Born and bred in Northern Ireland, Peter Holloway now lives in England, and enjoys capturing the beauty of the British landscape from north to south.
- too long in exile
Taking a walk around Southport’s Marine Lake the other day I decided to try for a long exposure shot of the lake, pier and bridge. The intense sunlight made it almost impossible to see the image on the camera’s screen, but I could just make out enough to get a few shots. I was so intent on getting the exposure right that I didn’t notice the tram setting off. You can see the blurred movement of the tram along the pier in the centre of the shot.
Visiting Liverpool recently to see the Giants we enjoyed a stroll by the Pier Head. With the new museum up an running I liked the juxtaposition of the old and the new buildings, with a few superlambananas to add to the mix!
No focal point – I like to take images with no definite focal point. I think in the back of my mind I’m wondering how it would look on my wall – what I mean is, sometimes what makes a great photograph, because of a great composition with a point of focus in the foreground, actually is too busy to put on a wall and view over months or years. I think that the pictures on our walls (apart from family photos) should have a timeless nature to them, something that our eyes can ‘wander’ round without being drawn time and time again to that obvious focal point. I personally find this sort of image much more restful…
Having taken a walk around the Marine Lake in Southport recently (and taken a few photographs) I was impressed by the refurbished Victorian shelters. I have to confess to quite liking the old colour, even when it was faded and peeling, but the new dark green colour scheme looks sophisticated and blends well with the gardens. Both these photos were taken recently – the right hand image is from the northern end of the lake that hasn’t yet been refurbished.
The Strangford Ferry crosses the narrows of Strangford Lough from morning to sunset, carrying cars and people between the towns of Portaferry and Strangford. I was lucky to be able to spend some time in Portaferry and to photograph this beautiful part of Northern Ireland. One evening in particular the sunset was soft but stunning and I managed to capture the ferry as it crossed in front of the setting sun.
One of the little known beauty spots in Northern Ireland is Portaferry! It’s tucked away at the very tip of the Ards Peninsula, not a busy place. But there’s a tranquil beauty to surrounding water and countryside. Bounded by Strangford Lough, and the Irish Sea just over the hills the light is wonderful and the sunsets can be spectacular. Taking a walk along the coastal road one evening I captured this image of the sun setting over the bend of the road. We were walking back towards the town itself at this point, but I kept looking back, watching the light, and here’s the result!
On holiday in Northern Ireland, the sun was shining and my dad had brought his new A4 out to play. We were pottering around the beaches on the Ards Peninsula and seeing the car parked up thought it would make a great image. The beach was slightly below the surface of the road which allowed me to get down low and surround the car in the grass. The farmhouse in the background made a nice contextual reference, and of course an ND grad was used to deepen the sky tones a little.
With my latest addition to my camera collection I’ve decided to try a little more street photography. I’ve always felt rather self-conscious pointing a DSLR at passers by, but somehow the diminutive Olympus OM-D E-M10 feels less threatening. So, with a bit of sunshine and plenty of visitors I took a few street shots. I love this space between the Ramada Hotel and the Casino complex. Usually I would try and capture the space without any human interest, but I thought the gap with the pedestrians crossing added some interest to the image.
We went for a walk down on the beach last night. The beach, as usual was a mess, more mud than sand, not really pleasant. Also, as usual, the pier was locked long before sunset so I resorted to the usual method of sticking the lens between the bars of the gates. This was a multiple exposure combined to show the foreground detail while keeping the colour in the sky.
At certain times of the year, the sun sets directly behind the end of the Pier in Southport. Sometimes the sky is dramatic, often it can be cloudless and flat. Occasionally the colours are rich and warm (this shot did receive a little help in that direction in post processing).
Timing it right I caught the last gasp of sunlight before it sank below the pier railings. I hope you enjoy the shot!