Cathedral lights

In the winter months the interior lights of cathedrals come into their own. The effectiveness of the lighting varies from building to building, with some using artificial light better than others. One of the best effects is lighting that emphasises the basic structure of the building. Today's photograph shows some wall lights in Hereford Cathedral. Here the effect is to emphasises the glass spheres of the lights and to throw a pool of light around them. My under-exposed shot has emphasised this effect.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon Z 5

Shadows in The Maltings

For centuries British cities, towns and some villages had malt houses. These were buildings where cereal grains were converted into malt by soaking in water (promoting sprouting) then drying the mix to stop further growth. The malt was usd in the brewing of alcoholic drinks, particularly beer. In the nineteenth century the small malt houses went out of use to be replaced by fewer, but much larger "maltings". These could be found in cities and major towns. They, in turn, during the twentieth century, were replaced by methods of brewing that no longer required massive maltings. The large premises were often turned into housing and covered shopping. The small shopping centre in Ross on Wye was built on part of the site of the town maltings, though some of the larger buildings and distinctive shape of  the roof profile can still be seen. I caught this photograph on a day when the sun was throwing shadows from the glazed roof.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Lumix LX3

Foggy December graveyard

click photo to enlarge
There are few places that so readily evoke a sense of mystery, whatever the weather, than a graveyard. If you add to the tombs some trees, mist, frost and a late afternoon watery sun trying, and failing, to penetrate the gloom, then the scene can quite easily convert into a characterful photograph. This image shows part of the Victorian extension to the churchyard that surrounds St Mary, the parish church of Ross on Wye in Herefordshire.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Sony DSC-RX100

Regency shadows, Cheltenham

The Gloucestershire town of Cheltenham is a product of the Regency period (c.1795-1837). In 1788 George III stayed in the then market town. This event alongside the discovery of mineral springs and the construction of buildings to facilitate "taking the waters" led to a rapid expansion of the town. Today much of the private housing, parks, hotels, shops and civic buildings of that period remains and is a major attraction that draws visitors to the town. Most of the Regency houses are in the Renaissance style and many are rendered and painted. As we walked near Prittville Park I photographed this detail of one such house. The photograph may look like a black and white shot but I can assure you that it is colour.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon Z 5

Leisure Centre shadow

A visit to a nearby city from the market town in which we live presents the opportunity for more "urban" photographic subjects. Gloucester isn't the biggest of cities, but neither are Hereford and Worcester, the other easily accessible centres of higher population. Birmingham, though more distant, is the nearest city that presents the full range of urban subjects. But, on this occasion it was Gloucester and a photograph of a large, anonymous-looking leisure centre with its subdued colours, curves and shadows complemented by a figure in just the right place.

photos © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon Z 5

Restored timber-framing

The former Master's House in Ledbury was the residence of the person in charge of the adjacent St Katharine's Hospital (founded 1231). The present building mainly dates from c.1488 and the eighteenth century. Today, following a major restoration, it serves as the town's library. At the back of the building some timber-framing from the fifteenth century can be seen. It is unusual in that the infill is pillowed and stands proud of the woodwork. The colour of the framing and infill is the same: something that was more commonly seen in the past than today, though current examples are not difficult to find. On the day I took this photograph I was drawn to the raking light accentuating the details of the construction.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2

Shadows and reflections

November is the first of the months in which I relish the low sun and longer shadows. All through that month, December, January and February these two factors go some way to mitigating the darkness of the winter period. Recently, walking past a small industrial estate in Abergavenny, I noticed a car standing in a large puddle, the result of recent heavy rain. The deep morning shadows from nearby buildings accentuated the sunlit side of the car and the puddle doubled the effect. This combined with the sheen of the metal and the red of the light made a semi-abstract composition that immediately appealed to me.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Olympus OMD E-M10

Solitary in Birmingham

The saying, "You're never alone with a clone", needs to be updated to "You're never alone with a phone". Or perhaps not, because although a mobile phone offers 24/7 connectedness, very often there seems to be something other than a person on the other end: the phone occupies the owners attention with words and images rather than human to human contact. On a recent visit to the city of Birmingham this newly created space in the city centre seemed to be a place that most people were passing through. This man was an exception, engrossed in his phone among the concrete, blue glass and shadows.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon D5300

Window, wall, LEDs and pennants

The arrangement of shapes and shadows, both bold and fragmentary, drew my eye to this window, wall and especially the sphere with LEDs. It was in Hay on Wye and obviously the latter came into its own (along with several others) after the sun had gone down. During the day multicoloured penants (see below) were the town's chief decoration. However, that ball and its LEDs set my mind wondering. Does the increased number of LEDs used for decorative purposes overwhelm any savings made by the obviously energy-saving substitutions of the newer technology for filament lights? Probably not. But it has to be conceded that LEDs now crop up in places and numbers that we wouldn't have thought possible when they first came into use.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2

Hereford Cathedral cafe arabesques

After having a walk around Hereford Cathedral recently we decided to have a cup of coffe in the cafe. This is housed in part of the building overlooking the ruined cloisters. It was early in the day and we were the only customers so I took advantage of the absence of people and searched around for a photograph. This view appealed to me for the delicate intricacy and arabesques of the metal work and its shadows as they fell across the floor. The whole effect reminded me of the Moorish work we have seen in Seville.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon D5300

