Big Ben / Elizabeth Tower against a grey sky.

I googled Big Ben before writing this post, as I knew that was really the name of the bell rather than the tower itself. What I didn't know, was that the tower (previously just referred to as The Clock Tower) was renamed Elizabeth Tower in 2012, for the Queen's diamond jubilee.

I took the photo in June last year - I love how the gold seems to glow against the backdrop of grey clouds.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/8, 1/200s, 35mm, hand held.

Sunlight highlighting a bare tree at Ogden Water

This one's from my second visit to Ogden Water this week. I went back with my tripod to get some macro shots, then had another wander round the woods. It was an overcast afternoon, but windy, so every now and then the clouds blew away and the sun broke through for a few seconds. I spotted that this tree was getting singled out whenever that happened, so I stood and waited for the next gap in the clouds and got the shot.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/2, 1/160s, 35mm, hand held.

Muddy woodland at Ogden Water.

This weekend I visited one of our local reservoirs - Ogden Water. My son went for a long muddy run across the surrounding moors, whilst I wandered around the woods with my camera. This is the last photo I took on the day - it's a muddy, but very colourful, ditch over a wall beside the car park.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 200, f/3.2, 1/100s, 35mm, hand held.

Winter woodland at Hebers Ghyll

We visited Hebers Ghyll, Ilkley, for the first time just over a week ago. I'd seen it mentioned in my favourite photography magazine and, coincidentally, my son had a fell race coming up in Ilkley. It turned out the walk was only a few minutes away from the race, so we combined the two. Hebers Ghyll is a really lovely stream falling down through rocky, mossy woodland on the lower slopes of Ilkley Moor. There are many little waterfalls and a path winding along beside and criss-crossing it via little footbridges. Plenty more photos to follow from that day!

Camera/lens settings: ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/80s, 35mm, hand held.

Blackpool seafront

Welcome to my first post of 2017! I took this one at Christmas - I love the light, lines and curves on the Blackpool seafront. The view here is beneath Central Pier, looking towards North Pier.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/4, 1/500s, 35mm, hand held.