EXPLOREMORE photos on Flickr

90 17

At times Tuesday evening was beginning to feel a bit frustrating. We'd arrived a couple of hours before sunset in the hopes of catching surfers in front of Godrevy Lighthouse at high tide with the long lens, but neither of us had thought to check the sea conditions. The water was unusually flat and limpid, even for a summer evening. One or two regulars sat astride their boards in the sea chattering to each other, but nobody was surfing in the true sense of the word.

So we waited for sunset to catch more images to add to what I've rather lazily entitled my "Silhouettes on the Shore" collection. To my enduring surprise I've actually started to sell one or two of them. As the backdrop went bright orange I waited for someone, anyone to walk across the wet sand which had so recently been submerged under the now retreating tide.

Nobody had the good grace to stroll across the scene looking enigmatic, preferably carrying a surfboard at a pleasing angle for this particular onlooker. Two young lads went past with skimmer boards, but settled on a spot to the left of the best patch of light. The two young ladies who'd been entertaining themselves with a paddleboard for some time eventually emerged from the sea and walked across the scene, perfectly reflected in the wet sand. I'd been waiting for this moment for ages, but with one at each end they struggled with the enormous board as if they were carrying a heavy wardrobe. For a moment I could hear Bernard Cribbins singing "Right Said Fred" in my head as I watched them. It wasn't quite what I was looking for. Eventually I decided that I would become the subject of my own composition and left Lee to operate my camera as well as his own as I strode heroically across the viewfinder in the fading light. But it was too dark and side on I look like a duck anyway. Finally I had given up and took a photo of Godrevy Lighthouse in pastel pink shades instead.

Happily one of two earlier passers by had made eye catching subjects, especially this young chap running effortlessly at the water's edge, who was good enough to ensure that both of his feet were off the ground as I hit the shutter on my camera. That never happens when anyone photographs me running. On each such occasion I've been replaced by a grimacing middle aged man dragging his feet along the ground looking like someone needs to prop him up rather urgently - but that's another story.

The nosebleeds by soliveyourlifephoto

30 1

Flower glade, Cristallo by Benedek Eduard

19 43

Monte Cristallo Cortina d Ampezzo, Dolomiți

Blown Away (EXPLORED) by Hari V Iyer

345 36

One of those times when you think the colors wouldn’t come but still you give it a shot ..With stormy clouds around and with epic landscapes and intense hiking you want to definitely capture a scene like this..This spring in California is definitely one of the best greens I have seen

Margalla Hills, Islamabad – A Breathtaking Panoramic View of Nature’s Beauty by Zach Khan Photography

23 3

Experience the breathtaking beauty of Margalla Hills, Islamabad, with a stunning panoramic view captured in my latest photo. Nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, Margalla Hills offer lush greenery, scenic hiking trails, and mesmerizing city views. A paradise for nature lovers, adventure seekers, and photographers, this iconic destination is perfect for exploring Islamabad’s natural wonders. Witness the serene sunrise, misty peaks, and diverse wildlife in this enchanting landscape. #MargallaHills #Islamabad #NaturePhotography

Norfolk, England. by Richard:Fraser

78 5

www.richardfraserphotography.co.uk/fraserproject

Border Force by Richard:Fraser

37 10

www.richardfraserphotography.co.uk/fraserproject

big horn sheep by Man in the Road

259 18

montezuma-borrego highway;

borrego springs, california

That feeling when you wake up and the weekend is over. by Roundy Photo

126 22

Robin chicks, taken with an iPhone 14 Pro

untitled-2 by Roundy Photo

13

The First Cold Wind by Dom Haughton

391 51

"Are you doing a late one?" Katie stood at my office door in her coat, signalling that it was time to go. It's the first time she's worn a coat in months, which tells a story in itself. Ever since Lockdown started in the UK, or at least so it seems, the weather has been unusually good. Even in March, when we were first instructed to work from home it was nice enough to sit outside without a coat on. March is usually a bitter and blustery month in the UK. April is often only marginally better for that matter. But apart from a below average June, the summer has seemed longer this year. Until today it has at any rate.

