It's great to plan a trip away to get amazing shots of exotic places. But have you ever come back disappointed? Did you miss shots because you were struggling with your camera settings? Did your shots turn out flat. Was the impact disappointing? One great way to get infinitely better shots is to practice in your garden. Or if you don't have a garden, your local park will is good too. I use my camera every single day. I still discover new things I can do with it as I've only h

This picture of the sun setting over Bamburgh Castle is one of my favourites. You have to be in the right place at the right time of year to get this shot. And Lady Luck has to smile on you with the right weather conditions. When I saw the sun heading for the horizon, I knew there was a shot in the making. Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera on me at the time. I had to run back to our holiday let and fetch it. Fortunately there was just enough time and I took a dozen or so

Macro Photography is one of my favourite areas to explore. The camera reveals so much hidden detail. It's always a surprise and a revelation to look at the resultant images on the screen. This specimen was pictured at the Butterfly House at Anston, Sheffield. I love the light reflected from the flower giving the insect a fantastic golden glow. The Butterfly House is a great destination for a family visit with plenty to see and do around the site. Meerkats, Lemurs, Birds of Pr

January can be a gloomy month. The excitement of Christmas is over and New Year celebrations done and dusted. The days are dark, the nights long. It can be difficult to feel enthused about even your favourite hobby. Well how about a recipe to get your creative juices flowing and add a touch of spring to your home while you're at it. This is a calla lily that you can buy as a plant really cheaply in any supermarket. The only other equipment you need is a little LED torch and a

Winter. When the sun shines and the snow lays a magical carpet of light across the world, it's a fairy tale land. The kind of day you can't get your boots and woollies on fast enough. Today is grim. The sky hangs oppressively low and dark. It's the kind of day when a hot chocolate, a duvet and good book are the order of the day. A photography book of course ;-) But there are some reasons to dump the PJ's and get shooting, indoors or out. Abstract Light Ok, I admit it, I haven

This photo was taken at a little cafe in the heart of the old city of Riga in Latvia. Late April in this part of the Baltic marks the end of winter. Crocus were blooming but the leaves were yet to start the burgeoning from the buds. Warm clothing was a necessity along with waterproofs. To avoid a shower and a soaking we had dashed in to have an early lunch. I couldn't resist the temptation to arrange my Earl Grey tea and other accoutrements while waiting for food to be served

This photograph is of the beautiful Lake Vyrnwy. It's captured as the last of the evening light fades in what is known as the Blue Hour where the atmosphere changes colour as the day fades towards night. It appeared on my Facebook feed today, originally posted some 6 years ago. It's the last time I visited this serene location as I moved away from the area over 5 years ago. I have a yearning now to go back. I'll be posting a series of pictures intended for use by anyone as in