Lens-Artists Challenge: Bars
Posted on July 3, 2026
I spy, with my photographer’s eye, something beginning with ‘B’. Which is fortunate, because that’s the subject of this week’s Lens-Artists Challenge.
More specifically, I’ve gone with this image of a heavily barred window in what is clearly an abandoned building ,which I doubt would be worth the effort for anyone to try and break into.
(For good measure, this is to be found in the nearby village of Bussière-Poitevine.)
Last On The Card: Big Beast
Posted on July 3, 2026
As noted elsewhere today, we’ve got the payseagiste in, with his big brute of a tractor, and here it is.
To give an idea of scale, that blue cylindrical thing on the left is a rotary airer and its about two metres high. Looking out on progress today, I can report that the beast is taking no prisoners…
Monochrome Madness: Bright As Can Be
Posted on July 1, 2026
Today, the payseagiste is tackling about four acres of overgrown undergrowth (if you can have such a thing) for us. Yesterday evening he dropped off the beast of a machine that he’s using to do the job. It’s basically a very oversized tractor. For the most part it’s a functional black but parts of it are painted bright orange.
It struck me that this close-up of the manufacturer’s logo would make a good subject for this new Monochrome Madness, as the contrast between black and orange is striking. Converted to monochrome, you could say that it’s a case of black being the new orange…
And here’s the real thing…
Monochrome Madness: Bright As Can Be
Lens-Artists Challenge: Tools of Composition
Posted on June 26, 2026
Framing an image so it’s something more than just a snapshot is one of the fundamental joys of photography, and I’m always on the lookout for a view or perspective that lifts a ‘picture’ out of the ordinary.
The wonderful architecture of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi is a goldmine of creative compositional opportunities, including this arcade of arches and marble pillars, reflected in still pools.
Cellpic Sunday: Volcan de Lemptegy (again)
Posted on June 14, 2026
Another example of nature fighting back. This solitary weed (for that’s what it is) looked quite dramatic against a background of almost black volcanic rock.
Cellpic Sunday: Volcan de Lemptegy
Posted on June 7, 2026
Hot from the press this one. Only yesterday we went on a coach trip to the group of extinct volcanoes that are to be found in the Puy-de-Dome region of central France (the Massif Central, as it happens).
The Volcan de Lemptegy has long been quarried for its volcanic rock, and that has produced some dramatic landscapes inside the original crater. Despite the best efforts of man, however, nature will find a way back, and there are trees and other vegetation everywhere, making a pleasing contrast.
Monochrome Madness: Flowing Water
Posted on June 4, 2026
Leanne has set the challenge of ‘flowing water’ for this iteration of Monochrome Madness.
This image might be more accurately classified as ‘barely flowing water’, although you have my word that the water was actually moving, if only sluggishly.
It was taken last summer at Pembroke Castle, in South Wales. It stands on the River Cleddau, which was diverted centuries ago in order to surround the castle on three sides for defensive purposes. There’s a roadway cum dam to ‘close the circle’ as it were, but comparatively very little water passes through, hence the build-up of silt and sediment, through which these few rivulets manage to wind their way.
It’s certainly a photographically interesting landscape in colour, but I think it looks even more dramatic when rendered in monochrome.
Lens-Artists Challenge: Rule Of Three
Posted on June 3, 2026
We’ve probably all heard – and applied – the rule of thirds to some of our images, but a similar compositional concept, although somewhat less familiar, is the rule of threes.
Broadly speaking, this has it that images containing three subjects can be more pleasing to the eye than any other number. To me, it really depends on the subject(s), but certainly a group of three can work well.
This is actually an image from an assignment I was given in one of the photography courses I took when I was living in Abu Dhabi. I suppose you could say it’s quite…..er, striking.
Last On The Card: Cycle of life
Posted on June 1, 2026
The flowers on this wonderfully fragrant rose have been unusually abundant so far this year – and with all those new buds, clearly it’s not done yet…
Cellpic Sunday: Pond Life
Posted on May 31, 2026
In the corner of what we laughingly call our lawn we have what we laughingly call a pond – although it more frequently answers to ‘puddle’. It’s been a bit overgrown for the last couple of years, but it’s been tidied up, and it didn’t take long for the local frog population – which is legion – to establish a new outpost.
Top Posts & Pages
theonlyD800inthehameau 