Late winter afternoon on Whitby beach

This one's from about a month ago. We took the dogs down to the beach for a run around, whilst I played with my new camera. It was going dark, but the beach was quite deserted and the light was lovely.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 320, f/5, 1/320s, 35mm, hand held

Waterfall in the valley of desolation

This lovely waterfall is at the head of the 'Valley of Desolation' at Bolton Abbey. I took the photo last week on a cold, sunny day. It's the first time I've visited this waterfall and I'll definitely return - I'm keen to see the differences in the surrounding foliage as the seasons change.

This is also the first photo I've posted on here using my new camera - a Nikon D7200 - I love it!

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/22, 1/5s, 35mm, cable release & bean bag.

Seagull silhouetted against the sunset at Liverpool Docks

We spent last weekend in Liverpool, exploring and shopping, and loved it. On our first evening wandering along the waterfront we were lucky enough to get a gorgeous sunset, with plenty of great shapes to silhouette against it. 

Camera/lens settings: ISO 200, f/6.3, 1/100s, 35mm, hand held.

Early Autumn on the River Wharfe at Bolton Abbey

Here's another picture from my visit to Bolton Abbey last week - a much wider stretch of the river this time. The leaves are just starting to change colour - I'd love to go back in a few weeks to get the full Autumn palette.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/125s, 35mm, hand held.

Bubble trail along the River Wharfe downstream from the Strid at Bolton Abbey

Yesterday I visited lovely Bolton Abbey for the first time in many years. The Strid is a section of the river Wharfe where the huge volume of water rushes through a narrow, rocky gap. Although the Strid is dramatic and definitely worthy of photos, I was actually more drawn to this section, just downstream from it, where the river gradually widens again. The frothy bubbles produced by the force of the water above form a white trail down the centre of the river.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/100s, 17mm, hand held

Weeping willow overhanging the lake at Harewood House

I visited Harewood House in Leeds for the first time in August this year. The lake, house and gardens are lovely and I'll definitely go back (especially for the afternoon tea overlooking the terrace!). The bright sunlight was just breaking through these thick weeping willow branches on the edge of the lake creating shadows, reflections and shimmering colours on the water.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 200, f/5, 1/125s, 35mm, hand held.

View towards Manhattan from Brooklyn Promenade just before sunset

I returned from a 10-day family holiday to New York about a week ago, having taken hundreds of new photos. It was a wonderful experience and I'm going to really enjoy re-living it as I gradually process them all.

I took this first one from Brooklyn Promenade. I knew there was a good photo opportunity to be had looking across the East River to Manhattan at sunset, but it was a nice surprise to also find the silhouetted basketball courts on the pier below us. The sail-boat passing through the sun-lit patch of water just before the sun dipped behind the buildings was another bonus.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/11, 1/200s, 65mm, hand held.

Lone sailboat on Derwentwater

I took this from one of the Derwentwater launches, as we crossed the lake in August last year. I love how the lake looks on dark, cloudy days. The mountain in the background is Skiddaw, usually standing out in bright green and purples at that time of year, but dark and shadowy on this particular afternoon.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/11, 1/320s, -1step exp bias, 20mm, hand held.

Reflections at Canary Wharf

This one's from our few days in London in June last year - taken at Canary Wharf, just below the DLR bridge.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 200, f/4.5, 1/80s, 35mm, hand held.

Harbour reflections

This one's from a few weeks ago at Whitby, cropped in from a much wider (more 'postcardy') photo of the harbour. I was trying to decide what was the best composition and ended up cutting out everything except these colourful reflections.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/8, 1/200s, 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.

Little fishing boat in the North Sea.

I took this picture from the cliff-top path at Whitby in January last year. I loved the colours and tones in the sky and sea. The little boat gives the picture scale.

Camera/lens settings:ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/500s, 55mm, hand held.

Foggy Walshaw Dean reservoirs viewed across a snowy moor.

I took this on the way back from Top Withens in January this year. The snow was only at the higher levels that day.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 200, f/11, 1/100s, 18mm, hand held.

Fence, wall and reflections at Lighthazzles reservoir.

I've posted a photo of this wall in Lighthazzles reservoir before (see 18th May 2015), but from a different angle. I love the contrast between land and water, and the way the reflections give them a surreal floating effect.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/11, 1/160s, 18mm, hand held.

Slipway at Morecambe Bay.

This one's from September last year. You can see the shapes of the Cumbrian mountains on the far side of the bay.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 400, f/18, 1/200s, 24mm, hand held.

Sunlit Blencathra viewed across Derwentwater.

Here's a view I never get tired of, made slightly different every time by the changing weather conditions. This one's from August last year.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/11, 1/160s, 32mm, hand held.

Autumn trees reflected in a mill pond.

I took this photo of the pond behind Gibson Mill at Hardcastle Crags a few weeks ago. I'd just managed to get my composition right and got a couple of shots of the different trees when 2 big labradors leaped into the pond, sending ripples right across it and destroying all the reflections.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 200, f/4, 1/125s, -1 step exp bias, 35mm, hand held.

Whitby beach.

I took this shot from the cliff-top path in January this year. I like the vast expanse of sea, sky and almost empty beach (there's a man and 2 dogs if you look closely) contrasted with the colourful little huts huddled in the corner.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 200, f/8, 1/160s, 18mm, hand held.

Looking across the Duddon valley from the Walna Scar track.

Another photo taken on a fell running trip - this one's from June this year at the Duddon Valley. I love the windy dry stone wall in this shot.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/8, 1/80s, 35mm, hand held.

Spider beneath a dew-covered web.

Another one from around this time last year. This was a lucky find high up in the woods at Hardcastle Crags. I had my tripod and macro lens with me so set about taking photos of the lovely dew droplets on the web. It wasn't until I reviewed the pictures at home that I realised the spider was there. It's well camouflaged amongst the greens and browns of the foliage, so I desaturated the rest of the image to make it easier to spot.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/22, 1/2s, 90mm, tripod & cable release.