Not exactly a host ...

...but a lone golden daffodil. It took some searching to find an individual bloom amongst the display at Fisherman's Walk, Southbourne, today, but find it I did, doing its fluttering and dancing as a soloist.

© 2008

Telephoto compression...

The fine, spring weather continues over the south coast, so I elect to concentrate my energies photographing local architecture. Rather than adopt the usual approach and use a wide angle lens, I opt for a telephoto and dig out my 300mm f/4 lens. Long lenses have the ability of being able to appear to compress perspective, making things seem closer to each other than they actually are. The image of the late Victorian house terrace that overlooks Boscombe pier demonstrates this perfectly.

© 2008

From mate to chief...

At some point during the past seven days, the support platform and crane have been removed from Boscombe pier, which suggests that work on the refurbishment is near completion (photo). I asked the lone construction worker on the site when the pier would be re-opened to the public. "No idea, chief", was his reply. This differs to my perceived status from last November (18th), when I was referred to as "mate" after asking the same question at the same location. I'm still unsure if that's a promotion, or not.

Spring continues to display its colours here in Dorset, with the tree in my garden beginning to blossom three weeks earlier than usual, due to the unseasonably warm weather.

© 2008

By way of a change...

Things got off to a poor start today, with a trip to the West Country being re-scheduled at short notice. I should have spent the day at Slapton Sands with two fellow photographers, but due to illness this has been put back to a later date. Consequently, it was back into the New Forest, in a rather half-hearted expectation of finding newly arrived foals. Although still a few weeks early, I figured that the early onset of spring may have had an effect on the ponies, but if it had, there was no evidence of it; in fact, again, there were very few ponies to be seen anywhere. There were, however, a number of cattle grazing the hills, so by way of a change I decide to photograph those instead.

© 2008

Signs of an early spring...

Another crisp, clear morning on the south coast, and it's down to the beach front with an 85mm f/1.4 lens. Rather than just record the progress of the building developments, I decide to shoot on a theme: that being shadows (image).

There is also evidence of an early spring this year, as there are trees in blossom and daffodils in bloom, as well as insect activity. This is three to four weeks ahead of last year, and it is nature displaying the fact that the planet is warming up.

© 2008

Come fly with him...

The spring-like weather continues along the UK's south coast, and today members of the Wessex Paragliders club were taking advantage of the favourable conditions at Southbourne, near Bournemouth. The image shows once such flier, with the promontory of Hengistbury Head in the background.

© 2008

Pier pressure...

Ignoring the wild guess of the on-line weather forecast, I ventured out before sunrise today to benefit from the good light, and photograph the progress of the renovation of Boscombe pier. Although mechanical sounds emanated from the structure, it's difficult to see what is actually being achieved from the restricted vantage point of the beach. From what I can observe, the final shape of the pier is now pretty much evident: not that it was worth the wait. It looked better with a derelict structure languishing on the end. The "improved" version has a rather sad 'T' shape added to the end, almost as an after thought. I suppose, ultimately, it came down to how much money was made available for the project.
Still, things could be worse: it might have been demolished altogether.

The image was shot shortly after dawn, today.

© 2008