The ceiling is quite amazing. I like the empty street with the snow still white and pure.

I always imagined it got very cold with lots of snow up where you are.

The bottle is not full. Did you take a tipple before making this picture?

Wet, foggy, with slushy snow. Still you made an interesting picture.

Yes 😀

Looks like an interesting day out. I like the drama of this shot.

Did you get some closer of shot of the light mapping on the castle?

No not really any closer. I didn't have a tripod and there was nothing to rest the camera on. Also the lights were changing quite quickly, and access was limited without paying to go inside, but I did catch a variety of light effects from the main courtyard;

A few with Fuji, I will definitely keep Leica but I might keep Fuji too. A bit too much to have a couple of fixed lens cameras but...

Yes, wonky walls , nearly collapsed roofs are more authentic.

This feels magical.

My uncle used to drink cognac when it was cold, this reminds me of him.

Wintry Wanders

There's been a decent sprinkling of snow here over the last week. Of course, I've missed the best of it due to this pesky work thing I do to pay for my photography kit (and, I suppose, food, computers and, occasionally, clothing), but due to the sub zero temperatures, there's still quite a bit of it around, so I've managed to get out on a number of short wanders to catch some evidence that it any of it actually fell at all.

This set of pictures were taken handheld with either the Nikon Z8 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8S or the little Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 (also two guest appearances of the Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 are in here somewhere). All images processed from single raw files in Capture One Pro 23.

For fun, I've stripped the EXIF, anonymously renamed them and jumbled them around, so I wonder if anyone with the time or interest can reliably tell which is which?

1. A Little Lane

I wandered a short way down this little lane while out on a lunchtime walk to a local bakery in the week. Juggling cameras, bread and a cup of Pea&Ham Soup was no fun at all, let me tell you.

2. Frosty Trees

Taken from the aforementioned lane.

3. Reverse View

The view as I returned along the little lane. Gloves covered in soup, I'm a terrible juggler.

4. Nab Wood

Every time I visit this spot, that fence looks a little more worse for wear. I think I'm going to be genuinely sad when it finally collapses forever.

5. Abandoned Woodland Track

Even in these icy conditions, this long abandoned track turns into a treacherous quagmire, only now camouflaged by a thin crust of leaves and snow for added excitement.

6. A Splash of Colour

Lots of little trees still clinging onto their now useless leaves.

7. The Less Treacherous Path

Shortly before setting off down this woodland track, I'd suggested taking a shorter, but (as I described it) "treacherous" path back. This suggestion was downvoted and we ended up coming back by this apparently less treacherous path. The jury is out on whether that was actually the case.

8. Ice Bath

A lodge-side tree takes a dip in the icy waters.

9. Blue Water

With a sprinkling of snow and ice covering the murky brown waters of well known local beauty spot Blue Water (trading standards have been notified).

10. Blue Water 2

Another angle on Blue Water.

11. Sunset Lost

This was supposed to be a sunset, my first of the year, but as you can see, my old nemesis, the Irish Sea fog bank has swept in to scupper my plans. Curses!

11. Meanwhile, Looking East...

The view in the opposite direction actually looked a bit nicer.

13. Going Wide

I wider view of the horizon as the remaining light starts to dim.

14. Formerly My Favourite Sunset Spot

This used to be a great spot to shoot a sunset from The Nab as the town is aligned with the distant hills and framed nicely between the trees from here. But then the farm started using the concrete slab on the other side of the fence for the storage of hay bales. Still, with the snow on the bales and the reflected highlights from the sun, it kind of works, but I think I preferred it in the pre-bale days.

15. Last Light

I'm slightly cheating here, this was actually taken earlier in the evening, but it looks appropriate for the end of the set, so I'm going to pretend it was taken after then other images.

This is a lovely image. It reminds me of L.S. Lowry's paintings, although I'm not sure why. Probably the grouping of the people going about their business and the way they're almost in silhouette. Really nice.

It's coming..

I often prefer the 'back to the sun' views at sunrise/set. The colours of the sky can be wonderful, known as the Belt of Venus.

I see what you did there Alan ;-)