Here’s my week three edit for Robyn’s One-Four Challenge. This challenge asks that you edit the same picture in four ways over four weeks. For this final edit I opened the original image in Camera Raw where I increased the exposure and clarity mainly, though a few other sliders also shifted slightly. I then moved it into Photoshop Elements … More One-Four Challenge: March Week Four
Here’s my week three edit for Robyn’s One-Four Challenge. This challenge asks that you edit the same picture in four ways over four weeks. For this edit I opened last week’s edit in Camera Raw and slightly increased the exposure, highlights and shadows. I then cropped it using Photoshop Elements before opening it in FotoSketcher where I added a mid-strength vintage look with … More One-Four Challenge: March Week Three
You follow the signposts as they lead you home through a landscape defined by a history of agricultural practice. Gravel tracks merge with tarmac lanes as dusk’s golden light caresses your senses. The trek has been long but your journey is nearly done. This photo was very nearly included in the gallery for the Monthly … More Cee’s Which Way Challenge 2015: Week #10 – Signpost
This post is for Cardinal Guzman’s monthly blogging event The Changing Seasons. He asks that you post a gallery of between 10 and 20 photos for each month, all taken in an area near to you. Over the course of the year we’ll get to see the landscape changing. If you would like to know more about … More Monthly Photo Challenge: The Changing Seasons #3 February
Here’s my week two edit for Robyn’s One-Four Challenge. This challenge asks that you edit the same picture in four ways over four weeks. For this second edit I cropped it a little looser in order to keep more of the tyre tracks on the sand in the foreground. Next, rather than just lightening the face of the … More One-Four Challenge: March Week Two
Finale As the year draws to an end, exploding in an exuberant display of vibrant reds and golds; as the day fades towards night, bathing the world in a gentle glow, the beasts stand in line with no awareness of their fate. This is my entry into Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge. I’ve never taken part with this one … More Finale
I took these pictures as I was heading back to the village last week. They’re not the best quality as they were taken on my phone which, unfortunately, doesn’t have the best camera, and it was also quite a dull day. But I was actually quite lucky to get any shots at all! A week or so earlier I … More A Murmuration of Starlings
It’s the first week of march and so time for a new image for Robyn’s One-Four Challenge. For this first edit I decided to keep it simple. First I cropped it to better showcase the tractor and boat, before brightening it slightly using the levels adjustment. I then increased the saturation and contrast. Finally I selected the … More One-Four Challenge: March Week One
I have been nominated by Nowathome to participate in the 5 Day Black and White Challenge and by Lrod to participate in the 5 Photos – 5 Stories Challenge. This post is my day 5 response to both. It took me a while to edit it down, but today’s story is right on my target – 500 words exactly. I hope … More The Mystery of the Stones
I have been nominated by Nowathome to participate in the 5 Day Black and White Challenge and by Lrod to participate in the 5 Photos – 5 Stories Challenge. This post is my day 4 response to both. I again managed to stay below 500 words. Yay! Today’s story is 450. Cobblestones The feel of the cobblestones beneath … More Cobblestones
I have been nominated by Nowathome to participate in the 5 Day Black and White Challenge and by Lrod to participate in the 5 Photos – 5 Stories Challenge. This post is my day 3 response to both. I was determined to keep today’s story a little shorter and set myself a word limit of 500. It came … More The Viewing Point
Here’s my fourth edit for Robyn’s One-Four Challenge. For this final edit I wanted to repeat the soft, dreamy look of week 2 but with a few changes. 1) I selected the crop used on last weeks image. 2) I wanted to reduce the brightness of the whites on the ponies backs, an issue that had been raised in previous … More One-Four Challenge: February Week Four
I have been nominated by Nowathome to participate in the 5 Day Black and White Challenge and by Lrod to participate in the 5 Photos – 5 Stories Challenge. This post is my day 2 response to both. I’d originally intended to write a single little flash fiction piece for today’s picture, but then I started getting more ideas. … More The Phonebox
I have been nominated by Nowathome to participate in the 5 Day Black and White Challenge and by Lrod to participate in the 5 photos – 5 days challenge. Here’s my picture for day 1: Seeking Shelter They finally stumbled into the barn, windblown and muddied, as the first droplets of rain began to fall. … More Seeking Shelter
