Stonehenge at Sunset
On the way back from Cornwall, Stonehenge was too enticing a detour to pass up. A night in a little roadside motel about a mile away from the ancient rocks allowed for easy access at sunset and a quick trip up the road to be first in line for the morning opening.
I’ve met some people that dismiss Stonehenge’s value as a destination, but I couldn’t help but be impressed. Seeing so many photos of a place can rob it of its majesty or diminish a visitor’s sense of wonder upon seeing the real deal, but that didn’t seem to happen to me. I mean, these are some huge rocks! I’m not sure how you couldn’t be sucked in by this ancient wonder.
The brilliant sky behind the silhouetted stones was shot was taken from across the field outside the fence with a long lens. As seems to be a trend with me lately, this is a composite of a few shots – just a vertical panorama in this case. I could have done this in one shot, (and I think I probably did on other frames), but this one comes out at a higher resolution than I would have gotten otherwise, so if anyone wants to buy a Stonehenge-sized print of this one, it should turn out nicely!
Photo of the Day: Golitha Falls
Today’s image is another from Cornwall, specifically, a perfect spot called Golitha Falls.
As tranquil as could be, this perfect forest full of gnarled, moss-covered trees at the edge of Bodmin Moor is home to a babbling stretch of the river Fowey. It’s a short walk, but every view along the way is picture perfect.
This shot, though it may not look it, is actually a panoramic stitch of about 15 images. I actually expected it to come out more horizontal than vertical, but this crop worked best of all. The scene really did sweep around me, but the resulting panorama doesn’t necessarily capture that. That’s not to say I’m unhappy with the shot. Far from it!
To get it, I did have to perch somewhat precariously on the edge of a rock, but the risk proved worthwhile.
Overcast days are good for shots like these. With less light on the scene, it’s easier to get a longer shutter speed to blur the motion of the water and you also avoid any nasty hot spots on the ground.
Photo of the Day: Godrevy Lighthouse
I’ve been back from Cornwall for a few days now, but unfortunately, I haven’t had much time to go through my photos. A few people have been prodding me to see some images, so I’ve picked one out that should satisfy folks for a little while at least.
This lighthouse sits off the edge of Godrevy Point in Cornwall. Nearby beaches are surfer friendly and local, wannabe stuntmen find high rock outcrops at high tide and launch themselves into the ocean. That’s all a bit more cheery than the photo below. I was going for a bit of a dark, Shutter Island feel with this image and I think the blue of dusk combined with the ominous clouds manage to give the jagged rocks and distant lighthouse the right mood.
Photo of the Day: Ripon Cathedral Clock
This clock near the entrance of Ripon Cathedral caught my eye on my way out. This was one of those instances where the light worked perfectly in the setting. It highlighted all the right places and left enough shadow to create some mystery.
Photo of the Day: Ripon Cathedral Exterior
In addition to being a sucker for massive buildings, I have a soft spot for ancient ones as well. Maybe it’s because, in my home city of Calgary, a building qualifies as old if it has a mere few decades under its belt. Maybe it’s because I grew up reading Tolkien and subconsciously romanticized every stone building I would ever see. Maybe it’s the echoes of a past life. Or maybe just simple nostalgia.
Whatever the reason, I can’t get enough of England’s centuries-old cathedrals. Ripon Cathedral has gone through a number of iterations, but it was begun in 672. I’d say that qualifies as sufficiently aged for me to get giddy at the sight of it.
Photo of the Day: Fountains Abbey Panorama
The massive scale of Fountains Abbey can sometimes only be captured via a panorama (or standing really, really far back from it).
Photo of the Day: St. Mary’s Church
This cute church (St. Mary’s) stands alone near Fountains Abbey. It’s strangely isolated from anything around it, but that, of course, makes for a rather peaceful setting. Some wispy clouds help set the pastoral scene.
Photo of the Day: Fountains Abbey Refectory
In an attempt to get back into the habit of some photoblogging, may I present you with an image of the Lay Brothers Refectory in Fountains Abbey, North Yorkshire England.
I had the chance to visit both Fountains Abbey and Ripon Cathedral on the way back from the wedding I shot a few weeks ago in North Yorkshire and loved every minute of both of them.
In the few spare minutes I’ve had recently, I’ve been reading an introductory architecture book that helps you to identify various styles and construction methods used over the years and to be able to see its contents in person made the learning experience a lot more vivid than mere pages would.
The next photoblogs will feature the lovely Fountains Abbey and surroundings. They will be followed by a few shots from Ripon Cathedral. And after that? Well, let’s see how this works out and then then I’m sure I’ll be able to find a photo or two (hundred-thousand?) to follow.
Photo of the Day – Manchester Cathedral
Manchester Cathedral is one of my favourite buildings here in Manchester and I had already photographed it plenty of times (see my gallery of Manchester Cathedral images here). But with the opportunity to use new gear comes the opportunity to shoot old subjects in new ways.
