Luke Images

I snapped this on holiday in Lyme Regis. It was a stunning day which drew the crowds to the beach. We squeezed ourselves into a small patch of sand and sat uncomfortably for a while, trying to keep an eye on our daughter amid the squeals and splashes of children and families in the water.  After suffering the suffocation as long as we could, we headed along the harbour wall to a small beach tucked behind the marine aquarium.  This shot is on our walk back along the wall, stopping for an ice cream en route.  As I look at it in black and white now, it speaks to me of family and togetherness. Here’s why...  I see a mother and daughter walking tightly together at the bottom of the frame. The fact that they’re my wife and daughter brings with it the knowledge of their close bond. But something in their relaxed and purposeful stride conveys their togetherness, don’t you think?  Mirroring this sense of family tie is the lady and daughter just ahead of them, with the bo...

From my photo journal...  Perhaps it’s not immediately apparent why I took this uneventful shot!  I think it was the simple pleasure of its everyday harbour ambiance...  ...Seagulls loitering on boats and rooftops, alert to opportunity...  ...Boats at rest from their sea adventures...  ...People ambling about, enjoying the fresh sea air, blowing away the cobwebs, being together...  ...Life chiming to the rhythm of halyards hitting masts in the wind.  It all has a familiar and reassuring feel about it – like a regular Sunday night in front of the telly with the family. --- Here again in black and white with a slight vignette: --- Snapped on my old iPhone 6s at Lyme Regis harbour ---  Photo ref: 202208-Lyme-Regis-Holiday-49

From my photo journal...  A picture of calm on a grey and windy summer’s day. On the other side of the harbour, a choppy sea buffeted the wall. It was an invigorating walk along the top. I love the calming effect of the water here. You can see some gentle movement on the surface, creating a nice squiggly reflection of the mast.  That band of light in the clouds and reflected on the water is lovely too. Along with the forward facing boats, it draws me into the shot. I like the overall mood these elements create. If the cloud was all the same grey, it would be gloomy and dull. But that band of light makes all the difference. It lifts the whole scene and invites me in.  Still, I'm not keen on the boats on the left edge. It would have been nice to capture an open space of water here, but unfortunately it was rather congested.  So, here's the same shot with a vignette to lessen the distraction. Does it work for you?  And here are the same shots in black and white:...

From my photo journal... First I notice the building and its reflection. Then the boats. And finally the most interesting part – the people. It’s an overcast day in the summer holidays but at least it’s dry. Crabbing is a fun way to while away the time. When I was younger and reading about photography in various ‘How to’ handbooks, I used to love ‘people shots' like these. I'd study what they were doing and their expressions and interactions. And I'd wonder, ‘What are they doing now?’ --- Snapped on my old iPhone 6s at Lyme Regis harbour. --- I'm a bit bothered by the messy left side of the frame, so here I've added a vignette to reduce the distraction: Better? --- And here are the images in black and white: --- Photo ref: 202208-Lyme-Regis-Holiday-40

From my photo journal... It’s a gloomy day, but not for these three, aged 3 - 6. They so enjoyed playing together in the sea, energised by each other’s company, more daring in their silliness and squealing with delight. Without them it might make a good ‘mood’ shot. I love the view here. When I feel a bit tossed about in life, I tend to head to the coast and look out to sea. Maybe it’s a subconscious desire to regain control of the boat. And maybe I should just roll up my trousers and jump about in the shallow surf with friends. --- Snapped on my old iPhone 6s at Lyme Regis beach. --- Again in black and white: --- Photo ref: 202208-Lyme-Regis-Holiday-28

From my photo journal... Whatever the weather, the sea seems irresistible to young children. These three had a great time jumping over the little waves at Lyme Regis beach on a cool and breezy day. What joy and delight they showed. What a thrill it was to be there. So, as we watched them and marvelled at their energy and enthusiasm, I thought to myself, ‘Can I have some of that, please!’ It was a lovely moment and a great reminder to enjoy yourself. --- This was shot on my old iPhone 6s --- Again in black and white: --- Photo ref: 202208-Lyme-Regis-Holiday-22

From my photo journal... A dad and daughter moment on an overcast day at Gun Cliff, Lyme Regis.  I can almost hear the conversation:  “What do you see, my love?”  “The sea, Daddy!”  “That’s right! And what else...?”  --- Snapped on my old iPhone 6s during a day out with friends. August 2022.  --- Again in black and white: --- Photo ref: 202208-Lyme-Regis-6

