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.

Seagull on a Thames launch passing the Shard.

I was photographing the buildings beside the Thames as we passed them on this tour boat in June this year, when I noticed the seagull land just above us. I realised how close we were to the Shard, so waited for the right moment to take the photo, hoping it didn't fly off before we passed it.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f.7.1, 1/200s, 35mm, hand held.

Boats moored on Morecambe Bay at Walney Island.

This is the north-western point of Morecambe Bay, at Barrow-in-Furness, looking across to Walney Island. We stayed there overnight in June this year after my son ran a fell race at the nearby Duddon valley. I took this photo early Sunday morning, before anyone was really up and about - I like how peaceful and still the water and boats are.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/8, 1/250s, 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.

A glimpse into the cabin of a Farne Islands tour boat.

This one's from August 2013, photographed on a trip out to the Farne Islands from Seahouses harbour.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/10, 1/100s, 40mm, hand held.

Boats on Morecambe beach (2).

Here's a different view of the scene I posted on 7th March (and in colour this time, instead of black and white). Beyond the boats, you can see right across Morecambe Bay to the beaches and hills on the other side.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 200, f/5, 1/400s, 30mm, hand held.

Tethered boats on Trentham Lake.

I took this on our walk round Trentham Lake, after we'd visited the Monkey Forest a few weeks ago. The weather was really varied at that point - throwing it down one minute; hot sun the next. That created a real mixture of clouds - the black heavy ones hanging over the white, fluffy ones on the horizon.

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

Fishing boats silhouetted against the setting sun at Morecambe.

Another one from my afternoon in Morecambe in September last year. The lens was fully zoomed in and then the image further cropped to best frame these little fishing boats silhouetted against the setting sun.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/18, 1/10s, 55mm, tripod.

Boats on a wooded track at Nichol End Marine, Derwentwater.

I took this on holiday in Portinscale, Keswick, last year. This is the track that runs down through the woods to the water's edge at the marina. I like the juxtaposition of the woodland greenery with the blues and whites of the boats - they look out of place together yet still complement each other.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 800, f/11, 1/160s, 18mm, hand held.

Boats on Morecambe beach.

I took this on a late afternoon in September last year. I love the mixted angles of the lines in the sand and the boats and their masts. I also love how the mast of the boat in the centre looks like it's trying to pop the little cloud!

Camera/lens settings: ISO 200, f/5, 1/800s, 34mm, hand held.

Barge moving along the Rochdale canal

I took this on a late afternoon at the end of October this year, just outside Sowerby Bridge. I had just set my tripod up to take photos of the autumn foliage when I saw this barge appearing from the tunnel in the distance. I liked the idea of getting a long exposure motion shot (making one of the slowest-moving forms of transport look super-fast!) so had to quickly attach ND filters and guess my camera settings, knowing I'd only get one chance at it. Happily, it worked!

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/11, 30s, 20mm, ND filters, tripod.

A boat named 'Hopeful'

'Hopeful' of ever sailing again, maybe...?! This boat is on the edge of the promenade at Morecambe - I have no idea what its story is, but I'm intrigued. I think sunset was a good time to photograph the boat - it seems to signy its stage of life!

Camera/lens settings: ISO 400, f/16, 1/125s, 18mm, hand held.

Boats moored on the Rochdale canal at Hebden Bridge

I took this one on a walk along the canal bank from Mytholmroyd to Hebden Bridge, on a sunny tea time in June this year. The light and reflections were lovely and my son, Kai, was very patiently holding both dogs whilst I clicked away.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 400, f/10, 1/125s, 44mm, hand held.

Boats at Craster harbour, Northumberland (2).

Here's another view across the harbour at Craster - this time looking out to sea beyond the brightly coloured little boats and harbour walls.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/11, 1/60s, 18mm, hand held.

Launch heading out onto Derwentwater.

I've just come back from a week's holiday with my family in Keswick. It was beautiful as always - we even got some sunny weather! I took loads of photos - they'll keep me going on the blog for another year until we go back. Today's photo is from a walk around Derwentwater. We got the launch half way, walked along the shore under Catbells, then hopped back on the launch to return to Keswick. This photo shows the launch heading back out onto the lake after dropping us off. The lovely mountain in the background with the clouds sitting on top of it is Blencathra.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/11, 1/200s, 55mm, hand held.

Colourful bunting flying from a boat mast

Something a bit different tonight - these little flags were tied to the mast of one of the little boats that takes visitors across Derwentwater, Keswick. I took the photo whilst we were waiting to set off in August last year. This picture really makes me happy - it reminds me of the child-like excitement I feel every time I get that boat - it never wears off!

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/11, 1/200s, 36mm, hand held.

Sunlight creating reflections under a bridge on the Rochdale Canal

I took this one on a walk along the canal between Mytholmroyd and Hebden Bridge one evening a few weeks ago. I love the patterns made by the water reflecting on the stones.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 400, f/10, 1/125s, 18mm, hand held.

Ropes and a fishing boat at Seahouses harbour

Another one from Northumberland (August 2013) today. These ropes were piled on the harbour walls, next to the lobster pots. I crouched down to position the colourful fishing boat in the background, but chose an aperture that gave a shallow-ish depth of field to make sure the perspective remained.

When processing the photo I wondered whether I should have focused on the boat rather than the ropes. I suppose it depends which was my main subject - at the time I was more interested in the ropes than the boat. With hindsight, it would have been interesting to take 2 version of the photo and see which worked best. I think this version would win though - I think the ropes take up too high a percentage of the picture to be out of focus.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/10, 1/60s, 38mm, hand held.

Fishing/tourist boat at Seahouses harbour

This one's from our last Northumberland holiday in August 2013. This is one of the boats that takes visitors out to the Farne Islands. I assume they were all previously fishing boats that have now been converted to carry people instead. We've been on the same trip out to Longstone Island twice now and all loved it - I would quite happily go again on future holidays too.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/13, 1/160s, 70mm, hand held.

Boats at Craster harbour, Northumberland

This one's from our Northumberland holiday in August 2013. We parked at Craster and walked up the coast to Dunstanburgh Castle, passing the small harbour on the way. I really liked the shapes and bright colours of these boats and the house in the background.

Camera/lens settings: ISO 100, f/11, 1/60s, 24mm, hand held.