special light

 31st January 2021, Rothbury, 8:30 am

This beech tree caught my eye.  It looked starkly beautiful with it's winter coat of snow on each branch

A slightly musical rose hip if you know what to look for...

These fine ice crystals are caused by water leaching out of the wood where the bark is stripped away.  The water is being pushed out by osmotic pressure so the crystals grow out from the branch.

There are certain places where the light has a special quality. Often these places attract artists. 

So it is in Rothbury where the light across Coquetdale is often beautiful when in other places it's just flat and dull. I think it's to do with the the mist over the river but maybe it's best not to seek the scientific explanation every time.

looking back

 30th January 2021, Warkworth, 9am

A fine view across to Coquet Island this morning.

scenic

 24th January 2021, Rothbury, 9am

Scenes from a sunny winter walk

The Gambler

 22nd January 2021, Alnmouth, 8am

This flock of curlew lifted off the golf course and flew round for a while then settled down again. I was quick enough to get a shot of them with some colour in the sky. 

While I was looking at my camera and feeling very clever they flew round again but this time they passed right in front of the rising sun. It would have made a lovely photograph. 

Today's lesson: "Never count your money while you're sitting at the table" i.e. Photograph now, check your camera later!

cold waves

 21st January 2021, Buston

The wind was brisk and icy cold having passed over snowy countryside for miles before reaching us on the east coast. I never know what I'll find when I cross the dunes. Today I saw the sea in the distance and quickened my pace. 

The waves rolled into the shore under the sunrise and their spray was whipped up into the light with spectacular effect. One after another the waves put on a display like they were trying to outdo each other and I stood with a smile on my face and my camera gripped in numb fingers. 

I could hardly see the viewfinder for the bright sun and hardly feel the shutter button but I did my best to compose the shots as I wanted them and then take the photograph just as the spray was at its most impressive. 

Eventually my fingers had gone from numb to actually painful and the sun had risen up the sky so that the bright colours had faded a bit anyway. As I walked up the dunes (with Daisy happy to finally have my undivided attention) I looked over my shoulder to see the waves looking subdued and quiet as if they'd put on their show for me and were ready to have a rest under the blue light of day.

Daisy gave me one pose for a photo with our footprints then made sure there were no more photos by getting all puppy on me.

layers

 18th January 2021, Warkworth, 2pm

Layers of grass and sand and sea and sky

short but beautiful

 17th January 2021, Rothbury, 9am

wandering in a winter wonderland

January can bring short days of intensely beautiful light. 

If it was 10am in the summer the light would be bright - but flat, blue and boring.

twilight beckons

 16th January 2021, 

A late afternoon wander as the blue faded to twilight.

taking my time

 15th January 2021, Buston, 8am

We hung about on the beach until the sun came up then headed over the dunes to the frozen shadows.

I wandered happily through the frozen ferns for a while to find the right fronds. One of these is backlit, the other one lit by the sun. 

Further along I found the wooden post with frosty nails. The right angle took a while to find. 

Then my path led me through various icy puddles until I found an interesting pattern. Then it was just a case of finding the right composition of patterns and pebbles. 

Some days you just can't rush things.