2023: Eight memorable photos

December 31, 2023December 31, 2023 / mikeosbornphoto / 6 Comments

It’s time to bid farewell to another year. 2023 was very memorable after I resumed overseas travel after a three-year break caused by the pandemic.

As usual it’s photography that marks the moments that count, and here are just eight of them.

How was it for you?

1. THE COLOURS OF MINDELO

My first trip abroad in three years was an island-hopping tour of Cape Verde. The colourful, vibrant and sun-kissed city of Mindelo was a favourite place and reignited my zest to see the world. It was a joy to explore and photograph.

Explore the Cape Verde islands here

2. BEAUTIFULLY GILDED

In August I had a weekend away in Birmingham to explore and capture the city’s impressive and varied architecture, including its showcase library. I’d studied in Birmingham many moons ago, so the visit evoked a whole host of memories.

Tour of Birmingham’s buildings here

3. SERIFOS BLUE AND WHITE

In May I visited three of the lesser known Cyclades islands of Greece, namely Tinos, Syros and Serifos. Bold colours, beautiful old clifftop towns and the azure of the Aegean Sea all made photography a joy. Who doesn’t love the famed architecture of these islands?

Visit a stunning trio of Greek isles here

4. MOODY LINES

There was great excitement just a stone’s throw away from my Manchester home with the opening of Aviva Studios, a new arts centre with huge ambitions and a distinctive and aesthetically pleasing building. It’s a place I love to visit often.

Find out more about Aviva Studios here

5. PINK OF THE PIER

In all honesty the UK’s summer in 2023 wasn’t a scorcher. So on a rare fine day I visited Colwyn Bay on the north Wales coast for the first time. A beautiful beach and harbour made this a great place to enjoy with my camera in tow.

Take a trip to the Welsh seaside here

6. CHEEK BY JOWL

My home city of Manchester continued its upward growth in 2023 and was the backbone of my local photography. Two nearby residential skyscrapers became accessible and looked stunning against blue skies.

See more of Manchester’s new skyscrapers here

7. SAMUEL

Travel is about the people you meet. On my Cape Verde trip, my guide on the lush, rugged island of Santo Antão was Sam. Enthusiastic, cheerful and proud of his home, he enriched my stay.

Visit beautiful Santo Antão here

8. TOWER ON BLUE

I’ve had mixed feelings about the brash seaside resort of Blackpool, but an October day that was unusually warm with sunshine and stunning blue skies changed my perspective. It was a day at the coast to remember.

Visit this coast on a sun-kissed day here

Greek islands: Serifos

July 2, 2023July 2, 2023 / mikeosbornphoto / 6 Comments

My hop around the Greek islands has taken in Tinos, rugged and covered in churches, and Syros with its majestic architecture and relaxed beaches.

The last stop – Serifos – is the smallest of the trio and has its own unique character. Is this the best island to go back to for a long, relaxed holiday?… READ MORE BELOW

Tap/click first image to view gallery

The mood on Serifos was set by my relaxing island base, with a modern, comfortable room and spacious balcony overlooking a charming little garden.

Just a short walk away was beautiful Livadakia Beach and the Vassilia beach bar, a relaxing and very friendly place where you could spend your days by the shore and have dinner in the evening.

Unlike Tinos and Syros, I hadn’t managed to secure a Serifos island tour, and even efforts to hire an electrically-assisted bicycle fell flat.

Left with just the feet I was born with, I went on a hike to see the island’s lighthouse and also walked all the way to the summit of the chora (old town) with the reward of stunning views over the main bay.

A view of the town of Livadi on the Greek island of Serifos

Livadi is the place to find restaurants, bars and shops on Serifos

I think you notice more when walking, from the detail of Greek island windows to the early summer carpets of wildflowers. These hikes turned into rich and interesting photography walks.

In late May Serifos was anything but crowded, but I sensed it was being prepared for the height of tourist season.

I felt like I was on vacation here and even dipped my toes in the crystal clear waters of the Aegean.

Of these three islands, Serifos felt like the holiday haven made for a relaxing week or two, although you might want to pick late Spring or early autumn to visit.

