one of those mornings

31st July 2020, Alnmouth, 7am

One of those cool, quiet mornings when you know it's going to get busy and warm later...

The passing tide 

leaves pools and patterns. 

A different arrangement twice a day 

Which is why there’s something new to photograph 

Every morning. 

If you take the time to find it.

There's lots of samphire around here (if you know where to find it) and this is its season. This is one piece that had washed up on the sand.

Daisy was enjoying socialising with the other dogs (and owners).

upstaged by dolphins

30th July 2020, Warkworth, 7am

We had a lazy but fairly long walk.

First unusual sight was a unicyclist pedalling unreadily past.

But we was upstaged by a pod of dolphins (or maybe porpoises) heading south just off the beach.

Daisy set the pace from the rear

To be fair it's often me that halts our walk for photography reasons.

A very clever young friend of mine showed me this technique so I thought I'd try it.  I might try it again.

seeking quiet

29th July 2020, Warkworth, 8am

The sun was shining just for Daisy...

29th July 2020, Warkworth, 12noon

After a nice long cycle I eventually found a quiet spot.  I wish I'd brought a sarnie.

29th July 2020, Newton Point, 5pm

Back on one of our favourite spots.  The beach below us was still busy but gradually emptied as the afternoon wore on.

crowd scenes

28th July 2020, Warkworth, 7:30am

Watching the patterns in the sea and a minute later my hat blew into the sea fortunately retrieved (somewhat playfully) by a helpful Daisy.

28th July 2020, Bamburgh, 10am

You may or may not know that LS Lowry loved to visit Northumberland on his holidays - mostly Berwick. If he'd seen Bamburgh beach today he'd have enjoyed the crowd scene...

bleakly beautiful

27th July 2020, Howick to Craster, 7am

A bleakly beautiful walk as a rainy morning cast a monochrome filter over the landscape.

27th July 2020, Alnmouth, 5pm

After a long wet day the sun finally came out and we headed down the bumpy beach road.  There was still a bit of weather about though.

Down on the beach the wind picked up and Daisy couldn't open her eyes for a photo...

perfect wandering

26th July 2020, Warkworth, 8:30am

It's that time of year when there are poppies (and other wild flowers) here and there in the fields. In this case they were conveniently accessible, I had my camera and a few minutes to spare... 

Poppy seeds can lie dormant for a long time and spring into life when the soil is disturbed. I seem to recall hearing that the craters from explosions in WW1 brought poppy seeds to the surface which is why they flowered across the battlefields.

Perfect wandering down the beach...

up and down this way and that

25th July 2020, Warkworth, 8am

As we walked up and down the beach the light was playing with the land and sea.

I was trying to keep up,
looking this way and that;
one minute seeing lichen patterns on the boulders of the breakwater
one minute looking out to sea and up to the clouds
and the next down at the wave patterns rolling into the beach.

wet walk

23rd July 2020, Warkworth, 8am

It was a bit damp but there was no-one else there which was lovely.

Daisy wasn't as miserable as she looks!  We had a lovely play and zoomies across the empty sands.

Playing in the rain with some found objects

movement

21st July 2020, Howick. 8am

Sometimes photographers have to use a fast shutter speed to stop movement and get a sharp photo.

That's where video can be useful to deliberately show the movement and bring a scene to life (with the sounds of the scene too)

Both are equally easy to share online so I find myself enjoying shooting video clips more often...

Beaches mean many things to many people:

Fun and games 

Long lazy days 

Catching a tan 

Jet skis 

Booze 

For me they mostly are places of tranquility and peace. That’s why I live here (and come to the beach early in the morning).

spiky goodness

20th July 2020, Longhorsley, 8am

Teasel in flower.  Their seed heads will make a good winter food for the birds.

perfect

19th July 2020, Warkworth, 10am

Perfect day.

layers of weather

17th July 2020, Embleton Bay, 8am

I loved the clouds this morning.  Layer upon layer of weather and all over a see that was as calm as a lake.

Daisy's daisies

16th July 2020, Longhorsley, 7am

Daisies in the barley

Daisy's in the barley

drama

15th July 2020, Buston, 8am

No drama today.

peaceful

14th July 2020, Warkworth, 7:30am

A cool breeze and beautiful, peaceful morning light.

I decided just to follow Daisy where she wanted to go...

14th July 2020, Low Newton, 3pm

On our favourite perch...