anyway I thought I would introduce a little colour, we had this crocus and a hyacinth growing in what was a false dawn of spring, the hyacinth is in no fit state to pose for a photograph so here is the crocus that brought a little colour into the extended winter we are experiencing.
A splash of colour
We were out at the seaside last weekend enjoying a brief sight of spring weather. We had cool temperatures but it was bright and sunny. I made this picture from the pier and looking south towards Merseyside. The high clouds were being blotted out by a band of low cloud moving towards us. The leading edge of this blanket of clouds looks a little like waves breaking on the shore. Safe to say the few brave souls who were out on the sands wouldn’t be there much longer!
Breakers in the sky.
I was admiring a picture on Chito L. Aguilar’s blog earlier today that I really liked. Then I thought I would look through my catalogs in LR because it is the sort of image that always draws me in if I happen across it. Sure enough I didn’t have to dig too deep and I found this image that I made in the early spring of 2012. This is Fountains Abbey in North Yorkshire, a World Heritage Site.
You can see the image that got me searching my catalogs here.
Fountains Abbey
I like wandering around the countryside for the peace and tranquility that is so easy to find. A really nice place for a walk is Swinsty reservoir (Google it) which is just over three miles of a circular walk. Pretty flat too with the difference in height between lowest and highest points about 50 metres. On one of our strolls around Swinsty we happened across a really serene view with an angler standing in the water in his waders, just staring out across the water, still, quiet. He was obviously totally engrossed in his surroundings as he never seemed to hear us approaching, or making this picture. Late afternoon, the water is flat, the sinking sun is flicking the last few rays of light across the surface and the only sound is occasional birdsong. What could possibly be better?
Whipping the water
This is the R.H.S. learning centre and library at Harlow Carr, Harrogate. I was taken with the sweeping curves and the reflections in the windows. I converted it to mono and added a feint yellow tone into the shadows.
Curves and reflections
This picture is reminiscent of a picture I made of a crane at Salford Quays, (see http://wp.me/p1fn8t-9p ) This one was captured at the southern end of Borrowdale in the English Lake District National Park.
Reflections on Derwent Water
Even wandering around town window shopping can provide photo opportunities. I really liked the reflections in this shop window which showed surprisingly little distortion for such a large, old window.
Street Reflections
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