u3a Eye - Movement

Surf breaking in beautiful light on Longstone, Farne Islands.

The Bluing House small water wheel at Wheal Martyn Clay Works

This was taken at a drifting demonstration. Drifting is getting the car's rear wheels spinning, and "sliding" the car around bends - in this instance, a set of cones and a simple figure-of-eight course. That made it easier for me to anticipate the car's arrival so I could try out panning for the first time, as well as play with shutter speed to get the motion blur effects I wanted, both from the wheel/tyre, and from the road itself.

I was experimenting using props set up in the garden, dropping a slice of lemon into the glass while taking camera shots at six frames per second.

I was fortunate to be able to visit the Farne islands, just off the coast of Northumberland, in June during the breeding season for the resident birds on the island. I wanted to capture a photograph of a puffin bringing in the catch for its young. Although a challenge, I was happy with the result.

A lot can happen in two seconds! Cabot Circus shopping centre in Bristol. It does contain people, but they're not too easy to recognise, so they won't object.

The photo shows water droplets making ripples in the lake inside the Crystal Caves in Grotto Bay, Bermuda. We were visiting these spectacular caves as part of a special birthday celebration holiday. Absolutely beautiful & mesmerising.

Bournemouth Air Show

… just another day for the RNLI

The High Level Bridge is one of seven bridges across the River Tyne between Newcastle and Gateshead. The High Level Bridge is now one way and restricted to Buses, Taxis and Pedestrian. In this case a good venue for longer exposures to depict movement without including people.

A female kingfisher living up to her name.

Swirling the Christmas Tree lights gives a sense of movement.

Exercising the horse on Hayling West beach

This photograph was taken in Wells Cathedral last month and it shows a touring artwork by UK artist Luke Jerram called Gaia. Measuring seven metres in diameter, and created from 120dpi detailed NASA imagery of the Earth’s surface, the artwork provides the opportunity to see our “blue planet” floating in three dimensions. The installation aims to create a sense of the Overview Effect, and I hope that my image captures the experience of awe for our planet. The first movement is the rotation of the earth about its axis, and the second movement is the use of intentional camera movement (ICM) to create the ethereal quality of the image and to evoke the feelings of the thousands of people who have witnessed this exhibit all over the world.

When Cardiff u3a's Photography Group (Morning) visited Barry Island in September, I was lucky enough to capture this collie's attempt at the canine water speed record.