Away from the pushing and shoving, from the crowds that jostle impatiently for place, you wait in the chill winter air. Cold light, cleansing in its purity, filters in through the iron and glass lattice of the cathedral-like roof. You close your eyes, tilt back your head and feel it wash over you. You tune … More Cee’s Which Way Challenge 2015: Week #7 – Station
Here’s my third edit for Robyn’s One-Four Challenge. With a wary gaze she watches the world as her companion sleeps in blissful oblivion. For this week’s edit I had two things I knew I wanted to do. The first was to crop it in some way; the second was make it into a black and white image. All … More One-Four Challenge: February Week Three
He stands beside the water with the setting sun at his back, his pose deceptively casual. Between his hands clouds begin to gather, a roiling reflection of the sky above. In their midst a spark of sunlight ignites. It grows steadily in intensity until a golden orb burns; the wild energy of the stars compressed … More Cee’s Oddball Challenge: 2015 Week #7
Two nights in a row this week I managed to photograph rather nice sunsets over the field next to my house. The first night I watched (and photographed of course!) as the sun sank below the horizon in a gorgeous golden glow. The next night the sky turned a lovely mottled pink. I thought I’d share some … More Sunsets
Emergence Clad in umber tones, arising from winter’s sleep with the promise of a young sun’s caress, with tentative steps the maiden begins her dance upon the eternal spiral, embracing the innocence of snowdrops in fresh bloom. I’d not originally planned this to be for Cee’s Which Way Challenge – I knew I wanted … More Emergence
Here’s my second edit for Robyn’s One-Four Challenge. This week I wanted to create a soft, dreamy effect. I began by opening the original in camera raw on Photoshop Editions (the first time I’ve ever explored this area of the program). I reduced the contrast, shadows and saturation and increased the exposure, highlights and whites. I then also slightly … More One-Four Challenge: February Week Two
How many people have sat there, upon the old wood of the bench on the green, watching the slow life of the village pass by? For many years it has provided a place to stop and rest; now it’s old and worn, wearied from its long labour. Moss and lichen mottle the surface like age … More Cee’s Black and White Challenge: The Bench on the Green
This post is for Cardinal Guzman’s monthly blogging event The Changing Seasons. He asks that you post a gallery of between 10 and 20 photos for each month, all taken in an area near to you. Over the course of the year we’ll get to see the landscape changing. If you would like to know more about … More Monthly Photo Challenge: The Changing Seasons #2 January
It powers over the viaduct, a metallic monster with fire in its belly, breathing steam and smoke into the air in pungent billows; a marvel of Victorian engineering. Its passage is accompanied by the roaring clatter of metal against metal. Behind the engine trail carriages, filled with passengers enjoying a touch of old-fashioned luxury as … More Cee’s Which Way Challenge 2015: Week #5 – Steam Train
It’s a new month and so time for a new picture for Robyn’s One-Four Challenge. For this first edit I used Photoshop Elements. I began by cropping it a little off the bottom and sides. I then selected the smudge stick filter, which I set to a relatively low stroke length, highlight area and intensity. I … More One-Four Challenge: February Week One
For long years the pair have stood guardian over the sacred space, their presence conceived to repel what evil spirits might wish to venture within. Their features, once finely carved, are worn and weathered now with the passage of time. One sleeps in peaceful repose, free of all cares. The other watches the world. And … More Cee’s Black and White Challenge: Textures
A Path Through History Rickety fences direct your steps with genteel insistence as you follow the meandering path, uneven stone beneath your feet and the summer sun warm upon your skin. With curious eyes you explore the ruins. Once an extravagant display of elitist dominion, a focal point for struggles of class and ideology, the … More Cee’s Which Way Challenge 2015: Week #4 – A Path Through History
This is my entry four week 4 of Robyn’s One-Four Challenge, which asks that you edit the same picture in four different ways over four weeks. For this final edit I wanted to create a more psychedelic image, drawing on the slightly more esoteric role of mushrooms (though ink caps do not have any hallucinogenic … More One-Four Challenge: January Week 4
