Month: December 2020
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The Forcene Horse
In the world of heraldry, when a horse is rearing up in the way that this statue is, it is known as being “forcene”, which translates from Old French as “rabid” or “to go mad”. Heraldry is a deeply complex and fascinating subject – something that I definitely need to look into.
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Episode 15 – Catching A Lift
In this episode, we explore the Anderton lift as part of our canal journey around the Cheshire Ring, and moor up for a much welcomed barbecue. This video (as with all of our Cheshire Ring set) shows us on the Glaucous Gull, an ABC Hire boat. You can find ABC’s Youtube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1QeIfJtTdgKNUa3VoiYv8A
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Frogophone
Just when you think you’ve seen it all, along comes a frog playing a saxophone… Aside from the fact that it’s possible for amphibians to play woodwind instruments, this image taught me to always keep my eyes open when I’m exploring unknown locations, as you never know what you might find.
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Pebble On Wood
Nothing to see here, just some artfully arranged pebbles hanging out on an abandoned old log (not arranged by me, I’m afraid). A large part of what makes an image interesting or compelling is something called “visual weight”, it’s that element that makes a photograph visually pleasing. For me these shots have a visual weight…
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Two Swans a-Swimming
Swans are among the largest (and heaviest) birds native to the UK, and can have a wingspan of up to nearly 2 1/2 metres. Whilst I believe most people will be able to name a baby swan as a cygnet, did you know that an adult female swan is a Pen and an adult male…
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George W(ashington)
This is George Washington, or at least it is a statue said to represent his likenesss – no sign of his wooden teeth here though. Of course the “wooden teeth” story about George Washington is just another one of those myths that have been created about him over the years (just like the infamous “chopping…
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The Orange Leaf
This may not be the greatest photo of a leaf ever taken, however I like it for a couple of reasons – firstly, I enjoy the detail in all the little veins running through the leaf, and secondly I remember it being quite a tricky shot to get, holding the leaf in one hand, angling…
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St Michael’s Tower
The tower that now stands on the top of Glastonbury Tor is known as St Michael’s Tower. It is the second St Michael’s Tower to stand here, after the first (a wooden construction) collapsed during a major 13th century earthquake, said to have been felt as far away as London. This second tower is all…
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Burton Pynsent Monument
This monument stands atop Troy Hill, overlooking the Somerset Levels. It was built in 1767, following a design by Capability Brown, for former Prime Minister William Pitt (the Elder). It cost about two-thirds of the annual income of the estate upon which it stands, and is dedicated to Sir William Pynsent. The tower stands at…