News

Hi everyone, and I hope you are keeping healthy in these unprecedented times. Photography trips have had to be shelved until the last couple of weeks, and it has been great to get out into the countryside again. We're very lucky living where we do on the edge of the Yorkshire Wolds, with lovely country walks literally on our doorstep, and I have great sympathy for those folk living in cities and highrises who have been unable to travel. Let's hope the worst is behind us and some kind of normality returns.

Meantime I have started a new portfolio, Nature, to celebrate all the good things to be seen out and about. The first two images in there were experiments using old lenses from film cameras on my DSLR, using adaptors. Cherry Blossom was made a two minute walk down the road a few weeks ago (before the high winds blew all the petals away). The lens is a 1975 Nikkor 105mm f/2.5 manual focus which, despite its age, produces superb results.

The second one, Spring in the woods, was made using a 1996 Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm f/2.8 lens from my treasured Hasselblad 500c/m (see it in my Technical section). The highest quality comes as standard, but the background bokeh came as a pleassant surprise!

Here's a link to the portfolio, and more will be added in the future.

In a moment of total weakness, which will no doubt be repeated, I have bought (ebay again) a 1956 Leica IIIf body, dressed it in a 50mm f/2 lens from a dealer (it was a good deal too) and added 90mm and 135mm lenses. Oh, and a second body too - another moment of weakness! I've added them to my Technical page.

I hold my hands up, no excuse except life keeps getting in the way - how time flies by! However, if the Coronavirus has a positive side, it is that many of us have a lot more time on our hands now we are 'confined to barracks'.
So I've finally done the bit of spring cleaning of the site that I've been intending to do for ages. This has involved flinging out some old images, bringing in some new and giving it a facelift.
I hesitate to promise a more regular blog post or two, but let's see how it goes.
I hope you find some images that you like here, and please do come back.

A bit like a slow moving old man (oh yes, that's me!) I've added some new photographs to various galleries, and created a new one - Infra Red. This following the purchase and conversion of a second-hand camera. I sent it away to ACS who did the tricky work, and I'm now enjoying experimenting with it and seeing how many tones of grey it can record. I hope you like the end results.

A bit late I know, but I am one quarter of this exhibition at Burton Constable Hall. Although it was due to finish on Wednesday 20th September I'm pleased to tell you that it has been extended to Saturday 23rd, so if you are in the area pop in and have a look. The hall itself is well worth a visit, as are the gardens.

You probably know how it is, setting out with good intentions, but then life gets in the way and bingo! years pass by in the blink of an eye.
I have no excuses - lots of things have happened, too many to list here, and you would only start yawning anyway. Suffice to say I am looking to revitalize things, starting with my indolence.
One of the main things to have changed (but not completely) is that I am doing more digital photography - eek! - having invested some of my kids inheritance on a full frame camera (Canon 5Ds) and a couple of lenses to suit. Having done the dead, I also finally did what I had been wanting to do for years, convert a camera to Infra Red. Well, I didn't, the experts at ACS did. And while I had been expecting to convert my old Canon 10D when I bought a second-hand 40D, then planned to convert the 40D when I got the 5Ds, I eventually decided that I had got so used to full frame that anything else was going to be 2nd class (yuk!), so bought a 5D Mk.III from a well-known internet auction site (called eBay) and had that converted. More kids inheritance gone. By the by, I heard on the radio today someone say they were going on holiday to ski. Turned out it wasn't winter sports but Spending Kids Inheritance. Nice one.
I'm really enjoying using these cameras, how good are they these days! Also I'm using my iPhone camera regularly when out and about, and using the Snapseed app for post-processing images.
However, dear reader don't fret, because I still enjoy going out with the big 6x17 panoramic, so the website title remains.
Proof in the form of photographic updates to follow, but meantime I'm happy to be back!

Hello again! Long time no speak, but I've been busy busy with various things, thankfully some of them involving cameras!

I'm delighted to say that two of my photographs have been selected for the 2013 Open Art Exhibition at Ferens Art Gallery in the centre of Hull. The exhibition commences with a preview evening on Friday 22nd February and runs through until Sunday 28th April. The two photos in last years exhibition both sold, so fingers crossed for this year!

Bye for now.

Well perhaps that's a slight exaggeration, but I now have a Scotland gallery, following a brief four day trip up there end of Oct/beginning of Nov, and one and a half of those was taken up with travelling, so not much time for photography.

The weather wasn't very co-operative but the autumn colours were fabulous. Hope you like it.

Lang may yer lum reek!

I hope this finds you in good health, and organised for Christmas (oh gawd I'm not!).

Just a brief note to say I have got four pictures on display at Drewton's Farm Shop/Restaurant, an award-winning deli, farm shop, cafe/restaurant, wine cellar, gift emporium. They are keen to support local providers and as I live half a mile down the road I guess I qualify!

Have just heard today that one of the pictures has sold twice over, so will have to print/mount/frame one darned sharpish for the second order (a Christmas pressie apparently), and another something to fill the space on the wall. Both will be done this week.

Just in case I don't shove another update on here before the festive season, I wish you a sincere very happy Christmas and good luck and health in 2013.

Now where did I put that corkscrew...?

