Dandelion clock (5)

Another view of a dandelion clock, photographed in my garden in May 2014. I like the shallow depth of field in this shot and converting it to monochrome further simplifies it.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/4.5, 1/250s, 90mm, hand held.

Sun breaking through rain clouds over a Peak District hillside.

I took this one in July this year whilst watching my son doing a fell race. The weather started off sunny, then we watched the rain moving towards us across the opposite hills, blurring the view. At this point, the sun started to fight back and eventually we were left under blue skies again.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 400, f/8, 1/200s, -1step exp bias, 35mm, converted to monochrome and slight olive split tone added to highlights.

Slopes beneath the summit of Blencathra.

This is the view back up towards the summit when descending Blencathra via Doddick Fell, photographed in August this year.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/160s, -0.7step exp bias, 35mm, hand held

Whitby pier and waterfront on a dark winter tea time.

It was a dark January tea time last year when I took this photo. I balanced the camera on a bean bag on top of a waste bin to get the long exposure.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/8, 30s, 55mm, bean bag & cable release.

Sunken fence on the shore of Derwentwater.

This one's from our week in Keswick in August this year. That day, we walked from Newlands to Keswick, then got the launch back to Hawes End. This fence was close to the landing stage - I love all the colourful reflections on the water's surface, combined with the patterns from the ripples. The water was quite high that week due to recent heavy rain, meaning a couple of the other landing stages had to be closed.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/8, 1/125s, 35mm, hand held.

Rushing water at Jumble Hole Clough.

This one's from April this year. I didn't have a tripod so was balancing the camera on a nearby rock - there's a bit of camera shake in the picture but it goes well with the movement of the water.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/14, 1/6s, 35mm, hand held.

Tree framed by a crumbling wall.

I took this one at Meltham, whilst walking the route of my son's fell race, back in May this year. I just liked the way the wall created a natural frame for the tree.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/11, 1/100s, 35mm, hand held.

Flag on the bow of a Windermere launch.

I took this one whilst cruising up Windermere from Lakeside to Ambleside in June this year - a gorgeous trip, as always.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/8, 1/640s, -0.7step exp bias, 35mm, hand held.

Fern amidst moss and decaying leaves.

I found this little fern at Hardcastle Crags in February this year - a lovely mixture of colours and textures.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/4, 1/125s, 35mm, hand held.

Old, dead tree against an autumn backdrop.

I posted a picture of this same tree on my blog on 11th December last year - that one was a black and white, foggy, atmospheric scene. This one is totally opposite - the vibrant autumn colours of the trees in the background helping to clearly define the white of the dead tree.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/8, 1/200s, 55mm, hand held.

Aerial view of farmland near Blackpool.

Yesterday I went on a 1-hour microlight flight around Cockerham, Fleetwood and Blackpool on the Fylde. It was a perfect sunny day and a great experience. I took my camera, but had to operate it one-handed, in variable winds and without being able to see through the viewfinder, so the photos are a bit hit and miss! I like this one though - it shows how lovely the colours and shapes of the fields and trees are from the air.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/5, 1/400s, 35mm, hand held.

Tiny tomatoes growing on a vine.

These are some of the first tiny tomatoes we grew last summer. My son planted 7 seeds from a cherry tomato bought at the supermarket - we ended up turning the conservatory into a temporary greenhouse and grew over 3,000 tomatoes from the 7 new plants!

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/8, 1/100s, 90mm, tripod, cable release.

Beneath a Thames bridge.

I took this whilst on a Thames river launch in June this year. I can't remember which bridge it was, but I love the colours and patterns on the stone.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/1.8, 1/200s, 35mm, hand held.

Skeletal trees on a hilltop.

This is right at the top of Hardcastle Crags, where the trees end and moorland begins. I took the photo looking steeply uphill into a bright blue sky in March last year. I was playing about with settings in Lightroom when I came across this effect (mostly created by reducing the blue slider in the black and white mix right down); I think it makes the trees look really skeletal - a bit spooky.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/11, 1/80s, 18mm, hand held.

Ripples, reflections and shadows on Ullswater.

I took this from the lakeside path around Ullswater last month. I like the complexity of the picture - all caused by the overhanging tree branches.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/2.5, 1/250s, -1 step exp bias, 35mm, hand held.

Pair of ducks on a reservoir.

This is Warland reservoir above Littleborough - I took the photo in March last year.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/11, 1/160s, 46mm, hand held.

Horse portrait

This is one of a few photos I took recently of a friend's horse - the first time I've done a horse/owner photo shoot and I really enjoyed it.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f.5.6, 1/160s, 85mm, hand held.

Peony in full bloom.

I took this photo in my garden last year (this year's peonies didn't do so well). The flowers are huge, but their petals are so intricate - quite a contradiction.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 200, f/8, 1/125s, 29mm, hand held.

London skyline reflected in office windows.

I took this one on London's south bank in March 2015. The windows are part of the Financial Times offices next to Southwark Bridge. The golden hue of the reflected buildings on the opposite side of the river was created by the setting sun.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 200, f/6.3, 1/40s, 42mm, hand held.

Woodland scene at Jumble Hole Clough.

It was the blue door that made me take this photo (in April this year), although it's a lovely little woodland scene anyway. I like the way the blue painted wood stands out from all the greens.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/6.3, 1/80s, 35mm, hand held.

Path curving through a field to a group of trees.

I've posted a photo of this path and group of trees before (21st Sept 2015), but from a very different angle. This one's from a different visit in May this year. It's a very photogenic view, just off to the side of Malham Tarn.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/8, 1/320s, 35mm, hand held.

Bare tree trunks in foggy Whinlatter Forest (2)

This photo of Whinlatter Forest is from August last year. The clouds were low that morning, lifting and re-settling as we walked around, providing varying degrees of visibility and lots of atmosphere.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 1600, f/8, 1/125s, 35mm, hand held.

Shadows from trees on the wall of an old canal-side mill (3)

A third photo of the mill at Luddenden Foot (April 2015). This time it's a full view of the mill, omitting the canal beneath it. The tree shadows look like they've been painted onto the wall.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/9, 1/100s, 22mm, hand held.

Contrasting tree trunk shapes.

I spotted these crooked and straight tree trunks in the woods at Hardcastle Crags in November 2014. The different shapes seem to give the trees individual personalities!

Camera/lens settings: ISO 200, f/10, 1/125s, 20mm, hand held.