But with well over 200 inhabited Greek islands to choose from, the quest is only just beginning!

The tour of Tinos, Syros and Serifos in the Greek Cyclades was booked through Secret Escapes. Flights with Aegean Airways from Manchester to Athens, ferry crossings, accommodation and all other transfers were included. I booked excursions on Tinos and Syros separately.

Greek islands: Syros

June 18, 2023June 14, 2023 / mikeosbornphoto / Leave a comment

The first stop on my Greek island trip took me to rugged Tinos with its numerous churches and pretty dovecotes.

Syros, just 30 minutes away on the ferry, was the next port of call for a brief but bountiful two-night stay. An island of two halves? READ MORE BELOW

Tap/click first image to see gallery

My base in Syros was the quiet seaside village of Finikas with its little marina and a good few restaurants to choose from.

I stayed at the Brazzera Hotel, a comfortable place with very friendly and helpful staff, situated a few strides from a golden stretch of beach and clear Aegean waters. Finikas turned out to be a relaxing place to wander around and enjoy some downtime.

With the island’s showpiece capital some miles distant, I treated myself to a tour with a guide, driver and comfortable car which was worth every penny. I’d arranged this in advance from the UK with great ease.

This was a chance to see some more of the island and get to grips with the city of Ermoupoli and its hilltop neighbour of Ano Syros, rich in resplendent buildings, winding little streets and some fantastic views. There was even an El Greco painting tucked away in a church.

Having a knowledgeable and skilled guide all to myself definitely added to the experience, which was better than wandering the streets alone.

Syros may be the nominal capital of the Cyclades islands, but has an understated charm and wasn’t heaving with visitors ahead of the peak summer season.

The pure blue skies you always expect in Greece were at times elusive, but added to the atmosphere and made photography a little more challenging.

If you like history and architecture coupled with the chance to chill on a secluded beach, Syros should be added to your island-hopping wishlist.

It was a short stay before the final island on this journey. Stayed tuned for the third little Greek gem.

Greek islands: Tinos

June 4, 2023June 4, 2023 / mikeosbornphoto / 2 Comments

My very first taste of Greece was in 2018 with a trip to glamorous Santorini.

But it’s one of the most popular Aegean island destinations and was packed with visitors seeking sunset selfies.

I wanted to discover the quieter side of Greek island life, so chose a trip taking in three lesser known spots in the Cyclades. First stop: Tinos READ MORE BELOW

Tap/click first image to view gallery

I had a very brief layover in Athens before the four-hour ferry crossing to Tinos.

The main town was all that I wished for, with little whitewashed streets and tucked away tavernas serving delicious food.

A main attraction is the Evangelistria church, a place so holy that a carpeted stretch of street allows pilgrims to get there on their knees.

The coast within hiking distance of Tinos town offers sparkling clear azure waters and quiet stretches of beach which may well fill up in the height of summer.

Car or scooter hire isn’t an option for me, so I booked myself a tour of Tinos with an elderly driver-guide who knew the island like the back of his weathered hand.

This rugged place is dotted with villages and ornate Tinian dovecotes. Pyrgos, built on the riches of marble extraction and Volax, which sits on a scattering of volcanic rocks, are worthy stops.

Tinos comes with a note of caution, however. A fearsome wind capable of sweeping you off your feet can whip across the island and it felt so chilly that I invested in an emergency overcoat.

Hold on to your hats until the next island stop – Tinos was the interesting and far less crowded start I’d hoped for.

A taste of Greece

October 14, 2018April 26, 2023 / mikeosbornphoto / 30 Comments

It’s taken me a long time to get around to visiting Greece, a favourite of Britons and all tourists alike.

I chose the island of Santorini, famed for its azure seas, cliff-clinging villages and magical sunsets.

It delivered all of this and had a fantastic light for photography.

But I have to be an honest traveller. Santorini is incredibly popular and crawls with visitors. Quad bikes choke the roads and destinations like Oia trap tourists like flies. Departing from the oversubscribed airport can be an uncomfortable experience.

If you want to relax in the Greek islands, choose one of the many others which still enjoy relative anonymity. A lesson learned…