All the Fun of the Fair

Red sky at night time
Tomorrow will be pleasant.
A beautiful day.

This is a photo of the fair at Coney Beach, Porthcawl, South Wales. Sometimes you just have to take advantage of the light. And it was, indeed, a beautiful day to follow.

By the way, you wouldn’t catch me on that ride!

We often think that the more we spend on an experience, the better value it is. Yet, with views like this so close to home, why spend money we don’t have on memories we won’t remember? I have often lamented that most people know far away places better than they know their own backyard.

So why not try a holiday at home? Look around your neighbourhood as if you were a tourist. You never know what you might find.

Boredom

Viewers come and go;
Stuck in this cage, all day long;
Let’s pretend to roar.

This is a scan of a photo I took about twenty years ago in Bristol Zoo, UK. I’m particularly pleased at having used differential focus to successfully “hide” the bars of the cage.

Nant Gwernol

Strictly speaking, this is not Talyllyn Railway. But when you ride the steam train along the narrow gauge track up the valley to the end of the line, where the quarrymen disembarked for their day’s work, there are walks through the woods around Nant Gwernol.

The railway has been preserved and is run by volunteers. It is well worth a visit.

Porthcawl, South Wales

Nikon D60, f/22 18 seconds

I did not have my tripod with me when I came across this beautiful night-time view across Sandy Bay, Trecco Bay, and across to Ogmore-by-Sea. So I rested my camera on the sea wall and let tried several exposure times. I just love the effect.

Yorkshire Dales

This was the summer of 2010. The fields of the Yorkshire Dales were at their best.

Tree in a Field

I used to pass this tree every day going to and from work. One day, the light was just right as the traffic lights turned red and I had just enough time to grab the photo. Originally in colour, I feel it has a much better mood in black and white.

Loneliness – It’s What Happens When They Grow Up

I just love the emotions involved in this photo. It’s so full of memories, happy and sad. It’s a reminder that children don’t stay young, forever.

Originally, I titled this photo, Neglect. But I now like to think of it as Loneliness because it tells a story of having been a best friend, now abandoned in favour of more important interests.

Well. Almost abandoned. The spiders found a good home there! And the contrast between the spiders’ webs and the man-made netting is a treat.

Enjoy your children while you can. Treasure the time that you have with them. There will be plenty of time for your career once they leave home. At least, there’ll be a little time until the grandchildren come along.

And then you can re-live those days all over again.