Lumiere - Durham Light Show 2009

Following my attendance at last years light show in the centre of Durham City, I was looking forward to another spectacular in the shape of 'Lumiere'. It was at the same point in 2008 that 'Enlightenment' had taken place so it was time to see whether the 2009 offerings would eclipse that one.

(Copied and pasted from the 'Lumiere' website)
LUMIERE is a four-day festival that will brighten the historic city of Durham, bringing a sprinkle of winter magic to the North East. More than 50 artists will create a breathtaking series of installations, illuminations and performances using light. Lumiere will turn the city into a winter wonderland, transforming its stunning buildings, streets and riverbanks, with a nocturnal winter festival that will amaze residents and visitors alike. Prepare to be dazzled…
As in 2008, the event wasn't advertised very well and I only found out about it through a work colleague. Nevertheless, it was almost here and the batteries were fully charged as I had every intention of attending each of the four nights. Well, that didn't go to plan, as the strong winds and rain on the very first night kept me indoors. Never mind, there's always tomorrow.

Friday came around quick enough and I headed for Durham City straight from a days work on the busy production line at Nissan. I arrived at Durham Cathedral around 3.50pm and the area, including Palace Green, was very quiet. A few of the event staff were making final preparations in the build-up to the second night of the light show, with large projection equipment getting a final inspection before play time. I waited for the deep blue hue in the sky before taking my first shots of the night, in the grounds of Durham Cathedral. This particular light show, CROWN OF LIGHT, was quite spectacular, especially the images that were projected onto the Cathedral itself. They were almost surreal, but eerie at the same time. As the images were projected, the Cathedral bells chimed, with a few seconds between each chime. Yes, it had the desired effect. Quite spooky!

After spending most of my first night in the vacinity of the cathedral I decided to cover different parts of the 'Lumiere' trail on my second night, Saturday 14th November. This time I was down on the banks of the River Wear and what a lovely view it was. From a vantage point on the riverside, opposite Durham Cathedral, I was greeted by an array of colours that were being projected across the water by strong laser beams. At this point the lights which were illuminating the cathedral itself had been switched off, making photography a big ask when struggling to focus on the focal point itself. The light across the water was very bright, yet across the top of the frame, where I wanted it most, it was almost non-existant. Auto focus wasn't playing so it was manual all the way to get what I wanted. I got there eventually!

After bagging a few more shots I headed back along the riverside towards the nearby Prebends Bridge. It was here that I set up stall, on some steps at the waters edge. This location is where you get a great view of the Cathedral and it's often the position many photographers take up to grab those picture postcard images. I spent a good 20 minutes here, pulling in some nice shots as the pinky-purple colours were at their most prominent in the sky.
Time was pushing on so I quickly made my way across Prebends Bridge and up the incline towards the Cathedral and Palace Green. A quick detour took me through the Cathedral grounds, passing NINE MEN DRAWING along the way. Next stop was the Cloisters, one of my favourite parts of Durham Cathedral. It was here that the 'Lumiere' trail presented visitors with DUNE, an eerie interactive work that whispers and lights up as you walk through it. My last port of call tonight was WINTER GARDEN, a collection of tropical flowers which bloom in winter from beneath Elvet Bridge. Well, not flowers as such, but long flourescent tubes in a variety of colours - quite eye-catching too. Mind you, I nearly didn't make it. After leaving the Cloisters and making my way through Durham Cathedral I was met by the sight of thousands of people at the front, watching the light show from Palace Green. The queue to gain access to the Cathedral was unreal. Some folk obviously don't mind waiting, and waiting, and waiting! The wait was all down to CHORUS, huge pendulums that mesmerise the viewer with light and sound. Well, that was that...my second night on the 'Lumiere' trail had reached its end. Time to head home and put the owld feet up, whilst guzzling a lager or two.

