Waterfall Photography Tips and Techniques

In our article today, courtesy of our friends at Picture Correct, Ron Bigelow gives readers valuable tips on photographing waterfalls. Follow these tips and you should be on your way to capturing some great waterfall images.

Waterfalls seem to grab the hearts and minds of people. Go to any location that has one or more waterfalls and it is pretty much a guarantee that they will be a major attraction, if not the main attraction, of the area. However, as beautiful as waterfalls are, it is not so easy to capture that beauty with a camera. It is easy to produce pictures of waterfalls; it is not so easy to produce powerful images.

To read Ron's full article, follow this link...........Waterfall Photography Tips and Techniques

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Here are a selection of my own photos of waterfalls, which I hope you will enjoy. I will start off in the UK before travelling to Mauritius and finally, one of the best, Victoria Falls.

DEVON

East Lyn River at Watersmeet, Lynmouth, Devon, England.  

SCOTLAND

Grey Mare's Tail is a 60-metre (200 ft) hanging valley waterfall near to Moffat in southern Scotland. The fall is produced by the Tail Burn flowing from Loch Skeen cascading into the Moffat Water in the lower valley below.

Big Burn Waterfall at Golspie, Sutherland, Scotland.

MAURITIUS

The Chamarel Waterfalls on the River St. Denis in the Black River Gorges National Park at Chamarel, Mauritius, Africa.

ZIMBABWE

View from the Zimbabwe side of Victoria Falls looking towards Cataract Island. The spray from the falls can be seen from the town.

A rainbow formed by the spray at Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, Africa.

Devil's Cataract, on the Zimbabwe side of Victoria Falls, is the lowest of the five Falls, with a drop of 60m. It is separated from the rest of the Falls by Boaruka Island, also known as Cataract Island. The Devil's Cataract is the weakest point in the geological composition of the falls.

As usual, my work is available to purchase as original  Wall Art, in a variety of formats from stretched canvas or framed prints, metal or acrylic prints ,or simply as standard prints for you to mount in your favourite picture frame. They are also available as greeting cards or printed onto iPhone or Galaxy phone cases, throw pillows, duvet covers or tote bags. Simply click on the  image and you will be taken to my gallery where you will find full details.

Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Manual Mode

Mastering aperture priority and shutter priority is the starting place for photographers who wish to move on from using the automatic setting on their digital cameras and todays article, by Andrew Goodall, explains in an easy to understand way what these functions are, and how to use them. Andrew writes for Natures Image Photography and is a nature photographer based in Australia. He manages a gallery in Montville full of landscape photography from throughout Australia.

Digital photography has given almost anyone with a camera the potential to become a creative photographer. These days even compact cameras offer features that once were only found on ‘serious’ SLR cameras. The trouble is, most people who have grown up with point-and-shoot cameras have very little idea what these features are all about. After buying a good digital camera with the best intentions, they soon give up and switch to automatic.

Are the settings on your camera really so hard to understand? Of course not, but it can seem that way at the start, especially if they are not explained to you in simple terms you can understand..........to read the full article, follow this link:-  Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Manual Mode.

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One of my personal favourites, is using Aperture Priority to help blur the background when taking close ups, as may be seen in the following examples.

Bluebells

Foxglove at Watersmeet, Lynmouth, Devon

European Roller

As usual, my work is available to purchase as original  Wall Art, in a variety of formats from stretched canvas or framed prints, metal or acrylic prints ,or simply as standard prints for you to mount in your favourite picture frame. They are also available as greeting cards or printed onto iPhone or Galaxy phone cases, throw pillows, duvet covers or tote bags. Simply click on the  image and you will be taken to my gallery where you will find full details.

13 Tips to Perfect Your Landscape Photography

“Landscape photography is the supreme test of the photographer—and often the supreme disappointment.” – Ansel Adams.

In our article today, courtesy of our friends at Picture Correct, Gde Putra gives thirteen tips to help perfect your landscape photography. Gde is a hobby photographer who hopes to grow the love of nature among all people through his images.  

