We recently visited the Eternal City as part of a holiday in Italy. Having never visited before, we were overwhelmed with subject matter and spent most of our time viewing the city through camera lenses. Averaging walking distances of ten miles each day, the visit was both exhausting and exhilarating, and we are very aware that our efforts of discovery barely scratched the surface. From the hundreds of images captured we have attempted to represent our time there with those shown below.
A recent business trip to St Ives, Cornwall allowed me a little bit of free time to explore the surrounding area. But as usual the weather conditions were less than ideal and the sun only seemed to come out while I was working away with my head rammed in a server cabinet. But determined not to let Britain’s famous summer weather deter me, I headed out to photograph St Ives, Cape Cornwall and of course, Lands End. Here are the results…
Derbyshire aside, Northumberland is one of our favourite counties. It’s history, landscape and unspoiled coastline add up to an intoxicating mix for the photographer. Like many visitors, we tend to base ourselves near the coast due to the allure of capturing dramatic seascapes and deserted beaches. History abounds in Northumberland, in fact it is hard to escape it. The stunning castles at Anwick and Bamburgh are must sees, as are the hauntingly beautiful ruins of Dunstanburgh. For wildlife photographers there are the Farne Islands and the tidal region of Budle bay, home to many species of seabird.
Delphi…a mysterious and spectacular sanctuary located high on the flanks of Mount Parnassus in Central Greece. Known in ancient times as the Omphalos (navel of the world) and sacred to the god Apollo, it was a place of pilgrimage for royalty, politicians and commanders requiring prophetic insight into what the future held. The ambiguity of the Oracle’s responses propelled armies to their glory or doom, and warring city states built glorious treasuries housing spoils of war and offerings to the powerful son of Zeus and Leto.
It is fair to say that most people are drawn to water, and we are no exception. The Ladybower, Derwent and Howden dam complex are well within striking distance for us and we are regular visitors in all seasons. The area is a great starting point for higher altitude walks along Derwent Edge or Win Hill where solitude purges the soul and Grouse create the soundtrack. Far below, paths follow the water’s edge and are busy with cyclist and walkers. No matter how often we visit, there is always something new to photograph, or a different rendering of a familiar subject.
One of photography’s greatest strengths as a profession or hobby, is its ability to allow the photographer the opportunity to diversify their skills into more specialist areas. One of these categories Ethan holds particularly dear to him is the world of the panorama. When we are out on a shoot I often find him mapping out huge vistas with the intent of recreating the view on a grand scale back at home, consuming many megabytes in the process. Honing his panoramic skills over the last three years, exhibited here are ten of our personal favourites.
Photographically, churches, chapels and monasteries are one of our favourite subjects. It is not just the architecture that draws us to them, but smaller day to day and votive objects that make interesting studies. Many are buildings of intense history, their years marked by perpetual devotion. We need little excuse to explore such wonders, particularly those found in Greece and Italy. Humbled by their silent power, our attempt to capture something of their essence can be seen here.
Derbyshire’s High Peak is stunningly photographic at any time of the year. This haunting area is also referred to as the Dark Peak, that is to say the upland areas dominated by ancient Gritstone whose character has been moulded by aeons of wind and water erosion into the transient views we see today. Lacking the fossilised marine life seen in the White Peak, this area of long dead river delta’s has an appeal often enhanced by turbulent weather conditions. We tend to walk the area during winter months and have spent tented nights in subzero conditions in an effort to capture a moment reminiscent of a Pleistocene dawn. Images we capture here tend to get a monochrome treatment which we feel adds drama and impact. This collection showcases a sample of our High Peak archive.
Our macro libraries can be traced back 25 years, to the time when we purchased a Zuiko 80mm macro lens for our film OM System. I recall writing down the technical attributes for each composition before receiving much anticipated results several days later in the post. If the images worked I could refer back to the notes made previously in an effort to recreate more successful work. Of course digital removes this rather painful part of the workflow; results are immediately available for review and tweaking if necessary. This collection shows just a small selection of our more recent work that focusses (no pun intended) on the more floral side of the subject.