Lost Wonders of the Waterways World - Photo Competition

C&RT Photo Competition
Lost Wonders of the Waterways World

February 2015

When I saw that the C&RT are running a new photography competition to capture some atmospheric images of the lost waterways I just had to enter (closing date 10th April).

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/news-and-views/news/spotlight-shone-on-lost-canal-wonders

And there are some serious prizes being offered with £500 for the winner and £250 for two runners up.

As you can imagine, I have no shortage of material but as many of my images are for the deeply lost sections of the BCN many have "atmosphere" but possibly not the sort to encourage Joe Public to get on their boots and have a look one Sunday afternoon.

I soon had over 20 images in my short list for submission and I am very fond of all of them.

However, I suspect that many of you have some cracking images so do enter and share your secret hidden gems with a wider audience.

Here is my full short list - I am not saying which ones I entered, but they are all there on the C&RT gallery....

 Bentley Canal from the Anson Arm

 Donington Wood Canal

 Fens Branch of the Stourbridge Canal

 Hatherton Branch Canal

 Ketley Canal

 Newport Canal - Forton Skew Bridge

 Humber Arm

 Ogley Locks at Pipehill

 Interchange Basin at Ridgeacre BCN

 Ridgeacre Branch BCN

 Shrewsbury Canal - Berwick Tunnel

 Shrewsbury Canal

 Longden on Tern Aqueduct

 Longden on Tern Aqueduct

 Longden on Tern Aqueduct

 Slough Arm BCN

  Slough Arm BCN

 Tat Bank Branch, BCN

 Trench Arm

 Trench Arm

Wyrley Bank Branch, BCN

Sutton Park devoid of colour

Sutton Park under a heavy frost

9th December 2010

Belle had an unexpected stay in QE Hospital Birmingham on Monday night. A routine outpatients appt with the consultant turned into an emergency admission when her wound erupted with blood, right in the hospital reception. I suppose it was a good place for it to happen but after lots of drama she was admitted for observations.

Longmoor Pool - Sutton Park

There then followed a day of shall we shan't we operate today with a final decision to leave it till Thursday (today). I didn't know if I was coming or going. I set off in the morning expecting to be on operation vigil only to turn back when it was cancelled. Hurrah, she can come home for the night - pick her up after two pm. They didn't say how long after two! I arrived and we waited and waited and waited for the discharge process to happen, finally leaving the ward at eight pm - six hours later. Don't get me wrong, the treatment has been second to none and staff lovely but they really need a lesson or two in expectation management. All this time poor Jeff was being bounced from friend to friend - thank goodness for text messaging.

Longmoor Valley - Sutton Park

Anyhow, in the midst of all this mayhem Jeff and I decided to get some fresh air with  a walk in Sutton Park, inspired by the amazing frost which had developed care of the minus 11 temperature overnight and freezing fog.

Frozen Beech - Westwood Coppice, Sutton Park

The park had been transformed into a glittering wonderland of ice. There is nothing like a bit of the great outdoors to restore ones inner karma.

Central Hill in Sutton Park

So today its back to the hospital for a repair to her lower orbital ridge (cheekbone). I will let you know how it all goes.

Open University - the final submission

Open Universtity

End of a course but the start of better photography

12th July 2010

When I started the OU course 12 weeks ago I saw the end as the final submission, a portfolio of 10 images which demonstrate compositional and technical skills developed over a three month period.

At the half way point we were tested on technical knowledge (98%) and the final weeks were devoted to more technical aspects of Photoshop Elements. Its now the end and my final portfolio has been submitted so what do I think?

Its been a great way of pushing the boundaries of my photography, seeing interesting images in places I would never have thought to look for them. My familiarity with Elements is certainly being used in my blog posts, with my image processing becoming both fast and second nature.  All in all its a time investment which is paying dividends out of proportion to the cost or commitment involved.

I get the impression that a lot of people take the course but never bother to submit the final assignment. Whilst the OU points mean nothing to me, I feel compelled to finish what I started and to test my end result against their panel of assessors. I suspect that I am my sternest critic and even among my "best" ten images all I can see are faults, and I am left with a burning desire to improve next time I go out with my camera - I know I can do better. And I guess that is the whole point of the course.

So here are my top 10, some of which you have seen before in different edits. You make up your own minds.

Cubed

Corrosion

Monet Poppy

Heron in flight

Face of fear - Ripsaw

Pools of Light - Castlefields

Worcester Close

Up the creek - Blakeney

Shot across the bows - Gas St Birmingham

Dream Weaver - Weaver Navigation

The gentler face of fun

Fun not fear
Alton Towers
July 2010

After yesterday's series of "fear" photos I move onto some of the fun images I captured, on and off the rides.

Air in full swing

Nemesis - a personal favourite

Oblivion - just plain scary!

The runaway train

Sideshows

 Balloons

Faces of Fear

Faces of Fear - Alton Towers

July 2010

I have to admit that I have a liking for theme parks and fun fairs.

I blame this all on Matilda, my mother, who abhored them. Naturally, this whetted my appetite and from the age of 17 I have paid regular homage to these cathedrals of thrills.

My latest venture was to take Jeff and his best friend to Alton Towers, a place that regularly adds new rides and somewhere I havn't visited for over a decade, so there was lots to see and do.

We spent the morning touring all the big thrill rides, but for the afternoon the lads did repeat rides whilst I played around with my camera trying to capture some "faces of fear" on the infrequently used sport setting.

We had a great day with loads of laughs. My favourite rides? The old stalwarts Oblivion and Nemesis won the day leaving the new upstats of Rita and Thirteen trailing in their wake.

The candid shots of punters being scared are rather amusing.

Three beautiful indian girls reduced to this...

The Sonic corkscrew

And my favourite of the day on Ripsaw...