In my opinion, landscape photography is the pursuit of being in the right place at the right time. One of the keys to success for landscape photography is patience. Having said that, there are some small details which are often [.....] Follow this link to read all Gde's tips :........... 13 Tips to Perfect Your Landscape Photography:

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Meanwhile, here are a few of my landscape images which I hope you will enjoy:-

Nevis

The cloud topped island of Nevis, viewed from its sister island of St Kitts in the Leeward Islands chain of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean,

Moorland Heather

Moorland heather in Northumberland, England.

Wildebeest

Wildebeest on Lake Manyara,  Tanzania, Africa.

Balloons over Serengeti

Hot air Balloon flight over the Serengeti, Tanzania, Africa.

As usual, my work is available to purchase as original  Wall Art, in a variety of formats from stretched canvas or framed prints, metal or acrylic prints, or simply as standard prints for you to mount in your favourite picture frame. They are also available as greeting cards or printed onto iPhone or Galaxy phone cases, throw pillows, duvet covers or tote bags. Simply click on the  image and you will be taken to my gallery where you will find full details.

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Preparing for Release from Lockdown!

As covid lockdown slowly eases we can start planning for our summer holidays and days out, whether it be a couple of weeks on the beach, or simple picnics on a weekend afternoon.

Now then is the time to start planning for the accessories we need to help make those trips something special. Stand out from the crowd with our lifestyle and beach accessories which can be supplied in matching or themed designs.

We provide medium, large and even round beach towels, tote bags in 3 sizes and extra large weekender tote bags, to help transport everything to the beach, as well as carry-all pouches, again in three sizes, to help carry your valuables. We can also supply i-phone and Galaxy cases to help protect your phones, as well as portable battery chargers for your phone or tablet, to help you stay in touch on even those longer days out.

Below are samples of our products, all of which are available in over 1,000 different designs for you to chose from.

BEACH TOWELS

Our round beach towels are 60" in diameter and made from ultra-soft plush microfiber with a 100% cotton back.

Our standard beach towels are provided in two sizes, 32" x 64" and 37" x 74".

TOTE BAGS

Our tote bags are made from soft, durable, poly-poplin fabric and include a 1" black strap for easy carrying over your shoulder. All seams are double stitched for added durability. Each tote bag is machine-washable in cold water and is printed with the same image on both sides. They are available in three sizes, 13" x 13", 16" x 16" and 18" x 18".

WEEKENDER TOTE BAGS

Our weekender tote bags are chic and perfect for a day out on the town, a staycation or a weekend get away. The tote is crafted from soft, durable, poly-poplin fabric and all seams are double stitched for added durability. The 1" thick cotton handles are perfect for carrying the bag by hand or over your shoulder. This is a must have for the summer!

CARRY-ALL POUCHES

Dress it up, or dress it down, oruse it to stay organised while you are on the go. Our carry-all puches can do it all. thye are crafted with 100% poly-poplin fabric, double stitchad at the seams for extra durability, and include a durable metal zipper for securing your valuables. They are available in three sizes:- 6" x 4", 9.5" x 6", 12.5" x 8.5" and there are two bottom styles to chose from, regular and t-bottom.

PHONE CASES

Our phone cases are available for the i-phone 5 up to the i-phone X or the Galaxy phone from the S4 to the S8. The image is printed directly onto the impact-resistant, slim-profile, hard-shell case and wrapped around the edges for a beautiful presentation. Simply snap the case onto your phone for instant protection, while maintaining full access to all the phones features. 

PORTABLE BATTERY CHARGER

You'll never run out of power again! If the battery on your smartphone or tablet is running low...no problem. Just plug your deviced into the USB port on the top of this portable battery charger and then continue to use your device while it gets re-charged. With a recharge capacity of 7800 mAh, this charger will give you two full recharges of your smartphone or recharge your tablet to 75% of its capacity. When the charger runs out of power, simply plug it in to the wall using the cable supplied and it will recharge itself for its next use. 

So if you want to stand out from the crowd, get over to our site and start putting together your own collection of lifestyle and beach accessories - PS - we also offer a full range of Wall Art and Home Decor.

