While many of England’s grand houses were (and in some cases still are) home to the aristocracy, others were built by those hoping to emulate or even join that exclusive set. The so-called ‘landed gentry’ indeed had land but no titles, although they aspired to climb the social ladder. Among them was Sir George Bowes, a coal baron from north east England.
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When it comes to colours, while the hot shades of red, orange and yellow make a big splash, the cooler ones may be easier to live with as they evoke a sense of calm, serenity, and tranquillity. These are the colours of nature, the sea, the sky, grasslands and forests. Blue is associated with coolness and peace, and green with balance and freshness.
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I have long maintained that one of the things that travel teaches us is that people the world over have more in common than you might expect if you only read about other countries or watch TV news and documentaries. Everyone wants to feel safe, to be in good health, to have the basic necessities of life. North Koreans too are not so very different from us in those respects.
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I am not a typical ‘beach person’. I fry in the sun and get easily bored just lying around. And having taken the trouble to fly to a foreign country, I want to see and experience the culture that makes it unique, not spend time in an environment that differs only a little from place to place. And yet, I love the sea!
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Photographs are a wonderful way of capturing the world around us. Whether we’re aiming for pure realism or something more creative, for the most part we include recognisable subjects in our images. But without context, photos don't always give a proper sense of scale. They lack the cues, context, and perspective that our eyes and brain use to judge size and distance in the real world.
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The Coquet River rises in the Cheviot Hills on the border between England and Scotland, and follows a winding course through the beautiful Northumberland countryside before flowing into the North Sea at Amble. Just before it reaches the sea it loops around the charming village of Warkworth.
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What makes an English country garden? Is it the choice of plants? The generously filled herbaceous borders? Perhaps a wall, a gravel or brick path, and a statue or two?
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Like so many geological formations around the world, Lake Skadar is the subject of a legend. And as so often, it is a tale of unrequited love.
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Photography is nothing without light, of course. And light plays a crucial part in creating shadows and silhouettes. Shoot into bright light to silhouette your subject against it, or let the light fall directly on your subject to cast a shadow.
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The setting of the small old town of Kotor is very special. The beautiful Bay of Kotor on one side, the mountains surrounding it on the remaining sides, and still-intact walls encircling it, pierced by three old gates. And as a bonus for many of us, the town is home to a veritable clowder of cats.
