warm at any angle

30th April 2016, Embleton Bay, 6am

A beautiful morning from various angles.

Daisy was glad to be back in the warm, dry sun.  I say warm, it was 3C but felt warm with the sun on our backs.

Why not join me for a PhotoTrail or PhotoWalk one morning?   CLICK HERE to find out more about Northumberland Photo Training courses

the many faces of a damp dog

29th April 2016, Ship Inn, Low Newton by the Sea, 6pm

A beer after a wet walk to celebrate the relaunch of Andy Craig Photography and Northumberland Photo Training.

Daisy came too but she didn't have a beer.

In one picture she's after a crisp, in the next she's trying to look sad because she had nothing soft to lie on (so I gave her my jacket).

Why not join me for a PhotoTrail one morning?   CLICK HERE to find out more about Northumberland Photo Training PhotoTrails

right place, right time

27th April 2016, Low Newton, 6am

 I wanted a shot of the sanderlings as they scuttled along the waveline but they took off just as I took the shot - It turned out well though.  Right place, right time.

A springtime haiku for 2016:

Bluebells here and there 

Bonny blue signs of springtime 

But winter still holds on

27th April 2016, Beadnell Bay, 5pm

Another day of wintry showers interspersed with warm sunshine.  We were fortunate again (but then we have www.raintoday.co.uk on our side...

hail and shadows

25th April 2016, Embleton Bay, 6am

Morning world!

 I wish I was in Northumberland
Sand beneath my feet
In the early golden light of dawn
There's a chance I'd never meet
Another living soul to share
The beauty that I'd see
I wish I was in Northumberland
Looking out to sea

26th April 2016, Football Hole, 4pm

Bonny waves in the sun and shadows on the sand: We hit a gap in the unseasonal hail showers. 

Daisy is not in these pictures as she was elsewhere and didn't reappear for an unsettling 15 minutes. 

Back on the lead for her for a while...

camera/phone

23rd April 2016, Embleton Bay, 6am

6am is too late for sunrise but there was some lovely light around in the sky and on the beach and dunes.

These two photos were taken seconds apart. 1st one phone, 2nd one camera. One was processed with Snapseed on the phone and one in photoshop. I am fond of using the phone (I've used iPhones but currently it's a Galaxy) and here's why I won't apologise for using a phone:

1. It's quick and always with me - a few seconds later when the camera came out, the light wasn't as nice. I firmly believe in this saying: "the best camera is the one you have with you"

2. The on-board processing is amazing

3. I can post straight to social media perched high in the dunes and I like the immediacy of that.

4. I also like it for street photography where it is very discreet

5. It's all about the photograph NOT the equipment

6. I have a range of gear from full frame dSLR (Canon 6D - rarely used on this blog) to compact camera (Canon G15 99% of photos on here) to the phone and each one has its place and its time and its purpose.

23rd April 2016, Newton Point, 4pm

Nice sunlit waves crashing in below a glowering sky...

Different angle

22nd April 2016, Dunstanburgh, 7pm

A rare evening walk although the hoped-for sunset faded with the arrival of grey clouds. It was nice to see old familiar places lit from the west instead of the east.

Two shots from angles I've never shot before.  Tricky to get the exposure right (especially when you're worried the dog will knock you over the cliff any minute)!

22nd April 2016, Low Newton, 6am

Clouds appearing for the first time in a few days but the morning light show was impressive...

3 days? Boring now!

21st April 2016, Low Newton, 6am

Daisy was getting bored of me taking photos of the sunrise and she's getting complacent after 3 days in a row of beautiful calm, blue sky weather.

The sun rose gently in the East while a plane hurried towards Amsterdam...

Watch a Video version...

21st April 2016, Dunstanburgh, 5pm

After our 4K run up and around the castle it was time for a sit down before a bit of a play on the now deserted Embleton Bay

dance at dawn

20th April 2016, Embleton Bay, 6am

It's rare to get the same weather 2 days a row round here but this high pressure system means this morning is just like yesterday morning and Daisy danced across the sunrise sands...

Egg and chips

19th April 2016, Embleton Bay, 6am

The sun is already above the horizon by 6am these days but the light is still beautiful...

19th April 2016, Beadnell Bay, 6pm

This is a beautiful Ringed Plover's egg in its scrape of a nest above the strand line near the Long Nanny tern site on Beadnell Bay. We kept Daisy well away and moved on quickly... When the Terns return next month the Plovers will be protected along with the Arctic and Little Terns but they're very vulnerable just now. If you're up that way please watch where you place your feet.

We had time for a family photo before heading off for chips...

shadow's back

17th April 2016, Embleton Bay, 6:30am

The recent winter weather (snow last night) has cleared to bright skies but only 2C on the beach.

It was nice to be back with my shadow on the beach.

what you notice (or don't)

14th April 2016, Embleton Bay, 8am

Trudging up the wet sand with wind sending stinging drizzle and sand into my eyes.  Some days you struggle to notice the beauty - but it's there.

things that pass

13th April 2016, Howick, 8am

Drizzly grey weather dominates just now.  It's not pretty but it's only weather and it'll pass...

what you need

10th April 2016, Embleton Bay, 5pm

Sometimes you need a happy dog, the sun in the sky and a convenient rolling ocean

Flying dog

30th March 2016, Football Hole, 5pm

Just another walk in our usual place and a lucky shot of Daisy in mid air...