Briefly armed with a Nikon D3 and a 14-24mm lens, I headed over to the Cathedral for a nighttime shot on a super-wide angle. Result!
See it it in my gallery here or in my flickr stream here.
Photo of the Day – Manchester Civil Justice Center (part 2)
To follow up on yesterday’s Photo of the Day post, I thought I would give you another view of the Manchester Civil Justice Centre.
This is one of the sides of the building in Spinningfields designed by Australian architects Denton Corker Marshall.
This photo and the previous one come from an all-too-brief weekend in which I had the chance to use a brand-new Nikon D3 and a wonderful 14-24mm lens to accompany it. Nikon loaned the gear to the studio where I work so that the photographers could take a test drive. Now if only we had had the budget to drive it off the lot – it’s great equipment and I’d love to be able to use it more. The D3 lives up to the hype on the high ISO front and that 14-24 lens is gorgeous.
This image comes to you from my architectural photography portfolio and it is also visible on flickr here.
Photo of the Day – Manchester Civil Justice Center
For today’s photo of the day, I bring you a bit of architectural photography.
The futuristic Manchester Civil Justice Centre is one of the many ambitious modern architectural projects that populate Manchester. This is but a glimpse of it – pull back and this pattern of squares and rectangles extends way beyond this frame and starts to resemble the armor-cladded side of a science fiction spaceship.
And that’s only one side of it. The opposite side’s massive glass front must badly confuse the area’s birds. And the ends of the building look like a massive glass and steel game of Jenga.
This image comes to you from my architectural photography portfolio and it is also visible on flickr here.
Photos of Brimham Rocks
The yorkshire Dales are a magical place and Brimham Rocks is a good example of the little treasures you can find the parks expansive hills. Formed by eons of erosion, these enormous stones stand in strange formations that are perfect for both timid and brave adventurers – kids and rocks climbers can both expect a good day.
I visited last weekend and I’ve put up a small gallery of shots from a day spent wandering between giant stones. Check out my Brimham Rocks photos here.
Images of Manchester’s Southern Cemetery
Some people think it’s weird, but I have a thing for old cemeteries. I find them peaceful and beautiful and I don’t analyse it too much beyond that.
The cemeteries in Europe easily trump the ones where I grew up in Canada – their age alone makes them more fascinating just because there is so much history. Not to mention that there just isn’t the same kind of craftsmanship exhibited in newer graveyards – the quality of the sculpture here far surpasses anything I knew in my hometown.
So, in Manchester, Southern Cemetery makes for a good place for me to visit as it’s expansive and filled with lovely monuments. I took my new camera out for a test drive there and I now have a gallery up showcasing the results.
Check out the photos here.
Photos of Bridgewater Hall
A little Christmas present I’ve given myself is some time to actually work on a few photos. This has given me the chance to put together this gallery of photos of Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall. It’s a striking bundle of glass-and-steel angles and I imagine it’s a fine concert venue. I’ve never had the chance to take in a show there, but I look forward to getting the chance sometime. For now, I will content myself with gazing upon it’s fine exterior.
Photos of Castlefield, Manchester
I’ve just posted a new gallery of photos. This time it is a big batch of pictures of Castlefield, the urban heritage park on the edge of Manchester’s downtown core (and a short walk from my home).
It’s one of my favourite areas in Manchester and not just because it’s close to where I live. Apart from the trains passing overhead, it’s a strangely peaceful place for the middle of a busy city. The canals filled with geese and barges are soothing. Watching the locks open and spill out their contents is a patient beauty. The sunlight bouncing from the water into the arches of the many bridges is hypnotic. And all the regenerated red brick architecture is especially pleasing in the brief moments when Manchester sits beneath a blue sky.
Add to all the sense of history that lingers at each turn. The Roman Fort’s remains, the canals, the warehouses and now the updated buildings all speak of different eras in Manchester’s past. It’s a treat to be in the presence of a past that lives on so visibly and has been so carefully integrated into the present.
Please have a look at the photos here.
Pictures of Manchester Pride Parade
Pick afros, purple speedos, gold glitter, rainbow flags and a huge party. The essence of a gay pride parade and Manchester’s 2007 festival had all of them. Though getting into the spirit of it all when you’re not dressed the part might seem difficult at first, (and I’m never really dressed for that part…), the celebrations and exuberance of the parade’s participants makes it easy to pick up a rainbow flag to wave.
Of course, the colourful characters make for some fun photos, so I have just put a gallery of some of the fun faces of the parade. Check out the photos of the pride parade here.
Photos of St. Ann’s and St. George’s Churches
Today brings a double dose of photos of Manchester places of worship with images of St. Ann’s Church and St. George’s Church.