From my photo journal... This one might be a bit cliché but I like it all the same. The people are friends who joined us for a couple days on holiday – and my wife and daughter. I snapped this while they took in the view of Lyme Regis beach and harbour. I love the relaxed pose of my friend on the right, while his wife looks like she is checking something on her phone. Behind her, Mum attentively holds Daughter standing on the wall. It’s such a common scene of people at leisure. I think that’s why I like it. There’s a timeless quality about how people are. It’s the same whenever I visit the National Art Gallery in London. I could stand for hours in front of the great paintings from bygone eras capturing every day family scenes. They look so real. And you wonder what it was like to be them. Here it is in black and white: Which do you prefer?

From my photo journal... As we enter the last throes of summer, an early morning sun brings extra vibrancy to the forest. I’m struck by the lush green of these leaves. Look at the strong sky blue in the corner. And the lovely patch of sunlight on the ground. They both add a nice colour contrast to the frame and set off the green all the more. The silhouetted huddle of trees is an interesting shape, seemingly pirouetting and embracing the moment. Just one of many fine displays in this amazing place. --- Snapped on my old iPhone 6s during a bike ride on Beechen Lane track, Lyndhurst, New Forest. --- Photo ref: 20220820-Beechen-Lane-22

From my photo journal... A lot of this image is in the dark. But the light on the ground and the tree in the background lifts it nicely, I think. Summer is entering its late stages. It’s a beautiful early morning. The sun’s getting a bit lower these days offering a different quality of light. The forest looks beautiful, clothed in its many shades of green. Vibrant in the sun. Complemented by the rich blue sky. I’m out here on my bike with it all to myself. I think I’ll just keep on cycling… --- Snapped on an iPhone 6s on Beechen Lane, Lyndhurst, New Forest --- Photo ref: 20220820-Beechen-Lane-20

From my photo journal... I wonder if there’s too much going on in this shot. What pulls your eye the most? I like the light on the foreground and in the central area. But the path lit up on the right edge of the frame, does it distract? Does it make the shot too busy? Does it pull you away? Maybe. I could crop it out. Even so, I just love the way the early morning sun brings out trees in this scene – the many shades and colours, the attractive shapes – and adds splashes of decoration along the ground. --- Snapped on my old iPhone 6s during a bike ride up Beechen Lane track in Lyndhurst, New Forest. --- Photo ref: 20220820-Beechen-Lane-15

From my photo journal... The low early morning sun seems to highlight every possible hue and shade of green within the canopy of these beautiful trees. It's a glorious moment in which time seems to stand still. You take it all in. It feels transcendent. --- Snapped on my old iPhone 6s during a bike ride up Beechen Lane track in Lyndhurst, New Forest. --- Here it is again from a slightly different angle. Taken one minute later. And lightened a bit too. Which do you prefer? --- Photo ref: 20220820-Beechen-Lane-9 / 20220820-Beechen-Lane-12

From my photo journal... I loved those branches sweeping down across the frame. It seemed like the sunlight was cascading down them. But now it’s the sun-drenched leaves in the background that steal the show for me. What a truly magical place to be. Such gorgeous light and scenery. This was a Saturday morning bike ride in August. It can take hours to do a circuit on a day like this. The only thing that makes a proper bike ride possible is when my iPhone battery runs out! --- Photo ref: 20220820-Beechen-Lane-7

From my photo journal... The shaded foreground creates a lovely vignette around those glorious leaves in the middle. The tall stump on the right looks a little odd! (I guess the tree must have died or been damaged to incur such drastic action.) Even so, scenes like this take my breath away. The beauty highlighted by the light and shade is something to behold. Just stand in awe and wonder. Let nature speak to you. What’s it saying? --- Snapped on my old iPhone 6s on Beechen Lane (track), Lyndhurst. --- Photo ref: 20220820-Beechen-Lane-6

From my journal...  Heading up Beechen Lane on my bike, I was taken in by the backdrop of illuminated trees, as if something magical was happening on the other side. Looking at the scene now, I love the way the sunlight on the leaves of varying shades creates a sense of depth. A shot like this draws you in beyond the shadows. The interplay of the background light and silhouetted trees creates drama. I want to be where the light is. --- Snapped on my old iPhone 6s on Beechen Lane, Lyndhurst, New Forest. --- Photo ref: 20220820-Beechen-Lane-5