FujiFilm

A visit to Cuerden Park

It wasn’t a planned visit to Cuerden Park. We had been out and about visiting local DIY stores, searching for something or other, which was pretty mundane. We did however remember that there was a cafe at Cuerden Park which was only five minutes away and so we set off, more in hope of finding a coffee and a place to relax for a while than taking any pictures.

As it happens, we didn’t get the coffee. We hadn’t counted on the cafe being like the place  in Lancashire for dog owners. Every table was taken. It would appear that this is the place to go if you are a ‘professional’ dog-walker, because everyone seemed to have at least three dogs lashed around the seats and table legs.

So, no space for us in the cafe but we did still enjoy a walk around the country park, albeit as the only ones without dogs in tow!

Here are a few pictures…

Cuerden Park-4796Cuerden Park-4799Cuerden Park-4807Cuerden Park-4821Cuerden Park-4823Cuerden Park-4825Cuerden Park-4831

Autumn walk in Preston’s Parks

Preston is lucky enough to have some fabulous public parks and at this time of year they are spectacular.  The Autumn colours have been good this year and it’s hard to resist the lure of a walk with the camera.

Here are a few photographs taken in Avenham/Miller Park, Moor Park and Haslam Park.

All photographs captured on either the Fuji X-T1 or X-T3.

Avenham Park Autumn-4572Avenham Park Autumn-4578Avenham Park Autumn-4583Avenham Park Autumn-4589Haslam Park, PrestonHaslam Park, PrestonYoung man and women taking a walk through park in AutumnMoor Park-1937Young women walking along park pathMoor Park-1948Autumn Avenham Park-1827Autumn Avenham Park-1811Autumn Avenham Park-1810Autumn Avenham Park-1806Autumn Avenham Park-1804Autumn Avenham Park-1803Autumn Avenham Park-1795Autumn Avenham Park-1793

A walk around Preston

It wasn’t what you would call a great day for photography, grey and overcast in the main but I fancied a walk with the camera.

Preston has a lot happening right now in terms of development and it’s always nice to capture these types of changes for posterity.  The brutalist architectural gem that is Preston Bus Station is 50 years old and it is nearing the end of a refurbishment – always good for pics. Then there is the old market hall and car park which is being knocked down to make way for a new cinema and leisure complex. It looks like a bomb site at the moment but it lends itself to black and white shots.

Here are a few photos from a quick wander through the park and into the city with a camera I don’t use much these days (Fuji X-T1) and a 23mm lens.

Preston City Centre-1659Preston City Centre-1670Preston City Centre-1676Preston City Centre-1681Preston City Centre-1682Preston City Centre-1694

 

Inside Tewkesbury Abbey

When we head south to Cornwall we often stop at the Tewkesbury Caravan Club site.  It’s just a few minutes off the motorway and there’s enough to see and do in the town. We always include a visit the historic Tewkesbury Abbey. 

The Abbey played a key role in the War of the Roses. Following a battle in the town the defeated Lancastrian soldiers took refuge in the Abbey but when the York army came calling they were handed over to be hanged on the town’s main street.

Here are a few photographs from our last visit to the Abbey.

Inside Tewkesbury Abbey

 

Inside Tewkesbury Abbey and the magnificent

 

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Royal Visit to Blackpool

When it was announced that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge would visit Blackpool, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to grab some newsworthy pictures.

The visit schedule included a 20 minute walkabout to meet the public on the promenade in front of Blackpool Tower and that’s where I headed.

The last Royal visit I covered was Prince Harry when he was in Lancashire. On that occasion I was part of the official ‘press pack’.  My view however, is that unless you have a ‘Rota’ pass (a sort of access all areas thing – only a handful are made available), it doesn’t really offer much advantage and so this time I joined the public, ironically right next to the press pack to get my shots.

I was stood with a lady who had driven up from Shropshire, arriving at 6.30 in the morning to get a glimpse of the Royal couple. Considering the walkabout wasn’t scheduled to take place until 1.30pm, that is real dedication.  She did assure me that it wouldn’t rain until after the walkabout had finished but she was wrong! Minutes before Kate and William arrived it started to rain and that was still a good hour before the walkabout, so a soaking for members of the public while the couple got a welcome briefing in the Tower.

Fortunately the rain stopped and the walkabout took place.  William went one way around the crowd and Kate headed straight for me!  Perhaps she saw my camera or more likely the small child two places along because that’s where she started to chat to people and I was lucky enough to get some shots close up.  

