The Amusement Arcade

It may not be Las Vegas, but the amusement arcades of British seaside towns are inextricably part of the summer holidays I remember from my childhood. They haven't changed much either – a few new machines of course, and silver coins are needed rather than the bag of pennies one used to make last an afternoon- but the sounds (clunks and bells and chimes and fairground music) are all still there, as are the flashing lights and frentic allure of dozens of machines –slot-machines (which we called fruit-machines), flipper-games, roll-a-coin, shooting games, driving simulators and -the always utterly frustrating grab-a-prize machine with its devious crane, -I remember them boasting prizes such as packets of cigarettes, soft toys and one or two expensive-looking watches that no one ever won. Now there are soft toys and iPods, but no one ever wins these either. But it's not really about actually winning the prize –it's holding onto the belief that you just may be lucky, and having a good time along the way; which, when I think about it, is pretty much what life itself should be all about. Location: Hemsby, England

Peeping Cow

Another summer animal picture. This cow thought she was invisible or at least unobserved, but my trained eye sussed out her undercover disguise! It just made me smile a little while out walking in the country, where there are delights and colour and surprises at every bend of the path! Location: Valdres, Norway

Sleeping Dog

A hot summer day in Greece. Scorchingly hot. Too hot for chasing cats, or hunting for treats. Too hot for anything, really. Far better to find some shade on cool marble and just... doze; and dream of cooler days. Location: Corfu Town, Greece

People at Tables

Reflecting somewhat my last post, here the tables are full of people. The backdrop is rather more dramatic than the conversations going on, however, it would appear –I love the bored look of the lady whose glass is empty, waiting for her husband to finish his drink). This is right outside the Stephansdom in Vienna and the statues, reliefs and paintings add a biblical sense of theatre and even judgement to an otherwise ordinary scene, but I liked the colours and textures and composition enough to share it. Location: Vienna, Austria

Empty Chairs at Empty Table

Sometimes what's missing from a picture says more than when they are there. Obviously here there should be people. There certainly have been. This is the end of the day; the people have gone. But they somehow leave an imprint behind. The arrangement of the chairs around the stone table seems to indicate that they are continuing the conversation, discussing those who had sat there earlier. A lot is said, despite the silence! Location, Hovedøya, Norway

The Boating Lake

A beautiful day before the summer season started, so the lake is almost eerily still and no boats or even breeze break its surface. It is late afternoon and the sun is low but still bright, creating the warm colours on the rooftops and walls. The blue sky is mirrored perfectly in the glass-like water, as are the buildings and structures in the lake, making them appear almost to hover in mid-air. The red board on the small tower shows the numbers of the boats that will soon be set out into the lake, and it creates a nice vivid focal point for the picture. Location: Hastings, England