A cloistered chat

Tewkesbury Abbey, like almost all monastic buildings in England, suffered the depredations of Henry VIII. In the case of Tewkesbury, however, the main church remained largely intact because the town purchased the monks' part of the structure from the king for £453 and it became the parish church. The Lady Chapel, a detached bell tower, and the cloisters, along with a few other buildings, were pulled down. On a recent late afternoon we visited the grounds of the Abbey and during our circumnavigation of the church we came upon two ladies engaged in conversationon on a bench caught in the last sunlight of the day. They were having a literal and metaphorical cloistered chat (evidence of the site of the cloisters remain on the abbey walls around them).

photos © T. Boughen     Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2

Garden table and chairs

In our back garden we have three benches, a table and four chairs. When I summarise the seating in this way it seems somewhat excessive. However, it's good to be able to choose whether to sit in sun or shade as well as have the opportunity to change your viewpoint of the garden. The oldest of the three benches must be around twenty five years old and the newest was bought last year. The table and chairs in the photograph are two years old and often throw interesting shadows on the paving. I had thought to convert this image to black and white but on balance I prefer the subdued colour.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2

Houses in the evening sun

The word "photography" was invented by combining the Greek words for "light" and "drawing" and literally means "drawing with light". Remembering that helps photographers to recall the importance of light in the images that they make. Light can transform a scene and render the mundane memorable. In today's photograph the light of the low, evening sun has, I think, elevated the brickwork and solid forms of these mundane houses through colour and shadow.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2

Social distancing and walking

We've recently experienced an extended period of fine, dry weather with successive days having clear blue skies. Initially this was accompanied by the sorts of temperatures more commonly experienced in July and August. However, lately the east wind has brought temperatures that are more usual for April, the consolation being that the skies retained their azure perfection. The current UK lockdown regime permits people of the same household to take a single period of outdoor exercise in their locality, keeping the duration to no more than an hour, and observing social distancing guidelines. Consequently, we have had an almost daily walk by the river, over the hills and through the woods. Today's photograph was taken on a riverside path as we walked with only a 24mm lens on the camera and clothing suitable for the lower temperatures.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Olympus OMD E-M10

A wet street

Bridge Street, Crickhowell is an unexceptional narrow road. It winds down from near the centre of the small town to the longest stone bridge in Wales, a thirteen arched structure that spans the River Usk. As with many such narrow streets a majority of the buildings are colour-washed to reflect light in an attempt to brighten the rooms of the houses. On the day I photographed it a heavy shower had recently abated and the puddles and wet surfaces bounced even more light around, elevating this modest thoroughfare into something of greater visual interest.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Sony DSC-RX100

Windows, louvres and shadows

Louvres have proliferated on modern buildings as architects have wrestled with the problem of solar gain. In the eighteenth century the louvres were in the form of shutters that closed across the outside of a window. Today they can be fixed in place with movable vanes. Other designs are immovable and only have an effect when the sun is at a particular angle. In some buildings the louvres become the main decorative element as well as having a functional role. The photograph shows the louvres on part of Gloucestershire College in Gloucester. They are fixed above the windows and project outwards. throwing shade across the window as the sun moves across the face of the building. In bright sunlight the shadows enliven the relatively plain facade.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Sony DSC-RX100

Time and stone stairs

There is a dilemma concerning the stone stairs of Britain's cathedrals, castles and other historic buildings: are they to be left alone to show, through their wear, the passage of time and many feet; or are they to be restored, made safe and level, and consequently never cited in a court case involving an accident to one of the many visitors who pass up and down them? The stairs above, can be found in Chepstow Castle. They appear to be untouched since being installed. But have they been so expertly renovated so that the wear appears to be the result of centuries?

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Olympus OMD E-M10

More shadows, Tintern Abbey

Our visit to Tintern Abbey was accompanied by weather not especially conducive to photographing the splendours of Gothic architecture. More clouds, less sun and a softer light would have suited me better. However, the harsh light and deep shadows did emphasise the architectural skeleton underpinning the building and the long shadows only added to this effect.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Olympus OMD E-M10

Tintern Abbey shadows

Tintern Abbey was the second  foundation by the Cistercians in Britain and the first in Wales. Like all the abbeys of this order it was built in what would have been a remote location - in this case, the valley of the River Wye. The structure was founded in 1131. Its present, ruinous state came about through Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries in 1536. The early proponents of the Romantic Movement were moved by its battered skeletal form alongside the river, overlooked on both sides by heavily wooded slopes.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Olympus OMD E-M10

Stairwell shadows

My absence in recent weeks has been in connection with our relocation to Herefordshire: a new place to live always necessitates work, and domestic duties have displaced photography. That situation will continue for a few weeks more. However I will return to regular posting thereafter. The photograph above took no more effort than picking up my camera and taking the shot that I had noticed on the stairwell. The two framed flower photographs are images that appeared several years ago on PhotoReflect and the low, evening sun (almost) framed them again.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Olympus OMD E-M10