The following night, Sunday 15th November, was the last night of 'Lumiere'. Although I hadn't visited all of the artworks, there was only one or two of the main players that I hadn't recorded and it was time to put that right. My weekend parking ticket got me started once again on the banks of the River Wear, this time at Framwellgate Bridge where I photographed STARRY NIGHTS and FLUX after a brief visit to the Market Place. It was here where a living portrait of the city was projected onto its buildings. This diplay was known as A PLACE FOR FOR THE PEOPLE.
Moving on once again...the view along the waters edge near Framwellgate Bridge was one of the best of the whole trail, taking in Durham Castle, Durham Cathedral and the bustling Framwellgate Bridge in the foreground. A huge inflatable star was perched high on the castle parapet, which finished off my shots with that little something extra. Mind you, I set my kit up next to the 'InShanghai' chinese buffet and I was beginning to wish I hadn't. Oh dear, the smell was making me very hungry. A quick peep in the window didn't help. Seeing the huge selection of food with steam rising from it only added to my hunger. I was beginning to get sidetracked folks! Aye, me belly was telling me to pack me gear up and get me'sel in there but I held off, against all the odds. I fired off a dozen or so frames as the light show started on Framwellgate Bridge. Glancing over to my right I noticed a rather portly chap tucking into a large plate of barbeque spare ribs in the restaurant. I remember thinking to myself 'The lucky beggar', as I chewed on my Wrigley's Extra that had as much taste as a bloody ice cube! I felt like walking over to the window where he ate to press my face against it...he he he...but thought against it in the end. My thoughts of envy, as he tucked into another fat rib, quickly turned to frustration as I thought to myself... 'Ere pal, I hope you choke on the bloody thing' !!!! (Only jokin' folks...ahem...).
Well, that was the end of 'Lumiere' for me. Back to the car and off home. It was nice to get more event coverage under my belt in the form of low-light photography. The conditions are always a challenge but the results can quite often be very spectacular!
Until the next time,
Ash

It's that time of year again

Yes, it's that time of year again. Autumn is almost over and Winter will soon be upon us. It's usually this time of year that my time 'In the field' with my trusty Nikon is at a minimum as I fulfill orders for framed prints in the run-up to Christmas. Although many hours are put in when printing and framing my images, with the rewards being very welcome, I still get most enjoyment when I'm out there, doing the easy bit - capturing those rather nice digital images. Now that the early dark nights are here, plus those sensible 'Alarm Clock' mornings for sunset shots, I'll still be putting time aside for more low-light work. This is an area of photography that I've always had a big interest in and my website will testify to this. Of course, it's all pot-luck isn't it. There's been many a time I've turned up at 5.00am onwards but the sun hasn't. But, as they say, if you don't buy a raffle ticket...

So, although October was a busy time for updates at ashleycorr.com, November could well be lighter in the way of new offerings. I have quite a lot of orders to fulfill, including framed images, calendars, postcards and mounts, but all work and no play might see me miss out on some nice new shots. The batteries are charged and the Lowepro bag is fully equipped...stay tuned...

Thank ya kindly, AC

Autumn Leaves

Well, it's that time again. Autumn is upon us and it's a nice time of year to grab those colourful shots. For one reason or another I don't have a great deal of Autumn photographs in my library, although I try to rectify this every year and fail miserably. Again, in Autumn 2009, the weather has been poor on my days off so I haven't managed a great deal as far as decent shots are concerned. Of course, as I write, there's still a couple of weeks to go before the leaves have all fallen so all is not lost - fingers crossed for a lovely sunny day or two.

Last Sunday I popped out for an hour before lunch. I headed over to Durham Cathedral and the nearby Palace Green, where, on a previous visit, I noticed a nice potential Autumn shot as the leaves on a house were starting to turn red. I grabbed a couple of shots and headed out of the City Centre in search of more shots. As you can see in the photograph, the colours are lovely, but maybe a week or so later I would have captured more red leaves and less green. Nevertheless, a nice shot.

Then there was a quick stop-off at the Angel Of The North. Just one tree was showing any kind of decent colour so I took up position to include it in the shot. Here it is.

Til the next time...Ash

Bowes Museum, County Durham

Every Saturday, except when I'm working, my wife and I jump into the car and find a nice quiet pub for a drink and a spot of lunch. We've found some great pubs on our travels over the last few months and it's just nice to get away from it all for an hour or two. If the weather is nice we normally go for a stroll to brush off the owld cobwebs - knar wot a mean?

 

Barnard Castle was where we ended up this time. We parked up near the Castle and headed off in search of a pub with grub. An hour later, after being fed and watered we had a walk along the riverside and then back up the hill for a quick look around the shops. Just before we left for home we stopped off at Bowes Museum and it's lovely gardens. Aye, a nice afternoon all round.

Who knows where we'll end up next time...

Cheers, Ash (and Amanda)

Holy Island & Lindisfarne

The day was Saturday September 12th 2009. My original plan was to head north up the A1 and grab some panoramic landscape shots of Alnwick Castle. It was 11.00am and after realizing that the sun had risen around 5.30am, I had a feeling that by the time I arrived at the castle the sun would have been shining on the wrong side of its walls. Well, I got there to find exactly that. My intended vantage point for photography was now out of the question as the walls were in shade and from where I was standing...well, not much point in flogging a deed horse! So, that was that - it was now time for Plan B.

