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Photos - Mine

I like photography as something of a pseudo-hobby. I don't especially know much about it, but sometimes I get lucky anyway. Here are some.

Originally I only included photos here if I especially liked them. However, these days I often include photos in the diary. Different selection criteria apply. For the diary, I might include a photo that isn't especially impressive, if I especially want to include a photo of the subject to accompany the diary text. But that means I have all these photos already available on the site. I've therefore started including them here, because I might as well; it doesn't take any more work or space on the site.

Perhaps later, I will include a separate category for photos I have especially liked...

Or, you can...

Dad's Visit (August 2002)

This summer my dad and his wife Verna came to visit and sample the delights of Britain. Although the weather was decidedly mediocre (mostly overcast, but without actually raining much), we nevertheless managed to have a plethora of Kodak Moments. Imagine, if you will, three lunatics with digital cameras (and one normal person), set loose in the British countryside. In the end we pressed a CD for my dad with all his photos plus all of ours, to take back with him. Wild horses couldn't drag out of me how many photos there were on that CD.

Wales
Boat Boat (90 KB). Porthmadog, Wales; 7 Aug 2002.
The day we rode the Blaenau-Ffestiniog Railway was deeply overcast. As our train crossed the causeway, I saw this brightly-coloured boat all by itself in the bay. It was the only hint of colour to be seen. The resulting photo was so very nearly grey, aside from that boat, that I desaturated it the rest of the way; I think it's a fun effect.
Pin Mill reflection Pin Mill reflection (123 KB). Bodnant Garden, Bodnant, Wales; 7 Aug 2002.
The disgustingly photogenic Pin Mill at Bodnant.
Water lilies Water lilies (73 KB). Bodnant Garden, Bodnant, Wales; 7 Aug 2002.
Lilies in the reflecting pool in front of the Pin Mill.
Lily Lily (81 KB). Bodnant Garden, Bodnant, Wales; 7 Aug 2002.
One water lily I particularly liked.

Yorkshire
Presbytery Presbytery (117 KB). Rievaulx Abbey, Rievaulx, North Yorkshire, England; 10 Aug 2002.
The remains of the presbytery at Rievaulx Abbey. The day we were there was again heavily overcast, so my photos of the abbey are far too dull to convey how dramatic it is.
View of the Abbey View of the Abbey (136 KB). Rievaulx Abbey, Rievaulx, North Yorkshire, England; 10 Aug 2002.
An enterprising landowner who owned a ridge overlooking Rievaulx Abbey cut a series of strategically placed view-points through the trees toward the abbey. The result is Rievaulx Terrace, a fine place for photographers.
Hydrangea Hydrangea (90 KB). Great Northern Flower Show, Castle Howard, North Yorkshire, England; 11 Aug 2002.
Verna is very much into flowers and gardening, so we'd hoped to sneak in a flower show while she was here. We got the Great Northern Flower Show at Castle Howard. It was small but fun.
Atlas Fountain Atlas Fountain (97 KB). Castle Howard, North Yorkshire, England; 11 Aug 2002.
An imposing view of the central section of Castle Howard.
Wheat Wheat (145 KB). Castle Howard, North Yorkshire, England; 11 Aug 2002.
A field of some kind of grain at Castle Howard.

