Category: Photography

Monochrome Monday… St Andrews, Fife

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St Andrews, October 2017St Andrews, October 2017
Nikon F3HP, Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 AI-S – 1/500s, f8, – Ilford HP5+ rated at ISO 320

Another shot from October’s holiday in Fife… this time from the “home of golf”.

This scene caught my eye when I glanced over my shoulder during a stroll along the East Scores from the Cathedral to the Castle.

Scan by AgLab with minimal cropping and tweaking in Lightroom Classic CC.

Single frame… Large White butterfly

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Large White butterfly (Pieris brassicae)Large White butterfly (Pieris brassicae)
Fujifilm X-T1, Fujinon XF 18-135mm f3.5~5.6 R LM OIS WR at 135mm, 1/200s, f8, ISO 200

A much shorter ‘Photography Friday’ today with far fewer pictures taken.

This Large White butterfly (Pieris brassicae) rested briefly on the Great Willowherb (Epilobium hirsutum) growing beside the Chesterfield Canal at Tapton Lock Visitor Centre.

The shot is massively cropped from the original… I was doing my best to not fall in the canal!

Photography Friday… a trip to Wales

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Today’s ‘Photography Friday’ trip took us off to Wales… specifically to the Llangollen Railway and Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.

Llangollen lies on the River Dee in Denbighshire and plays host to the International Musical Eisteddfod, an event that we completely failed to realise was taking place this week and the town was packed with visitors (and performers) from all over the world!

The River Dee at LlangollenThe River Dee at Llangollen
Fujifilm X-T1, Fujinon XF 18-135mm f3.5~5.6 R LM OIS WR at 18mm, 1/240s, f11, ISO 400

After grabbing a bite to eat we boarded the first train to Corwen and I was surprised to find (given the recent dry weather and potential fire risk posed by a steam engine in such conditions), Great Western Railway (GWR) 5101 class ‘large prairie’ 2-6-2T No.5199 in charge of the five coach train.

Sadly (for some, not me, I like diesel locos too…) the return trip was handled by British Railways (BR) class 26 diesel-electric D5310 and No.5199 was returned to the engine shed.

GWR 'large prairie' 5199 pauses at CarrogGWR ‘large prairie’ 5199 pauses at Carrog Station
Fujifilm X-T1, Fujinon XF 18-135mm f3.5~5.6 R LM OIS WR at 32mm, 1/80s, f9, ISO 400

Following a delicious pub lunch overlooking the river at The Cornmill we headed off to see the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, a stunning structure that carries the Llangollen Canal (originally the Ellesmere Canal) over the River Dee at a height of 126ft!

Pontcysyllte AqueductPontcysyllte Aqueduct
Fujifilm X-T1, Fujinon XF 18-135mm f3.5~5.6 R LM OIS WR at 26mm, 1/250s, f8, ISO 400

Completed in 1805 at a cost of £47,000 the aqueduct is a Grade I listed building and a World Heritage Site and still carries boats from the village of Froncysyllte to the canal basin at Trevor. The towpath is open to walkers but a head for heights is definitely recommended!

Single frame… North Lane

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North Lane, July 2018North Lane, July 2018
Fujifilm X-T1, Fujinon XF 18-135mm f3.5~5.6 R LM OIS WR at 59mm, 1/80s, f11, ISO 2500

A view south along North Lane near Belper in Derbyshire, part of an ancient route known as ‘The Portway’ and believed to be of Roman construction… Also a wonderfully cool place to be on a hot summer evening!