isn't!The snow keeps on falling and I can't remember a time when it fell for as long as it has. It's been 3 whole weeks and there's still more on the way, but there's always scope for more photography so strike while the iron is hot - or cold as in this case! Yes, the sun is shining and there's a clear blue sky up above. Down below is a thick carpet of 'Snar', as we say in Sunderland. That seems like a nice combination for more snow scene photography so after a nice hearty Sunday roast I was lacing up my hiking boots before heading out to do the necessary. The customary two pairs of socks ruled the day once again - gorra keep them toes warm ya knar!
Once again I jumped into the car and headed aimlessly in my search for good photo's. I was driving here and there, trying to get that brain spark that would take me to the ideal location. The cogs were turning swiftly in my head, but as I continued driving around Sunderland the sun had dropped behind the thick cloud cover and the place suddenly looked rather flat. Never mind, it only takes a fraction of a second to capture a good photograph, and the sun might briefly show up, so it was time to find a nice spot where I could set my gear up.
I found 
myself in the grounds of Hylton Castle, Sunderland. This is a place that I've frequented quite often during 2009, especially in Summer when the colours are out. Today was a very different ball game though. Not a great deal of colour, although the sky offered more blue than it did half an hour ago. The sun was round the back of the castle but I managed to preserve the detail in the sky with an ND filter, whilst retaining the fine detail in the castle's stone work. It worked quite well and the subtle colours in the scene made it a nice shot all round. Mind you, with a slight breeze it was a case of waiting a couple of minutes for a quick burst that would lift the flag, as it looked better against a gust of wind rather than being draped 'Dead Style' against its pole.
myself in the grounds of Hylton Castle, Sunderland. This is a place that I've frequented quite often during 2009, especially in Summer when the colours are out. Today was a very different ball game though. Not a great deal of colour, although the sky offered more blue than it did half an hour ago. The sun was round the back of the castle but I managed to preserve the detail in the sky with an ND filter, whilst retaining the fine detail in the castle's stone work. It worked quite well and the subtle colours in the scene made it a nice shot all round. Mind you, with a slight breeze it was a case of waiting a couple of minutes for a quick burst that would lift the flag, as it looked better against a gust of wind rather than being draped 'Dead Style' against its pole. The sun continued to shine and I made the most of it before it was off behind the clouds once again. I managed to grab a couple of three-stitch panorama's of Hylton Castle and its grounds before heading back to the adjoining car park. Once I was back in the car I had to negotiate the thick snow to get out of there, and after a few wheel spins I was off. Phew!
Cheers, Ash