"No, I'm coming with you," I replied. It was already nearly 6pm. I wasn't in the middle of anything and our boss had already left, so there was nobody to look heroically pious in front of. I switched off my computer and followed her out of the building. We look after each other like that as left unchecked we're both likely to carry on working until the caretakers throw us out during the crazy autumn term. Sometimes I think someone should bash our heads together and knock some sense into us - all this unpaid overtime doesn't impress anyone, although it does just about keep our heads above water.

Today had started wet, then been bright, and rained again before the evening sun filtered through the clouds - a recipe for the soft grainy warm yellow light that I saw on the slopes of Carn Brea as I drove home. Although it was just about an hour until sunset, I knew there was time to change quickly, hoping that everything was in the bag and head to Wheal Coates, the nearest coastal focal point on the map. I arrived to a blast of a distinctly chilly onshore breeze coming in from the north and immediately put my raincoat on over the one I was already wearing and tried to reconcile the conditions to the sweltering heat that had found me switching on the office fan just two days earlier. Still, when you can stand and gaze all the way along the coast down to St Ives and beyond just an hour after leaving work, a bit of fresh weather seems a small price to pay.

In my last post I talked about my routine of planning and preparing a shot, often waiting happily for an hour or more before even reaching for the camera. Today there was no time to reach for the unwritten textbook in my head as I hastily assembled the camera on the tripod to catch the yellow path over the sea reach the sunbeams bursting from low cloud on the horizon. Things weren't helped when it dawned on me that I'd left my glasses in the car, bringing instead my Ray Bans. Right now I was up there with Stevie Wonder in the looking cool stakes, but I only had a very small advantage over him in discerning what was happening on the three inch screen in front of me. It's not the first time I've done this when I've been in a bit of a hurry to get to a location.

Normally I stay well after sunset, most of the way through the blue hour watching the light fall and the colours fade into the darkness, but this evening it was too cold to hang around and gaze at nature's beauty. I headed home, to soon be passed by an escaped horse running in the direction of St Agnes, followed at a judicious distance by a conscientious driver with her hazard lights on. When I got home I phoned the police for the first time in my life to report the antics of our equine friend. They already knew and were on the way. Hope they got there in time to lead it to safety.

Utah-opian Landscape (EXPLORED) by Hari V Iyer

248 38

Amazing stromy scenes from the winter trip to Utah this season…It was completely like a painting there

Winter Shadows by Roundy Photo

25 9

Taken with a DJI Air 2S at Hodge Park in Kansas City, MO

Lower Antelope Canyon, Page, Arizona by Alex Dahov

302 82

Is photography art? Of course, like painting, photography is able to engage, inspire and evoke emotions in the recipient.

In the other hand, Yann Arthus-Bertrand said: “The earth is art; the photographer is only a witness.” I'm as a fine art photographer trying to capture most iconic landmarks in a unique and fresh way to inspire you to see this beautiful world we live in.

Seeing through the lens the abstract and wonderful world of Antelope Canyon, you can understand how the light reflects off the walls, filling the shadows, and the colors radiate holiness from the rocks. The captivating beauty of these sandstone canyons awakens the senses and inspires the spirit. The whole scene has a magical glow created by the light of the canyon.

Smooth, sensuous lines and vibrant abstract colors make this canyon a stunning and astonishing shooting location.

The red light of the canyon casts a glow that only the camera can capture. It's like another world in the frame. The canyon looks like it was carved out by a Master craftsman. So it really is, and this amazing masterpiece revealed to our admiring eyes!

What do you see in this masterpiece of nature and what feelings does it evoke in you?

It's a joy to share my favorite images with you as an art form and to bring peaceful feelings and good memories to your home. I do any kind of art prints and you can check it here: www.etsy.com/shop/AlexDahovPhoto

This would be greatly appreciated, and thank you for supporting the local arts.

