Exploring Bristol

I had set myself a couple of photography goals this year, one being my ongoing one camera one lens project, the other was to travel further afield to photograph and explore towns and cities I had not really explored fully, if at all.

I had started well enough in March, my 2 day trip to London was very enjoyable, since then, a combination of various things (along with the constant allure of Dartmoor) had sidelined more regular outings further afield until yesterday.

Having booked my bus ticket a few days before, Monday morning sees me heading to catch an early bus to Bristol, I happen to choose the morning with the first autumn frosts of 2019, as I venture out just before 6am towards the bus stop.

The journey will take a couple of hours and as the day breaks, I admire the amazing hues of orange in the sky, just a shame I could not ask the driver to stop for a few minutes to take some photos!

At eight fifteen, the bus arrives at the coach station, I have until late afternoon to explore the city before my return journey home.
I have a few ideas of where I want to go today but over a welcome breakfast, I finalise and abridge an unrealistic itinerary.

Bristol is well known for its urban artwork, I am barely two minutes into today’s foray when I see a perfect opportunity for some street images….

As usual for me with any place I am unfamiliar with, I spend a couple of hours just looking for potential ideas, then revisit later in the day, one such possibility is St. Nicholas market, where the stall holders are just starting to set up for the day, I will definitely come back here when it is busier!

My walk takes me towards the quayside, I came here a few years ago but had little time to photograph as much as I wanted, I will rectify that this morning.
Tall cranes, stand like sentinels along the dockside, my favourite being the old steam crane at the far end, all relics of Bristol’s maritime heritage.

I considered going to the SS Great Britain museum, after chatting to one of the custodians, a minimum of 2 hours is needed to barely scratch the surface of their exhibits, I will come here on another day, when I have more time, a perfect excuse for another trip, if I ever needed one.

By mid morning, according to my mobile app, I have covered 6 miles or so, time for another tea break, and a chance to write a few ideas for today’s blog, while they are still fresh in my mind.
My immediate thought is in the contrast of yesterday’s trip to the woods, a place of tranquillity, compared to the hustle and bustle of  today, yet both very enjoyable.

I head back towards the market that I had spotted earlier, the aroma of herbs and spices float in the air, tantalising taste buds.
I have timed this just right, a real hive of activity as the last of the lunchtime crowds walk away with bao buns or rice bowls, curries and burrito’s.

Two of the traders are happy to let me take photos when I ask, I prefer this approach in markets, as they will often take time to pose a ‘working’ shot, as they tell me about their business.

I cover around seven or eight miles today, yet I feel that I have barely scratched the surface, there appears to be photo opportunities wherever I turn.

Time has slipped away all too quickly,  I have an hour before my bus departs, just time to go and find an area of graffiti I had spotted earlier.

The next time I come to Bristol, it will be for a couple of days, I would like to photograph the city at night time, as well as go to the places I could not cover today, in the meantime, I will enjoy looking back at the memories I have made today.

Into the woods once more

It’s the last week of October and I am keen to revisit a favourite woodland walk, Newbridge, situated on edge of Dartmoor between Ashburton and Poundsgate.

On arrival, the car park is already well utilised, this area is popular with walkers and canoeists alike, I spend a few minutes chatting with a group that have come from Horsham to sample the fast flowing waters of the River Dart, I leave them to their final preparations while I head to the woods.

Holly bushes seem to have an abundance of berries this year, a contrast of red and green against the slowly browning bracken along the edge of the path, these colour contrasts are one of the reasons that autumn is my favourite season.

As usual, I cannot resist the urge to create some long exposure images of the River, the smoky look of the water against algae clad rocks, some of which are speckled with the yellows and golds of fallen leaves.

As my walk takes me further into the woodland, I stop to take pictures of the fungi.
Each year, I promise to educate myself to learn the names of the species I see, each year, I fail miserably in doing so, yet my admiration of the beauty and fragility of their nature will never dwindle.

A simple rust coloured leaf, still clinging to its vine grabs my attention, acorns on a lush verdant cushion of lichen, ivy leaves basking in the autumn sun, all these little treasures are there to be found, the fun is in seeking them out.

My walk has come full circle, I am back at the car park supping a welcome cup of tea, I am thinking about how my photo walk tomorrow in Bristol will be the polar opposite of today, from spacious woodland to sprawling urban conurbation.

Into the mist

Six AM and I have just finished my night shift, my normal routine would be to get home for a welcome cup of tea and a few hours sleep but the city wakes, wrapped in a grey shroud of late October fog, too good an opportunity to miss, for some moody shots before the darkness lifts.

I am barely a few hundred yards from my doorstep when the first potential shot is seen, a central heating outlet throws warm air out into this damp, cold morning, creating its own fog into a side alley ….. click!

Walking through the city centre, an opportunity perhaps, for the early buses awaiting their cargo of commuters, it seems strange to see the dormant Christmas decorations suspended above, it will be another three weeks before the annual switch on event, and the increasingly early build up to the festive season.

I move quickly to a place where I had noted the potential for a good ‘mist’ shot in the past, the old iron bridge has some lovely old style street lamps, placed fairly close together, as I reach the spot, my hoped for shot is as there for the taking, as well as a couple of ornamental lamps on the nearby buildings.

I even manage to find a place to rest my camera for a long exposure shot of a passing car, my improvised tripod is a handily placed waste bin with a convenient flat surface, perfect!

