Sunderland Echo Newspaper

Every now and again I send a few photographs to the Sunderland Echo newspaper as they run a daily article on the letters page called 'Your View'. My Blog already shows a selection of my work 'In Print', but if you haven't already seen them, here's some more.

I submitted a handful of my most recent photographs and it's been a good week as they've all been featured! The First two appeared on a double spread feature called 'Freeze Frame' where readers snow scenes were shown, and there were some great ones at that. Image one is Durham City, with Hylton Castle shown underneath.

The third photo features a rather menacing bull that was grazing near the foot of Penshaw Hill. With the monument in the background it made a nice composition but I had to keep me eye on that beast as it gave me a very peed-off look! I survived.

The last photo is another Hylton Castle snowscape. The people from Sunderland Echo trimmed the image, which is originally an 8-stitch panorama, but it still works quite well. So, it's been a good week all round, with four images going into print and another four hitting the telly screen on ITV's regional weather bulletin. I've got one or two other projects in the pipeline but as soon as they're out the door I'll be submitting more images to press and TV - possibly national photography magazines too. Mind you, I'm not complaining about the exposure, it's great, but nothing beats the outdoors with the camera in tow. Time spent promoting my work often means less time in the field, but hopefully I'll put that right this coming weekend. Batteries are charged - just waiting for a bit decent weather and I'm off out.

Well, until the next waffle. See ya, Ash

Same again

Yes, three days after my Hylton Castle photograph appeared on Tyne Tees Television, I had another one shown on Friday night. Again, it was during the weather forecast and this time it was an image that was captured on my new Canon 7D - a pair of Mute Swans at sunset.

There was no introduction this time, just a quick appearance of the photo as the weather forecast was being broadcast. Still, two in one week has taken me by surprise and I won't be stopping there. I'm developing a slight addiction to this game...he he.

EDIT - Bleedin' eck, there's just been another one ont telly half an hour ago! Durham Cathedral at night. I'm gonna start demanding a fee (wink). Screenshot above...

Thanks for visiting, Ash.

More TV Exposure!

Tonight I had another photograph of mine shown on our regional ITV channel. I only submitted it yesterday and even though my last entry was shown the day after I emailed it to them, I wasn't expecting a repeat performance. So, what a nice surprise it was to see my snow scene of Hylton Castle on TV.
After watching the show I then checked my emails and the weather presenter, Pip Thomson, had been in touch earlier to say the image I sent in was fantastic and she's definately be using it, so I had to keep a look out. I was quite chuffed!

That's the second photo I've had shown on the same programme over the last few weeks. I'll be sending more weather shots in over the forthcoming weeks and may even try my luck with BBC 'Look North' too.

Cheers, Ash

The Next Chapter

It's been a while since my last blog entry, mainly due to the fact that I haven't been out and about with my Nikon D80. There's a good reason for this - I got shot of it! I felt the time was right for an upgrade and I like to work with one camera alone so I went and treat myself to a brand spanking new Canon 7D. Turning my back on Nikon wasn't a hard decision and I done my research before switching sides, so to speak. The new toy pulls in massive images, which is just what I need when planning to make the jump to high-format printing. I mean, with a capability of 18 Megapixels, and a single RAW shot weighing in at 50 Megabytes, this camera is right up my street.

Of course, these things don't come cheap. When you tot-up the add on's - Extra glass, Battery grip and Circular Polariser, you're gonna want a decent return on your outlay. Well, things are taking shape just nicely so I'll keep you all posted on developments.

Ok, enough of the prattle. Here are a couple of Jpeg's I shot with the new toy. I hope you like them. Speak soon.

Ash

Spectacular Viewpoint - Durham City

A couple of weeks ago, the 27th December to be exact, I headed through to Durham City Centre to have a crack at more low-light photography. There had been more overnight snow and the roads were a bit ropey, but it didn't deter me as I went on the wander once again.

As far as photography is concerned I've done Durham Riverside to death and fancied a change of scenery. I headed up towards the railway station which was up a height and somewhere I'd never been before. The sun had vanished and the light was failing as I parked the car on the bank next to Wharton Park. There was no-one around and I entered the park and made my way up the steps in search of a good viewpoint. The snow was thick under my boots and the steps were very icy, making the journey an arkward one, but one that was worth a try. There were no lamps in the park so I was relying on the limited amount of natural light to get me where I was heading, which wasn't easy. The park is on a steep bank but it only takes a few minutes to reach the top and I was expecting a decent view of the City once I'd reached it. It was quite eerie and snow was falling from the trees behind me, causing me to doubt whether I should be in there on my own. Ahh, what the hell eh, let's get on with the task in hand...

On reaching the highest point in the park I noticed a set of steps that lead to an even higher viewpoint. Well, no time to hesitate - let's see what's up top! It turned out that the steps lead me up a mock castle tower and on reaching the summit I was greeted by an excellent sight. It was a stunning panoramic view of Durham City Centre and it's dominating Cathedral, illuminated, and making a great focal point for any photograph.

Well I quickly set up shop and got on with the job, firing off more frames than I can remember as the available light diminshed. Well, I found myself a great viewpoint and definately one for the memory bank. Imagine the views up here on a nice Summer's day, and in the Autumn when the colours are out. Be sure to see the results here - stay tuned!

Thanks for reading. Ash

There's no let-up!

There certainly 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.

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

York Minster - New Years Eve

Our 2009/10 new year celebrations took place in York and we had a great time. My wife and I arrived at our hotel mid-afternoon and after dropping off the handbags and gladrags we made our way into York city centre for a drink and a bite to eat. We checked out a few pubs in preparation for a busy night on the town before my other half suggested a bit of retail therapy. Well, not being a one for the shops I suggested that we went our separate ways for an hour. This gave me a chance to spend some time photographing York Minster, while she spent lotsa money in the shops!

I remember visiting the Minster two years ago and it was free entry. Times have changed -there was now an admission charge of £6. Although I was a bit surprised I was more than happy to pay, especially as the annual upkeep of the place runs into hundreds of thousands of pounds, plus the fee guaranteed me unlimited visits to the Minster for twelve months. Another advantage, unlike Durham Cathedral, York Minster has a very relaxed policy regarding photography providing it is for personal use only. Great - a free run of the place - time to get cracking!

The admission charge must have sent a few people packing after entering the Minster as the floor was almost bare, apart for a small group who were on a guided tour. I set my gear up near the Central Tower, looking across towards the Rose Window. I was using a slow shutter, around 1 second, with an aperture of f13.

From there I headed towards the Great West Window, shooting from centre-aisle near The Nave. My one hour escape from shopping hell was over like a flash. I'd manged a dozen or so shots and it was now time to reconvene with my wife. I only photographed a fraction of what was on offer, but never mind, I'll save the rest until my next visit.

Thanks for reading. Until the next time...See ya!

Ash