There is a lot going on in Bath, which probably explains its popularity. Only steps apart you have “baths” dating back to the Roman era, a large central church, shopping districts, and more. Walk a little further and there’s a river, plenty of places to eat, and increasingly less tourist-oriented facilities. Cross that river and perhaps walk up some hills, and the place seems quite different from the central tourist-centric zone.
Continue reading Brock Street, Bath
I made this photograph the English town of Shrewsbury. (More about that place below.) If a photograph is “about” something, this one is about more than one thing. To be sure, it is a record of a specific spot in a particular town, a doorway to a building with a sign for “Alfred Mansell & Co. Auctioneers.”It is perhaps a record of some history, too, given the old brick walls, the weathered doorway, and the cobblestones at the bottom of the frame. But most of all, I think it is about color, the “temperature” contrast between the warm tones of partially-sunlit bricks and the very cool blues of the doorway in shadow.
Continue reading Blue Door
There’s a lot to see and do in Dublin, Ireland. Some cities seem rather sedate, but at least in the central area of Dublin where we spent time this past May, the streets and sidewalks were full of people — the place felt very alive. While a few day’s visit does not make me an expert — far from it — this city felt like it had a bit of an “edge,” which I think of as a good thing. All of this made it a fine place to do some photography in the streets.
Continue reading Man on Steps, Dublin
Our May visit to Aberdeen, Scotland marked a transition on our trip. We had just completed a week-plus driving tour of Northwest Scotland, where we spent a lot of time in rural and wild areas. After returning our rental car in Inverness, we went straight to the station and boarded a train to Aberdeen, where we planned a quiet stop before heading on to Ireland. Why Aberdeen? Patty had visited the city decades ago when she went to the UK for an international orchestra festival. She wanted to return and see what she might remember of Aberdeen.
Continue reading Max Headroom 14 Feet