Category: Unusual Observations
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Is it a bird?
This is another archive shot, from about 15 years ago – dusted off and posted online for the first time. This was taken during the Royal Navy International Air Day What did this image teach me? A simple composition is often all that is required.
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Small Stones
I found this tiny stone artwork in the middle of the Isle of Skye, several years ago now. I don’t know who had the patience to create it, but thank you whoever you are. What did this image teach me? To find the beauty in small things, and to appreciate others efforts.
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Choose Your Colours
This set of shields / family emblems lives high up on the wall in Florence, Italy. What did this image teach me? That I don’t know enough about Italian history to be able to explain who or what these shields each represent. Time to do some research!
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Stone Light
Many years ago I attended a “light festival” where one of the local gardens was lit up at night in all sorts of interesting ways. Including this slightly creepy looking thing… What did this image teach me? That shooting in almost pitch black conditions is very tricky, but not impossible.
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The River Boat
This is a view of the River Dart, and a single boat waiting for its owner to come along and sail away. What did this image teach me? That sometimes removing the colour from a shot enhances the overall image – the full colour version of this one shows the somewhat unappealing murky brown water…
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The Doorstop Guardian
Agatha Christie’s Devonshire house, Greenway, is full of items the famous author collected over the years. Including a pair of oriental stone guardians that still stand either side of the main entrance. What did this image teach me? The Chinese name for these lion-guardians is shishi and they are said to ward off harmful influences…
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Another Stone Mushroom
Originally these strange, stone mushroom things were known as staddle stones (or occasionally steddle stones) and they had the very important job of holding up vital storage units (such as granaries or or hay ricks), so that they could be kept off the ground and out of reach of various rats and mice. These days…
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Through the Keyhole
This image was taken in one of the many buildings you can explore within the ruins of Pompeii. I liked the way the light streamed in through the roof, and that unusual keyhole shaped entryway. I learned a lot about Pompeii whilst I was there, including this interesting fact: Due to their healthy diet (high…
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Stone Star
This star, and many others just like it, can be found at the Cassino War Cemetery, built at the foot of Montecassino in Italy. The WWII battle to take the abbey on the hill at Montecassino was one of the fiercest battles that took place on Italian ground. Never to forget.