outdoors

Urban climbing

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Recently it was staircases. Now it’s the moving variety, also found here in the heart of west London.

This man has the escalator to himself, and chooses to stride to the summit. It’s early morning and he’s dressed for work and on a mission. I’m not even noticed as I crouch at the foot of the moving staircase and wait for his moment of triumph.

Urban climbing

This nifty piece of urban design – a covered outdoor escalator – is a gateway to a vast shopping complex which sits close to my doorstep. I’ll share more views from an early morning session there soon.

The remains of the day

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Another weekend was spent in the Essex riverside town of Maldon for a family celebration. I always walk down to the edge of the Blackwater, camera in hand. The landscape and light are always different from the last time.

The afternoon was marching on, and the sun was ebbing away in the distance with a pleasing amount of fire, silhouetting the mature trees of Promenade Park.

Tree skyscape

After this shot, I swung my camera in the opposite direction, at the river, the many boats and tall rigging. While the sunset was dramatic and fiery, the Blackwater was crisp, calm, blue and swallowing the final light of the day. It could be another place, a different time…

Blackwater at dusk

Treasure hunter

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Treasure hunter

This could be a quiet rural scene, photographed by a remote coastal area or the edge of some distant lake. But this on the River Thames, taken from bustling Putney Bridge and next to the hubbub of London life. The man is scanning the edge of the water with his metal detector and looking for some valuable treasure hidden beneath the pungent mud.

The feel of this shot reflects the sense of a maudlin day when the sky was blanketed in thick cloud and the light was flat and unyielding. I’ll share another of these images tomorrow (Friday) and thoughts on how to tackle such days with your camera.

Mersea shore

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An image from a holiday weekend visit to Mersea Island, part of Essex in eastern England. This stretch of coastline is a recognised place of natural beauty. It was a warm summer’s day, maybe one of the last we will see, and many people were enjoying this unspoilt seaside.

With a beautifully contoured sky and the layers created by the sand, sea and wooden fences, this was an irresistible spot for some landscape photography. I’ll share a gallery of Mersea Island views in the coming days.

A moment in green

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This photograph was taken on Richmond Green, a nice spot in south-west London, not far away from the Thames. It’s simply a detail of a park bench, shaded by a huge old tree. Just beyond this, the sun was shining and many people were relaxing. Getting the focus and light just right for this took some time.

But there is another story to this dark green seat with its peeling paint. It has special significance and was recently revisited a year after the start of something which I hope may outlast the bench.

Does a shot of something seemingly mundane have a great significance for you?…