Plan B was a hastily arranged trip to Holy Island & Lindisfarne, which was a few miles further north. I say 'Hastily' as it was decided in a matter of seconds without any prior knowledge of the day's tide tables. Anyone who knows Holy Island will be well aware that the causeway is flooded at high tide, preventing motorists from making the crossing. I got lucky.

I arrived at the causeway at approximately 11.30am. It was safe to cross and I had until 7.15pm before leaving the island at high tide. So, plenty time to kill and the weather was perfect, a lovely warm day with no breeze and barely a cloud in the sky. After parking on the Island I made my way down to The Heughs, a rugged peice of terrain behind Lindisfarne Priory. It is here that visitors can enjoy great panoramic views of the island, including the Priory ruins as well as the Castle, Marina and even Bamburgh Castle in the distance. A couple of sailing boats were anchored just off the heughs. On one boat was a man playing the violin. You could hear a pin drop on this calm beautiful day as the vioilinist played 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow.'

I took a few shots of the priory ruins before taking a short break on the sand banks nearby. I was planning to photograph the Marina after taking in the tranquil setting for a few minutes. The Marina area is quite photogenic, with old upturned cobles here and there, plus a scattering of lobster pots and anchors.

Before heading off for a spot of lunch at Seahouses, in the shape of Haggis n' Chips, I took a few shots within the grounds of St Ann's Church, including a lovely panorama of Lindisfarne Priory which can be viewed at ashleycorr.com.

Job done! A great day...these Plan B's come in handy from time to time...
Ash

Washington Old Hall

Having bought a National Trust membership and not used it in months, I thought it was high time I got my act together and got my money's worth. It was a lovely warm day and I didn't fancy a big drive, opting to stay local and pay a visit to Washington Old Hall. I grabbed a few photo's inside the hall during my last visit in 2008, so this time I hoped to grab a few in the grounds. The Jacobean Gardens are very photogenic and depending on what time of year you visit, there's a variety of colour in the many plants within the grounds. The adjacent Nuttery didn't have a great deal to offer although it was the ideal 'Secret Garden' to get away from it all.

I was lucky enough to photograph the intricate topiary near the site entrance, shortly after a fresh cut from the resident gardener. The photograph was very similar to the one I shot last year which was used on the St Benedict's 2009 calendar that I contributed to. Well worth a visit.

Ash

Great North Run 2009

It's that time again. It doesn't seem five minutes since the 2008 Great North Run. In many ways today, the day of the 2009 run, is very similar to last years event. I find myself on the Tyne Bridge in Newcastle and the area is packed with spectators on another sunny day in September. The drummers have turned up again, adding to the carnival atmosphere that has made this event a big hit since it started back in 1981.

Last year I photographed the runners at four different locations on the GNR route, beginning on the Tyne Bridge. This year I decided against 'Trashing it' and settled on photographing
from one location only. Naturally, many of the roads were closed to allow the run to take place, so driving from location to location on the route had it's problems and car parking was a nightmare too. So, the Tyne Bridge was an ideal backdrop for todays photographs and I was armed with a set of fresh batteries and an empty memory card - it was time to roll.

At around 10.30am the first disabled runners came through, follwed a few minutes later by the Elite Woman. Next it was the turn of the Elite Men, followed by the baggage coaches, and there were plenty of them!

Soon enough the main race started and thousands of runners were heading towards me on the Tyne Bridge. Many were in fancy dress and I kept my eyes peeled for the odd celebrity or two, which isn't easy when there's so many people running towards you. I fired off dozens of frames in sports mode, often catching runers with a series of staggered shots. The old stick standing next to me kept telling her grandchildren that she's seen this one and that one from Emmerdale - I never saw them, and even if I did I wouldn't admit it...he he. Then I heard her shout 'Hello Mr Ramsey'...bloody hell, the swearing chef had just ran past me!

I did manage to catch a couple of celebs on camera though. Jerome Flynn, half of the Robson & Jerome double act, and someone from Emmerdale...oh no, did I just say Emmerdale! Oh, go on then.

I stayed until the last runners had gone past, and followed shortly after by the 'Sweep Vehicle' that was clearing the road so that the bridge could resume normal service. Well, by this time it was almost mid-day so I made the short journey back to my car in Gateshead and then off home where a lovely big fat lamb roast was about to be served up. The Mrs, she's a little diamond...so she is!

Ash