Autumn Golds
Tag: cheshire
A vibrant autumn in Cheshire
The autumn colours in Prestbury have been magnificent this year, a much needed moment of vibrancy at the end of an otherwise difficult year which has brought sadness, stress and depression to so many. The only consolation was the equally glorious weather in the spring and summer months which facilitated much outdoor isolation in the enhanced pollution free environment that we all enjoyed; albeit temporarily.
Main picture exif: –
- Aperture: ƒ/5
- Focal length: 16mm
- ISO: 640
- Shutter speed: 1/125s
Post attribute - Tag: cheshire
Jodrell Bank 2020
Tag: cheshire
Cycling down to Jodrell Bank
This year I seem to be spending more time riding to the south and west of the county, the “lowlands” as I call it. Jodrell Bank is one of Cheshire’s most iconic landmarks and has become an honorary symbol for the county. It is a fascinating Heath Robinson structure which has played a very significant role in science, research, technology and space flight for more than 60 years.
- Aperture: ƒ/11
- Focal length: 50mm
- ISO: 100
- Shutter speed: 1/125s
Post attribute - Tag: cheshire
Kerridge
Tag: cheshire
Cycling through Kerrige on route to Rainow in Cheshire – one of my first longer rides since the (partial) end of the Lock-down. It was pleasant to get out into the summer sun and see so much vibrant colour – for a change. Though I have processed quite a lot of images from this trip in monochrome which I still find to be much more interesting and satisfying as an authentic approach to photography and now very rarely consider colour images to be indicative of my “style” such as it is.
These images of course would not work well in monochrome due to a relative lack of contrast and tonal variance and seem much more satisfying and effective in colour.
Main photo exif :-
- Aperture: ƒ/8
- Exposure bias: +1EV
- Focal length: 10mm
- ISO: 100
- Shutter speed: 1/125s
Post attribute - Tag: cheshire
Prestbury – COVID-19
Tag: cheshire
Prestbury in a Time of COVID-19
An on-going situation that is leading to unprecedented changes to all of our lives. The village has never been so quiet, yet the weather these last few days has been pleasant, still and warm. There is not really any sense of great alarm or panic, people are diligently observing the new “social distancing rules” and avoiding close public contact with others. Everywhere is quiet, becalmed and uncannily pleasant; weekday traffic flow is down to one vehicle a minute or less! We are now instructed to remain at home for much of the day and legal penalties have been introduced to punish those who break this strange, but necessary, curfew.
Over the coming months I will continue to document the situation locally. I have very few other options as I am also attempting to maintain my own degree of social distance and currently not doing any of my usual long day trips on the bike!
Hopefully we will all get through this without too much personal or economic pain and above all, stay well! We will know by the end of this week about any additional financial support that may be available for freelance workers. This is a situation that is now affecting me quite badly.
- Aperture: ƒ/4
- Focal length: 50mm
- ISO: 160
- Shutter speed: 1/125s
Post attribute - Tag: cheshire
Hale Cold War Relic
Tag: cheshire
Four Minute Warning
It’s still there! Had another day cycling around my old home turf of Hale and noticed that this once ominous relic of the cold war is still in place. This is the the siren that would have given the residents of Hale village the “four minute warning” so we could all scuttle into our makeshift (useless) home-made “Protect and Survive” shelters as megatons of nuclear firepower burst over the city and the nearby airport!
I vividly remember the chilling sound of this very siren being tested and creating a hellish drone beating with our local siren on the roof of the Unicorn (pub) hotel in Hale Barns; a mile up the road. The siren was originally hooked up to a nearby telephone pole and was activated by a special signal sent over the telephone network. This, at the time, secret civil defence system hidden in plain sight was known as HANDEL, the switching circuit in that box on the pole was constantly listening to the speaking clock until this special signal came along to activate the siren and warn us that the unthinkable was actually underway and the end of our technological civilisation and the lives of millions was suddenly a horrible reality — The sight of this thing dose bring back a lot of memories of my youthful anxiety about nuclear war.
- Aperture: ƒ/11
- Focal length: 50mm
- ISO: 100
- Shutter speed: 1/125s
If you are interested in reading more about this intriguing subject or just want to indulge technical geekery with a dose of miserabalism then you may find some of the links below interesting: –
My own piece on the “Backbone” tower at Sutton Common: BT Tower, Sutton Common
A detailed explanation of the HANDEL warning network: British Nuclear Warning System
UK cold war plans & exercises: Struggle for Survival
Post attribute - Tag: cheshire
All Saints – Siddington
Tag: cheshire
A few heavily treated images of All Saints church in Siddington, Cheshire; seen whilst cycling down to Jodrell Bank. Some of these images have added texture layers. The building is grade 2 listed and was subjected to substantial restorations between 1853 / 1895. The surrounding area is some of the most pleasant lowland rural land in Cheshire characterised by gently rolling hills and winding lanes lined with high hedgerows – a little similar to Dorset. The parish of all saints also includes the magnificent Capesthorne Hall Tudor estate, one of Cheshire’s prime NT treasures.
- Aperture: ƒ/8
- Focal length: 13mm
- ISO: 100
- Shutter speed: 1/125s
