Framedlight

We were dropped off by Terry at Tate Modern. The time was now a bit before 1.00am and we were told by Doug that the lights illuminating St Paul's would be switched off at 1.50am. I started photographing around the entrance of the Tate and then started to walk towards the Millenium Bridge, finally crossing it and arriving on the other side just as the light went out. I managed the classic shot from the ramp at the Tate end of the bridge looking across to St Pauls, and then a less classic shot of a curve in the bridge. The blue colour of the bridge at night was electric and looked wonderful against the velvet black sky. I managed to process all the shots just in Lightroom except for some minor cloning out of a sign in one. It is amazing how Lightroom can cope with these extremes of contrast, especially in long exposures, although the wide dynamic range of the D800 must help as well. Terry picked us up in front of St Pauls and whisked us off to a cafe in Smithfield where I had tomato...

Bt the time we left Westminster night was completely upon us and we went from photographing car light trails to catching train trails at a little spot Terry knows overlooking Battersea power station. From there we moved to Albert bridge - so pretty - where it was late enough to take traffic free pictures from the centre of the road (Doug was mindful of health and safety on this one as he didn't wish to lose a client).

I was fortunate to go on a night photographic workshop in London directed by Doug Chinnery with his stalwart companion Terry Gibbons driving the five of us (including Doug) round London in his black cab. We stopped at several great locations for a few snaps, some well known and others less. As we started the night at 8.15pm and ended at 5.30 the following morning I expected to be dead beat but the adrenaline kept me going until I arrived home at 7.30 the next morning and retired to bed. We had sunset at Westminster Bridge. It was not dramatic but the light was lovely nevertheless and as it got darker we entered the blue hour and made pictures of light trails from traffic going over the bridge. There will be more to follow....

We had to make another trip to Manchester for a return hospital appointment and had lunch in the Lowry. I made some multiple exposure images using the Fuji which I am showing here. There is a couple of the exterior of the Lyric Theatre, situated inside the Lowry and a few pictures taken of the Quays. Finally there are some poppies seen on the same day. I get this purple cast when shooting multiple exposures into the light but I can more or less obliterate it in Lightroom by turning down the purple, or just leave it if I like it. This should be the last of Manchester for a while! garden.

A hot early June day saw the arrival of the Cambridge County Show to an area of fields in the grounds of Wimpole Hall. There was plenty to excite the crowd including a parade of tractors, western style riding on horses with short legs, heavy horses, dog racing (for pets) etc etc. Here are a few pictures from the event.