As mentioned in Return to Blog about starting to use the Fujifilm X-Pro 1 again, I charged its NP-W126 battery. I’m using the JJC USB Dual Battery Charger (as my second Hand X-Pro 1 didn’t come with the Fujifilm charger). I thought it wasn’t working. I had plugged it into my laptop, seated the battery and, nothing happened. Nothing happened again and even a couple of hours later, nothing had happened. I was expecting a little red dot, a light, flashing or otherwise. There was however, no red light denoting it was charging, so I did the only thing I could, I ordered a different charger (the K&F CONCEPT NP-W126S NP-W126 Dual Battery Charger). Then, a red flashing light started! It flashed for many hours. It then stopped flashing. The battery was charged. If I had only been a little more patient, or if I had been given a little bit of feedback, I could have saved my self some pounds.
The X-Pro 1 jumped into life but it was getting late, and I needed some time to refamiliarise myself the Fujifilm way of life. I could however, go to bed knowing that it still worked (phew!).
It will be interesting to see if the K&F provided feedback as to its charging status, right from the off. I know my Nikon charger does.
Feedback is an important thing, in all walks of life, including photography, especially with battery charging, it turns out.
The opportunity for a January morning walk in the mist in Glastonbury. Everything still, muted and serene…
The last series of images I took in mist were in Ely, Cambridgeshire in 2022. Boats in the Mist focussed upon narrowboats and river boats on the River Great Ouse; we were living aboard a narrowboat at the time. Now back on dry land, the location has changed dramatically but the mist always presents opportunities to abstract the world.
The above image was one I felt captured the moment. More images at murpworkschrome
I return to blog, this blog in particular after a considerable amount of time. I realise that although a lot has changed, a lot hasn’t. When I pinned the image of the Ukraine flag to the top of the blog in 2022, I thought it would be a temporary thing. I thought a few months, and a sense would have returned to the world. In 2026 however, the world has become a less sensible place; more wars, the threat of AI, Social media’s manipulation, a further moving to the right across Europe and the world. It feels as if there is little an individual can do, so I photograph.
Change is Constant
Looking back through the first part of light on a lens, I see the car has changed, where we live has changed, the cameras I use have changed and what we want to do has changed. As a consequence, what I photograph has changed. However, murpworkschrome will remain the home of my images
I photograph in black & white and colour, although black and white is probably going to dominate. I’m predominantly using a Nikon Z 7 II with a Z 28mm f2.8 lens. I’m going to start using the Fujifilm XPro-1 and from the end of May, I will have the Nikon Df again; I immediately regretted selling it but have managed to obtain one in a great condition (thanks to MPB).
So, a return to blog – renewed vigour in a time of uncertainty and worry.
I first heard about Seahenge via an Archaeology magazine when its discovery was published. It piqued my interest as I lived in Wiltshire for many years; the home of Stonehenge. The idea of a watery counterpart, as it were, was intriguing. I kept the magazine for years and years but I think it went the way of all things – it got lost in a house move.
I now live in East Cambridgeshire, which is very near to the location of Seahenge. So, it wasn’t long before a visit was on the cards – in search of Seahenge. It was discovered at Holme-next-the-Sea, on the North Norfolk coast, just above Hunstanton in 1998
The details of the monument are well documented and a bit of searching (using this resource) hi-lighted a few of things
There’s nothing to see at Holme-next-the-Sea
The monument (designated Holme I) was removed, stabilised and found its resting place at King’s Lynn at the Lynn Museum
There was a ‘Holme II’, a second ‘Seahenge discovered in 1999, very close to Holme I but this was left in situ, to be buried by the sea again
I was unperturbed, I still wanted to visit the site, to get a feel for the place where this ancient henge was sited.
North Norfolk Coast
mu and I set off on a cool morning and made our way to the north coast of Norfolk. It was an easy drive, near due North for us from Ely. We made for Thornton as it was nearby, we had been there before and I remembered there was coffee there, at the Thornton Deli. The car park was full so no coffee yet. We drove back, over to Holme.
The approach to the coast where Seahenge is located is via a Golf Course. However, there was a tournament on, so the road was closed. We would have to take an alternative route, avoiding the course. We actually decided to visit Thornton and The Old Harbour there first, saving the ‘henge’ for later. A lot of backwards and forwards…
Thornton
We had visited The Old Harbour before and found a place to park the ‘Zuke’, looking out over the marshes, beyond the harbour. A ‘Second breakfast’ was in order – Pippin would have been proud. A short walk across the Salt Marshes proved refreshing in the cool morning and it was a great landscape.
Holme-next-the-Sea
Finally, on to Holme. The alternative route to the beach, past the back of the Golf Club’s eighth tee took us through the dunes. The dunes have moved inland over the thousands of years and the trudge through loose sand and the specific flora that sand dunes support (Sea Pinks, Sea Holly and more) is a great contrast to the expanse of beach you eventually reach.
The landscape has obviously changed significantly since Seahenge was created. It was under sand and undersea and it was a specific storm that revealed the monument in 1998, otherwise it may never have been discovered. The following photographs show the nature of the space today, in which Seahenge inhabited
I find it an inspiring place. The incongruous fact that I try to connect with our ancient ancestors, in a place of sand & sea, that would have been grassland and trees at the time of building Seahenge, somehow works. The chance find, due to weather conditions allows us to connect. Walking back through the dunes completed the, in some small way pilgrimage in search of Seahenge.