At this point, I am not far from the River Exe, so decide to make a beeline there to one of the bridges I have photographed so many times before in low light conditions, I am here so why not?

Millenium bridge

On my way to the bridge, the light through the trees was too good to miss

On my way to the bridge, I am drawn to the way the trees are lit by the street lights, there is a moody feel to this shot, as with the rest of today’s images, they will be black and white.

The darkness is slowly conceding ground to daylight, the eternal tug of war between night and day slowly swings to night time’s advantage, more so this weekend with the changing of the clocks.

My walk along the river bank is broken up by a few sporadic shots of the mist slowly lifting away, it was the last of the night time shots I was out for, so am happy to make my way back home for a shower and a few hours sleep.

The spontaneous nature of today’s shoot, has made it all the more enjoyable, I have always admired the moodiness of these misty autumn mornings, to capture them is always a pleasure.

Totnes, then the seaside

It’s Monday morning, the third day of a rather welcome 3 days off, it’s just after 6am as I enjoy the first cuppa of the day, while listening to the rain as it hits the windows.

The weather forecast suggests that the morning’s rain will clear to sunny spells, either way, I intend to have a good day out.

My first destination will be Totnes, a town I really enjoy photographing, it’s quayside and town centre are always a hive of activity, I will have a mooch for a couple hours here, before meeting my parents for lunch, my treat today, they are celebrating their 57th wedding anniversary this weekend!

As the grey clouds begin to clear, the morning has a lovely mood with a warm autumnal glow of sunlight, a good start to the day.

After a pleasant couple of hours with my folks, I continue my photo day trip, off to Paignton and Torquay, the ‘English Riviera’.

It’s half term, I was expecting the beach to be busy with family groups, perhaps the recent drop in temperatures are keeping the less hardy ones at home, those that are here are having a great time, one young lad trying to show his mum the dead crab he has found, mum wants none of that thank you!

There is a keen wind near the pier atr Paignton, bobble hats and scarves have been salvaged from their summer hibernation, to use a Games of Thrones analogy, ‘winter is on the way’.

From the confines of a cosy cafe by the sea, I watch the world go by with a welcome cuppa, browse through my photos so far before making my way back to the town centre where I hope to get some photos from the steam railway station there, then head over to Torquay for an hour or so before making my way home.

 

It has been a long time since I had a day like today, being able just go at leisure with no time constraints, it is something I hope to do more often over the coming months.

Looking back

With the first of the autumn rain storms making its presence felt, there will be little chance of getting out with the camera today, on such days I will take a little time in going through some of the images I have taken throughout the year, cataloguing and backing up to clear space for those images yet to come.

The image above was taken at around 5am in August, as I wait for the first train to Teignmouth to capture the sunrise, my enjoyment of early mornings has honed my low light photography skills, so much so, it is probably my favourite genre of photography.

 

I was not to be disappointed with my arrival at Teignmouth that morning, while there was a promise of a good sunrise, the cloud obscured the early rays but still produced some very atmospheric light, of course, as I was making my way back to the train station, the sun appeared for a brief few moments as I walked under the pier.

 

Brixham has always been a favourite location to visit, I enjoy photographing the fishing paraphernalia but there is a certain something about this town that draws me back time and time again, I have been meaning to and photograph Brixham at night for some time, with the evenings drawing in, that opportunity will come soon.

With Dawlish and Dawlish Warren both just a thirty minute train journey away, I will never tire of the scenic route by this coastline, a few early morning shots before the very enjoyable walk back to Exeter along the estuary and canal footpaths.

 

Further along the coast in the opposite direction, is the Jurassic coast, Lyme Regis is another of those places that I have yet to capture at dawn, this is on the list for next year, along with more visits to Portland Bill, a location I revisited for the first time in over 20 years!

I like the way that looking back on photos can often give inspiration for different compositions and new ideas.
I have a small notebook which I carry in my camera bag that has various ideas for various locations, I would use my smartphone to do this but I can probably write as quickly as I am able to type on that tiny phone keyboard anyway!

Dartmoor days

Sunday morning, 7am, I am supping my first cuppa after arriving home from my nightshift, another week complete, the day is mine to  do with as I choose, that choice will be heading out to Dartmoor.

Camera packed and batteries charged, I decide against carrying a tripod, I want to travel as light as possible, a day for exploring without the need for too much gear.

Today’s venue is a favourite, with a variety of things to see, but it is the solitude of the place that appeals, it could be high summer and it may be possible to meet just a handful of other walkers here…. perfect.

There is a distinct coolness to the wind today, it is the first time I have dug my fleece out for a walk since early spring, even my wellies will be worn today, the recent rains will have made areas of today’s venue quite boggy in places, these places have some rather nice abandoned buildings which will look good in the sunshine that has just made an appearance.

The first thing that hits you with Dartmoor is just the absolute peace and quiet, no roar of traffic, just the gentle thud of  Wellington boots against the path,the sound of the wind and the rush of the nearby River Swincombe, the perfect antidote for the hustle and bustle of every day.

As with all my Dartmoor days, I will be searching for its treasures, not just the beauty of the vast open space but the gnarled spindly tree surviving against the harsh winds that try to break its will to survive, hidden fungi growing on a fallen tree and the textures of weathered wood and rusty fences.