Hi all

The first photography exhibition by this young gallery in Pocklington ended on Wednesday this week, and was a resounding success. Speaking personally, I originally had six images displayed, and following some sales took another three reinforcements. By the end of the month-long exhibition they had sold six, and I can afford to buy some new framing stuff!

The Art & Rose Gallery celebrates its 1st anniversary this weekend and until the end of the year will have a special exhibition featuring the artists who were featured at the gallery launch. Although I wasn't one of them, they will be including four of my photographs - thank you Emma, and here's to a successful second year!

Onward and upward.

Further to my previous post about this gallery, unfortunately Jean Illingworth who runs it and rents the space from the cafe has been told that the space is required for extra tables and chairs. She had a verbal agreement with the owners that there would be a review at the end of 12 months, but unfortunately no review, just an announcement. Obviously a verbal agreement isn't worth the paper it's written on.

The pictures can stay up until Christmas (and Jean's will) but, at my request, she has removed mine today - they can't be viewed properly (or politely) if the viewer has to lean over a table occupied by customers.

Jean is a very enthusiastic photographer and is determined this setback is temporary. She is already looking for alternative gallery space in the town, and hopefully will find somewhere soon. Meantime guess where I won't be having refreshments when I visit Brid in future!!

That's life, and we carry on breathing.

Great news - the gallery sold one of my pictures within a day of the exhibition opening. Now that's what I call a success! Don't want to appear too greedy, but fingers crossed for more of the same!
PS it was of Great Dug Dale, Warter village in the Yorkshire Wolds (Hockney-shire).

Just delivered half a dozen pictures to Chasing the Light Gallery in Bridlington. The exhibition opens on Wednesday 17th October and runs until the new year, so you know where to go for Christmas pressies!
The gallery is run by Jean Illingworth 'At No.12' Wellington Road, behind a very nice organic cafe, and is flooded with light. After viewing the exhibits you can relax in the enclosed garden with a cuppa and delicious scone/cake/pastry or whatever you fancy.
Happy days!

Exciting news! The Art & Rose Gallery in Pocklington is running its first dedicated (well, almost dedicated) photography exhibition this month, from 5th October until 7th November. Entitled 'Glass Eye' the exhibition will showcase the work of five photographers (including this one here!) as well as beautiful works in glass by a number of glass artists and designers. It promises to be a vibrant and contemporary show.

The gallery, which is owned by Emma-Jane Whelan, is not yet a year old, but has gained a reputation for displaying top quality art in all its forms, much of it by local artists. It is well worth a visit (as is Pocklington itself), and not just during this exhibition!

Be good!

Hi everyone.

I have another exhibition session at Bainton currently, and it's there until Wednesday 10th October, so why not pop along, have lunch or afternoon tea, and take a look.

As well as my usual large panoramics (80cms long) there are also some medium sized images (52cms long) and small ones (33cms long) to suit tighter spaces (and tighter budgets!).

There have been some really nice days in the Yorkshire Wolds recently, but also some decidedly dodgy ones too. So, some rewarding outings but some when the camera stayed tucked away in its bag. Typical Yorkshire weather in other words.

Here's hoping for an Indian summer!

Went to Northallerton today to collect my two photos which had been exhibited at the Joe Cornish Gallery in his Summer Open Exhibition, only to find that one had been sold this very morning!
A couple had seen and liked it during the exhibition and returned this morning (two weeks after the end of the exhibition) to find that it had finished and all pictures had been taken down. Alas and alack! However, they were delighted to learn that I hadn't yet collected mine, so were able to buy the one they wanted. I turned up an hour later and was delighted to learn of the sale!
It's this one (again!).
Apparently, they have holidayed for many years at Keswick, and became engaged on Catbells, so the view has happy memories for them. I hope they continue to have many happy memories when they look at the image on their wall.
Long live happy memories!

I have two new panoramic photographs in the Summer Open Exhibition at the Gallery at Wolds Village. The exhibition opened on Friday 13th July (hopefully not an unhappy omen) and runs until Wednesday 5th September.
There's lots to see here in lovely Hockney-land so why not pay us a visit. btw I am not paid by the East Riding Tourist Board!
Summer will arrive!

Hello again. Two posts in one day!
Have uploaded five new photos of the Yorkshire Wolds in my East Yorkshire gallery. Long live black & white!
Bye for now.

Have added half a dozen new images to the North Yorks Moors gallery today. Hope you like them.
Cheers for now!

Pleased to have had two images accepted for the 2012 Open Exhibition at The Joe Cornish Galleries in Northallerton, and highly delighted to have won second prize with Sublime View! Won a £300 Epson printer! Fantastic.
The exhibition is on until Saturday 21st July and, as well as the 120 photographs in the exhibition, you can also drool over Joe's own superb work in other gallery rooms.
Concurrent with the Open Exhibition, artist Barbara Bagley has an exhibition of her delightfully quirky paintings of North Yorkshire market towns.
Additionally, upstairs there is work by 'tenant' photographers who rent rooms to display their own work, including Ted Leeming & Morag Paterson, Peter Leeming & Ruth Fairbrother and Mark Egerton.
Something for everyone and everything is for sale if you're tempted, and Northallerton is a nice place to visit in its own right.