Lynmouth Harbour in Black and White

I have started scanning and editing the films that I took on our trip to Exmoor in January. So far I have just done the Lynmouth Harbour images. The next set will be the ones of Watersmeet just a couple of miles outside Lynmouth.

Bristol - New Photographs in Glorious Black and White

I have just loaded the recent photographs to my www.davebutcher.co.uk website that I took when we visited Bristol 3 weeks ago. Our first visit to Bristol - ever, albeit just for one night!

They were all taken with my Mamiya 7 cameras using Ilford FP4 120 film, giving me 10 shots per roll of film. I switched to the spare Mamiya 7 body because the cable release socket on the first was blocked, probably by the end of a broken cable release. It's difficult to buy good quality cable releases these days and the metal screw-ends tend to be quite brittle metal which breaks off in the camera. I used a Gitzo tripod with a Manfrotto head for all of them to make sure the framing was exactly as I wanted it to be and they were pin-sharp.

After processing the films and selecting the final 15 negatives to use they were scanned one at a time on a Nikon Coolscan 9000, edited in Photoshop CS6 and loaded on the website.

Here's a selection from them, to see the full range please visit the website.

Pero's Bridge at Night, Bristol Harbour

Clifton Suspension Bridge at Night

Royal York Crescent, Clifton

Cranes at M Shed, Bristol Harbour

Bristol Millennium Square

Bristol Cathedral and Statue

Next up will be photographs taken around Exmoor and Lynmouth, from the same trip but taken a few days after we left Bristol. They may take a couple of weeks to scan, edit and upload as there's a few more of them.

New Images of Victoria, Canada

I have added some new images of Victoria, the capital of British Columbia in Canada, onto my gallery website; www.davebutcher.co.uk. These were taken in May 2015 on my Mamiya 7 film camera using Ilford FP4 120 film. There's a few more on the website.

Victoria Harbour at Night

Empress Hotel at Night

Empress Hotel

Fisherman's Wharf

Water taxi 'Ballet'

Parliament Building at Night

Parliament Building Reflections

New Images of London

There are some new images of London on my web site. I tried to add locations that were missing, as well as a few more of the old favourites. There are 15 new ones in total.
Here's the link to the Recently Added pages.
Here's the link to the Permanent London Section.

I still have several hundred images to go through in my picture library, and we are down to London again in November for the Ideal Home Christmas Show at Earls Court so will take some new ones then (while Jan is running the stand!).

Telephone Boxes on Carey Street

Admiralty Arch and Steps at Night

Big Ben and Underground Sign

St Katharine's Dock Reflections

7 More London Riverside and the Shard at Night

Northumberland Course Day 1

Had a full day with clients on our landscape photo course based in Berwick. No camera with me today so that I could give my full attention to the group.

We started in Berwick with bridges and a few town shots, then up behind the old barracks. Nice light.

Eyemouth was next and was good at all locations. Lots of working boats, sunshine and a few reflections. Then pictures of a seal being fed fish in the harbour entrance. This was followed by catching waves crashing against the sea wall.

Lunch was in the Contented Sole with a pint of Speckled Hen. After lunch it was down to the rocks near the mouth of the harbour for the waves and patterns.

Next was down to Coldingham Bay. Here it was great for patterns in the sand, reflections of the clouds on the wet sand wall(see photo), waves and a rider on a horse riding through the sea.

We ended the day at Spittal Point opposite Berwick lighthouse and breakwater. Nice light and tide still going out but didn't stop Andrew from misjudging it and getting wet feet. Fortunately Jan caught it for posterity and it will appear on the web site in time!

Castles and Coast

Today started with snow flurries and a cold day in Berwick.

After a quick wander around Berwick we headed for Bamburgh for the castle, rocks and sand dunes. It started dull but very quickly cleared and had me running back to the car for my camera gear, foolishly left as I scouted the beach.

It was high tide and windy so the waves were crashing over Harkness Rocks. Jolly impressive! Bamburgh Castle was in the background but difficult to get the angle I wanted on the shot for fear of being washed away!

After shots of Bamburgh Castle from the sand dunes we headed for Dunstanburgh and another castle.

The tide was still high and needed care among the rocks but I wanted wet rocks in my foreground so took my chances. Blue sky here but it was heavy rain by the time we had walked around to the Craster side. An April shower!

Called in at Beadnell on the way back. Clear blue sky again. Nice light on the old lime kilns behind the small harbour but low tide so just unattractive mud as foreground. One to go back for.

Late lunch at the Craster Arms here and Black Sheep Bitter on good form.

Last stop was Spittal Point in Berwick. A beach opposite the lighthouse on the breakwater. It was low tide so I could walk out pretty close for panoramics of the lighthouse and waves.

Another good day. Sorry forgot to take any snaps on mobile phone, just 8 rolls of Ilford FP4 120 film. Will take a few weeks to get to them as still a big backlog.

Tomorrow we go north into Scotland.

Ferry to Harwich

Clear blue sky and warm in Copenhagen this morning. Drove west to Roskilde for photos of the cathedral.

On way out went past harbour area and spotted some old boats. Stopped for a look and turned out to be Viking museum and the boats were reconstructions of Viking ships. Very impressive. This was mentioned in our guidebook but no idea it had such an extensive area as this.

From here we headed west over Storebaelt bridge and down to Egesund Slot (castle). One of the big attractions in Denmark, according to guidebook. Unfortunately it was closed (our info said it should have been open) and couldn't be seen from any access point outside the grounds.

Time was marching on so decided to head directly for Esbjerg and ferry home.

Now 3 hours into our 18 hour crossing having had dinner on board. Weather making it a rough crossing with winds of force 8 according to ships announcement. Will allegedly lessen to force 4 in few hours time. Yippee!

Roll on Harwich.
Dave Butcher

Denmark - a New Country

This morning started grey but brightened to broken clouds mid morning. Spent an hour or two around Hamburg harbour area and St Michelis Kirche.

Now driving up through Denmark, a new country for me so looking forward to some shots en route to Copenhagen. Night shots of Copenhagen tonight, weather permitting.

Brief shower of rain few minutes ago but sun breaking through now. Just south of Kolding then east to Odense and Copenhagen by about 7pm. Have a few possible stops pencilled in if the light looks good.
Dave Butcher