Repetition and Patterns in Photography

Todays article is from Picture Correct and is written by award winning writer/photographer Tedric Garrison who has 30 years experience in photography.

The root word of repetition is “repeat”. When you repeat a certain size or shape or color you add strength to the overall image. Repetition is a basic concept in the world of art. If you want to make a statement, you repeat certain elements again and again. If you repeat something once or twice it  becomes more interesting. If you repeat something many times it becomes a pattern and takes on a life of its own.

To read the rest of Tedri's article, follow this link....Repetition and Patterns in Photography:

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Here are a selection of my photos where I have used repetition to enhance the strength of the image:

Yew Tree Garden

The Yew Tree Garden at Packwood House, Warwickshire, England.

Lobster Pots

Lobster pots on the quay at Brora Harbour, Brora, Scotland.

Winter Logs

Winter logs seen in the mountain village of Jeravna in the Blue Mountains of Bulgaria.

As usual, my work is available to purchase as original  Wall Art, in a variety of formats from stretched canvas or framed prints, metal or acrylic prints,or simply as standard prints for you to mount in your favourite picture frame. They are also available as greeting cards or printed onto iPhone or Galaxy phone cases, throw pillows, duvet covers or tote bags. Simply click on the  image and you will be taken to my gallery where you will find full details.

Images of England and Wales

Looking through my photos taken over the last year or so, reminds what a great and varied place the UK is for the photographer. I have photographed a wide range of subjects stretching from South West Wales, across to Essex and East Anglia, England, and up to Northumberland in the North East of England. I am pleased to detail a selection of my favourites below.

SOUTH WALES

I started off in Pembrokeshire in the South West of Wales, and the first image is of Barafundle Cliffs at Barafundle Bay, a remote, slightly curved, east-facing sandy beach near Stackpole Quay which is part of the Stackpole Estate, managed by The National Trust. 

Barafundle Cliffs

Moving east, we travel to Tenby, where we find a picturesque harbour and beach. Tenby Harbour sits in a central position in this beautiful Georgian town, often known as "The Jewel in Pembrokeshire's crown". It is located on the western side of Carmarthen Bay. To the south of the harbour we can see the old and the new lifeboat stations, 

Tenby Harbour

Continuing our journey eastwards, we arrive at the Welsh capital, Cardiff, where we visit the impressive castle. Here we have an image of the Castle Keep. The twelve-sided Norman Keep, is undoubtedley the finest in Wales and is known as a ‘shell’ keep, its outer walls providing a shell for smaller buildings within it.

Cardiff Castle Keep

EAST ANGLIA

For East Anglia, I am looking at Essex and Suffolk, starting with Flatford Mill in Suffolk. Flatford Mill is a Grade I listed watermill on the River Stour at Flatford in East Bergholt, Suffolk, England. According to the date-stone the mill was built in 1733, but some of the structure may be earlier. Attached to the mill is a 17th-century miller's cottage which is also Grade I listed. The property is in Dedham Vale, a typically English rural landscape.

The mill was owned by the artist John Constable's father and is noted, along with its immediate surroundings as the location for many of Constable's works. It is referred to in the title of one of his most iconic paintings, Flatford Mill (Scene on a Navigable River), and mentioned in the title or is the subject of several others including: Flatford Mill from a lock on the river Stour; Flatford Mill from the lock (A water mill); The Lock. The Hay Wain, which features Willy Lott's Cottage, was painted from the front of the mill.

Flatford Mill

Staying in the vicinity of Flatford Mill we have Valley Farm, which is near to Flatford Mill but on the opposite side of the road and dates from the 15th century. It is the oldest building at Flatford and is a Medieval Hall House.

Valley Farm

Moving over the border into Essex we travel to Mersea Island, which is Britains most easterly inhabited island. The island is split into two main areas, West Mersea and East Mersea, and connected to the mainland by the Strood, a causeway that can flood at high tide. Here we see East Mersea Beach with the groynes stretching out to sea.