York

We spend three days in York but of course it wasn't nearly enough. Not surprisingly, I re-took a lot of the same photos I'd taken on our first visit, to get them better this time. Someday I will get a good photo of the Shambles--but not this trip.
Stained glass Stained glass (109 KB). York Minster, York, England; 12 Aug 2002.
A detail from one of the impressive stained glass windows in York Minster.
Ancient stained glass Ancient stained glass (114 KB). York Minster, York, England; 12 Aug 2002.
This pane doesn't look so impressive--until you realise it's from c. 1250!
Chapter House ceiling Chapter House ceiling (191 KB). York Minster, York, England; 12 Aug 2002.
A zoom of the decoration of the Chapter House ceiling.
Column capitals Column capitals (118 KB). York Minster, York, England; 12 Aug 2002.
While we were at York Minster, the sun suddenly came out, all the clouds went away, and it went spectacularly blue. So, of course, we went a bit mad.
Gargoyle Gargoyle (79 KB). York Minster, York, England; 12 Aug 2002.
One of zillions.
Gingerbread Gingerbread (124 KB). York Minster, York, England; 12 Aug 2002.
It's just not a proper roof without a whole slew of spiky bits.
Sparkles Sparkles (180 KB). York Minster, York, England; 12 Aug 2002.
The massive nave window with sun sparkling off it. Happy photographer!
Nave towers Nave towers (129 KB). York Minster, York, England; 12 Aug 2002.
Looking up Looking up (134 KB). York Minster, York, England; 12 Aug 2002.
Standing in the nave doorway arch, looking pretty much straight up.
Sunlight on the roof Sunlight on the roof (84 KB). York Minster, York, England; 12 Aug 2002.
You can go up to the top of the York Minster central tower. First you go up a long, elderly spiral stair which comes out at the level of the roof. This is taken there.
View from the top View from the top (148 KB). York, England; 12 Aug 2002.
After you cross along the edge of the south transept to the central tower, you haul yourself up a really long spiral stair to the top of the tower. This is looking east from the top. I like the juxtaposition of the ancient castle (Clifford's Tower) and the power plant on the horizon.
Chimney pots Chimney pots (68 KB). York, England; 12 Aug 2002.
High Petergate High Petergate (111 KB). York, England; 12 Aug 2002.
One of the charming streets of the old part of York.

Industrial Revolution Stuff

My dad is into steam engines and similar things, which meant we just had to drag ourselves out to a few significant Industrial Revolution sites and technological museums.
Through the window Through the window (100 KB). Manchester Museum of Science & Industry, Manchester, England; 8 Aug 2002.
Machinery Machinery (142 KB). Manchester Museum of Science & Industry, Manchester, England; 8 Aug 2002.
Mostly part of a beam engine, but also a photographically pleasing collection of mechanical stuff.
Gears Gears (121 KB). Manchester Museum of Science & Industry, Manchester, England; 8 Aug 2002.
Arc of engines Arc of engines (111 KB). National Railway Museum, York, England; 13 Aug 2002.
At the National Railway Museum, they have a giant circle of engines arranged on a turntable. Here's a small fraction of the circle.
Pipes Pipes (96 KB). National Railway Museum, York, England; 13 Aug 2002.
Cutaway pipes inside a steam engine.

Lake District

My dad had to leave on a Thursday, but we were still on holiday for the rest of the week, so we went to visit Helen in the Lake District.
Castlerigg Stone Circle
 Castlerigg Stone Circle (237 KB). Castlerigg Stone Circle, Keswick, Cumbria, England; 16 Aug 2002. See note about viewing panoramas.
I finally got to see Castlerigg, which was closed last year for the foot-and-mouth outbreak. I must make a terrible confession about this one. We were there at Magic Hour, the lighting was great, but we were expected at Helen's and needed to leave soon, so we couldn't really linger. Because it was late in the day, there weren't many people around, but there was a constant slow trickle of people, such that the circle was never free of people. In the end I gave up and took it with people in it. It helped that it was a panorama--I could wait till a frame was as clear as possible, take the picture, move to the next frame and wait again. But I still had six whole or partial people in the photo when it was done. I've removed 'em. Shocking, I know. (And yes, I know about the shadow; I've left it because I like it. It seems surreal to have a shadow with nobody casting it.)
 
View from the circle
 View from the circle (114 KB). Castlerigg Stone Circle, Keswick, Cumbria, England; 16 Aug 2002. See note about viewing panoramas.
Castlerigg sits in a meadow that is almost a plateau within the mountains of the lake district. The land drops steeply away into valleys, with more imposing peaks on the other side. I can see why the builders chose this site.
 

* Note about viewing panoramas: I recommend opening panoramas full-size in whatever your viewer is, then scrolling slowly to the other end. This creates the sense of standing there and turning your head.

Copyright © 2002 Lisa Nelson. Last Modified: 2 November 2002 (content); 22 June 2002 (page) Back to Top
All pictures on this page remain the property of the people who took them (namely, either me or Mike).