Photography
Beaches - These beach scenes were taken in the early morning – before crowds of beach lovers descended that would immediately cast their footprints upon the freshly washed sand. I find a solitary perspective of the Atlantic immensely appealing. The sense of powerful forces of nature over which mankind has no control. The infinite shades of blues, turquoise, greens and glints of gold, the ocean in all its beauty.
Gulls - I really like seagulls, particularly the rather dainty black-headed variety. The challenge I find when taking a picture, is to encourage them to fly in a group above me. I take food with me when approaching a favourite haunt of theirs. As I get closer I throw large handfuls of it into the air where, with a great flapping of wings, they simultaneously wheel overhead in their efforts to consume the food!
Mud – These pictures were quite tricky to take as the mudflats and tidal reaches are notoriously dangerous.
Portishead has the second highest tide in the world and the muddy estuary also has areas of quicksand where tragically several people have lost their lives in the past. Having lived in the area for some years it was a case of local knowledge and taking immense care when venturing out to take the pictures. The appeal for me is the ever changing image that occurs as each tide carves out, as in a sculpture, unique and beautiful shapes. I created a non-dictionary word for these which I believes is rather apt – Muscapes!