The lanes twist and turn across the countryside, crossing, merging and dividing as they skirt around fields and farmyards, winding in leisurely meanders in an intricate tarmacked maze. Muddied verges, puddled from recent rainfall, are torn and frayed by the tires of vehicles forced to pull aside on the narrow route. In the chill of … More Cee’s Black & White Challenge: Roadscapes
The sounds of water lapping against the rocky outcrops below drift soothingly to your ears as you traverse the Devil’s Bridge, following in the footsteps of centuries worth of travellers. Your hand trails over the stone balustrade as so many have done before. The structure may be mottled with moss and lichen, it may be … More Cee’s Which Way Challenge 2015: Week #3 – Devil’s Bridge
This is my entry for January week 3 of Robyn G’s One-Four Challenge, which asks that you edit the same picture in four different ways over four weeks. To begin with this picture was again edited on PicMonkey. First I increased the shadows, highlights and contrast and added a faint green cross-process. I then slightly … More One-Four Challenge: January Week 3
Each nook and cranny around the yard is home to a woodpile, the contents collected through years of beaver-like industry. Dead trees, old tables, builders off cuts – all meet their fate beneath the blades of chainsaw and axe. Once decimated they are laid out and stacked in funereal precision, awaiting their time … More Cee’s Black and White Photo Challenge: Wood
Shadowed What secrets lie hidden within the shadowed corners of history? With gazes drawn to the bright vistas, the carefully chosen points of focus, we view a scene shaped by the victors’ hands, by those in positions of prominence and power. Seek with a careful eye amongst the shadows: the secrets of the dispossessed may someday … More Weekly Photo Challenge: Shadowed
Here’s my entry for January week 2 of Robyn’s One Four Challenge, which asks you to edit the same picture in four different ways over a month. For this week’s edit I used the online photo-edit site, PicMonkey. I increased both shadows and highlights before desaturating the picture to full black and white. To finish off, I … More One-Four Challenge: January Week 2
It moves like a great beast: slow and steady as it trundles along lanes dry and dusty after the weeks of summer drought. I watch it pass, see the sun glinting on dirty paintwork, and I try not to choke on the clouds of dust disturbed by its passage. Soon it has gone and only the faint haze … More Cee’s Which Way Challenge: 2015 #Week 1 – Beast
I’ve decided to join in with Cardinal Guzman’s monthly blogging event. He asks that you post a gallery of between 10 and 20 photos for each month, all taken in an area near to you. Over the course of the year we’ll get to see the landscape changing. If you would like to know more about … More Monthly Photo Challenge: The Changing Seasons #1 December
I’ve been saying for a while now that I’m going to join in with Robyn G’s One-Four Challenge – well this month I’m actually doing so! This challenge asks you to edit the same picture in four different ways over four weeks. If you would like to find out more, or join in with the challenge, … More One-Four Challenge: January Week 1
An Image Of Concern Twisting, curling. A vague idea gathering form and substance. An inkling – troublesome yet indistinct. A hint, a look shared, an outline defined. Shading added. The caress of fear, pulsing worry. Something’s wrong, something’s wrong, something… An easy way to find the truth. A simple question. But… Do you really want … More An Image of Concern
From Winter Retreat, huddle down, as darkness creeps ever further over the barren landscape. Icicle fingers bind tight; hearts and minds joyless, fearful in Winter’s captivity. A flickering glimmer of light amidst shadow. Watch night retreat. A shaft of pale daylight dances across the pristine crystals clothing nature’s naked beauty. A jubilant laugh; a … More From Winter
Winter Sleep Winter’s chill creeps and the urge to sleep engulfs nature’s domain, with earthen blankets overlaid with the softest of white coverlets concealing dormant heads, as life retreats from frosty air to await the sun’s return.
Midwinter Child As winter strengthens its hold on the land, the light of the sun fades into oblivion’s void, endless night draining joy from the world. Hear the solstice bells chime as pale rays glimmer in a cloud-laden sky, a midwinter child, new-born, cradled in the Mother’s arms, a bearer of hope for future life. … More Midwinter Child
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Looking at life through blue eyes
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Looking into why we do the things we do (and some crochet) each Monday
Amanda Tuke - nature writer and urban nature champion
A photographic journey.
Here and now, with all of it.
An Enchanted Place 