East Mersea Beach

NORTHUMBERLAND

Finally in my Odyssey I travel right up to the North East of England and the county of Northumberland, where we find dramatic landscapes, history and wildlife. We must start with the wonderful island of Lindisfarne, also known as Holy Island. It is situated off the Northumberland coast, just a few miles south of the border with Scotland. The island is linked to the mainland by a causeway which twice a day is covered by the tide.

Possibly the holiest site of Anglo-Saxon England, Lindisfarne was founded by St. Aidan, an Irish monk, who came from Iona, the centre of Christianity in Scotland. St Aidan converted Northumbria to Christianity at the invitation of its king, Oswald. St. Aidan founded Lindisfarne Monastery on Holy Island in 635, becoming its first Abbot and Bishop.  Here we have the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, with part of the Lindisfarne Priory in front of it.

Church Of Saint Mary The Virgin

We next move down to the Farne Islands, where we can view the famous Farne Island seals. The Farne Islands are home to thousands of grey seals (also known as Atlantic seals), and each autumn hundreds of pups are born here. 

Farne Island Grey Seals

We finish our journey back on the mainland. First we have a view of Alnwick Castle, the home of the Duke of Northumberland and the second largest inhabited castle in England, after Windsor.

Alnwick Castle

Finally, we travel inland to the beautifull scenery of Northumberland National Park and a view of Moorland Heather.

Moorland Heather

I trust that you have enjoyed our photo journey around parts of England and Wales and ageree that we live in a beautiful part of the world. Look out for future posts of Europe and, after my next holiday cruising around the Eastern Caribbean.

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As usual, my work is available to purchase as original  Wall Art, in a variety of formats from stretched canvas or framed prints, metal or acrylic prints,or simply as standard prints for you to mount in your favourite picture frame. They are also available as greeting cards or printed onto iPhone or Galaxy phone cases, throw pillows, duvet covers or tote bags. Simply click on the  image and you will be taken to my gallery where you will find full details.

Centenary Square, Birmingham

I recently spent a little time with my camera in Centenary Square, Birmingham on a glorious sunny afternoon. 

Centenary Square

Centenary Square is a public square on the north side of Broad Street in Birmingham, named in 1989 to commemorate the centenary of Birmingham achieving city status. 

In 1991 the square was redesigned to complement the new International Convention Centre with new paving, railings and lamps designed by artist Tess Jaray, a fountain and several sculptures. During the construction and opening of the Library of Birmingham on the square in 2013 several of the elements of the 1991 design were removed and a library amphitheatre was built into the square. 

The square is used as a staging area for many of the city’s main cultural events including the Frankfurt Christmas Market, Arts Festivals, Remembrance Day Services, New Year’s Celebrations and during Christmas hosts a temporary ice rink and the Birmingham Wheel. The buildings, from left to right, are the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, the Library of Birmingham and Baskerville House.

Library of Birmingham

Library of Birmingham Facade

The Library of Birmingham is situated on the west side of the city centre at Centenary Square, beside the Birmingham Rep (to which it connects, and with which it shares some facilities) and Baskerville House. Upon opening on 3 September 2013, it replaced Birmingham Central Library. The library, which is estimated to have cost £188.8 million, is viewed by the Birmingham City Council as a flagship project for the city's redevelopment. It has been described as the largest public library in the United Kingdom, the largest public cultural space in Europe, and the largest regional library in Europe. 2,414,860 million visitors came to the library in 2014 making it the 10th most popular visitor attraction in the UK. 

The exterior of the building, from the first to the eighth floor is wrapped with an intricate metal façade, echoing the tunnels, canals and viaducts which fuelled Birmingham’s industrial growth.

Birmingham Symphony Hall

The Birmingham Symphony Hall is a 2,262 seat concert venue in Birmingham, England which looks out onto Centenary Square, next to the Birmingham Rep. It was officially opened by the Queen in June 1991. It is home to the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and hosts around 270 events a year. It was completed at a cost of £30 million. The hall's interior is modelled upon the Musikverein in Vienna and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. The venue, managed alongside Town Hall, presents a programme of jazz, world, folk, rock, pop and classical concerts, organ recitals, spoken word, dance, comedy, educational and community performances, and is also used for conferences and business events. 

