A1 Impressions Blog: Autumn

Showing posts with label Autumn. Show all posts

Wednesday, 2 November 2011

The Windmill, Parbold, Lancashire

On a trip back "Oop Norf" to see my family (and baby niece for the first time) I stopped off on the way back to my parents' house from my brother's to snap this shot. With no tripod, memory cards or camera charger the photography on the trip was rather underwhelming which was such a massive shame.

The windmill sits on the Leeds-Liverpool canal, the longest canal in Northern England at 127 miles long, and it took 46 years to build (almost twice as long as I've been alive for) and at a cost of 5x the original budget! The idea for it was first proposed in 1765. The Canal Act passed in 1770 was for a route from Liverpool to Leeds via Parbold, Walton-le-Dale (just south of Preston), Colne and Skipton, with a branch from Burscough towards the River Ribble, a branch from Parbold to Wigan, a great aqueduct at Whalley and a branch from Shipley to Bradford. [Source]

I took this one with the camera propped on the door window sill of the car

Photograph Details:
Nikon D7000
Focal length 18mm
ISO-100
exp: 25 sec
f3.5

Tuesday, 1 November 2011

Sizergh Castle & Gardens

by Olly Hitchen at 19:00

This imposing house, at the gateway to the Lake District, stands proud in a rich and beautiful garden, which includes a pond, lake, National Collection of Hardy Ferns and a superb limestone rock garden. Still lived in by the Strickland family, Sizergh has many tales to tell and certainly feels lived in, with centuries-old portraits and fine furniture sitting alongside modern family photographs. The exceptional wood panelling culminates in the Inlaid Chamber, returned here in 1999 from the Victoria & Albert Museum. The 647-hectare (1,600-acre) estate includes limestone pasture, orchards and ancient, semi-natural woodland. [Source]

The house itself is actually quite impressive, as are the gardens... However, the stewards in each room are very annoying! A mobile phone went off briefly in one room and the woman seemed to get rather upset about it, so much so as to go in to the next room and moan at the people in there too! It was also VERY dark in some of the rooms, for many reasons, none of which I'm going to tell you about. They did say however that they were waiting for a lamp to be brought up, presumibly so they can turn another one off as the woman (Mrs Mobile) said that they weren't allowed the light levels to be any higher than they already were - for many reasons, none of which I'm going to tell you about either. Worth a visit? Yes, but you can't go until next year anyway now (yesterday was the last day the house was open for 2011), and bear in mind the fact that the stewards are just plain irritating...

Photograph Details:
Nikon D7000
Focal length 24mm
ISO-400
exp: 1/125
f9

Saturday, 21 November 2009

Dusk Seaside, Minster Leas, Isle of Sheppey

by Olly Hitchen at 17:57

Photograph Details: Nikon D40, focal length 18mm, ISO-200, exp: 1/20sec, f-stop 3.5

Sheppey Rugby Club Fireworks Display, 7th Nov 2009

by Olly Hitchen at 13:53

A firework is a low explosive pyrotechnic device used primarily for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event (also called a fireworks show or pyrotechnics) is a display of the effects produced by firework devices. Fireworks competitions are also regularly held at a number of places. Fireworks (devices) take many forms to produce the four primary effects: noise, light, smoke, and floating materials (confetti for example). They may be designed to burn with coloured flames and sparks including red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and silver. Displays are common throughout the world and are the focal point of many cultural and religious celebrations.

Slow Exposure

by Olly Hitchen at 19:08

Slow exposure out of the lift ascending the Eiffel Tower

Photograph details: Nikon D40. Focal Length: 35mm, ISO-800, exposure 2 seconds, F-stop f/4.8

Wide Angle Warping

by Olly Hitchen at 19:01

Demonstration of the warping effect of the wide angle lens

Photograph details: Nikon D40, Digital King Wide Angle Lens Converter 0.7x magnification. Focal Length: 19mm, ISO-800, exposure 1/6 sec, F-stop f/3.5

Notre Dame

by Olly Hitchen at 18:52

Cathedral of Notre Dame, Paris. Taken on the 21st November, 2008.

Photograph details: Nikon D40, 55mm, ISO-800, exposure 1/2 sec, F-stop f/5.6

River Seine

by Olly Hitchen at 18:46

Looking West over the Seine, Paris. Taken on the 21st November, 2008.

Photograph details: Nikon D40, Digital King Wide Angle Converter 0.7x magnification. Focal length 18mm, ISO-800, exposure 1/4 sec, F-stop f/3.5

Street Lamp

by Olly Hitchen at 18:41

A street lamp on the pavement outside of the Cathedral of Notre Dame, Paris. Taken on the 21st November, 2008.

Photograph details: Nikon D40. Focal length 55mm, ISO-500, exposure 1/30 sec, F-stop f/5.6

Clacket Lane

by Olly Hitchen at 17:21

Taken at the University of Kent on 5th November, 08.

The band's called Clacket Lane and consist of Ben on lead guitar/vocals, Lenny on bass guitar, Mick on drums, and Paul on keyboards. A Kentish band, they have supported Bowling for Soup and have played many venues around England including venues in Camden Town & Leicester Square.

Sunday, 9 November 2008

Firework

by Olly Hitchen at 18:03

Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,
I can think of no reason
Why the Gunpowder Treason Should ever be forgot.
Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, t'was his intent
To blow up the King and Parli'ment.
Three-score barrels of powder below
To prove old England's overthrow;
By God's providence he was catch'd
With a dark lantern and burning match.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, let the bells ring.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!

Blue Lagoon

by Olly Hitchen at 22:15

Taken at the Blue Lagoon, Island of Gozo, Malta October 2008

Photograph details: Sanyo S6. Focal length 6mm, ISO-50, exp: 1/430. F-stop f/2.8