The former is still a practicing church in the middle of downtown, while the latter, just outside the city centre, has been transformed into apartments when it fell into disuse (and I would love to see the interior renovation some time in case a resident of the apartments is reading this and would like to invite me around).
St. Ann’s Church:
St. George’s Church:
Royal Exchange Costume Photos
I recently did a shoot for the Royal Exchange Costume Hire and since I’m so pleased with the results, I thought I would share a big batch of my favourite photos.
The day featured four great models each wearing gorgeous a Victorian dress. As if that wasn’t enough for a good time, our location was Manchester’s Chetham’s library (see my photos of the library here). As we explored each of the rooms available to us, we were more and more amazed by this wonderful building. It was the perfect combination for a great day of shooting.
Everyone involved deserves a big thank you and I would be more than happy to work with each of you again. I had a blast.
Images of Urbis
I have just put up a gallery of photos of one of the more unique buildings in Manchester, the Urbis exhibition hall. Interesting angles and curves abound, images of overhead clouds dance on the glass, and the imagination soars at being able to ski down that steeply-slanted roof.
My only potential qualm with it is that it seems a bit out of place surrounded by much older buildings. While a number of these have been updated (the Triangle Centre, formerly the Corn Exchange and now a mall and the Printworks, formerly a press building and now an entertainment centre) they haven’t reached the level of modernism of Urbis’ slope. And accross the way, Chetham’s school and the Cathedral must be wondering what this 21st-century structure must be doing in the same park as them.
But on second thought, that diversity is one of Manchester’s appealing qualities for me. I shouldn’t complain about old and new rubbing shoulders when I’m such a fan of both.
View the gallery here.
More Photos of Manchester’s Town Hall
While I already have a number of photos available here of the exterior of the Manchester Town Hall, the building’s architectural wonders do not cease once you step inside. The first two floors of the building (at least the parts open to the public) make for a particularly good wander and I now have a gallery of photos of the interior to prove it.
A couple years ago, my wife brought two of her co-workers over to Manchester for a visit. They both worked in the city hall of the small city of Ichinoseki in northern Japan and they were blown away by Manchester’s building. I’m told they turned green with envy because the Ichinoseki city hall, well, it lacks some of the grandeur of Manchester’s municipal headquarters. Not that a Victorian Gothic building would make much sense in small-city Japan… Still, it’s nice when architects give the occupants of their buildings a treat.
Images of Rawtenstall’s 1940s Weekend
In a country so rich with history, the UK has ample opportunity for historical re-enactments and the rarely fail to pass up on the chance. A popular target for British nostalgia is the 1940s and its wartime significance. Near Manchester, the towns of Rawtenstall, Irwell Vale and Ramsbottom (I can’t think of joke I should use for that one) hold an annual tribute to that defining decade and I recently got to photograph the events in Rawtenstall.
The main event was the re-enacted battle at the Rawtenstall railway station. Dozens of military men in full 1940s uniforms battled it out on the rail platform in what was actually a startling display. In a way, I found it a little unsettling – sure I’ve seen plenty of WWII movies, but there was something about being able to actually feel each gunshot’s sound in chest that made this display sometimes feel a little too real. More than anything, it drove home how lucky I am to have never had to personally endure a war – I’m pretty sure I’m not cut out for it!
Mortar blasts, detailed makeup for the wounded, smoke grenades and an Avro Lancaster flying overhead added to the extremely well-choreographed re-enactment.
The battle was tricky to photograph due to so much movement taking place in so many places at once, but I managed to get a few good captures. See the gallery of photos here.
Barton Arcade Images
A semi-hidden gem here in downtown Manchester is the Barton Arcade shopping mall. Tucked in between Deansgate and St. Ann’s Square, the arcade doesn’t show much of itself from the outside, especially on the Deansgate side. But once you step inside, it reveals a beautiful glass and iron roof that fills the hall with light.
It’s always nice to cut through here even just for a glimpse when walking in the area.
See the photos here.
Pictures of Manchester, England
I know it has been too long in putting these up, but here they are: a small batch of my first photos from Manchester. Believe me when I say I have a rather sizable bunch of photos still requiring processing and uploading.
Manchester is my new home and, in these first few months, it has been been good to me, photographically speaking. There’s plenty to explore here in terms of architecture and sights, the accessible countryside has plenty more to shoot and the number of events that make their way through here is formidable (the only limit is my cash and time!).
I wanted to be able to deliver a few relatively complete collections of photos before I started uploading, and while I could always shoot more shots of these fine sights, I now have a few solid and somewhat comprehensive collections of images to share.
Check out a few starter photos here and find lots more in the gallery:
Darby Sawchuk is a Canadian-born photographer who currently resides in Manchester, England. He has travelled to over 40 countries and is always adding more to the list. He creates stock for multiple agencies and is available for assignments.
+44 0790 992 8932