The Symphony Hall, widely considered one of the finest in the world, was designed by Percy Thomas Partnership and Renton Howard Wood Levin, with specialist help from Russell Johnson of Artec Consultants Inc..

Birmingham Symphony Hall Reflections

Reflections from Birmingham Symphony Hall showing, from left to right, Baskerville House, the Library of Birmingham and, on the opposite side of the road, the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

Reflections from Birmingham Symphony Hall

Reflections from Birmingham Symphony Hall showing the Crowne Plaza and the new HSBC building.

Boulton Watt And Murdoch

Outside the House of Sport (formerly the Register Office) on Broad Street, opposite Centenary Square, stands the statue of Boulton, Watt and Murdoch, nicknamed 'The Golden Boys' or 'The Carpet Salesmen'. It is the work of William Bloye, formerly head of sculpture at Birmingham School of Art and was unveiled in 1956, although preliminary designs were drawn up in 1938. 

The larger-than-life size figures are in bronze, with a gold finish, on a pedestal of Portland stone and are depicted discussing engine plans. 

The three men pioneered the industrial revolution in late 18th century England. James Watt's improvements to the steam engine and William Murdoch's invention of gas lighting have made them famous throughout the world. Matthew Boulton, entrepreneur and industrialist, harnessed their talents in a company that made everything from tableware and copper coinage to steam engines. His home, Soho House, is now a museum. All three men are buried in St Mary's Church Handsworth, known as the 'Westminster Abbey of the Industrial Revolution'.

As usual, my work is available to purchase as original  Wall Art in a variety of formats from stretched canvas or framed prints, metal or acrylic prints,or simply as standard prints for you to mount in your favourite picture frame. They are also available as greeting cards or printed onto iPhone or Galaxy phone cases, throw pillows or duvet covers or tote bags or shower curtains. 

Edgbaston Reservoir

On a sunny morning in January, I went for a walk around Edgbaston Reservoir in Birmingham, England.

The reservoir, originally known as Rotton Park Reservoir and referred to in some early maps as Rock Pool Reservoir, is a canal feeder reservoir and it is supplied by small streams and was formed by damming a small stream. The dam is a 330 metre long earth embankment with a height of 10 metres near the centre.

Lone Coot

It was extensively enlarged by Thomas Telford between 1824-1829 to supply water to the Birmingham and Wolverhampton Levels of the Birmingham Canal Navigations (BCN) canal system via Icknield Port Loop at the foot of the dam. It was excavated to a depth of 40 feet (12 m) and covers an area of 58 acres (230,000 m2), holding 300,000,000 imperial gallons (1,400,000 m3) of water, and was the largest expanse of water in Birmingham at the time. 

Birmingham City Skyline

Despite its name, it is actually situated in Ladywood rather than nearby Edgbaston. It is situated close to Birmingham City Centre and is a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation. In addition to supplying water to the canals, the reservoir is used for leisure activities including angling, sailing, windsurfing, canoeing, kayaking and rowing.

Gulls in the City

Edgbaston Reservoir is home to two rowing clubs, Birmingham Rowing Club and the University of Birmingham Boat Club. Both are housed within the same boathouse. The site has also been chosen to house a new Birmingham Schools rowing initiative, with the two aforementioned clubs assisting in the running of the scheme. Birmingham Canoe Club also share the space during the summer months (June - September).

Edgbaston Reservoir

The Reservoir is also home to Edgbaston Watersports, who provide water and land activities for school, college & youth groups from their base on the Icknield Port Road side of the reservoir.

The Reservoir perimeter provides a pleasant route for joggers, with a gravel and tarmac path throughout its 1.75 mile (2.8 km) circumference.

As usual, my work is available to purchase as original  Wall Art, in a variety of formats from stretched canvas or framed prints, metal or acrylic prints,or simply as standard prints for you to mount in your favourite picture frame. They are also available as greeting cards or printed onto iPhone or Galaxy phone cases, throw pillows or duvet covers or tote bags or shower curtains. Simply click on the  image and you will be taken to my gallery where you will find full details.