So Many Photos!

If I was asked to list cons of photography, I would have to say storing images. Last year, my laptop and a USB stick broke at the same time. I lost a few photos of my sister, who passed away in 2006. I was so upset. It was then that I became over-cautious. I now have my old laptop, my current laptop, 2 external hard drives, and numerous USB sticks backing up every photo I take. Although I feel much more secure, I still have the fact I have lost irreplaceable photographs that I can never recover.

So, the con of having lots of back ups, and back ups of back ups?! I constantly find myself forgetting which device is the most up to date! Every time something changes on my computer, I now instantly back up, but with 18,922 photos on my computer and counting, my collection is getting bigger. Show me any one of my photos and I can tell you where it was taken and when too (mostly!).

I like having a hard copy of something, I'm going back to buying CDs/DVDs instead of downloading or storing in "the cloud" wherever that may be! I'll never make the full transfer to digital books either - I like to turn pages and actually own the book! I miss being able to hold a photo and having to go through albums to find more photos. Now I can just turn on my computer and go straight to an image without thinking - which is convenient and quick, but I don't feel I pay much attention to the photos. Printed photos I look at in more detail, like a painting in a gallery.

I have a mini album of my favourite photos I've taken over the years. I take it to craft fairs when I am selling cards and prints. It's a great conversation starter and has helped me become more outgoing. Commissions can also be taken if a specific card has sold out. Plus it's easier to take along than a computer or iPad and doesn't need to rely in electricity. People can browse through at their own speed and easily go back to a photo they like.

Mount Edgcumbe 17/6/2012

Mount Edgcumbe present so many photo opportunities. Here is just a small selection of the 70 photos that I took! More may follow soon. The first photo is my favourite, combining modern Plymouth with older Plymouth, and its maratime history. Looking out on to The Hoe.

'French Connection UK' - Brittany Ferries departing Plymouth, crossing Plymouth Sound in front of Smeaton's Tower and the wheel on Plymouth Hoe.

This is the folly in Mount Edgecumbe Country Park.

Old door by the Orangery. All the rest of the photos in this post were taken in a small garden next to the Orangery.

Fremington Quay, N Devon - 6/5/12

I had a lovely walk in North Devon last weekend (6 May) First I visited Instow Beach and took a few shots - I will post those photos later on (And no, I haven't forgot about the last in the Siblyback Lake photos set! That'll be along here too soon!) The second half of the day was spent at Little Bridge House Hospice catching up with people we haven't seen for a while. Then we went to Fremington Quay and walked along the old railway line; a very straight and flat path but so much to see! I took about 70 photos alone that stretch of railway alone!

Pictures taken on the same day at Instow Beach can be reached by clicking >here<

Unknown Wildflower (If you know, please let me know!) I think it was a tree blossom.)

Apple Tree Blossom

Snail in Tree

Chaffinch in Oak Tree

Tree Blossom

Oak Apple

Early Purple Orchid.

On the way back, we found a quite content baby rabbit. The mother was in the bush behind. It didn't seem put off by us; just stayed there until we left!

Baby Rabbit Resting.

The very distinctive Lords and Ladies plant. I feel a 16:9 ratio was perfect for this particular photo.

Lords and Ladies

Old Shipwreck

 Again, the 16:9 ratio is perfect for this photo promoting the tree line and reflection.

Fremington Quay

Daily Photos - Sat 28 Apr

Just adding a few photos to keep things fresh! Went in to Plymouth today to see a steam train. I go nearly every time there's one down here! But these were extra good shots today!

For anyone interested this was the 5043 Earl of Mount Edgecumbe and I also have another railway photo >already on the blog< featuring the 60163 Tornado. :)

My second favourite railway photo I've taken; and I've taken quite a few! I thought the sepia added an aged effect. I didn't like the greyness of the concrete bridge either. I love the composition and how the train emerges from the steam gathered under the bridge making the busy station background invisible in this particular shot.

Malta | 20-24/02/11

Managed to get 700 odd photos down to this lot. Took me long enough!

May upload some more at a later date!

