No Title to Mention…

Posted on January 18, 2026 by Guthlac

An uneventful day in Coalville. However, I have scouted out some more interesting photographic sites.

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Parsley, Sage, Rosemary…

Posted on January 13, 2026 by Guthlac

Another day. Another early start. There was a time when shooting in the dark or early dawn light meant tripods, hope, prayers and grain. Now? Breath out and let the camera do the rest. The first two images were captured using an iPhone. The reason for this is because I had left my super wide in the car and couldn’t be arsed to go back to get it. (So much for artistic vision and integrity.)

The rest were captured with my main camera hand held. I just ensured that I exposed for the brightest part of the image and the pulled everything back in post. Simple really. Does this make me a bad photographer or just lazy. I don’t care. I have sufficient skill combined with first rate equipment to captured the images I want.

So what was reason for this nightswimming? Capturing images from Castle Donington, Hemington and Lockington for the Paradise – Consumed project. Did I need to get up early? Well yes as it started to rain just after dawn and I didn’t fancy being caught out in that! (Actually I was later on and it wasn’t fun.)

At this rate I might actually finish the project in under a year. This would be something of a record. Now there is tempting providence!!!

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Something Old, Something New…

Posted on January 12, 2026 by Guthlac

Storm Goretti came and went. I had great plans: Get up at dawn and capture some heroic images in the local park of the snow covered trees. It was looking so good when I went to bed 3 or 4 cm of snow on the ground and more falling. What could go wrong? Well the British weather for one thing! Instead of delivering significant snowfall the snow had turned to slush and was rapidly being washed away by the driving rain.

Then of course I started reading about the hardship and loss in other parts of the country and I felt a bit of a self centred prat! So instead this weekend I’ve been doodling and remastering images from the archive. This time from January 2007.

I used to think I knew a lot about photography back then. With the benefit of almost 20 years experience I can safely say I didn’t. Will I ever?

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Awaiting Goretti…

Posted on January 8, 2026 by Guthlac

So I had plans. Good plans. Then I bottled out because of an oncoming storm. Over the past 24 hours I have consumed everything I could about Storm Goretti. I followed the advice. Canceled the aforementioned plan and now I await its arrival. It’s a bit late. Currently it is raging over the West Midlands like Alioth. By 16:00 hrs we should have the first lashings of rain then maybe quite a lot of snow. Time will tell.

Wish us luck.

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Welcome one and all …

Posted on January 7, 2026 by Guthlac

In life nothing is permanent. As Shelley wrote …

“My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!”

When I was growing up Coal was King. Now it is no more. In 20 or so years time the final memories of a world passed will be no more.

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Be Very Careful…

Posted on January 6, 2026 by Guthlac

So at the start of December I mentioned that winter’s are not what they used to be. One month later it seems winter heard what I had to say and thought:

‘ you know what see what he has to say about this!‘

Well having frozen my proverbials off over the last few days I can say that yes winter has won. Its bloody cold. (East Midland’s standards applies – I’m sure if you lived somewhere in the middle of the Grampian mountains you might beg to differ!). Just to prove I’m a puny human, winter has decided to rub things into my cold face:

Storm Goretti is due on Thursday and, to quote the Met office, “… likely to bring heavy snow…’

Winter’s just taking the piss!

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I’ll have to Play…

Posted on January 3, 2026 by Guthlac

So where were you when you heard the Americans had bombed Venezuela? It is the sort of question that has an historical sense of grandeur. An example is … where were you when President Kennedy was shot? The answer to that question for is simple. I haven’t got the first clue as I was way too young to remember such things.

My answer to the current where were you is much simple. I was warming my feet in the car after spending sometime in a field capturing photos for the NW Leicestershire project. Boy it was cold. Christmas has come and gone and so it was really good to get out and about again. The light was incredible and the biggest moon I have seen in a while. (It was a full moon. Thankfully I didn’t encounter any werewolves!) As I headed west the moon seemed to follow my progress. Almost as if the moon knew where I was going.

Perhaps that is way every time the President of the United States opens his mouth today he seems to be saying crazier and crazier things. The latest pronouncement is that Venezuela is in effect an American colony. Until further notice America will run things. I haven’t been paying too much attention but this raises so many questions. None of the answers make any sense to me. Perhaps one day the question ‘…where were you when you heard the Americans had bombed Venezuela?…’ will acquire the same sense of importance as the Kennedy question. I do hope not.

Welcome to the year 2026.

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The Day After….

Posted on January 2, 2026 by Guthlac

So it is New year’s Eve. People are going out to parties or fireworks displays – all having fun. Not grumpy old me. Instead I was watching a bit of tele and doodling on my iPad. I had fun and I hope you had a good News Eve/Day.

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Billy Bob…

Posted on December 27, 2025 by Guthlac

Taking constitutionals at Christmas.

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Christmas come and gone…

Posted on December 26, 2025 by Guthlac

I had a good Christmas … I hope you did too. Unfortunately, for too many people in this country let alone the world at large that wasn’t the case. For them I wish for a happier New Year.

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