Oakhurst House is a derelict old building located in Shining Cliff woods near the banks of the river Derwent at Ambergate. Originally built in 1846 by the Hurt family, it was sold to the Johnson family, owners of the nearby wireworks who extended it to the sizeable ruin it is today. Throughout its history, it has changed hands and purposes many times, only to become flats in its twilight years. This eventually led to its dereliction sometime in the 1980’s when the company which owned it went bust.
What is there not to like when it comes to photographing Autumn? It is by far our favourite time of year…there is something quite magical when mist gives way to a deep blue day and foliage has turned different shades of bronze, red and russet. Stands of Beech explode in arboreal firestorms, echoing in their falling leaves those dying days of summer. Rhus blushes deeply with the fall in temperature while hedgerows transform into mysterious worlds of spectral light. Damp woodland floors propagate colourful fungi and the air is filled with an intoxicating earthy scent. Standing in such areas with just camera and tripod for company can be a cathartic, almost spiritual experience and we waste no time getting out in the field when the opportunity arises. Here are a few of our favourite images from several autumnal sessions.
This collection of images was hidden to us until we recently went through some of our libraries and noticed the occasional shot where sky formed a dominant part of the image. Some are intentional, some are not, but it was interesting to see a recurring theme evolve from material taken over several years. The sky is fascinating and worthy of much more than our own efforts displayed here. But we feel this is the starting point for a subject that is forever restless and changing, therefore will be dedicating more time to pointing lens skywards.
The allure of coastal regions is difficult for the photographer to resist. The restlessness of the ocean and ever changing weather provides a perfect canvas to create images that resonate with the viewer. From calm, cobalt days to those filled with the threat of storms, there is never a reason not to turn a lens toward the sea. Living in land-locked Derbyshire, the nearest coast is 100 miles away, so it is always a bit of an event when we decide to go and capture some coastal shots. Many of our seascapes are taken when holidaying abroad as this offers some of our best opportunities and great memories. From the Northumbrian to the West African coasts, here is a mixed bag of our favourites.
A late summer break saw us visit Halkidiki in Greece. It is an area of outstanding natural beauty where no part of the land is further than 40 kilometres from the sea. Pine forests tumble down hills to the waters edge, the air being heady with their scent. It is a land steeped in mythology and history, both ancient and modern. Thessaloniki, the second largest city in Greece, is a wonderful place for the photographer and offers subject matter diverse enough to satisfy all tastes. My first visit to the region was in 1983 and I always planned to return… but I never anticipated it taking more than 30 years. All images were taken using a Leica X Typ 113 which proved more than adequate for the task.
Not as well known as Pompeii but in our opinion, far more poignant, Herculaneum suffered the same fate in 79AD as its larger neighbour, Pompeii. The preserved state of many buildings is truly remarkable…carbonised wooden doors, shutters and roof joists tell something of the horror that engulfed the entire area, burying it in up to 16 meters of ash and pumice. Our visit coincided with a thunderstorm which lent the site an ominous atmosphere that, at times, gave the impression that the volcano was once again stirring. In a devastating twist of irony, what Vesuvius destroyed it also preserved.
The archaeological site of Pompeii needs little in the way of introduction and our recent travels to Italy saw us spend a day there. Avoiding the crowds was the largest challenge when it came to photography, but patience prevailed and rewarded us with images that give the illusion that we had the site to ourselves. Reproduced here is a sample of our work and not a true representation of the bun fight and constant dodging of selfie sticks that accompanied our trip. It would be nice to return during the winter months, maybe on an atmospheric wet day, and capture more of Pompeii’s essence.
Our base whilst visiting sights in and around the Bay of Naples in June 2016 was the holiday town of Sorrento. Perfectly situated for the many sights in the area, we never really discovered it until a couple of days before we flew home. In this time we managed to capture a little of its essence, from quiet backstreets to panoramic vistas.
No visit to the Bay of Naples is complete without at least one day on the island of Capri. Its beauty attracts many day trippers…consequently the port, main town and Ano Capri become very congested. Our time here was limited to just a day so we took up the gruelling challenge of walking from the port to Ano Capri, where we jumped on the chair lift to get the the highest part of the island. Not content with this, we shunned transport and walked back to the port again. Here are a few images taken throughout the day.