A First Outing

murpworkschrome - Light on a Lens - A First Outing - Jimny in Suffolk Forest Green image

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

murpworkschrome - Light on a Lens - A First Outing - Orford - fishing Pots image

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

murpworkschrome - Light on a Lens - A First Outing - Aldeburgh - Festival Sign image

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!).

murpworkschrome - Light on a Lens - A First Outing - Aldeburgh - mu I image

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.

murpworkschrome - Light on a Lens - A First Outing - Aldeburgh - Jimny - Open Back image

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.

Peace and photography

rp

A Flock of Swans

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.

murpworkschrome - light on a lens -
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.

Peace and photography

rp

Cawdle Fen

A short walk to Cawdle Fen on the 4th March 2022.

Cawdle Fen is situated just outside of the city of Ely. It is a drainage board for the surrounding area, taking rainwater from the higher area, into the river Great Ouse.

This was a first walk I took, in which to photograph. It had been raining slightly and this provided a doomy, moody feel.

murpworkschrome - light on a lens - Between Two Boats image
Between Two Boats
murpworkschrome - light on a lens - Fence  image
“You’re Going the Wrong Way!”
murpworkschrome - light on a lens - Cawdle Fen - A Cut in the Landscape image
A Cut in the Landscape
murpworkschrome - light on a lens - Cawdle Fen - The Curve image
The Curve
murpworkschrome - light on a lens - Tracks image
Tracks
murpworkschrome - light on a lens - Cawdle Fen - To the Bridge image
To the Bridge
murpworkschrome - light on a lens - Cawdle Fen - Passing... image
Passing…

I’ve added the best images of this day to murpworkschrome here and here.

Peace and photography

rp

Update – Reset – Begin Again

It’s been so and too long since I updated this blog. There’s no excuse. So, there is only one thing to do – Update, reset and begin again.

I nearly lost the murpworkschrome domain but managed to resurrect it, phoenix-like, from the ashes of letting it go. However, I’m back, with renewed vigour.

My Instagram account has grown fatter. I’m happy with a fair few of the photographs taken but I got lazy. Nearly all were taken with my iPhone. I want to do more than this so I’m buying a Ricoh GR III. I walk around and take photographs. If I don’t have to take a camera bag (I have two) then that is good. I don’t want people thinking I’m a photographer. The GR III gives me the ability to replace my smartphone with a smart camera. I want point and shoot intelligence and I think the GR III can give me this.

Latest

The latest photographs I took were the other day, driven by the lockdown / Covid-19 affected times

murpworks - murpworkschrome - Update - Reset - Begin Again - Drive Thru I B+W image
murpworks - murpworkschrome - Update - Reset - Begin Again - Drive Thru II B+W image

It’s one of the few things you can do!

Today however, it snowed! Now it’s brilliant sun. Once again, constrained by the viral climate, I’m confined to a small area of excursion

murpworks - murpworkschrome - Update - Reset - Begin Again - Railway Fence image
Railway Fence I
Railway Fence VI

I update, reset and begin again…

Peace and photography

RP

Avebury in April

I took these photographs in Avebury back in April 2018. A very different approach was taken to each photograph but it is the land that pulls them together as a cohesive whole. I have visited here, many times with mu and we always find it a special place to spend time. The history is palpable. This Avebury in April showed a stark landscape brought about by the clouds that hung ominously, but didn’t rain.

Avebury in April - Branches image
Branches
Discarded branches at the approach to the path, across from the stone circle. The path runs along side the stream, in front of Silbury Hill.

Avebury in April - Rolling Hill image
Rolling Hill
A rolling hill, to the left as you walk toward Silbury Hill and on further, to West Kennet Long Barrow.

Avebury in April - Stream at Silbury Hill
Stream at Silbury Hill
The stream that runs at the foot of Silbury Hill was in full flow with clear cold water.

Avebury in April - Silbury Hill BW image
Silbury Hill
Silbury Hill. A man-made hill in the prehistoric landscape.


Peace and photography

rp

Snow Garden Photography

The building of Snow Garden

The Building of Snow Garden image
Snowfall

The snow came this year. Most years, down here in Wiltshire, we seem to be sheltered from the worst of the weather that affects more exposed areas. It was the combination of the Beast from the East and Hurricane Emma meeting, that dumped a thick white blanket. It caused chaos for 48 hours; blocking roads, closing railways lines and stations and grounding planes at airports across Britain.

Meanwhile, in a small village just off the Western edge of Salisbury Plain, I was given the opportunity to capture one of my favourite photographs to date.

Snow Garden image
Snow Garden

 

Snow Garden

Continuing the theme of Snow Garden, after the snow had fallen and lain in the grip of cold, I captured more shots in the garden.

I used the Creamtone B+W Preset in Lightwave to process these images and it gave them the feel I was looking for.

 

 

Peace and photogrpahy

rp

 

From the Foot of Glastonbury Tor

Photograph from the foot of Glastonbury Tor

Winter Tor IV B+W image

Detail

Taken on 27 January 2018 at 16:38 on Google Pixel 2.

The gritty Winter’s day led me to manipulate this photogrpah from its original colour, into Black + White. Glastonbury Tor is iconic. It stands proud above the Somerset landscape as a beacon to anyone who looks at the world differently. It is a mixture of myth, magnificence, nature and man.

This won’t be the last time I will photograph the Tor.

 

Peace and photogrpahy

rp

 

End of a Year Photograph

End of a Year on the Kennett and Avon

End of a Year (portrait) image

I took this photograph at the side of the Kennet and Avon Canal, outside Bradford-On-Avon, in Wiltshire on 31 December 2017.

End of a Year – blog

This photograph is a Portrait version of a photograph I also took in Landscape format. I used the Landscape version, where I manipulated the colour, for the header to the Tales from the Bilge blog.

The blog is about us buying a narrowboat and moving to liveaboard and all that entails. There’s a serenity on a canal that I’ve yet to find anywhere else. You are spiritually away from the world. While this photograph captures nature, the telephone lines show that you’re never physically far away from ‘civilisation’.

Taken on a Google Pixel 2.

 

Peace and photography

rp

Save the Children – Cream Teas

Sign image
Save the Children

Throughout the summer months, at a farm in Hill Deverill, Wiltshire people give up their time to create Cream Teas (and bake cakes and savouries) to raise money for Save the Children. Hill Deverill Farm is a beautiful setting, with a barn for the teas and gardens to explore or sit out in when the weather’s fine.

The following images show the beautiful setting for the day

Window - Hill Deverill Farm image
Window – Hill Deverill Farm

 

Butterfly on Buddleia I image
Small Tortoiseshell butterfly on Buddleia

 

Pots on the Wall I image
Pots on the Wall

 

In the Greenhouse image
In the Greenhouse

Save the Children