Lynn Museum
There was one final part to this day and that was to stop at King’s Lynn. This was to visit the museum where Seahenge (Holme I) has its final resting place. The Lynn museum houses the stabilised pieces of Seahenge, including the central upturned tree. We found it well worth the admission price to ‘see’ Seahenge. There was also an exhibition of one of Turner’s paintings that had just started so doubly worth the price (approx. £5 per person)
I went in search of Seahenge. Did I find it? Yes, I found the location and I found the actual trees that were used to build the monument. I also feel I captured just a little of something with my photography. I also bought the book Seahenge by Francis Pryor which I’m looking forward to reading. The achievements of our distant ancestors never ceases to amaze me.
We have recently upgraded our car to a much newer one and we’ve just taken it for its first real outing. It’s a car that we have wanted for a long, long time and it will facilitate us exploring more of the East Anglian countryside (as well as other places). This will mean more photography and a new interest but more of that another time.
We went to visit Orford and Aldeburgh in Suffolk and weren’t disappointed. The first stop; Orford was an exploratory visit. It is somewhere I have wanted to go for many years; specifically Orford Ness. The ‘Ness’ wasn’t on the cards this time but we could hopefully find out about the trip out there, as it’s by boat for next time.
From Ely in East Cambridgeshire to the Suffolk coast is a reasonably horizontal run across the country for us. It was a beautiful day and it all being new places to discover, made the journey enjoyable. Ideal for a first outing…
Orford
Before reaching our first destination, we stopped off in the woodlands off Orford Road and tried out our Trangia kettle for the first time. We’re using a Camping Gaz burner (as we’re not backpacking, so weight & size are less of an issue.
Orford is a village on the bank of the River Ore, by the Suffolk coast. The National Trust site of Orford Ness has a wealth of history which I’d like to explore at a later date. We sat out at a Cafe, overlooking the River Ore before walking around the river.
We didn’t make it to the castle but got details of how to get to the Ness for next time. Looking forward to the boat trip.
We drove on to Aldeburgh.
Aldeburgh
Aldeburgh was a short drive from Orford. After what seemed like a lifetime, I managed to get the parking payed for but not until a few sanity points were lost (I’ve now got the app installed on my phone so won’t have to get trapped in a perpetual loop on the phone, trying to state my type of car, which came out as every type but the one it was!).
A walk along the coast, starting out on the shingle and then quite quickly thinking better of it (it’s like hauling bags of cement up hill), led to ice cream. I can quickly sum up if a place is great or not by the quality of its ice cream. This was a good place. We wandered back along the High Street (much more sensible, no shingle) to the car. We made tea in the back of the zuke. The car park was perfect for this, running longways, alongside the beach and large enough to be kind of private.
Anyway, the photos peppered throughout this short blog were all taken on that day. All in all, it was a great first outing, the car performed admirably and we can make a damn fine cup of tea out of the back of it.
I recently got the opportunity to view and photograph a Suzuki Jimny First gen. It was at at the Suzuki dealership; Hilton Suzuki in Bishop Stortford.
I was there, as mu and I were purchasing a Suzuki Jimny but Fourth Gen – JB74. It is the best car we have ever owned. It was the best experience of buying a car, ever. Thanks to the salesperson Martin. Second to none. We drove away with a dream (more of that to follow) but not until after capturing the following
This 1981 LJ is effectively a new car – ultra, ultra low mileage (less than 400!) and, it is for sale!
If you want a Suzuki then we can highly recommend Hilton Suzuki, Bishop Stortford. Ask for Martin.
This is only the second car I’ve photographed (the first was a Morris Minor) but I’m pleased with the results. Go to murpworkschrome to see all the photos…
Following on from seeing the marina in the mist, another misty morning presented itself. This time, the mist was thick, as thick as fog in places. There is a distinct difference between the two as discussed here, but I will go with mist.
I love the indistinctness the mist brings. Images can be conjured out of the air. Objects loom or recede with a delicate fall-off that is difficult to replicate without it. There is mystery. I used both the Fujifilm X100V and the Fujifilm XPRO1 (with the 50mm f2 lens) and was very pleased with the images from both.
On my walk, I limited myself to the marina and the river Great Ouse around Waterside and along to the railway bridge, in Ely. The subjects of structures, trees and boats made great images. I was particularly pleased with several.
Here are some of the images taken for another misty morning, with the Fujifilm X100V. Find more at larger size, at murpwokschrome
Since moving to what can be considered the side of the river Great Ouse (I’m in a marina, just off the river), I’ve seen swans. Every day, a flock of swans appear by the slipway at Waterside (though in truth, there are only a handful). They are there, waiting for tourists to feed them. The feeders are rewarded with waddling hulks of bird within arms length. Occasionally, a glide by in the river itself.
So, I’ve bee trying to capture the essence of a swan in a photograph. It’s early days yet but some of my attempts are up on murpworkschrome.
I initially started photographing in colour but I feel my best effort so far has been in B+W. See what you think, I’m posting the best image from several separate attempts here.
Taken from my first attempt in Swan 2022 at murpworkschrome – I feel colour works here
From Swan I 2022 at murpworkschrome – Colour but maybe B+W would have been better to ‘abstract’ the shape
Swapping to black and white from Swan 2022 at murpworkschrome – B+W and beautiful but the top of the image distracts
The latest from Single Swan 2022 at murpworkschrome – B+W and getting there…
I’ll keep on the look out for a flock of swans in future, whilst trying to capture the essence of these magnificent birds.
A first real treat of the experiencing the marina in the mist here in Ely. It took me straight back to A Misty Morning used in the Contact Card post. There was an ethereal feel, just like before. I find I really like the indistinct. I think it’s the idea that a thing has the possibility be something else. There is mystery.
From a photographic perspective, it provides great opportunities for mood. The autofocus hunts at times, depending upon the thickness of the mist or fog but it worked in most cases. Manually focussing is always a solution.
I was using my newly obtained, old Fujifilm XPRO1 with its new 50mm lens. It captured the images in black and white just how I wanted them to be.
