Telephone Box Line-up

Telephone boxes are rapidly becoming obsolete in many parts of the world now that almost everyone seems to have a mobile telephone. In many cases they seem to have more of a nostalgic than a practical value, and none so than the iconic British red telephone box, no less than five of which are pictured here. Coming across so many boxes in one place was a bit of a photographer's treat, for things in groups are often more interesting subjects that single examples. There is something essentially British about these gorgeous constructions, with their comforting solidity and bright colour. London has been particularly good about retaining large numbers of its telephone boxes, realising no doubt their value as visitor attractions –as recognisable as double-decker buses and Buckingham Palace. It's been a long time since I myself used one of these boxes, but I have photographed them a great deal over the years. Attempts at modernising the exteriors by creating one large window on either side failed miserably; there's something special about all those little panes that gives an illusion of privacy yet still allows those inside to see out and, back in the day, those impatiently queuing outside to glare in! There are no queues here now, only a pigeon debating whether to make a call... Location: London, England

Waterfront at Sunset

I'm kind of weak on sunsets, but I've never really found it sufficiently rewarding to photograph the sun itself; the resulting image never seems to capture the breathtaking magnificence of the process, which has to be experienced to be fully absorbed. And it's more the effect of the sun on other things that proves to be of interest –be that clouds, water, mountains or buildings. And I'm in a bit of a "sunset phase" at the moment. Here there are few clouds and no mountains, but there are pale buildings rendered gold, and calm water to reflect the colours. It's no wonder this time is called "the golden hour", so beloved of photographers and film-makers. The mood is mellow, peaceful, alluring. Everything is clean and tidy because this is a german town. I love the colours here -the browns and golden tones, the muted bright greens and the little specks of red. Ideally, the cyclist should have been midway, closer to the tree in the centre, but he sped by too quickly! Nonetheless, I think the picture captures something of the soft magic of a warm evening at sunset. Location: Lübeck, Germany

Fishing Boats at Sunset

Though my last post was contemporary and winter is still very much upon us, I feel this is also a time to look back on pictures of warmer days, and in a sense re-live golden moments of sunshine. Sunset is, of course, a golden time for pictures anywhere, but perhaps especially so when there is water nearby or there are interesting textures and surfaces to reflect the light. Here, I was especially attracted to the soft light hitting the side of the boats and the way the boats themselves were perched on the beach -itself somewhat unusual, although not along this stretch of the south coast of England where there are few places for the boats to moor, and so they are winched up onto the pebbled beach upon returning from fishing in the morning. All day they sit stranded, perhaps wistfully wishing to be back in the water again where they belong... I love the quiet loneliness of the moment; there are no people about now, no noisy seagulls, just the gentle sound of the waves hitting the shore. A glorious, golden moment of summer. Location: Hastings, England