Some of my favourite photos I took in Malta back in early 2011. The architecture there is amazing. So much work went in to buildings and I thought it was too good to not take photos of! Enjoy!

I absolutely loved it there; Such a beautiful place. There is such a clash of cultures too; where we were staying, the Intercontinental Hotel had a mall, cinema, and clubs in the same road, and looking over those buildings to the distinctive limestone buildings on the skyline. Places we visited include: Mdina, Valetta and Victoria on Gozo (The northern island next to Malta) and I highly recommend those places if anyone goes to Malta!

Malta is also famous for its prehistoric remains - the Hypogeum being one example. We didn't have time to visit a lot. Perfect, good excuse for another trip there!

Building in Valetta.

Gardens in Valetta.

Straight hill road, Valetta.

Something us British aren't too used to - grid system city plans! I love the straight roads in Valetta!

The picture on the left shows Valetta on the right hand side of the harbour. This was taken coming in to land - the airport can be seen in the top of the photo.

And below, a panorama I made looking out onto the harbour from an archway in the gardens shown in the photo 2 pictures up.  

The photo below was taken in Mdina, the old capital of Malta. This was one of the best places for my architecture photos. I took over 700 photos over the 4 days. Managed to get it down to about 200!

Main alleyway, Mdina.

Valetta Skyline.

Church in ?Valetta?

Valetta Building.

Cat on Balcony, Mdina.

I loved looking down alleyways. You'd never know what you'd find! Old lamps, plants, trees, secluded gardens. A bit like a lucky dip! I feel they have so much character and they are all unique. 

Alley in Mdina.

 Doors. Like the alleyways, they have so many different styles.

Green Double Door, Mdina.

Blue Single Door, Mdina.

Red Double Door, Mdina.

Light Green Double Door, Mdina.

Leaf Green Double Door, ?Mdina?.

My favourite door photo from Malta. Old and rusty. This was taken after a long walk through all the alleyways in Victoria on Gozo.

Old Rusty Door, Victoira, Gozo.

This was St Paul's in Mdina. (below)

Looking Up!

Apologies - I forget which church/cathedral this was in. 

Grave Floor. Malta.

Alley in Mdina.

Alley in Victoria, Gozo.

In Malta, one of the main building blocks in older buildings is limestone, which is composed of dead animals. Walking through the alleyways and back streets I found numerous fossils in the stone.

Limestone Fossil Shell.

Something I think that defines Malta are their very unique buses. The bus below is similar to a Maltese bus but Gozo buses are different colours; the Maltese ones being yellow and black. They are so full of character as most of them are made from bits of other buses, have been built from scratch or passed down through generations. I managed to get a brilliant photo of the Maltese buses - 4 of them lined up and interestingly, in order of age too! (right) Adding to the unique-ness is the bus terminal in Valetta.

Traditional Gozo Bus.

Not really a photographic last part but I wanted to share this because I thought it was awesome. The trompe l'œil dome in the Citadel in Victoria, Gozo. Not enough money was owned to complete the dome, so a fake one was painted on. I thought it was interesting.

I could write for hours on the trip but this is a photo blog, not a travel one! So I better stop now before I start boring you!

Having been to Malta I can cross it off the list of 'I want to go to...' places! Up next is Iceland, Canada and New Zealand!

Lerryn, Cornwall - 13/04/12

Had a fantastic walk at Lerryn. A bit rainy but was a great day. Walking through the woodland by the river with light showers, the day cleared then became rainy again! Walking back through the country lanes.

Swan reflection.

Variegated leaf. 

Muddy Lane.

Oak Skeleton Leaf.

Egret by the River.

B&W Trees.

Early Spring Forest.

Early Spring Forest Path.

 Had me captivated for ages! A mother and her ducklings. Spring has come!

Line of Ducklings.

Ivy Leaf Against Tree Trunk.

Robin on Branch.

Robin in Trees.

Great Tit on Branch.

Old Rusty Sign Post - Lerryn.

Woodland Walk.

Overhanging Tree, River Bank.