Weigh in the Park

Parks are often full of suprises and places for unexpected discoveries. Just why anyone would care to weigh themselves while out for a walk may seem a bit of a mystery, but then - why not? If, upon paying your fee you discover yourself to be pleasantly lighter than expected the day will surely be even more pleasant. And If you discover that you are overweight then you're in the right place for exercise! A few rounds and a nice brisk walk leads you perhaps back to the scales, so you can see how much you have lost in one afternoon? Or an Sunday stroll with a loved one may be excited (or perhaps distracted) by a little romantic weighing – and the inevitable discussion that follows! The graffiti on the side here is clearly a comment on the scales – 5 kg incorrect or similar, maybe? I found the contraption rather delightful in an old-fashioned sort of way, a little like a benign blue grandfather clock. Location: Bucharest, Romania

Golden Autumn

Amidst days of rain and wind there was one glorious day of sunshine earlier this week; a day which sparkled with autumn beauty and colour. There is always something magical about the contrast of golden leaves against a blue sky (even one with whisper of cloud), and something nobly dramatic. Soon these leaves will all have fallen, but here they reign and gleam, cascading like a waterfall of gold coins. It's my favourite time of the year! Location: Kolsås, Norway

Birmingham Sky

I used to study in Birmingham and lived there for a number of years so I always find it enjoyable and rewarding to revisit. Not least because of the constant revitalisation of the city and its dynamic and bold modern architecture. The extremely futuristic new library seen here is merely the latest in a range of monumental building projects. What I particularly like is that though these buildings are unusual, different and quirky, they are all people-friendly, and reflect the diversity and uniqueness of Birmingham's sometimes belittled place as the "Second City". These buildings are not as imposing and "cold" as many modern buildings in other cities. Apart from the library, this picture also shows the famous Birmingham Rep Theatre and Symphony Hall. But the sky and the light was what really attracted me, taken on a blustery Sunday morning. Location: Birmingham, England

Bench for the Unsociable?

I love how different countries have come up with weird and wonderful solutions to myriad concerns. I was struck by how unsociable this bench on an underground platform in Budapest seemed, and wondered whether it was designed specifically for those who valued solitude, or the claustrophobic, or to deter people from talking at all, unless they cared to project their voices. It seemed a very Eastern European sort of thing, but I suppose the bench may have been set up this way to deter people with various unsavory designs from sitting next to vulnerable young ladies (or men) who are waiting for their trains. Or are they meant for particularly smelly individuals? Then again, it seems suspiciously like a piece of modern art, except in that it has a practical function. What fascinated me perhaps most was the variable distance between the individual seats, and why and how this was determined. Finally, it was something unusual and different and I liked the stark contrast between the red seats and the creamy, scuff-marked wall. Location: Budapest, Hungary

Lamp post on the Bridge

A bridge in London - another one! This time in Putney, with a pale sun struggling a little to shine behind a bed of clouds but gracefully illuminating the water of the Thames, seen here at low tide. The lamp post drew me straight back into the past as I crossed the bridge, and I felt it must have seen and known a great deal in its long, sedate life. I chose to shoot it from below against the sky (which itself was rather remarkable) to heighten its calm solidity, and in sepia because I was in a romantic, nostlagic mood. Location: London, England