Moorland sluice
These sluice steps are situated in Piethorne valley, Newhey and they channel a small stream from high on the surrounding moorland into the rear of Piethorne reservoir. To sit and watch the breaking white-tipped liquid perpetually cascade downwards, foaming and frothing in noisy anger as it tumbles towards the last stone-lipped drop off and slack water’s solitude becomes an all-consuming exercise in self-hypnosis!
*Shot on a Samsung WB500 10mp compact camera with settings at ISO-80, lens set at 24mm, aperture at f/7.5, centre weighted average meter mode and an exposure time of 1/500 seconds*
Hills beyond the trees
‘From within a darkened forest of aged Pine trees – with tumbled browned needles underfoot and snaking, gnarled trunks baring any escape – a stretched horizon of vivid splendour awaits: a freshly-shorn field of fodder stubble blazes beneath the glare of the Sun and rolls away towards a patchwork of distant hills; lofty climbs of emerald green, who strive to greet the swollen passing clouds as they cast down their chased, dappled shadows across the tumbling landscape as winds buffet them through and beyond where your eyes can hope to see…’
Tandle Hills lightly powdered
A view across towards Tandle Hills from near Hough Lane Farm, showing the Monument hillside and rear fields sprinkled with a powering of light snow.
*Shot on a Canon 350d 8.2mp dSLR using a Canon EF 35-135mm f/4-5.6 USM lens set at ISO-100, aperture at f/7.1, pattern metering mode and an exposure time of 1/500 seconds*
Globules (slight return)
This dewdrop shows the extent of the temperature drop across the UK overnight: a crystalline globule of water frozen onto the tip of a blade of grass, just waiting for the weak warmth of the Winter Sun’s rays to melt it away…
*Shot on a Ricoh GRD ll 10mp digital camera with settings at ISO-100, fixed lens set at 28mm, aperture at f/2.4, centre average meter mode and an exposure time of 1/230 seconds*
Last one
Just a single, solitary red berry is all that remains within the entanglement of these prickly Holly tree leaves; a sure sign that Christmas is just around the corner and people infused with festive spirit have collected free boughs to adorn their front doors!
*Shot on a Canon 350d 8.2mp dSLR using a Sigma 75-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DG macro lens set at ISO-100, aperture at f/4.5, pattern metering mode and an exposure time of 1/125 seconds*
Car graveyard
The last resting place of our disused, crashed and unwanted cars is the local scrapyard, where hydraulic machines dissect, chop and smash once-adored vehicles and break them down into parts for the knowledgeable amongst us to buy, in order to perform repairs and thus completing a mechanical ‘circle of Life’…
*Shot on a Canon G9 12mp compact camera with lens at 30mm and settings at ISO-80, f/2.8, pattern metering mode and an exposure time of 1/100 seconds*
Chewing the cud
A rather damp-looking Sheep finishing off her latest mouthful of grass!
*Shot on a Canon 40d 10mp dSLR using a Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS mkll lens with settings at ISO-400, lens at f/7.1, pattern metering mode and an exposure time of 1/200 seconds*
Besom Hill in white
A shot of Besom Hill at the top of Ripponden road in Oldham, with Grains Bar running along the snowy horizon to the left of the picture and Sholver estate running horizontally across directly beneath the rocky outcrop. At the bottom of the picture can be seen the newer build houses of lower Sholver, which are situated at the top of Bulcote lane/Cop road.
*Shot on a Canon 600d 18mp dSLR using a Sigma 18-125mm DC lens with settings at ISO-100, lens at f/5.6, pattern metering mode and an exposure time of 1/1000 seconds*
Globules
Dew drop globules aligned along a blade of grass, balancing like translucent pearls awaiting the heat of the day to arrive and evaporate them away.
*Shot on a Canon A590IS 8mp compact camera set at ISO-80, lens at f/5, pattern metering mode and an exposure time of 1/30 seconds*
Dandelion sphere (slight return)
All that is left of a Dandelion sphere once its seeds have been buffeted by a gentle breeze – note the dangling ‘parachutist’, waiting for the next gust of wind and freedom…
*Shot on a Samsung GX-10 10mp dSLR using a Schneider D-Xenon 50-200mm f/4-5.6 lens set at ISO- 200, aperture at f/5 and an exposure time of 1/100 seconds*
Stretch the Horizon 