I had two Fujifilm cameras, one with a long telephoto lens and the other with a standard zoom, so I had to quickly switch cameras as she got close.

I am reasonably happy with the photos I got but as with all things there are lessons I learned from the experience and a couple of silly errors relating to how I had the cameras set up which I can learn from. So what were the lessons?

  1. Always carry plastic bags to use as rain covers on the cameras 
  2. Synchronise the times on the cameras – I had them slightly off and that meant the order on the computer once downloaded didn’t follow the timing of the walkabout properly.
  3. Face recognition focussing was great for shots of the Duke and Duchess when together but as soon as Kate moved to the crowd, the focus was all over the place. Far too many faces!
  4. At one point I needed to switch to continuous focus but forgot so some images not as sharp as they should be – include the image at the top of this blog but I like it anyway!.

Many of the photos I took are available through the Alamy Image Library but given the number of photographers taking pictures it is probably unlikely that any of mine will sell.  When shooting events like this it isn’t easy to stand out from the crowd but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the experience. 

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arriving at Blackpool Tower

Kate arriving at Blackpool Tower

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The Duke and Duchess leaving the Tower to commence their walkabout

Duchess of Cambridge meeting the public on Blackpool’s Comedy

Waving as they approach the ‘Comedy Carpet’

Duchess of Cambridge meeting the public on Blackpool’s Comedy

Waving to the crowd

Duchess of Cambridge meeting the public on Blackpool’s Comedy

The Duke and Duchess meeting school children

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The Duke and Duchess meeting school children

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The Duke and Duchess meeting school children

Duchess of Cambridge meeting the public on Blackpool’s Comedy

The Duke and Duchess meeting school children

Duchess of Cambridge meeting the public on Blackpool’s Comedy

Meeting the Public

Duchess of Cambridge meeting the public on Blackpool’s Comedy

A young admirer

Duchess of Cambridge meeting the public on Blackpool’s Comedy

Chatting to the crowd

Duchess of Cambridge meeting the public on Blackpool’s Comedy

Meeting the public

Can Lake District weather be too good?

I love a bit of drama in my landscape photographs and normally, the Lake District in February has it in abundance.  Last Friday however, the clear blue skies and sunshine was more reminiscent of a fine summer day – with clear views and visitors sunbathing!

It was a day we chose to walk around Derwentwater and dramatic weather aside, it was the perfect day to be relaxing in the Lakes. A rare occasion when the weather is this good in February and too good for the type of photography I’d intended, but what’s not to like about this area of the country at anytime of year?

Here are a few photos from the walk. I’m sure anyone who has done the walk around Derwentwater will recognise these views.

DSCF9196DSCF9199DSCF9202DSCF9223Lodore Jetty on Derwent WaterDSCF9247The River Derwent close to Keswick in the Lake District.

Waves on the Lake, surely not…

When you visit the Lake District in February, you expect some photographic challenges.  

On the day we arrived the sky looked typically brooding and the sun was doing its best to break through. Just the sort of day you want for landscape photography, especially as the rain was just about holding off. 

I wanted to get a photo of the Millennium Stone on the shore of Derwentwater with water around it,  as last time I visited it was high and dry.  No danger of that this time after the recent rain and snow. The real challenge in getting the picture on this visit was going to be the wind.  

The wind was absolutely battering the shore of the lake, but seemingly just in this particular cove! The normally calm lake was being whipped up into a frenzy and waves were crashing over the stone. Long exposure shots were near enough impossible to keep sharp as the tripod was also being battered.  It was also bitterly cold but I did manage to get a few shots, not the greatest pictures but I’ve included a few here anyway.

My next post will feature some pictures from a circuit of the lake two days later, when the weather was, if anything too good. 

DSCF8968DSCF8979DSCF9208-2Edited in Photoshop-1330

York in January

While it may not be the warmest month, there is never really a bad time to visit York.  One of the advantages of visiting in winter is that you don’t get swamped by the crowds and endless tour groups that you get in high season.

York has so much to offer, stunning buildings, great shopping, cosy pubs and scenic walks along the fortified city walls or alongside the River Ouse. Our stay was just three days but I did manage a few photos…

Ouse Bridge at sunrise in the centre of York.
York Minster
Two cyclists silouetted against the sunset sky while crosing the Millennium Bridge in York, UK.