Arkansas River by Roundy Photo

15

Northern Lights in Kansas City by Roundy Photo

20 3

Taken with an iPhone 17 Pro Max while observing the northern lights from Smithville Lake near Kansas City, MO

> by Richard:Fraser

60

www.richardfraserphotography.co.uk/fraserproject

The Girl in the Wellies by Dom Haughton

495 80

Wheal Coates was busier than I’d have liked it to be. It is the start of half term I suppose, and on the previous day I’d already witnessed the evidence of a massed cavalcade of fun seekers heading along the A30 towards our far flung corner of the country as I’d tried to make my own short journey east towards a wet and windy Ladock Wood. The approach to Wheal Coates entails a stretch of single lane tarmac where it’s normal to have to pull in for the odd passing car and exchange of the quintessentially British “thank you” waves as you make your way along it. Even in summer I generally only have to stop a couple of times. Yesterday no less than ten cars decided to travel in the opposite direction as I tried to make progress along it. I even had to reverse twice. One of the beneficiaries of my generosity didn’t even bother to wave. Quietly unimpressed I continued.

When I arrived in the small car park it seemed even more full than at any time I saw it in July or August. A father chided his son for unidentifiable reasons as they approached the car right next to where I had parked. I decided to stay put until their squabble was done and they were on the way to wherever they were going as the latest of the bands of rains that had been passing throughout the day came straight over us. At least the light looked promising. Finally deciding it was safe to leave the car without involuntarily joining anyone else’s domestic troubles I headed down the main path, taking a right hand turn to a place where I fancied I’d find some space to myself.

Unfortunately, the spot I settled on for my composition guaranteed that the isolation I always look for wasn’t going to happen. Wheal Coates always attracts both locals and visitors along its web of clifftop paths, and I’d set my tripod up next to the South West Coast Path itself. I’d arrived with the intention of looking for some strong foreground interest to work with my wide angle lens, but was immediately drawn to the spray drifting over huge rocks in the sea a few miles along the coast, which found me reaching for the telephoto instead. Within moments the light changed for the better and the girl in the wellies, accompanied by an older companion with a dog yards behind her strolled into the scene. As the opportunity to catch a moment thudded somewhere between my ears it struck me that I only wanted a single figure in the foreground, and with the camera off the tripod I had to go for a quick, handheld composition before the rest of the party joined her. I soon forgot the shot as the light intensified with a dark bluish cloud complementing the sunlit orange tones in the foreground heather – that almost sounds as if I know what I’m on about.

The stream of humans continued, a young chap engaging me on the subject of art and photography before racing off to find his easel so he could paint St Agnes Beacon. Later I was joined by another local photographer, who asked if he could set up next to me. I learned to my surprise that he was a dairy farmer with a herd of 400 cows and lived next to Ladock Wood, the scene of my previous photo taken a day earlier. I was amazed that he found time for any hobbies at all. I think he was too. Sadly for him he’d missed the best of the light, the sun sinking behind a bank of ominous slate grey cumulus and with no apparent intention of reappearing for the rest of the evening.

And so I returned home to review my images, deciding that this one with the sea spray spreading over the cliffs was the one to share with you. The trouble was that it wasn’t level – I often struggle with horizons – and when I tried to straighten it the girl in the wellies ended up right at the edge of the frame. So I had to move her. Not bodily you understand – we hadn’t been properly introduced and there’s a pandemic on as you’re probably aware. I’d never tried this before and in truth my Photoshop skills are more or less non-existent. But somehow I blundered my way through yet another hack and lifted her up and moved her five yards along the path. I’d rather not have done this, but very occasionally you just have to. It doesn’t seem to be that much of an untruth when some people routinely use sky replacement tools in their final images – although I should add there’s nothing wrong with that if it’s what works for you. It's all about choice - it's just that I won't be doing it because to me, photos are about moments, memories and feelings.

Content that she was now more comfortably positioned I looked closer into the image and saw people everywhere. Usually I prefer to cull unwanted participants in my images, but as I was about to hit the content aware fill command on the first group I hesitated. They were part of the story after all, I reasoned. And so they’ve stayed just where I found them - enjoying a Sunday stroll on a wind blown Cornish clifftop.

Lower Antelope Canyon, Page, Arizona by Alex Dahov

297 46